Abstract: Embodiments of optical scanners, optical projection systems, and methods of scanning optical waveguides and projecting images are described. The disclosed devices, systems and methods advantageously provide an improvement to the compactness, robustness, simplicity, and reliability of optical scanners and optical projection systems by implementing a thermally driven actuator for inducing oscillations of a cantilever within the optical scanners and optical projection systems. The stability and accuracy of optical scanners and optical projection systems are further enhanced using capacitive sensing, feedback, and phase correction techniques described herein.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical system (MEMS) structure includes at least first and second metal vias. Each of the first and second metal vias includes a respective planar metal layer having a first thickness and a respective post formed from the planar metal layer. The post has a sidewall, and the sidewall has a second thickness greater than 14% of the first thickness.

Abstract: A door mirror apparatus for a vehicle is provided in which an electric motor is housed within an actuator case disposed within a mirror housing, and the actuator case includes a case member fixed to the mirror housing and a cover member that has a holder support part swingably supporting the mirror holder and is joined to the case member, wherein a motor shaft projects from one end portion along an axial direction of a motor housing of the electric motor, and an end face support projection part that is in line contact with one end portion among opposite end faces in the axial direction of the motor housing is provided integrally with one of the case member and the cover member. This makes it difficult for vibration of the electric motor to be transmitted to the actuator case, thus enabling reduction in noise when operating the electric motor.

Abstract: An actuator device includes at least one stationary unit, with at least one electromagnetic actuator element which is movable relative to the stationary unit, and with at least one shape-memory element which is implemented at least partly of a shape-shiftable shape-memory material, wherein the shape-memory element is configured, in at least one operation state, to at least partly hinder a movement of the actuator element in a first movement direction and in a second movement direction that differs from the first movement direction, at least via a mechanical deformation.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a body of the vehicle and a sensing system coupled to the body. The sensing system includes optical componentry and a glass material, where the glass material at least in part houses the optical componentry and the glass material is at least partially transparent to light at the wavelength of the optical componentry. Further the glass material has mechanical and performance properties that allow the sensing system to be positioned particularly low on the vehicle, at a position that may be of higher risk for damage from debris.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (200, 300, 400, 600) for producing volume reflection holograms with substrate-guided reconstruction beams, comprising: at least one transparent, planar carrier element (210, 310, 410, 610) comprising a first flat side (210.1) and a further flat side (210.2), at least one master element (206, 306, 406, 606) arrangeable at the first flat side (210.1) of the carrier element (210, 310, 410, 610) and at least one optical input coupling element (102, 202, 302, 402, 602) configured to optically couple a light beam (214, 216), wherein provision is made of at least one coupling portion (104, 204, 304, 404, 604) configured to mechanically establish an optical contact between the input coupling element (102, 202, 302, 402) and at least one holographic recording medium (208, 308, 408) providable on the further flat side (210.

Abstract: An actuator includes a beam that supports an object to be driven, and a driving source that receives a driving signal and causes the object to rotate around a predetermined axis. The driving signal includes a sawtooth driving waveform, and a differential waveform of a falling section of the sawtooth driving waveform is formed of half sign waves having a wavelength that is a non-integral multiple of a ringing wavelength.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to devices for two-dimensional deflection of a laser beam, which include a substrate having a substrate opening, a spring membrane provided on the substrate having spring arms extending over the substrate opening, and a middle section arranged in the substrate opening and supported by the spring arms. The middle section is mounted so it is two-dimensionally tiltable and is axially displaceable in both directions of the spring membrane middle axis. The device includes a mirror fastened on the middle section of the spring membrane and a magnetic or electrostatic drive for tilting the mirror against the restoring force of the spring arms. One or more of a component coupled to the mirror and an end stop unit are configured to limit axial deflection of the middle section to a distance that is within a range of axial deflection of the middle section during the drive-related tilting of the mirror.

Abstract: A method for integrating a hologram into the body of a security document that has a laminated body. The method includes: providing a holographic film having a backing substrate layer and a photo layer; providing additional substrate layers; carrying out a laminating process in order to form the laminated body, the holographic film together with the additional substrate layers being collated to form a substrate layer stack and being combined, together with the additional substrate layers, in a high-pressure, high-temperature laminating method to form the laminated body. There is also described a corresponding security document body.

Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to actuator frames for scanning mirror systems. In one example an actuator frame for a scanning mirror assembly comprises a mounting member comprising a first side and an opposite second side. A first moveable member comprises a first interior side that defines a first gap and a second gap with the first side of the mounting member. A second moveable member comprises a second interior side that defines a third gap and a fourth gap with the second side of the mounting member. A first hinge connects a central portion of the mounting member with the first moveable member, and a second hinge connects the central portion of the mounting member with the second moveable member.

Abstract: A display device for projecting light to a viewer may include (1) a plurality of subpixels, in which subpixels may emit light of differing spectral distributions, (2) at least one light deviator disposed optically downstream from the plurality of subpixels, and (3) and a controller. The light emitted from each of the plurality of subpixels may be transmitted through and laterally shifted by the least one light deviator towards a viewer and the at least one light deviator may be mechanically rotatable by a force applied to an outer circumferential region of the at least one light deviator. The controller may control illumination of at least a subset of the plurality of subpixels in synchronization with rotation of the at least one light deviator. Various other apparatus, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: The description relates to computing devices that employ steerable optics. One example includes a steering mechanism and a base substrate positioned relative to the steering mechanism. The example also includes an optical substrate positioned over the base substrate and an adhesive complex securing the optical substrate relative to the base substrate with multiple different types of adhesives.

Abstract: A laser projector steers an outgoing beam of light onto an object, passing light returned from the object through a focusing lens onto an aperture rigidly coupled to an optical detector.

Abstract: An optical scanning device includes a waveguide array including a plurality of waveguides arranged in a first direction. Each waveguide includes: an optical waveguide layer that propagates light supplied to the waveguide in a second direction intersecting the first direction; a first mirror having a first reflecting surface intersecting a third direction; and a second mirror having a second reflecting surface that faces the first reflecting surface. The optical waveguide layer is located between the first and second mirrors and has a variable thickness and/or a variable refractive index for the light. The width of the first mirror and the width of the second mirror are each larger than the width of the optical waveguide layer. The first mirror has a higher light transmittance than the second mirror and allows part of the light propagating through the optical waveguide layer to be emitted in the third direction.

Abstract: A system may include a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) mirror and a MEMS driver circuit. The MEMS driver circuit may obtain a plurality of items of monitoring information associated with the MEMS mirror. The plurality of items of monitoring information may include at least one of sensor information received from one or more sensors associated with the MEMS mirror, or operation information received from a controller associated with the system. The MEMS driver circuit may determine a state of the MEMS mirror based on the plurality of items of monitoring information. The MEMS driver circuit may adapt a mirror control parameter, associated with controlling the MEMS mirror, based on the state of the MEMS mirror.

Abstract: A micromechanical component includes a micromirror connected to a mounting support via at least one spring such that the micromirror is adjustable about at least one axis of rotation relative to the mounting support, where the micromirror includes a reflective surface developed at least partially on a first diaphragm surface of a mounted diaphragm of the micromirror, the diaphragm including a second diaphragm surface that faces away from the first diaphragm surface and that is mounted in air or vacuum.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second light sensors positioned in a laser scanning system of at least one color, such that scanned light is detected by the first light sensor and then by the second light sensor and light sensing surfaces of the first and second light sensors are not parallel, and a control unit connected to the first and second light sensors and configured to determine a time difference in the timing of light detection by the first and second light sensors and to execute a color position shift operation upon determining that the time difference is greater than a first threshold value.

Abstract: A volume holographic film (such as a photopolymer) that is pre-recorded with patterns subsequently is used to encode LED or low-power laser light reflections from an eye into a binary pattern that can be read at very high speeds by a relatively simple complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensor that may be similar to a high framerate, low resolution mouse sensor. The low-resolution mono images from the film are translated into eye poses using, for instance, a look up table that correlates binary patterns to X, Y positions or using a pre-trained convolutional neural network to robustly interpret many variations of the binary patterns for conversion to X, Y positions.

Abstract: An optical correction arrangement includes a first and a second correction component arranged in succession along an optical axis. The first and the second correction components are provided with aspherical surface contours which at least approximately add up to zero overall in a zero position of the optical correction arrangement. The optical correction arrangement also includes a manipulator for displacing the first correction component in a first direction at a first speed and for displacing the second correction component in a second direction at a second speed. The first speed is greater than the second speed.

Abstract: A beam directing telescope for use in a directed energy weapons system that employs active telescope component alignment and that includes a primary mirror and a secondary mirror. The secondary mirror includes a first surface having a dichroic coating that reflects and directs a high energy laser beam to the primary mirror, reflects a portion of the reference beams and passes a portion of the reference beams that are focused by a second surface of the secondary mirror. A position sensing detector (PSD) is positioned relative to the secondary mirror such that the reference beams are focused as a spot on the PSD, where the PSD senses a position of the reference beams. An actuator changes the orientation of the secondary mirror to an alignment position if the position of the focused spots on the PSD is not the position for a desired alignment of the mirrors.