Abstract: A device includes a light source to emit light and a light detector to receive the light emitted by the light source. The device may include a high voltage optical transformer and may be configured such that the light detector is laterally spaced away from the light source. In some architectures, the light source and the light detector may be arranged in a common plane. A photonic integrated circuit may be used to couple light emitted from the light source to the light detector.

Abstract: A liquid lens includes a substrate, a transparent elastic membrane forming a cavity with the substrate, and a transparent fluid filling the cavity between the substrate and the membrane. The membrane has a pre-distorted, rotationally asymmetric shape in absence of the fluid in the cavity. When the cavity is filled with the fluid and the substrate is disposed vertically w.r.t. gravity at a pre-defined clocking angle, the membrane adopts a substantially rotationally symmetric shape due to elasticity of the membrane counteracting gravity exerting a downward force on the fluid in the cavity, reducing the effect of the gravity sag on optical performance of the liquid lens.

Abstract: A device or system includes a light source, an optical waveguide, and a light director. The light source emits illumination light. The optical waveguide includes a light input coupler. The light director receive the illumination light and generates shaped light. The light director adjusts the tilt angle and/or the divergence angle of the illumination light.

Abstract: An electromechanical actuator includes a primary electrode, a secondary electrode overlying at least a portion of the primary electrode, and an electroactive layer disposed between the primary electrode and the secondary electrode, where the electroactive layer has a first curvature when zero voltage is applied between the primary electrode and the secondary electrode, and a second curvature when a non-zero voltage is applied between the primary electrode and the secondary electrode.

Abstract: The disclosure includes optical systems and near-eye optical elements configured to suppress stray infrared light. Infrared illuminators illuminator an eyebox area with narrow-band infrared illumination light for eye-tracking. A combiner layer receives reflected infrared light reflected of an eye of the user and directs the reflected infrared light to a camera configured to capture eye-tracking images of an eye of a user. An anti-reflection (AR) coating may be disposed on a base curvature to reduce Fresnel reflections that generate stray light. A ghost suppression component may be paired with the infrared illuminators to reduce stray light becoming incident on the camera.

Abstract: An optical transformer includes a plurality of light emitters, a plurality of photovoltaic cells positioned to receive light from at least a first subset of the plurality of light emitters, the plurality of photovoltaic cells including at least a first photovoltaic cell and a second photovoltaic cell, and one or more optically triggered switches positioned to receive light from at least a second subset of the plurality of light emitters, the one or more optically triggered switches including at least a first optically triggered switch electrically coupled to the first photovoltaic cell and the second photovoltaic cell. A method of operating the optical transformer is also described.

Abstract: An actuator may be integrated into an optical element such as a liquid lens and configured to create spherical curvature as well as a variable cylinder radius and axis in a surface of the optical element. An example actuator may include a stack of electromechanical layers, and electrodes configured to apply an electric field independently across each of the electromechanical layers. Within the stack, an orientation of neighboring electromechanical layers may differ, e.g., stepwise, by at least approximately 10°.

Abstract: A configuration circuit may be used with a power converter. The configuration circuit dynamically reconfigures one or more connections of output stages of a power converter to vary the output. A capacitive load may receive the output of the power converter.

Abstract: An example device may include a light source, an optical element, and an encapsulant layer. A light beam generated by the light source may be received by the optical element, and redirected into the encapsulant layer. The optical element may include a high-index material, for example, with a refractive index of at least approximately 1.5 at the wavelength of the light beam. The light source may be a semiconductor light source, such as a light emitting diode or a laser. The optical element may be embedded in the encapsulant layer, and the optical element may have a curved exit surface. Refraction at the exit surface of the optical element may redirect the light beam towards a target.

Abstract: The disclosed transparent circuit board may include a transparent substrate, a first conductive trace coupled to the transparent substrate, and an electrical component having a bottom surface facing the transparent substrate and a top surface facing away from the transparent substrate. The bottom surface may include a first electrical contact coupled to the first conductive trace, and the top surface may include a second electrical contact. The transparent circuit board may also include a second conductive trace electrically connected to the second electrical contact and a transparent encapsulation layer coupled to the transparent substrate and encapsulating the electrical component. Various other ophthalmic devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A power converter includes an input circuit, an output circuit, and a configuration circuit. The input circuit is configured to receive an input voltage or current. The output circuit is electrically isolated from the input circuit and is configured to generate a combined output voltage or a combined output current in response to the input circuit. The output circuit includes a plurality of output stages that are each configured to generate a respective partial output voltage or current. The configuration circuit is coupled to the plurality of output stages to dynamically reconfigure a connection among the plurality of output stages to combine the respective partial output voltages or currents to adjust the combined output voltage, the combined output current, or a combined output impedance of the power converter.

Abstract: An optical system for a head mounted display (HMD) includes a display layer, an illumination layer, an optical combiner, and an active optics block. The display layer is configured to emit display light and the illumination layer includes an array of point light sources configured to emit calibration light. The optical combiner is configured to pass the display light to a front side of the optical system and to direct the calibration light to a camera. The active optics block includes an adjustable lens disposed between the illumination layer and the optical combiner, where the adjustable lens is configured to pass the calibration light to the optical combiner and to focus the display light for a user of the HMD. The active optics block is further configured to adjust an optical power of the adjustable lens based on a calibration image captured by the camera responsive to the calibration light.

Abstract: A method of forming a nanovoided composite polymer includes forming a resin-containing layer over a substrate, the resin-containing layer including a polymer-forming phase and a sacrificial phase, curing the polymer-forming phase to form a polymer matrix containing the sacrificial phase, and removing the sacrificial phase selectively with respect to the polymer matrix to form a nanovoided composite polymer including the polymer matrix and nanovoids dispersed throughout the polymer matrix. The nanovoids may be randomly or regularly dispersed throughout the matrix. Various other methods, systems, apparatuses, and materials are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method includes attaching a clip array to opposing edges of a polymer thin film, the clip array having a plurality of first clips slidably disposed on a first track located proximate to a first edge of the polymer thin film and a plurality of second clips slidably disposed on a second track located proximate to a second edge of the polymer thin film, applying a positive in-plane strain to the polymer thin film along a transverse direction by increasing a distance between the first and second clips, and decreasing an inter-clip spacing amongst the first clips and amongst the second clips along a machine direction while applying the in-plane strain to form an optically anisotropic polymer thin film. During stretching, a strain rate of the thin film may be decreased and/or a temperature of the thin film may be increased.

Abstract: A high voltage-driven system includes a high voltage optical transformer and a high voltage driven device, where the high voltage optical transformer is located in close proximity to the high voltage driven device. A high voltage connection between the high voltage optical transformer and the high voltage driven device may be shorter than a low voltage connection between the high voltage optical transformer and a low voltage power source used to control the transformer.

Abstract: A near-eye optic includes a substrate having a clear aperture for propagating light. An inconspicuous electrical circuit is supported by the substrate in the clear aperture of the substrate. The inconspicuous electrical circuit includes a plurality of inconspicuous conductive traces disposed in an inconspicuous pattern and electrically coupled to a plurality of inconspicuous electrical components. The inconspicuous pattern may include e.g. an asymmetric pattern, an aperiodic pattern, a pseudo-random pattern, a meandering pattern, a periodic pattern modulated with pseudo-random perturbations, or a non-rectangular pattern modulated with pseudo-random perturbations.

Abstract: A device or system includes a light source, an optical waveguide, and a light director. The light source emits illumination light. The optical waveguide includes a light input coupler. The light director receive the illumination light and generates shaped light. The light director adjusts the tilt angle and/or the divergence angle of the illumination light.

Abstract: An optical transformer includes a plurality of light emitters, a plurality of photovoltaic cells positioned to receive light from at least a first subset of the plurality of light emitters, the plurality of photovoltaic cells including at least a first photovoltaic cell and a second photovoltaic cell, and one or more optically triggered switches positioned to receive light from at least a second subset of the plurality of light emitters, the one or more optically triggered switches including at least a first optically triggered switch electrically coupled to the first photovoltaic cell and the second photovoltaic cell. A method of operating the optical transformer is also described.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are generally directed to apparatuses, systems, and methods that utilize electroactive devices in connection with haptic devices (e.g., haptic touch sensors or haptic feedback elements). In some examples, a haptic feedback system may include an array of electroactive devices, each electroactive device including 1) a first electrode, 2) a second electrode, and 3) an electroactive polymer element disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The electroactive polymer element may include a nanovoided polymer material that is mechanically deformable in response to an electric field generated by a potential difference between the first electrode and the second electrode. The system may also include control circuitry electronically coupled to the array and configured to apply a voltage to at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A form birefringent optical element includes a structured layer and a dielectric environment disposed over the structured layer. At least one of the structured layer and the dielectric environment includes a nanovoided polymer, the nanovoided polymer having a first refractive index in an unactuated state and a second refractive index different than the first refractive index in an actuated state. Actuation of the nanovoided polymer can be used to reversibly control the form birefringence of the optical element. Various other apparatuses, systems, materials, and methods are also disclosed.