Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include identifying a region within a user's eye gaze and calculating a ranking for the identified region within the user's eye gaze. The ranking may indicate the user's level of interest in the identified region. The method may then determine how the identified region is to be presented according to the calculated ranking and present the identified region in the determined manner according to the calculated ranking. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A light source structure includes a vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) device having a top surface and at least one side surface substantially perpendicular to and adjoining the top surface. The VCSEL device is configurable to output directed emission of light through the top surface. The light source structure also includes a light barrier surrounding at least a top portion of the VCSEL device and separated from the at least one side surface. The light barrier is configured to receive spontaneous emission out of the VCSEL device through the at least one side surface.

Abstract: A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) includes a semiconductor substrate, a first reflector, a second reflector, a first electrical contact, a second electrical contact, and a through-hole via. The first reflector is disposed on a first side of the semiconductor substrate and the second reflector is disposed between the first reflector and an emission side of the VCSEL. The first and second electrical contacts are disposed on a second side of the semiconductor substrate, opposite the first side, for mounting the VCSEL to a transparent substrate. The through-hole via electrically connects the second electrical contact to the second reflector.

Abstract: Aspects of an illumination layer of a near-eye optical element for a head mounted display (HMD) are provided herein. The illumination layer includes a plurality of in-field light sources and a keep-out zone. The in-field light sources are configured to emit infrared light to illuminate an eye of a user of the HMD for imaging of the eye by an eye-tracking camera. The keep-out zone includes a center that is to be aligned with a center of the eye when the eye is in a centered orientation, where the in-field light sources are arranged within the illumination layer outside of the keep-out zone.

Abstract: An illumination assembly includes a transparent substrate and a plurality of micro devices. The transparent substrate includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface. The first surface includes a viewing region through which light passes prior to reaching an eyebox. The plurality of micro devices are coupled to respective conductive pathways that are affixed to the first surface. The plurality of micro devices including at least one micro device that is positioned within the viewing region. In some embodiments, the conductive pathways are arranged in a pseudo random manner. In some instances, the viewing region is composed of a circuity free region that is circumscribed by an outer region, and the plurality of micro devices are coupled to respective conductive pathways that are affixed to the first surface in the outer region.

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: 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: Systems and methods for virtual interest segmentation may include (1) performing a semantic segmentation of an image of a user's environment, captured by an artificial reality (AR) device being worn by the user, to identify objects within the user's environment, (2) in addition to performing the semantic segmentation, performing an interest segmentation of the image to determine a personal interest that the user may have in a particular object identified via the semantic segmentation, (3) creating virtual content relating to the particular object based on the user's personal interest in the particular object, and (4) displaying the virtual content within a display element of the AR device. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments are generally directed to optical systems. The optical systems may include a proximal lens that may transmit light toward an eye of a user. The optical systems may also include a distal lens that may, in combination with the proximal lens, correct for at least a portion of a refractive error of the eye of the user. The optical systems may further include a selective transmission interface. The selective transmission interface may couple the proximal lens to the distal lens, transmits light having a selected property, and does not transmit light that does not have the selected property. The optical system can also include an accommodative lens, such as a liquid lens. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser for near-field illumination of an eye includes a semiconductor substrate, a first reflector, a mesa region, a first electrical contact, and a second electrical contact. The first reflector is disposed on a first side of the semiconductor substrate and the mesa region is disposed on the first reflector. The mesa region includes a second reflector and an active region, where the mesa region is configured to generate a diverging infrared beam. The first electrical contact is disposed on a second side of the semiconductor substrate, opposite the first side, for electrically coupling to the first reflector. The second electrical contact is also disposed on the second side of the semiconductor substrate for electrically coupling to the second reflector.

Abstract: An optical element for a head mounted display (HMD) includes an illumination layer, an optical combiner, and an optically transparent layer. The illumination layer is configured to emit infrared light towards an eyeward side of the optical element. The optical combiner is configured to receive reflected infrared light that is reflected by an eye of a user and to direct the reflected infrared light towards an infrared camera. The optically transparent layer is disposed between the illumination layer and the eyeward side of the optical element. The optical element may further include one or both of a confinement layer and an infrared extractor. The confinement layer is disposed on a surface of the optically transparent layer to induce waveguiding of confined infrared light propagating within the optically transparent layer. The infrared extractor is disposed on a side-edge of the optically transparent layer to absorb or frustrate the confined infrared light.

Abstract: A method for the active control of in-field light sources of a head mounted display (HMD) includes receiving an image of an eye of a user of the HMD, where the image is captured by an eye-tracking camera in response to infrared light emitted by a plurality of in-field light sources. The method also includes selectively disabling at least one of the in-field light sources based on information from the image of the eye.

Abstract: An optical element for a head mounted display (HMD) includes an illumination layer, an optical combiner, and an optically transparent layer. The illumination layer is configured to emit infrared light towards an eyeward side of the optical element. The optical combiner is configured to receive reflected infrared light that is reflected by an eye of a user and to direct the reflected infrared light towards an infrared camera. The optically transparent layer is disposed between the illumination layer and the eyeward side of the optical element. The optical element may further include one or both of a confinement layer and an infrared extractor. The confinement layer is disposed on a surface of the optically transparent layer to induce waveguiding of confined infrared light propagating within the optically transparent layer. The infrared extractor is disposed on a side-edge of the optically transparent layer to absorb or frustrate the confined infrared light.

Abstract: A near-eye optical element, according to aspects herein, includes an illumination layer, an optical combiner layer, and an infrared absorber layer. The illumination layer includes infrared light sources configured to direct narrow-band infrared illumination light to an eyeward side of the near-eye optical element for eye tracking. The optical combiner layer is configured to receive reflected infrared light of the narrow-band infrared illumination light that is reflected off an eye of a user and to direct the reflected infrared light to a camera to generate an eye-tracking image. The infrared absorber layer is disposed between the optical combiner layer and a backside of the near-eye optical element to absorb infrared interference light of the narrow-band.

Abstract: Techniques for eye-tracking in a near-eye display system are disclosed. One example of a near-eye display system includes a waveguide-based display substrate transparent to visible light and configured to be placed in front of a user's eye. The waveguide-based display substrate includes a first light deflector configured to direct a first portion of invisible light reflected by the user's eye to a camera to form a first image of the user's eye in a first area of an image frame, and a second light deflector configured to direct a second portion of the invisible light reflected by the user's eye to the camera to form a second image of the user's eye in a second area of the image frame.

Abstract: Systems and methods for enabling gaze-based virtual content control may include (1) displaying an artificial scene with one or more virtual elements to a user wearing a head-mounted display system, (2) identifying the user's eye gaze based on gazing data collected by one or more sensors in the head-mounted display system, (3) determining that the user's eye gaze is focused on a specific virtual element, and (4) in response to determining that the user's eye gaze is focused on the specific virtual element, increasing the specific virtual element's visibility to the user. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: Techniques disclosed herein relate generally to eye-tracking in near-eye display systems. One example of an eye illuminator for eye-tracking includes a substrate transparent to visible light, an array of light sources immersed in the substrate and configured to emit infrared light, and a holographic optical element conformally coupled to a surface of the substrate and encapsulated by an encapsulation layer. The holographic optical element is configured to transmit the visible light and diffract the infrared light emitted by the array of light sources to the eye of a user for eye-tracking.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include: identifying, using an eye-tracking system, an object within a scene viewed by a user; identifying, within a database of object interaction commands, a subset of commands that apply to the object viewed by the user; and presenting, to the user, the subset of commands that apply to the object. Various other methods, systems, devices, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include (i) determining, using an eye-tracking system, an orientation of at least one eye of a user, (ii) identifying, based at least in part on the orientation of the user's eye, a point of interest within a field of view of the user, (iii) determining that the point of interest is a candidate for tagging, and (iv) performing, in response to determining that the point of interest is the candidate for tagging, a tagging action that facilitates tagging of the point of interest. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: Aspects of an illumination layer of a near-eye optical element for a head mounted display (HMD) are provided herein. The illumination layer includes a plurality of in-field light sources and a keep-out zone. The in-field light sources are configured to emit infrared light to illuminate an eye of a user of the HMD for imaging of the eye by an eye-tracking camera. The keep-out zone includes a center that is to be aligned with a center of the eye when the eye is in a centered orientation, where the in-field light sources are arranged within the illumination layer outside of the keep-out zone.