Abstract: The disclosed optical lens assemblies may include a deformable optical element including a substantially transparent transducer configured to deform, and thus change at least one optical property of, the deformable optical element. At least a portion of the substantially transparent transducer may be positioned within a substantially transparent optical aperture of the optical lens assembly. Various head-mounted displays incorporating such an optical lens assembly, and methods of fabricating the same, are also disclosed.

Abstract: A transparent optical element includes a primary electrode, a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode, an electroactive layer disposed between and abutting the primary electrode and the secondary electrode, and a control system operably coupled to at least one of the primary electrode and the secondary electrode and adapted to provide a drive signal to actuate the electroactive layer within an aperture of the transparent optical element.

Abstract: A curable liquid is provided to a mold having a rigid surface disposed opposite a deformable surface. The curable liquid contacts the rigid surface and the deformable surface. The deformable surface is shaped according to a surface profile by driving actuators configured to move the deformable surface. The curable liquid is cured while the deformable surface is shaped according to the surface profile.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a device, such as a transducer, includes a polymer element disposed between electrodes, and a control circuit configured to apply electrical potentials having the same polarity to the electrodes. A separation distance between the electrodes may be increased by an electrostatic repulsion between the electrodes. Various other devices, systems, methods, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: An example device includes a nanovoided polymer element, which may be located at least in part between the electrodes. In some examples, the nanovoided polymer element may include anisotropic voids, including a gas, and separated from each other by polymer walls. The device may be an electroactive device, such as an actuator having a response time for a transition between actuation states. The gas may have a characteristic diffusion time (e.g., to diffuse half the mean wall thickness through the polymer walls) that is less than the response time. The nanovoids may be sufficiently small (e.g., below 1 micron in diameter or an analogous dimension), and/or the polymer walls may be sufficiently thin, such that the gas interchange between gas in the voids and gas absorbed by the polymer walls may occur faster than the response time, and in some examples, effectively instantaneously.

Abstract: A device, such as an electroactive device, may include primary electrode and a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode. An electroactive polymer element may include a composite polymer material and is disposed between and abuts each of the primary electrode and the secondary electrode. A phase change or other deformable medium such as a liquid, a gas, or a liquid-gas mixture may be disposed as inclusions within the polymer material. The device can be actuated by the application of a voltage between the electrodes and the attendant formation of a Maxwell stress, exposing the deformable medium to a source of radiation, changing a pressure of the deformable medium, or changing a temperature of the deformable medium, e.g., about a phase transformation temperature of the phase change medium.

Abstract: An optical element includes a primary electrode, a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode, and a structurally-modified and transparent electroactive polymer disposed between and abutting the primary electrode and the secondary electrode. An optical device may include a tunable lens and an optical element disposed over at least one surface of the tunable lens.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a method includes (1) applying a first voltage and a first current to an electroactive device that includes a nanovoided electroactive polymer, (2) measuring a second voltage and a second current associated with the electroactive device, (3) determining at least one of a position or a force output associated with the electroactive device, the position or the force based on the second voltage and the second current, and (4) applying a third voltage and a third current to the electroactive device based on the at least one of the position or the force output. Various other methods, systems, apparatuses, and materials are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electroactive device may include (i) a first conductor, (ii) a first optically transparent material electrically coupled to the first conductor, the first optically transparent material including a plurality of nanovoids and having a first refractive index, (iii) a second optically transparent material electrically coupled to the first optically transparent material, the second optically transparent material having a second refractive index that is lower than the first refractive index, and (iv) a second conductor electrically coupled to the second optically transparent material. Various other methods, systems, apparatuses, and materials are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed optical lens assemblies may include a structural support element, a deformable element coupled to the structural support element, and a deformable medium positioned between the deformable element and the structural support element. The deformable element may include a base element that, when deformed, alters an optical property of the optical lens assembly. The deformable element may have a non-uniform stiffness. Related methods of fabricating an optical lens assembly are also disclosed.

Abstract: A display device includes a scanned projector for projecting a beam of light, and a diffraction grating for dispersing the light at a plurality of angles into a waveguide, wherein at least a portion of the diffraction grating includes a nanovoided polymer. Manipulation of the nanovoid topology, such as through capacitive actuation, can be used to reversibly control the effective refractive index of the nanovoided polymer and hence the grating efficiency. The switchable grating can be used to control the amount of diffraction of an incident beam of light through the grating thereby decreasing optical loss. Various other methods, systems, apparatuses, and materials are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electroactive device may include a primary electrode, a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode, and a tertiary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the secondary electrode. The electroactive device may also include (i) a first electroactive polymer element including a first elastomer material disposed between and abutting the primary electrode and the secondary electrode, and (ii) a second electroactive polymer element including a second elastomer material disposed between and abutting the secondary electrode and the tertiary electrode. Various other devices, methods, and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method may include bonding a deformable bounding element to a structural support element in which the deformable bounding element and a cavity-adjacent side of the structural support element define a cavity. The method may further include filling the cavity with a deformable medium by injecting the deformable medium past a cavity-opposite side of the structural support element and toward the cavity-adjacent side of the structural support element. The method may additionally include sealing an entry point of the injection of the deformable medium into the cavity. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An optical element includes a primary electrode, a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode, and an electroactive layer disposed between and abutting the primary electrode and the secondary electrode. The optical element is configured to have a first optical transmittance and a first optical reflectance when a first voltage is applied between the primary electrode and the secondary electrode, and at least one of a second optical transmittance different from the first optical transmittance or a second optical reflectance different from the first optical reflectance when a second voltage different from the first voltage is applied between the primary electrode and the secondary electrode.

Abstract: An actuator assembly includes a primary electrode, a secondary electrode overlapping at least a portion of the primary electrode, and an electroactive polymer layer disposed between the primary electrode and the secondary electrode, where the electroactive polymer layer includes a non-vertical (e.g., sloped) sidewall with respect to a major surface of at least one of the electrodes. The electroactive polymer layer may be characterized by a non-axisymmetric shape with respect to an axis that is oriented orthogonal to an electrode major surface.

Abstract: A transparent optical element may include a layer of an electroactive ceramic disposed between transparent electrodes, such that the electrodes are each oriented perpendicular to a non-polar direction of the ceramic layer. Optical properties of the optical element, including transmissivity, haze, and clarity may be improved by the application of a voltage to the electroactive ceramic, and an associated phase transformation.

Abstract: In various embodiments, an electrode precursor material may be flowed into a manifold extrusion die having first and second manifold inlet openings. Further, an electroactive polymer precursor material may be flowed into the manifold extrusion die via a third manifold inlet opening such that the electroactive polymer precursor material is layered between alternating layers of the electrode precursor material from the first and second manifold inlet openings. Moreover, the electrode precursor material and the electroactive polymer precursor material may be extruded through a manifold outlet opening of the manifold extrusion die. Various other methods, systems, apparatuses, and materials are also disclosed.

Abstract: An electroactive ceramic may be incorporated into a transparent optical element and may characterized by an average grain size of less than 200 nm, a relative density of at least 99%, and a transmissivity within the visible spectrum of at least 50%, while maintaining a d33 value of at least 20 pC/N. Optical properties of the electroactive ceramic, including transmissivity, haze, and clarity may be substantially unchanged during actuation of the optical element and the attendant application of a voltage to a layer of the electroactive ceramic.

Abstract: An apparatus having an asymmetric adjustable lens with a deformable optical element. The apparatus may also include one or more actuators coupled to a deformable element of the asymmetric adjustable lens in a direct-drive configuration such that (1) mechanical action of the one or more actuators applies force to the deformable optical element and (2) the force applied by the mechanical action of the one or more actuators changes an optical property of the asymmetric adjustable lens by deforming the deformable optical element. Various other devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed optical lens assemblies may include a deformable element, a structural support element, a substantially transparent deformable medium positioned between the deformable element and the structural support element, a compliant peripheral component positioned between peripheral portions of the deformable element and the structural support element, and an actuator configured to displace at least a portion of the compliant peripheral component to deform the deformable element and change at least one optical property of the optical lens assembly. Related head-mounted displays and methods of fabricating such optical lens assemblies are also disclosed.