Abstract: Optical systems including an interferometer utilizing a spatial light modulator. A light guide including a first beam splitter and multiple mirrors directs incoherent light through the beam splitter to the interferometer to generate an interference light pattern, and further directs the interference light pattern back to the first beam splitter via the mirrors.

Abstract: Virtual reality (VR) displays are computer displays that present images or video in a manner that simulates a real experience for the viewer. In many cases, VR displays are implemented as head-mounted displays (HMDs) which provide a display in the line of sight of the user. Because current HMDs are composed of a display panel and magnifying lens with a gap therebetween, proper functioning of the HMDs limits their design to a box-like form factor, thereby negatively impacting both comfort and aesthetics. The present disclosure provides a different configuration for a virtual reality display which allows for improved comfort and aesthetics, including specifically at least one coherent light source, at least one holographic waveguide coupled to the at least one coherent light source to receive light therefrom, and at least one spatial light modulator coupled to the at least one holographic waveguide to modulate the light.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for audio calibration that uses audio simulation and reconstructed surface information from images or video recordings along with recorded sound. The surface component of the method introduces knowledge that enables audio wave propagation simulation for a particular location. Using the simulation results the sound distribution can be optimized. For example, unwanted audio reflection and occlusion can be recognized and resolved. In one example, the disclosure provides a method for improving acoustics at a location that includes: (1) generating a geometric model of a location using visual data obtained from the location, wherein the location includes an audio system, and (2) simulating, using the geometric model, movement of sound waves in the location that originate from the audio system. The disclosure also provides a computer system, a computer program product, and a mobile computing device that include features for improving acoustics at a location.

Abstract: One embodiment of a display system includes one or more light sources, one or more spatial light modulators, and a plurality of scatterers. One embodiment of a method for displaying content includes computing at least one of a phase or an amplitude modulation associated with two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) content, and causing one or more spatial light modulators to modulate light based on the at least one of a phase or an amplitude modulation to generate modulated light, where the modulated light is scattered by a plurality of scatterers.

Abstract: Virtual reality (VR) displays are computer displays that present images or video in a manner that simulates a real experience for the viewer. In many cases, VR displays are implemented as head-mounted displays (HMDs) which provide a display in the line of sight of the user. Because current HMDs are composed of a display panel and magnifying lens with a gap therebetween, proper functioning of the HMDs limits their design to a box-like form factor, thereby negatively impacting both comfort and aesthetics. The present disclosure provides a different configuration for a VR display which allows for improved comfort and aesthetics, including specifically at least one coherent light source, at least one pupil replicating waveguide coupled to the at least one coherent light source to receive light therefrom, and at least one spatial light modulator coupled to the at least one pupil replicating waveguide to modulate the light.

Abstract: A method for rendering a light field comprises projecting rays from a viewpoint positioned at a first side of a spatial light modulator (SLM) to a clipping plane positioned at an opposing side of the SLM to form an elemental view frustum within a three-dimensional scene and rendering objects within the elemental view frustum to generate components of a first elemental image for the first elemental region. The SLM may include a tiled array of non-overlapping elemental regions and a top edge and a bottom edge of a first elemental region of the non-overlapping elemental regions are intersected by the rays to form the elemental view frustum. Furthermore, the light field may include the first elemental image and additional elemental images corresponding to the array of elemental regions and each one of the additional elemental images is rendered using an additional elemental view frustum.

Abstract: The computational scaling challenges of holographic displays are mitigated by techniques for generating holograms that introduce foveation into a wave front recording planes approach to hologram generation. Spatial hashing is applied to organize the points or polygons of a display object into keys and values.

Abstract: Virtual reality (VR) displays are computer displays that present images or video in a manner that simulates a real experience for the viewer. In many cases, VR displays are implemented as head-mounted displays (HMDs) which provide a display in the line of sight of the user. Because current HMDs are composed of a display panel and magnifying lens with a gap therebetween, proper functioning of the HMDs limits their design to a box-like form factor, thereby negatively impacting both comfort and aesthetics. The present disclosure provides a different configuration for a VR display which allows for improved comfort and aesthetics, including specifically at least one coherent light source, at least one pupil replicating waveguide coupled to the at least one coherent light source to receive light therefrom, and at least one spatial light modulator coupled to the at least one pupil replicating waveguide to modulate the light.

Abstract: Virtual reality (VR) displays are computer displays that present images or video in a manner that simulates a real experience for the viewer. In many cases, VR displays are implemented as head-mounted displays (HMDs) which provide a display in the line of sight of the user. Because current HMDs are composed of a display panel and magnifying lens with a gap therebetween, proper functioning of the HMDs limits their design to a box-like form factor, thereby negatively impacting both comfort and aesthetics. The present disclosure provides a different configuration for a virtual reality display which allows for improved comfort and aesthetics, including specifically at least one coherent light source, at least one holographic waveguide coupled to the at least one coherent light source to receive light therefrom, and at least one spatial light modulator coupled to the at least one holographic waveguide to modulate the light.

Abstract: The computational scaling challenges of holographic displays are mitigated by techniques for generating holograms that introduce foveation into a wave front recording planes approach to hologram generation. Spatial hashing is applied to organize the points or polygons of a display object into keys and values.

Abstract: Sampling a function is used for many applications, such as rendering images. The challenge is how to select the best samples to minimize computations and produce accurate results. An alternative is to use a larger number of samples that may not be carefully selected in an attempt to increase accuracy. For a function that is an integral, such as functions used to render images, a sample distribution may be computed by inverting the integral. Unfortunately, for many integrals, it is neither easy nor practical to compute the inverted integral. Instead, warp functions may be combined to provide a sample distribution that accurately approximates the factors of the product being integrated. Each warp function approximates an inverted term of the product while accounting for the effects of warp functions approximating other factors in the product. The selected warp functions are customized or “fitted” to implement importance sampling for the approximated product.

Abstract: A method for rendering a light field comprises projecting rays from a viewpoint positioned at a first side of a spatial light modulator (SLM) to a clipping plane positioned at an opposing side of the SLM to form an elemental view frustum within a three-dimensional scene and rendering objects within the elemental view frustum to generate components of a first elemental image for the first elemental region. The SLM may include a tiled array of non-overlapping elemental regions and a top edge and a bottom edge of a first elemental region of the non-overlapping elemental regions are intersected by the rays to form the elemental view frustum. Furthermore, the light field may include the first elemental image and additional elemental images corresponding to the array of elemental regions and each one of the additional elemental images is rendered using an additional elemental view frustum.

Abstract: A method for rendering a light field comprises projecting rays from a viewpoint positioned at a first side of a spatial light modulator (SLM) to a clipping plane positioned at an opposing side of the SLM to form an elemental view frustum within a three-dimensional scene and rendering objects within the elemental view frustum to generate components of a first elemental image for the first elemental region. The SLM may include a tiled array of non-overlapping elemental regions and a top edge and a bottom edge of a first elemental region of the non-overlapping elemental regions are intersected by the rays to form the elemental view frustum. Furthermore, the light field may include the first elemental image and additional elemental images corresponding to the array of elemental regions and each one of the additional elemental images is rendered using an additional elemental view frustum.

Abstract: A method, computer readable medium, and system are disclosed for gaze tracking. The method includes the steps of receiving reflected light rays at an optical sensor, where all of the reflected light rays converge towards a rotational center of an eye and generating pattern data based on intersections of the reflected light rays at a surface of the optical sensor. A processor computes an estimated gaze direction of the eye based on the pattern data.

Abstract: A method, computer readable medium, and system are disclosed for generating foveal images. The method includes the steps of redirecting first light rays towards an eye, where the first light rays are redirected by an optical combiner and produce a peripheral image and generating second light rays by a light engine. The second light rays are redirected towards the eye, where the second light rays intersect a first region of the optical combiner and converge at a nodal point within the eye and produce an inset foveal image positioned within at least a portion of the peripheral image. An origin of the second light rays is offset to intersect a second region of the optical combiner in response to a change in a gaze direction of the eye.

Abstract: A display method and system are disclosed for virtual/augmented reality. The method includes the steps of generating an image by a projection engine and projecting light rays defining the image onto a diffuser holographic optical element (DHOE) located between an observer and a concave mirror element, where a concave surface of the concave mirror element faces the observer. The light rays are projected onto the DHOE at a reference angle that causes the light rays to be diffused to the concave surface of the concave mirror element and the diffused light rays are reflected back to the observer such that the observer perceives a virtual image that appears to the observer at a position behind the concave mirror element and further from the observer than the concave mirror element.

Abstract: A display method and system are disclosed for virtual/augmented reality. The method includes the steps of generating an image by a projection engine and projecting light rays defining the image onto a diffuser holographic optical element (DHOE) located between an observer and a concave mirror element, where a concave surface of the concave mirror element faces the observer. The light rays are projected onto the DHOE at a reference angle that causes the light rays to be diffused to the concave surface of the concave mirror element and the diffused light rays are reflected back to the observer such that the observer perceives a virtual image that appears to the observer at a position behind the concave mirror element and further from the observer than the concave mirror element.

Abstract: A method for rendering a light field comprises projecting rays from a viewpoint positioned at a first side of a spatial light modulator (SLM) to a clipping plane positioned at an opposing side of the SLM to form an elemental view frustum within a three-dimensional scene and rendering objects within the elemental view frustum to generate components of a first elemental image for the first elemental region. The SLM may include a tiled array of non-overlapping elemental regions and a top edge and a bottom edge of a first elemental region of the non-overlapping elemental regions are intersected by the rays to form the elemental view frustum. Furthermore, the light field may include the first elemental image and additional elemental images corresponding to the array of elemental regions and each one of the additional elemental images is rendered using an additional elemental view frustum.

Abstract: A display method and system are disclosed for virtual/augmented reality. The method includes the steps of generating an image by a projection engine and projecting light rays defining the image onto a diffuser holographic optical element (DHOE) located between an observer and a concave mirror element, where a concave surface of the concave mirror element faces the observer. The light rays are projected onto the DHOE at a reference angle that causes the light rays to be diffused to the concave surface of the concave mirror element and the diffused light rays are reflected back to the observer such that the observer perceives a virtual image that appears to the observer at a position behind the concave mirror element and further from the observer than the concave mirror element.

Abstract: A method, computer readable medium, and system are disclosed for gaze tracking. The method includes the steps of receiving reflected light rays at an optical sensor, where all of the reflected light rays converge towards a rotational center of an eye and generating pattern data based on intersections of the reflected light rays at a surface of the optical sensor. A processor computes an estimated gaze direction of the eye based on the pattern data.