A light projection system for projecting full-resolution, high quality images into different directions. The system includes a light source configured to provide a homogenous output beam of light and an illumination shaping optic elements configured with at least one of a predetermined cone angle, numerical aperture, and F-number. The system also includes a spatially-dependent, angular light modulator (ALM) with a plurality of pixels, each having an ON state, an OFF state, one input pupil, and N diffraction order pupils. The ALM is positioned such that the output beam is incident on the plurality of pixels. The at least one of the predetermined cone angle, numerical aperture, and F-number of the illumination shaping optic elements prevents contaminating light from entering an incorrect pupil. The system additionally includes a processor coupled to the ALM to provide discrete diffraction-based beam steering, whereby the ALM will project into one diffraction order at one time.

A system including two dimensional, microelectromechanical system (MEMS) based spatial light modulators and anamorphic optics for improved contrast is provided. Generally, the system comprises an array of modulators having a plurality of pixels along a longitudinal axis, each pixel comprising a plurality of modulators along a transverse axis of the array. An illumination source including a laser and anamorphic optics for focuses light from the laser onto the array, and imaging optics focus modulated light from the array onto an image plane. The anamorphic optics are configured to provide a transverse numerical aperture (NA) along the transverse axis of the array that is smaller than a diffraction angle of the modulated light reflected from the array along a transverse axis of the image plane, and a longitudinal NA along the longitudinal axis of the array that is greater than the transverse NA. Other embodiments are also provided.

Optical devices based on novel components for selective video/television display, digital processing and/or unique image analysis to modify the image that a user sees and significantly improve the perception of that user are disclosed. What the user sees is responsive to specific perceptual and informational needs of the user in real time. Devices from the previous (parent) patents are herein made both more useful in practical day-to-day use and more widely applicable to improving the ability of a user to perceive visual stimuli.

A laser interferometer includes a light source that emits first laser light, an optical modulator that includes a vibrator and modulates the first laser light by using the vibrator to generate second laser light including a modulated signal, a photodetector that receives interference light between third laser light including a sample signal generated by reflecting the first laser light on an object and the second laser light to output a light reception signal, a demodulation circuit that demodulates the sample signal from the light reception signal based on a reference signal, and an oscillation circuit that outputs the reference signal to the demodulation circuit, and the vibrator is a signal source of the oscillation circuit.

A depth camera assembly (DCA) for depth sensing of a local area. The DCA includes a transmitter, a receiver, and a controller. The transmitter illuminates a local area with outgoing light in accordance with emission instructions. The transmitter includes a fine steering element and a coarse steering element. The fine steering element deflects one or more optical beams at a first deflection angle to generate one or more first order deflected scanning beams. The coarse steering element deflects the one or more first order deflected scanning beams at a second deflection angle to generate the outgoing light projected into the local area. The receiver captures one or more images of the local area including portions of the outgoing light reflected from the local area. The controller determines depth information for one or more objects in the local area based in part on the captured one or more images.

One example power equalizer includes an input/output assembly, a multiplexer/demultiplexer, a pre-attenuation component, and a light beam modulator. The multiplexer/demultiplexer demultiplexes a first light beam into a plurality of first sub-wavelength light beams including a particular sub-wavelength light beam, and propagates the plurality of first sub-wavelength light beams to the pre-attenuation component. The pre-attenuation component makes the particular sub-wavelength light beam incident onto the light beam modulator at a preset angle. The light beam modulator performs angular deflection on the plurality of first sub-wavelength light beams to obtain a plurality of second sub-wavelength light beams. The pre-attenuation component then propagates the plurality of second sub-wavelength light beams to the multiplexer/demultiplexer. The multiplexer/demultiplexer multiplexes the plurality of second sub-wavelength light beams into a second light beam.

A light projection apparatus is provided comprising: a source of light; a switchable grating on a first substrate; and a diffractive optical element. Light is diffracted at least once by the switchable grating and is diffracted at least once by the DOE.

A stacked waveguide assembly can have multiple waveguide stacks. Each waveguide stack can include a plurality of waveguides, where a first waveguide stack may be associated with a first subcolor of each of three different colors, and a second waveguide stack may be associated with a second subcolor of each of the three different colors. For example, the first stack of waveguides can incouple blue, green, and red light at 440 nm, 520 nm, and 650 nm, respectively. The second stack of waveguides can incouple blue, green, and red light at 450 nm, 530 nm, and 660 nm, respectively.

Configurable optical device comprising an optical element (1) or various optical elements (1) arranged in series, wherein each element (1) comprises an active region (2) with an entry surface (21) and an exit surface (22) for light beams, and a perimeter (3); each element (1) comprising at least one first transparent electrode (4) and at least one transparent counter electrode (5) the corresponding electrical connections being located in the perimeter (3); the device being configured such that, upon application of a potential difference between electrodes (4, 5) of each element (1), an electric field that alters the degree of commutation in different regions of the active zone (2) of each element (1) is generated, thus creating a varying optical path profile in each element (1), which allows an incident light beam to be focused in different ways, depending on the electric field applied to each electrode.

A movable diffraction element and a spectroscope. The movable diffraction element includes a movable component having a comb-like shape, a supporting unit configured to support the movable component, a first cantilever actuator coupled to the supporting unit, a displacement determiner coupled to an edge of the first cantilever actuator, and a second cantilever actuator disposed parallel to the first cantilever actuator. In the movable diffraction element, a slope generated when the second cantilever actuator deforms is approximately equivalent to a slope generated at the first cantilever actuator. The spectroscope includes the movable diffraction element.