An embodiment according to the invention provides an optical filter that combines narrow spectral bandwidth and high rejection of out-of-band radiation with a wide acceptance angle. These filters are based on the nanoscale engineering of materials (“metamaterials”) that possess predefined birefringence determined by a combination of their geometry and material composition. These metamaterials are combined into a functional optical filter that can exhibit true zero crossing, with acceptance angle effectively decoupled from bandwidth, at practically any wavelength of interest.

Embodiments of the present disclosure include apparatuses and method for stacked polarizer imaging. In a number of embodiments, a method can include activating a first polarization layer of a plurality of polarization layers, detecting a first image with an array of pixels from a light source input that is polarized when passed through the first polarization layer, and determining, via a controller coupled to the array of pixels, whether a quality of the first image that was polarized by the first polarization layer meets a threshold. A stacked polarizer can include a plurality of polarizers that are stacked upon each other such that a light source input can be passed through the stack of polarizers and be detected by a pixel of an image sensor cell. Each of the polarizers in the stack of polarizers can be individually activated and deactivated.

A light reflection film includes at least one light reflection layer RPRL in which a cholesteric liquid crystal phase of a right-handed helical structure having right circularly polarized light reflection ability is fixed; and at least one light reflection layer LPRL in which a cholesteric liquid crystal phase of a left-handed helical structure having left circularly polarized light reflection ability is fixed. A total of three or more layers of the light reflection layer(s) RPRL and the light reflection layer(s) LPRL are laminated. The light reflection layer(s) RPRL and the light reflection layer(s) LPRL laminated each have a selective reflection center wavelength shifted by an interval of 10 nm or more and 160 nm or less between two light reflection layers adjacent to each other.

Three-dimensional display systems may include polarized displays that polarize light emitted from a first set of areas of the display with a first polarization for a first eye of the viewer and that polarizes light emitted from a second set of areas of the display with a second polarization for a second eye of the viewer. This may result in dark areas being perceived by a viewer when viewed through polarized 3D glasses. Systems and technologies according to this disclosure may include 3D glasses that have a lenses configured to redirect a portion of incoming light in a first axis to at least partially illuminate the dark areas.

Systems and methods for characterizing an obscurant and imaging a target are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of imaging a target includes characterizing at least one obscurant present in an environment, and determining, based on the at least one characterized obscurant, one or more of the following: one or more wavelengths corresponding to the at least one obscurant, a polarization state corresponding to the at least one obscurant, and a sensor exposure time corresponding to the at least one obscurant. The method further includes adjusting one or more parameters of an imagining system based at least in part on a characterization of the at least one obscurant.

A binocular device for visualizing optical radiation comprises a support structure, a left camera, and a right camera coupled to the support structure. The left camera comprising left optics and a left image sensor, the right camera comprising right optics and a right image sensor, the left image sensor and the right image sensor being configured to create left and right video signals from detected optical radiation received from the corresponding left and right input optics about a same field of view along respective left and right input optical axes. A specular reflection is detected.

Systems and methods are described for receiving image content from an emissive display toward a first filter stack, the first filter stack adapted to be oriented in a first direction from an optical axis of a first lens, and toward the first lens, transmitting the image content through a curved lens parallel to the optical axis of the first lens, wherein the curved lens transmits a portion of the image content to at least one optical element and to a second filter stack, the second filter stack being adapted to be oriented in a second direction from the optical axis of the first lens, and receiving the portion from the second filter stack and providing at least some of the portion to the first lens for viewing by a user.

Embodiments test a subject's vision. A polarization arrangement polarizes incident light and rotates an angle of polarization applied to the incident light about an axis substantially collinear with a path of the light. An optical component directs light onto the polarization arrangement and produces light having a selected degree of polarization and having a rotating angle of polarization for observation by the subject The subject may be able to observe the visual phenomenon known as Haidinger's brushes and due to the rotation of the angle of polarization the eye's tendency to adapt away the phenomenon is counteracted, so that the effect persists and a more reliable testing of the subject can be carried out. Testing the subject's ability to perceive the phenomenon at multiple selectable degrees of polarization enables an assessment of the subject's eyes, and an estimate of macular pigment optical density and susceptibility to age-related macular degeneration.

Provided is an imaging device that can acquire three independent high-quality images using one imaging element. An imaging device includes: an optical system (10) including three optical regions (12A, 12B, 12C) that transmit light in different polarization directions; an imaging element (100) including a plurality of pixel units each of which is a set of three pixels that receive light in different polarization directions; and an image processing unit (200) that calculates three pixel signals (X1, X2, X3) corresponding to each of the optical regions (12A, 12B, 12C) of the optical system (10) from three pixel signals (x1, x2, x3) obtained from each pixel unit of the imaging element (100) to generate an image of each of the optical regions (12A, 12B, 12C).

A holographic display system is provided and includes a light source, a holographic projector, and a polarizer. The light source is configured to generate a first light beam. The holographic projector includes a spatial light modulator configured to adjust phases of respective portions of the first light beam to generate a phase hologram beam. The phase hologram beam comprises a first polarization and a second polarization. The polarizer is configured to filter out light having the first polarization from the phase hologram beam to provide at least a portion of a filtered phase hologram beam at a diffuser to generate a holographic image, wherein the filtered phase hologram beam includes light with the second polarization and does not include light with the first polarization.