A direct interaction stereoscopic display system that produces an augmented or virtual reality environment. The system comprises one or more displays, a beam combiner, and a mirrored surface to virtually project high-resolution flicker-free stereoscopic 3D imagery into a graphics volume in an open region. Viewpoint tracking is provided enabling motion parallax cues. A user interaction volume co-inhabits the graphics volume and a precise low-latency sensor allows users to directly interact with 3D virtual objects or interfaces without occluding the graphics. An adjustable support frame permits the 3D imagery to be readily positioned in situ with real environments for augmented reality applications. Individual display components may be adjusted to precisely align the 3D imagery with components of real environments for high-precision applications and also to match accommodation-vergence distances to prevent eye strain. The system's modular design and adjustability allows display panel pairs of various sizes and models to be installed.

A display system comprises a projector combined with a retro reflective screen and a viewer distance from the projector such that the observation angle is less than approximately 2-3 degrees. The brightness of the image on the screen for the proposed display system is increased by a factor of ˜100-500× as compared to traditional display systems with for an equivalent power/intensity light source.

An optical element is configured by connecting a plurality of tiles each constituted by a plurality of reflective optical elements, and is formed in a shape having a plane surface. The tiles configuring the optical element are formed such that outer shapes on the plane surface of the tiles have at least two different triangular shapes, while an end surface of each tile is provided with a light shielding part.

An input-coupler of an optical waveguide couples light corresponding to the image and having a corresponding FOV into the optical waveguide, and the input-coupler splits the FOV of the image coupled into the optical waveguide into first and second portions by diffracting a portion of the light corresponding to the image in a first direction toward a first intermediate-component, and diffracting a portion of the light corresponding to the image in a second direction toward a second intermediate-component. An output-coupler of the waveguide combines the light corresponding to the first and second portions of the FOV, and couples the light corresponding to the combined first and second portions of the FOV out of the optical waveguide so that the light corresponding to the image and the combined first and second portions of the FOV is output from the optical waveguide. The intermediate-components and the output-coupler also provide for pupil expansion.

A system (10) for displaying at least one virtual object includes a secondary screen (20) for displaying the virtual object, a primary screen (30), an optical element for overlaying images displayed on the secondary screen (20) with images displayed on the primary screen (30), and a pointing surface combined with the primary screen (30) for detecting the contact of one or more physical pointing elements. A device (90) for manipulating at least one virtual object includes calculation elements for generating images of the virtual object displayed on the system (10) from information output from the system (10) in accordance with the actions of the operator (100).

Technologies are generally described for optical image diversion to provide image capture and display from one or more directions using an image sensor. In some examples, an optical assembly may be used to receive light or other electromagnetic radiation from multiple (including opposing) directions and to provide light or other electromagnetic radiation to an image sensor or detector to capture images. The optical assembly may be centrally-aligned or offset. The optical assembly may be configured to allow collection of light or other electromagnetic radiation from two or more locations. An auto focus or stabilization element may be integrated into one or more optical paths inside an optical switching device. In other examples, a conical or spherical element may be employed to allow capture of panoramic/360 degree images or video. Elements may also be stacked. Furthermore, the optical assembly may be configured to split an optical beam to allow tiling or superimposition of images from different directions at the image sensor.

A stereoscopic imaging device including: a body having a stereoscopic image display window for providing a stereoscopic image; an image combining panel which divides an inner space of the body into a first space for providing a virtual image, and a second space for providing a real image, on the stereoscopic image display window, transparency of the image combining panel being changed by input of a power; a first display which is positioned in the first space to provide the virtual image on the stereoscopic image display window through the image combining panel; a target mechanism which is positioned in the second space to provide the real image on the stereoscopic image display window through the image combining panel; an illumination mechanism which is positioned in the second space to illuminate a beam of light onto the target mechanism; and a control unit for controlling the respective units.

There is provided a light-guide, compact collimating optical device, including a light-guide having a light-waves entrance surface, a light-waves exit surface and a plurality of external surfaces, a light-waves reflecting surface carried by the light-guide at one of the external surfaces, two retardation plates carried by light-guides on a portion of the external surfaces, a light-waves polarizing beamsplitter disposed at an angle to one of the light-waves entrance or exit surfaces, and a light-waves collimating component covering a portion of one of the retardation plates. A system including the optical device and a substrate, is also provided.

An autostereoscopic display device uses an electroluminescent display. A set of pixels is provided beneath view forming elements (such as lenses), with a plurality of pixels across the view forming element width direction. The pixels are arranged with at least two different angular orientations with respect to the substrate. The out-coupling performance is improved by arranging for the light emission direction to be substantially perpendicular to the desired emitting surface of the view forming elements.

An immersive display system is disclosed that includes screens configured to mitigate reduction in contrast ratio due at least in part to peripheral light incident on the screens. The immersive display system includes at least one screen having an array of micro-lenses, a light polarization layer on top of the array of micro-lenses, a polarization rotation layer, a light reflection layer, and a section of non-polarizing light scattering material for individual micro-lenses in the array of micro-lenses. In use, light from a projector associated with the screen is substantially scattered by the non-polarizing light scattering material and light from a projector associated with a different screen in the immersive display system is substantially absorbed by the polarization layer.