A headset for augmented reality applications is provided. The headset includes at least one eyepiece configured to provide a see-through image to a user via a transparent optical component, and to provide an artificial image through a display, and a dimming shutter configured to adjust a transparency level of the transparent optical component. The dimming shutter further includes an active liquid crystal layer configured to adjust a transparency level according to an electrical power provided between two electrodes, and a photoactive layer configured to adjust the transparency level upon absorption of an ultraviolet radiation for a selected period of time. A default orientation of a host material in the active liquid crystal layer may be in a dark state or in a clear state, when no electrical power is provided. A method and a memory storing instructions to execute the method for use of the above device are also provided.

The invention relates to a light modulation element comprising a cholesteric liquid crystalline medium sandwiched between two substrates (1), provided with a common electrode structure (2) and a driving electrode structure (3) individually, wherein the substrate with driving and/or common electrode structure is additionally provided with an alignment electrode structure (4) which is separated from the driving and or common electrode structure on the same substrate by a dielectric layer (5), characterized in that it comprises at least one alignment layer (6) directly adjacent to the liquid crystalline medium. The invention is further related to a method of production of said light modulation element and to the use of said light modulation element in various types of optical and electro-optical devices, such as electro-optical displays, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), non-linear optic (NLO) devices, and optical information storage devices.

A waveplate is provided. The waveplate includes a first liquid crystal (“LC”) layer including LC molecules that are in-plane switchable by an external field to switch the waveplate between states of different phase retardances. The waveplate includes a second LC layer and a third LC layer sandwiching the first LC layer. Azimuthal angles of effective refractive index ellipsoids of the second LC layer and the third LC layer are different.

Provided is an electronic device including a first liquid crystal layer having a first side and a second side opposite thereto; a second liquid crystal layer disposed on the first liquid crystal layer and having a third side and a fourth side opposite thereto; a first alignment layer disposed on the first side and having a first alignment direction; a second alignment layer disposed on the second side and having a second alignment direction opposite to the first alignment direction; a third alignment layer disposed on the third side and having a third alignment direction; and a fourth alignment layer disposed on the fourth side and having a fourth alignment direction opposite to the third alignment direction. The second alignment layer is between the first liquid crystal layer and the third alignment layer. The third alignment layer is between the second liquid crystal layer and the second alignment layer.

A flexible optical element adopting liquid crystals (LCs) as the materials for realizing electrically tunable optics is foldable. A method for manufacturing the flexible element includes patterned photo-polymerization. The LC optics can include a pair of LC layers with orthogonally aligned LC directors for polarizer-free properties, flexible polymeric alignment layers, flexible substrates, and a module for controlling the electric field. The lens power of the LC optics can be changed by controlling the distribution of electric field across the optical zone. Lens power control can be provided using combinations of electrode configurations, drive signals and anchoring strengths in the alignment layers.

A trim element having a first aspect layer, a lighting device emitting light to the first aspect layer, and a first obturation layer extending between the lighting device and the first aspect layer. The first obturation layer includes at least two first optical obturation areas, configurable between an open position, in which a first optical obturation area lets light pass through, and a closed position, in which a first optical obturation area prevents the passage of light. The trim element includes a second aspect layer and a second obturation layer having at least two second optical obturation areas that are configurable between an open position and a closed position.

A privacy glazing structure may include an electrically controllable optically active material that provides controlled transition between a privacy or scattering state and a visible or transmittance state. To make electrical connections with electrode layers that control the optically active material, the privacy glazing structure may include electrode engagement regions. In some examples, the electrode engagement regions are formed as notches in peripheral edges of opposed panes bounding the optically active material. The notches may or may not overlap to provide a through conduit in the region of overlap for wiring. In either case, the notches may allow the remainder of the structure to have a flush edge surface for ease of downstream processing.

According to one embodiment, a display device comprises substrates, a liquid crystal layer containing stringy polymers, a display area with first and second pixels and a light source. In a spatial frequency spectrum obtained by performing FT on a pattern of the polymers which overlap the pixels with respect to first and second frequency components, when an outline in a plane defined by the components in an area having a value of 75% or more of the maximum value is defined as an evaluation circle, and a value obtained by dividing a length of a major axis of the circle by that of a minor axis is defined as an evaluation value, the evaluation value of the first pixel is greater than that of the second pixel.

A novel input/output device that is highly convenient or reliable is provided. The input/output device includes a display portion and an input portion, and the display portion includes a liquid crystal element. The liquid crystal element includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a layer containing a liquid crystal material, a first alignment film, and a second alignment film, and the second electrode is provided such that an electric field is applied to the layer containing a liquid crystal material between the first electrode and the second electrode. The layer containing a liquid crystal material scatters incident light with first scattering intensity when the electric field is in a first state, the layer containing a liquid crystal material scatters the incident light with second scattering intensity when the electric field is in a second state, which is higher than that in the first state, and the second scattering intensity is 10 or more times as high as the first scattering intensity. The layer containing a liquid crystal material contains a liquid crystal material and a polymer material, and the layer containing a liquid crystal material is stabilized by the polymer material. The input portion includes a sensing region, the input portion senses an object approaching the sensing region, the sensing region includes a region overlapping with a pixel, and the sensing region includes a sensor.

A screen including a light control sheet which includes a front surface and a rear surface and has a transparent state and an opaque state, and a transparent reflective layer that faces the rear surface. The front surface is positioned such that light from a projection device is applied in the opaque state. The opaque state includes a state in which an average diffuse reflectance of visible light applied to the front surface is 10% or more and less than 20%.