There is disclosed herein a waveguide comprising an optical slab and an optical wedge. The optical slab has a first refractive index, n.sub.1>1. The optical slab comprises: a pair of opposing surfaces and an input port. The pair of opposing surfaces are arranged in a parallel configuration. The input port is arranged to receive light into the optical slab at an angle such that the light is guided between the first and second opposing surfaces by a series of internal reflections. The optical wedge has a second refractive index, n.sub.2, wherein 1<n.sub.2<n.sub.1. The optical wedge comprises a pair of opposing surfaces arranged in a wedge configuration. A first surface of the optical wedge abuts the second surface of the optical slab to form an interface that allows partial transmission of light guided by the optical slab into the optical wedge at a plurality of points along the interface such that the light is divided a plurality of times. The angle of the wedge allows light received at the interface to escape through the second surface of the optical wedge such that the exit pupil of the waveguide is expanded by the plurality of divisions of the light.

An apparatus includes a precursor dispenser for dispensing a precursor material into a workspace, one or more acoustic sources configured to direct acoustic waves towards the workspace to provide acoustic fields that arrange the precursor material in a three-dimensional shape in the workspace, one or more sensors configured to detect a distribution of the precursor material in the workspace, and an electronic controller in communication with the precursor dispenser, the one or more acoustic sources, and the one or more sensors, the electronic controller being programmed to cause the one or more acoustic sources to adjust the acoustic fields to reduce deviations in the distribution of the precursor material from the three-dimensional shape in the workspace.

The holographic Christmas tree is a holographic device. The holographic Christmas tree projects a three-dimensional image of a Christmas tree. The holographic Christmas tree includes a pedestal, a holographic projector, a substrate, and an image. The image is the three-dimensional image of a Christmas tree. The holographic substrate projects the image into the substrate. The pedestal contains the holographic projector.

A holographic display with a spatial light modulator coupled to a pupil-replicating lightguide is disclosed. The spatial light modulator provides a light beam with spatially modulated amplitude and/or phase. The light beam is replicated by the pupil-replicating lightguide into a plurality of portions. The portions interfere at an exit pupil to provide an image for direct observation by a user. An eye-tracking system may be provided to determine the position of the user pupils, and the spatial modulation of the light beam may be adjusted accordingly to make sure that the optical interference of the beam portions at the eye pupils provides the required image.

There is disclosed herein a waveguide comprising an optical slab and an optical wedge. The optical slab has a first refractive index, n.sub.1>1. The optical slab comprises: a pair of opposing surfaces and an input port. The pair of opposing surfaces are arranged in a parallel configuration. The input port is arranged to receive light into the optical slab at an angle such that the light is guided between the first and second opposing surfaces by a series of internal reflections. The optical wedge has a second refractive index, n.sub.2, wherein 1<n.sub.2<n.sub.1. The optical wedge comprises a pair of opposing surfaces arranged in a wedge configuration. A first surface of the optical wedge abuts the second surface of the optical slab to form an interface that allows partial transmission of light guided by the optical slab into the optical wedge at a plurality of points along the interface such that the light is divided a plurality of times. The angle of the wedge allows light received at the interface to escape through the second surface of the optical wedge such that the exit pupil of the waveguide is expanded by the plurality of divisions of the light.

The present application discloses a dual-image projection apparatus. The apparatus includes a light source and a spatial light modulator including a first modulation module and a second nodulation module. Additionally, the apparatus includes a Fourier lens and the spatial light modulator is positioned at a front focal plane of the Fourier lens. The first modulation module modulates light from the light source through the Fourier lens to reproduce a first 2D holographic image and the second modulation module modulates the light through the Fourier lens to reproduce a plurality of second 2D holographic images. The apparatus further includes a first light-diffusing film to display the first 2D holographic image to produce a first virtual image and a plurality of second light-diffusing films to respectively display the plurality of second 2D holographic images sequentially in a rate to produce a 3D virtual image.

A method of augmenting real world objects and surfaces with projected virtual imagery. A camera interfaced with a projector, captures an image of the object or the surface in real time and a software application generates the three-dimensional positional location of the object or surface with respect to the camera. This information is transmitted to the projector together with selected virtual imagery. The camera and projector are positioned for synchronized movement for aiming the projected virtual imagery on the real world object or surface.

In described examples, a system (e.g., a projection system) can include a diffractive optical element adapted to be illuminated by at least one coherent light beam. A lens array is coupled to receive a diffracted beam of light from the diffractive optical element. The lens array includes a first and a second array lens. The first array lens is coupled to receive a first sector of a pattern of illumination of the diffracted beam of light, and the second array lens is coupled to receive a second sector of the pattern of illumination of the diffracted beam of light. A spatial light modulator is coupled to receive overlapping diffracted beams of light from the first and second array lenses to form an image beam.

An apparatus includes a precursor dispenser for dispensing a precursor material into a workspace, one or more acoustic sources configured to direct acoustic waves towards the workspace to provide acoustic fields that arrange the precursor material in a three-dimensional shape in the workspace, one or more sensors configured to detect a distribution of the precursor material in the workspace, and an electronic controller in communication with the precursor dispenser, the one or more acoustic sources, and the one or more sensors, the electronic controller being programmed to cause the one or more acoustic sources to adjust the acoustic fields to reduce deviations in the distribution of the precursor material from the three-dimensional shape in the workspace.

There is provided a spatial light modulator arranged to display a light modulation pattern comprising a hologram. The spatial light modulator comprises a liquid crystal on silicon spatial light modulator having a plurality of pixels. The hologram has a plurality of pixels. The spatial light modulator comprises a silicon backplane. Each pixel of the spatial light modulator comprises a light-modulating element and a respective pixel circuit. Each pixel circuit is embedded in the silicon backplane. Each pixel circuit is arranged to drive the corresponding light-modulating element. Each pixel circuit is further arranged to combine a received pixel value of the hologram with a corresponding pixel value of the light processing function such that the light modulation pattern further comprises the light processing function. The light processing function comprises a lens function and/or a grating function.