Advanced lasers shed new light on the future of AR smart glasses
New lasers can cut projection light engine size in half, allowing lightweight compact designs for smart glasses.
For years, movies have teased us with the possibilities of augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR), from Minority Report to Iron Man. But unlike robotic insects and flying suits, AR and MR smart glasses are much closer to reality for everyday consumers. One of the major barriers has been consumers’ desire for lightweight smart glasses that resemble standard eyeglasses and can be worn all day, every day. Compact, chic designs require projection technology and batteries that are as small and power-efficient as possible, which has been difficult to achieve. The internet hype that AR glasses are just around the corner has given into the reality that there are a number of large problems to solve before mass deployment in the consumer space can begin.
The “hype” has been replaced with a gradual iterative evolution. On one side, we see virtual reality (VR) headsets migrating into the VR/VPT (video pass-through) headsets. VPT is more in the realm of VR, but enables limited interaction with reality (a tenet of the AR promise). Set for release in 2023, these VR/VPT headsets are primarily for indoor use. So, when you do not have to battle the largest light bulb in the universe (the sun), most of these VR/VPT headsets tend to use microOLED displays.
Migrating into full AR glasses with all-day wear means the display will require a high dynamic range to work equally well in dimly lit indoor spaces, as well as mid-day sun outdoor spaces.
MicroOLEDs simply do not have the power (measured in nits) to compete against the sun in outdoor applications. So, AR glasses require a different light source with contenders including conventional LEDs, microLEDs, and edge-emitting lasers with vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) being potential future sources.
Read more: https://www.laserfocusworld.com/lasers-sources/article/14284237/advanced-lasers-shed-new-light-on-the-future-of-ar-smart-glasses
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