Experience
Head Mounted Display Optics
Compact, lightweight optical systems for virtual reality, augmented reality, and military HMD applications
OEA has experience designing and analyzing optical systems for head mounted display applications spanning consumer virtual reality to military waveguide-based HMDs. Our designs balance optical performance with the critical size, weight, and see-through requirements of wearable display systems.
Hybrid Fresnel Virtual Reality Lens
VR Fresnel Lens HMD
A hybrid Fresnel lens designed for a virtual reality head mounted display. For VR and HMD applications it is important to maximize optical performance while minimizing the number of optical elements to reduce weight and cost. The hybrid Fresnel design achieves wide field-of-view coverage with a thin, lightweight form factor.
Key Details
- Lens Type
- Hybrid Fresnel
- Application
- Virtual reality HMD
- Priority
- Max performance, min weight
- Key Feature
- Wide FOV, thin form factor
Diffractive Waveguide Display
Waveguide HMD
Q-Sight and Scorpion are two examples of military HMDs using waveguide technology. Diffractive elements are used to couple light from a projector into a waveguide which relays the image to the eye. This type of HMD provides a low-profile design while giving the user full see-through capability, making it well suited for pilot and soldier applications.
Key Details
- Technology
- Diffractive waveguide
- Coupling
- Diffractive in/out couplers
- Profile
- Low profile
- Key Feature
- Full see-through capability
Catadioptric Single-Element HMD
See-Through Freeform Prism
A freeform prism is a catadioptric lens created from a single piece of plastic. These are designed for head mounted display applications and save space and weight compared to conventional multi-element lens systems. The use of a compensating lens allows the prism to be see-through, enabling augmented reality overlays on the real-world scene.
Key Details
- Construction
- Single piece of plastic
- Optic Type
- Catadioptric freeform prism
- See-Through
- Via compensating lens
- Benefit
- Reduced size and weight
Working on a VR, AR, or military HMD program?
Contact OEA to discuss Fresnel lens design, waveguide optics, or freeform prism systems.