Through a combination of holography and light-field display, researchers at the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) hope to eliminate visual disturbances in augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) and other 3D technologies without the addition of bulky optics. “A holographic optical element is a thin sheet of photosensitive material — think photographic film — that can replicate the functions of one or more additional optical components. They aren’t bulky or heavy, and can be adapted into smaller form factors,” said...Read full articleRelated content from Photonics MediaARTICLES‘Crystal Ball’ VR System Supports Collaborative TasksResearchers at the University of British Columbia and the University of Saskatchewan have developed a ball-shaped VR display that supports up to two users at a time, using advanced calibration and...BioPhotonics April 2019 IssueSailors Use Augmented Reality to Train for CombatAn augmented reality (AR) environment is being tested as a training tool for sailors and marines who must train and remain proficient while at sea. The Tactically Reconfigurable Artificial Combat...Photonics.com 7/26/2019Lens-Free, Multicolor Holography Technique Could Enable Compact 3D DisplaysA holography technique based on computer-generated holograms (CHGs), developed by a team at Duke University, produces complex, multicolor holographic images without any bulky optical components. The...Photonics.com 1/28/2019AR, VR Markets Primed for Rapid GrowthAfter experiencing incremental gains over the past decade, the augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) markets are poised for swift advancement as the technologies mature and find new uses. Market...EuroPhotonics Summer 2019 IssuePRODUCTSAR/VR Lens: Measure Displays in HeadsetDisplays viewed near to the eye, such as those in AR/VR devices, create immersive virtual experiences. However, as display images are magnified to fill a user’s field of view, display defects...Promoted Content September 2018 Issue29-Megapixel Imaging PhotometerFast, small-format photometer optimized for display test and cosmetic surface inspection in production environments. ProMetric® Y is a series of high-performance imaging photometers designed for...Photonics Buyers' Guide January 2018 IssueTest Displays Within AR/VR HeadsetsTest the visual performance of displays in augmented and virtual reality headsets using a scientific-grade imaging system with the size and efficiency needed for production inspection. The Radiant...Promoted Content March 2020 IssueCustom Blazed GratingsHolographix provides components and assemblies that optimize next generation see-through displays as well as a diverse range of other optical systems. For display systems, our custom blazed gratings...Photonics Buyers' Guide January 2018 IssuePHOTONICS HANDBOOK ARTICLESDigital Still Cameras: The Changing Face of Imaging: The digital camera reflects a sea change in the compact camera market. While the 20th was the century of film cameras, the 21st belongs to the digital camera.The digital camera represents an integration of optics, mechanics and electronics consisting of three layers (Figures 1a, b and c). The top and the middle layers are printed circuit boards (PCBs),...Photonics HandbookAcousto-Optic Devices: Charts showing the characteristics of acousto-optic scanning devices, acousto-optic figures of merit, and solutions for common problems with acousto-optic processor devices.ACOUSTO-OPTIC SCANNING DEVICES: CHARACTERISTICS MODULATORS Material Bandwidth (MHz) Rise Time (ns) Acousto Input Power (W) (Saturation) Material Wavelength Range...Photonics HandbookUnderstanding Surface Quality: A Practical Guide: Surface quality is one of the most scrutinized specifications in the optics industry. It is critical that the suppliers and customers have a consistent approach during the inspection process. These guidelines are intended to help ease communication between suppliers and customers for better products and business.Surface quality has become one of the most poorly understood specifications in the optics industry. A significant portion of the confusion stems from the two major competing (and largely...Photonics HandbookAspheric Lenses: Design Considerations: This first of two articles will cover design and manufacturing options for aspheres; the second will include more detail on manufacturing and testing processes. These articles will provide the tools optics designers need to tailor their designs to the appropriate manufacturing process and to optimize the cost of component fabrication.Aspheric surfaces are powerful tools that combine the optical corrections of multiple lenses into a single element (Figure 1) and affect performance in ways that spherical optics cannot. For example,...Photonics HandbookWHITEPAPERSDesign Your AR/VR System with 2D-Q Freeforms in CODE VThe most challenging optical designs today need precise non-spherical surface shapes. A surface formulation specified by G.W. Forbes describes a “freeform” surface with orthogonal polynomial...Photonics.com 8/1/2019The Future of Optics: How Optical Product Design will Change the WorldNew technologies are creating new opportunities in the optomechanical engineering space. Prepare for what lies ahead in optical product design by reading what 13 experts have to say about how optical...Photonics.com 8/31/2018Meet Your Augmented and Virtual Reality Challenges Head-On: Design Your Next System with 2D-Q Freeforms in CODE VThe most challenging optical designs today need precise non-spherical surface shapes. A new surface formulation specified by G.W. Forbes describes a “freeform” surface with orthogonal polynomial...Photonics.com 8/20/2018Automated Solutions for SAE Standard HUD MeasurementHead-up display (HUD) technology is one of the largest growth areas in the automotive market, and standard measurement criteria are rapidly being defined to evaluate augmented projections for visual...Photonics.com 9/1/2019WEBINARSHolography for Display: From AR to HUD to 3DThis webinar will discuss the technology of holographic optical elements and their use in display systems where the size and weight of optics must be constrained. While a true holographic...Photonics.com 6/12/2018Quantum Dots Are Making Displays Brighter and Photomedicine BetterIf you are interested in learning how QDs are currently used in displays and how the same materials are being engineered to yield even brighter, more efficient, better colors for future displays,...Photonics.com 4/23/2019OLED Display Technology Update and ForecastBarry Young, CEO of the OLED Association and an authority on the technology, presents a broad look at display applications utilizing OLEDs. In 2015, OLED displays had revenues of US$13.5b and it is...Photonics.com 5/12/2016The Past, Present and Future of Freeform OpticsFree Webinar Post Webinar Notes We will be posting additional questions and answers from the webinar soon. The presentation slides will not be available for download but we will have a list...Photonics.com 11/13/2013PHOTONICS DICTIONARY TERMSradially variable reflectivity optic (RVR optic)A reflecting optic whose reflectivity is a function of the radial distance from the optic axis; can be used to convert a Gaussian beam to one of uniform cross section.EDU.photonics.com 9/8/2009laser guide starAn artificial star used to aid in adaptive optics imaging of the sky. The guide star is provided from a telescope system on the ground and is directed into the imaged region. The wavefront...EDU.photonics.com 3/5/2018virtual reality systemA computer-based system that interacts with the user to create a three-dimensional, artificially simulated world that appears "real.'' Through the use of head-mounted displays, wraparound...EDU.photonics.com 9/8/2009Geometrical opticsThe area of optics in which the propagation of light is described by geometrical lines (or rays) governed by Fermat's Principle. Geometrical optics is useful as long as the objects in which the light...EDU.photonics.com 3/5/2018MEDIABinding Light in Optics and Photonics - LIGHT MATTERS 11.2017Tune into this month's edition of Light Matters for 'Part 1' of an exclusive interview with SPIE CEO, Eugene Arthurs, as he speaks about his upcoming retirement. We’ll also take you to Rochester,...Photonics.com 11/17/2017Light Matters Extra: Lightning Awards Luminate Rochester - 11/2017In this month's Light Matters Extra, we give you an in-depth look at the recent Luminate Lightning Awards. New York’s Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul was there and tells us why Luminate is important...Photonics.com 11/17/2017Fundamentally Different Photonics - LIGHT MATTERS 03.2018On this month's episode of Light Matters, we take you to the South by Southwest (SXSW) Trade Show in Austin, Texas, as new photonics innovations hit the show floor of the Austin Convention Center....Photonics.com 3/29/2018Light Matters Extra: Weird and Strange: Quantum Photonics - 03.2018In this month's Light Matters Extra, we take you to the Quantum Photonics Laboratory at MIT run by Dr. Dirk Englund. Dr. Englund's group, the Quantum Photonics Group, is made up of postdocs and...Photonics.com 3/29/2018PHOTONICS BUYERS' GUIDE CATEGORIESVideotape RecordersA videotape recorder is a device for recording and playing back video tapes.Variable-Speed ShuttersProjection MicroscopesBorescopesA borescope is a device for the internal inspection of hard-to-get-at mechanical parts, such as rifle barrels, oil wells, or gas mains. The long narrow tube used contains a telescope system with as...COMPANIESII-VI Aerospace & Defense Inc.As a vertically integrated provider, II-VI Aerospace & Defense is uniquely positioned to meet the critical and complex design, engineering and production requirements of customers in the...Photonics Buyers' GuideA.R.W. Optical CorporationARW Optical is your reliable manufacturer of quality optics and coatings. Beamsplitters • Prototyping through volume-production quantities • High-performance and durable optical...Photonics Buyers' GuideLaCroix Precision OpticsOptics that Defend, Build, Cure and Discover The LaCroix name is synonymous with quality precision optics. Since 1947, three generations of family leadership have placed LaCroix Precision Optics...Photonics Buyers' GuideMeller Optics Inc.Meller Optics has been providing high quality optics to defense, medical, laser and industrial markets for over 50 years. Specializing in grinding and polishing of hard, durable materials such as...Photonics Buyers' Guide