This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of using specially modified contact lenses to enable a new class of electronic eyewear products for viewing of virtual images. The proposed architecture based on these specially modified contact lenses will enable compact wearable displays with very wide fields of view. The proposed Phase I research will analyze the human eye/contact lens optical system for standard display and vision parameters to predict system performance, develop prototype contact lenses based on this analysis, and evaluate the resulting image quality through clinical evaluations. The research will include evaluation of chemical and bio-compatibility of the materials to be included in the special contact lenses. Investigations will also focus on solving the various challenges of assembling the components into the lenses. The objective of this first phase will be to determine the trade-offs between wearer comfort, virtual image quality, and minimizing adverse affects on wearer's normal vision. It is anticipated that a high performance virtual image display system can be achieved with wearability similar to normal contact lenses and with imperceptible impact to normal vision.

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be a significant improvement in how mobile and immersive imagery is viewed. Today, mobile computing devices must present their information through tiny liquid crystals displays (LCD) panels, while immersive computing must settle for the limited fields of view available through flat panel monitors and TVs. Wearable electronic eyewear are available today that attempt to address these limitations, but they themselves suffer from limited fields of view and excess bulk. This SBIR research will pave the way for understanding how to enhance the normal biological imaging capabilities of the human eye using special contact lenses in order to experience virtual images on par with images from the natural environment. This advancement will enable many new applications for wearable displays including virtual reality displays, realistic simulation imaging, highly immersive 3-D video, augmented reality systems, stylish mobile display eyewear, and even comfortable high quality electronic vision enhancement for sufferers of macular degeneration and other vision disorders. Because mobile devices and home computers are so ubiquitous in our modern societies, the anticipated benefits of improving the man/machine interface through high quality virtual imagery eyewear should impact numerous markets and demographics.

Project Report

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 and Phase 1B project successfully demonstrated the feasibility of using specially modified contact lenses to enable a new class of electronic eyewear products for viewing near-to-eye images. The architecture based on these specially modified contact lenses enables the development of compact wearable displays with very wide fields of view. Innovega’s new near-eye display architecture takes a radically different approach from traditional head worn displays. Rather than conditioning the light from a micro-display to appear as if it is from a distant source, this new display architecture uses a sophisticated contact lens to enhance the eye’s ability to focus on near objects while not interfering with its normal vision. With this ability to directly view micro-displays without the need for collection and collimation optics, the only required function of the head worn display system is to provide the electronic image surface without needing any optics. Because the Innovega display system uses no optics to refract or diffract the light rays coming from the display, the display can be placed directly in line with the ambient view and not interfere with the ambient view. By using transparent displays such as transparent OLEDs or transparent LCDs, very compact, large field of view augmented reality glasses can be made. Research during this SIBR Phase 1/1B project included analytical modeling of the optical system coupled to the human eye, fabrication of contact lenses with integrated optical components, and evaluation of the display image quality. Excellent image quality was demonstrated by evaluators wearing the special contact lenses and by photographs taken with a camera fitted with a special contact lens mounted to its lens. The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will be a significant improvement in how mobile and immersive imagery is viewed. Today, mobile computing devices must present their information through tiny LCD panels, while immersive computing must settle for the limited fields of view available through flat panel monitors and TVs. Wearable electronic eyewear are available today that attempt to address these limitations, but they themselves suffer from limited fields of view and excess bulk. The research performed in this SBIR has demonstrated the ability to enhance human vision to allow focal accommodation of very near display images. This advancement will enable many new applications for wearable displays including virtual reality displays, realistic simulation imaging, highly immersive 3-D video, augmented reality systems, stylish mobile display eyewear, and even comfortable high quality electronic vision enhancement for sufferers of macular degeneration and other vision disorders. Because mobile devices and home computers are so ubiquitous in our modern societies, the anticipated benefits of improving the man/machine interface through high quality virtual imagery eyewear should impact numerous markets and demographics.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships (IIP)
Type
Standard Grant (Standard)
Application #
0944890
Program Officer
Juan E. Figueroa
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2010-01-01
Budget End
2010-12-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$178,977
Indirect Cost
Name
Innovega Inc.
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Hansville
State
WA
Country
United States
Zip Code
98340