Air Mount Retinal Projector is an optical system that can provide high-resolution images to anyone without causing any physical burden by projecting the image directly onto the retina. Even people with myopia or hyperopia can see focused images, as the imaging is done independently of the lens function in the eye. It provides enhanced privacy, because the image cannot be seen by anyone other than the person oneself, as the retina itself act as the screen. Moreover, motion sickness that occurs in conventional VR/AR devices is less likely to occur here, because focused images are always provided. The lean optical design has reduced the burden not only on the human body, but also on the equipment as well. Because it is extremely light and maintains low power consumption, it can be used for a head-mounted display, and can even be implemented in conventional glasses used daily.
＜ Case ＞
■ Case 1
You are exploring whether guidance for operation of machines such as automobiles, can be provided not only using voice, but also pictures and images. A 3D image is made to appear naturally within the field of view, as it is difficult to pay attention to a specific location on the monitor in a car while driving.
■ Case 2
There is a possibility of implementing functionality overcoming the fundamental constraints of viewing angle and object distance in conventional HMDs.
＜ Theory ＞
■ Proprietary optical system using metamaterial mirror
Our Air Mount Retinal Projector implements a virtual projector in the eyeball (realizing light distribution as if the projector is inside the eyeball), using a metamaterial mirror plate with a fine mirror structure. Moreover, the image is directly projected on the retina (screen) using an ultra-weak laser such that it is not harmful when irradiated to the eye.
If the human eye is taken to be a camera, the crystalline lens acts as a lens, and the retina acts as an imaging device. Direct projection of images onto the retina is not affected by eyesight, as various vision problems, such as myopia, hyperopia, and presbyopia, are associated with the crystalline lens.
■ Projection to a point at infinity
Adopting a projector that projects to a point at infinity as the light source eliminates the focal point constraints and avoids the congestion adjustment inconsistencies. Accordingly, a focused image can always be clearly provided, and it is also possible to place objects nearby.
■ International conference papers
[Poster] Yoichi Ochiai, Kazuki Otao, Yuta Itoh, Shouki Imai, Kazuki Takazawa, Hiroyuki Osone, Atsushi Mori, and Ippei Suzuki. 2018. Make your own Retinal Projector: Retinal Near-Eye Displays via Metamaterials. In SIGGRAPH ’18 Posters (SIGGRAPH ’18). ACM, New York, NY, USA, 2 pages. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3230744.3230810\
[Demo] Yoichi Ochiai, Kazuki Otao, Yuta Itoh, Shouki Imai, Kazuki Takazawa, Hiroyuki Osone, Atsushi Mori, and Ippei Suzuki. 2018. Make your own Retinal Projector: Retinal Near-Eye Displays via Metamaterials. In SIGGRAPH ’18 Emerging Technologies (SIGGRAPH ’18). ACM, New York, NY, USA, 2 pages. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3214907.3214910\
■ Media
[TV] MBS Jounetsu Tairiku “Yoichi Ochiai,” November 19, 2017 (in Japanese)
[Web] Focusing on retina projection technology - Experiencing the actual device developed by Yoichi Ochiai and his colleagues, https://www.moguravr.com/dng-retinal-projector/,\
Mogura VR, 2018-08-25. (in Japanese)
[Web] 【SIGGRAPH2018】A comprehensive report on the advanced technology corner - Many exhibitors from Japan, https://www.moguravr.com/siggraph2018-e-tech-report-ar-vr/ , Mogura VR, 2018-08-23. (in Japanese)
[Web] University of Tsukuba and others, Announcement on a laser projection system using a transparent mirror device to realize harmony between actual space and virtual objects by directly projecting images onto the retina, https://shiropen.com/seamless/make-your-own-retinal-projector, Seamless,
[Web] Yoichi Ochiai et al., Announcing technologies for AR one after another, Keywords: wide field of view, transparent, http://www.moguravr.com/pixiedusttechar/, Mogura VR, 2017-11-24.