Researchers in the emerging field of spatial computing at Stanford University have developed a prototype augmented reality headset that uses holographic imaging to overlay full-color, 3D moving images on the lenses of what would appear to be an ordinary pair of glasses. Unlike the bulky headsets of present-day augmented reality systems, this new approach delivers a visually satisfying 3D viewing experience in a compact, comfortable, and attractive form factor suitable for all-day wear.
Overcoming Technical Barriers with AI-Enhanced Holography and Nanophotonics
The researchers have overcome technical barriers through a combination of AI-enhanced holographic imaging and new nanophotonic device approaches. Traditional augmented reality systems often require complex optical systems that result in bulky headsets and unsatisfactory perceptual realism. To produce more visually satisfying 3D images, the team leapfrogged traditional stereoscopic approaches in favor of holography, using AI to improve depth cues in the holographic images.
“There is no other augmented reality system out there now with comparable compact form factor or that matches our 3D image quality,” said Gun-Yeal Lee, a postdoctoral researcher in the Stanford Computational Imaging lab and co-first author of the paper.
Waveguide Display Technologies for True-to-Life 3D Visual Experience
Using advances in nanophotonics and waveguide display technologies, the researchers were able to project computed holograms onto the lenses of the glasses without relying on bulky additional optics. Small holographic displays mounted at each temple project the computed imagery through etched nanometer-scale patterns on the lens surface, delivering the light directly to the viewer’s eye. The result is a true-to-life 3D visual experience that is visually satisfying to the user without the fatigue that has challenged earlier approaches.
“Holographic displays have long been considered the ultimate 3D technique, but it’s never quite achieved that big commercial breakthrough,” said Gordon Wetzstein, an associate professor of electrical engineering and an expert in the fast-emerging field of spatial computing. “Maybe now they have the killer app they’ve been waiting for all these years.”
The prototype augmented reality glasses could potentially transform fields stretching from gaming and entertainment to training and education, providing an enriched world overlaid with vibrant, full-color 3D computed imagery.
