Immersive optical projection system

Abstract

An improved virtual reality system comprising an immersive sound system, sensors, a power source, communications, data processing, and an optical system that delivers photoreceptor density resolution, wide angle, high contrast, binocular vision, continuous depth of field images, is integrated for a fully immersive experience. In one embodiment, an optical system comprises a miniaturized array of projectors geometrically arranged to cover the photoreceptive areas of the retina. The projectors provide full spectrum, amplitude modulated, and controllably divergent beams of light that can be steered with one or more degrees of freedom. These beams are subsequently reflected off a compound curved reflector, through additional optics, and along reversible light paths to form images on the retina. Segmented projector arrays greatly improve dynamic performance. In another embodiment, an adaptive optics reflector is comprised of an array of fixed, or independently controllable optical elements, that can alter reflected beam properties such that a virtual object may appear to be nearer to, or further from the viewer. In yet another embodiment, a direct projection, two dimensional array of micro projectors are positioned to deliver a fully immersive image directly into the eye. Binocular embodiments can elicit an accurate vergence-accommodation reflex, produce stabilized images that are closely synchronized with the vestibulo-ocular reflex, and create lifelike binocular disparities that produce a faithful sense of stereopsis, an important factor for the avoidance of virtual reality motion sickness.