Smart glasses with enhanced optical structures for augmented reality applications
A wearable device for augmented reality applications including an image generation engine to generate multiple light rays forming an image, and an eyepiece including a display to project the image to a user for an augmented reality application, is provided. The eyepiece includes a planar waveguide configured to transmit the light rays from the image generation engine. The wearable device also includes at least one optical element configured to couple the light rays into, and to provide the light rays from, the planar waveguide and through an eyebox limiting a volume that includes a pupil of the user, and a user-functional portion of the eyepiece including the at least one optical element, the user-functional portion shaped according to a pre-selected format that is aesthetically appealing to an onlooker when the immersive reality device is worn by a user.
1. A device, comprising:
an image generation engine to generate multiple light rays forming an image;
an eyepiece including a display to project the image to a user for an augmented reality application, the eyepiece comprising a planar waveguide configured to transmit the light rays from the image generation engine;
at least one optical element configured to couple the light rays into, and to provide the light rays from, the planar waveguide and through an eyebox limiting a volume that includes a pupil of the user; and
an onlooker-functional portion of the eyepiece surrounding the at least one optical element, and shaped according to a pre-selected format matching an outside perspective of the display to make the eyepiece aesthetically appealing to an onlooker when the device is worn by a user, wherein the onlooker-functional portion is not optically coupled to the display, the eye piece including a transition portion within the onlooker-functional portion and around the optical element, the transition portion shaped to correspond to an outer edge of the pre-selected format.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the image generation engine comprises anyone of a spatial light modulator, a direct arrayed light source, a light emitting diode array, and a point scanner.
3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the image generation engine is external and coupled into the planar waveguide via an input coupler like a prism or grating.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the image generation engine includes a structure embedded within the optical element.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one optical element includes a photonic integrated circuit.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one optical element includes a diffractive, refractive or a meta material structure.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the image generation engine is either internal or external, and the at least one optical element includes a lens stack having a diffractive or holographic reflecting surface to provide the light rays through the eyebox.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one optical element includes a diffractive element to couple light into the planar waveguide.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one optical element includes an at least partially reflective element to couple light into the planar waveguide.
10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one optical element includes a diffractive element to couple light out of the planar waveguide and through the eyebox.
11. A method of fabricating an eyepiece for an immersive reality device, comprising:
forming, on a planar waveguide, an optical pattern configured to transmit light propagating in the planar waveguide through an eyebox delimiting a volume that includes a pupil of a user of the immersive reality device;
forming a functional pattern on the eyepiece, the functional pattern shaped according to a pre-selected format matching an outside perspective of the display that is aesthetically appealing to an onlooker when the immersive reality device is worn by a user, wherein the onlooker-functional portion is not optically coupled to the display; and
forming a transition pattern between the optical pattern and the functional pattern, the transition pattern shaped to correspond to an outer edge of the pre-selected format.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the functional pattern on the eyepiece comprises adding a cutout layer on a surface of the eyepiece configured to face an onlooker.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the functional pattern on the eyepiece comprises edging the functional pattern on the planar waveguide around the optical pattern.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the functional pattern comprises including an aesthetically pleasing feature in the pre-selected format.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the functional pattern comprises including a feature in the pre-selected format that is transparent to a light configured to propagate through the planar waveguide.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the functional pattern comprises including a feature in the pre-selected format that reflects a light to an onlooker when a user is wearing the immersive reality device.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the transition pattern comprises including, in the transition pattern, a feature having a dimension that is larger than a wavelength of light configured to propagate through the planar waveguide.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein forming the transition pattern comprises including a partially deformed feature from the optical pattern and a partially deformed feature from the pre-selected format.
19. The method of claim 11 , further comprising placing a display on a side of the eyepiece facing the user of the immersive reality device, to project an image to the user of the immersive reality device, for an immersive reality application.
20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising optically coupling a display in the eyepiece with an image generation engine to generate multiple light rays forming an image.