VIRTUAL RETINAL DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY

Microvision; Seattle, Washington

Abstract the viewer were only an arm’s length distant

All the technological developments required
to achieve useful operation of miniature, la-
ser scanned, virtual retinal displays have
been demonstrated. Prototype devices oper-
ating at VGA resolutions (640 x 480 pixels)
have been delivered to military and com-
mercial customers for several years, and Mi-
crovision’s Virtual Retinal DisplayTM
(VRDTM)is now poised for explosive per-
formance growth. SVGA resolution (800 x
600 pixels) was demonstrated in March
1998. A functional head- or helmet-
mountable 1280 x 1024 pixel, full color,
biocular VRD system is scheduled for com-
pletion in late 1998, with a digital high defi-
nition television (HDTV) version scheduled
for delivery in early 1999. This paper de-
scribes the VRD’s fundamental operating
principles (such as synthetic vision informa-
tion display) and some potential applications
of VRD technology.
Fundamental Operating Principles
The VRD is display technology that is fun-
damentally different from other, existing
display technologies’. The VRD uses a
modulated, low power beam of light to
“paint” an image directly onto the retina of
the viewer’s eye (in a raster scan pattern
similar to that in a conventional television
set), and it creates a high-resolution, full-
motion, full-color image without the use of
screens. In certain applications, an image
appears in the viewer’s field of vision as if
from a high quality video screen. In other
applications, the VRD can superimpose an
image on the viewer’s field of vision (aug-
mented vision), enabling the viewer to see
data or other information within the context
of his or her natural surroundings. Regard-
less of how the VRD is used, the viewer
perceives a high resolution, bright image.
A typical VRD system has three units:
1. System Unit. The System Unit system
contains the drive electronics and a light
source module.
2. Interconnect cable. The interconnect
cable carries optical fibers and several
electrical conductors between the Sys-
tem Unit and the Display Unit.
3. Display Unit. The Display Unit is head-
mounted or helmet-mounted. It contains
the scanner assembly, the pupil ex-
pander, and the viewer optics.
Figure 1 illustrates the five major compo-
nents in a typical VRD system.

AMLCD (active matrix liquid crystal display);

AMEL (active matrix electro-luminescent); FLCD
(ferro-electric liquid crystal display); LCD (liquid Figure 1 -Virtual Retinal ,Display;
crystal display); CRT (cathode ray tube); FED (field
Simplified Functional Diagram.
emission display).

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1 . System drive electronics. The system
drive electronics receive and process an
incoming video signal, provide image
compensation, and control image dis-
play.
2. Light source module. The light source
module contains laser light sources, light
modulators, and a color combiner. The
laser light sources are red, green, and
blue (RGB) or a combination of the
three. The light modulators modulate
the light from each of the laser light
sources. Modulation is controlled by
signals from the system drive electron-
ics. The color combiner combines the
individual modulated red, green, and
blue beams to produce a single beam of
white light.
3. Scanner assemblv. The scanner assem-
bly contains two scanning mirrors. One
scanning mirror sweeps the beam of la-
ser light (from the light source module)
horizontally at a high frequency and in a
raster pattern. A second scanning mirror
sweeps the beam of laser light vertically,
but at a much lower frequency. Syn-
chronizing signals generated by the sys-
tem drive electronics control both scan-
ning mirrors. Position feedback signals
from both mirrors provide the drive
electronics with instantaneous informa-
tion on exact mirror position.
4. Pupil expander. The exit pupil expander
(not shown in Figure 1) is an optical de-
vice that increases the viewer’s field of
view. The raster image created by the
horizontal and vertical scanners passes
through the pupil. expander and to the
viewer optics.
5. Viewer optics. The viewer optics relay
the scanned raster image to the oculars
worn by the user.
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The VRD for
Synthetic Vision Information
Systems
The proliferation of innovative imaging sen-
sor and display technologies argues for a
reformulation of digital synthetidaugmented
vision systems. The operational objective
for these systems is to provide range resolu-
tion and target identification performances
equal to or better than those achieved with
normal unaided vision, but under Instrument
Meteorological Conditions.
A synthetic vision system display must serve
three functions. First, the display must be
designed for maximum information transfer
to the operator. This means that the image
attributes of brightness, contrast (shades of
gray), spatial resolution, and color must be
engineered into a head- or helmet-mounted
display (HMD) of low mass and high utility.
Color fully engages the human visual system
to detect and identify targets, permit display
from imaging sensors outputting false-color
information, support color encoding of sym-
bolic information, and enhance legibility of
information displayed against ambient lumi-
nances. Second, the spatial orientation of
the operator’s head must be tracked in order
to align the real and virtual worlds. Many
differing technologies exist, but when possi-
ble, a videometric approach is recommended
due to high accuracy, high update rate, and
environmental robustness. Finally, eye-
tracking capability is required. Eye-tracking
permits a ‘look-to-activate’, or ‘look-to-
shoot’ virtual environment where the user’s
eye functions as a hands-free ‘mouse’. Sim-
ple, inexpensive approaches are now be-
coming available with the accuracy and up-
date rate required. Microvision will be em-
bedding commercial off-the-shelf (COTS)
head- and eye-tracking capability into its
visually-coupled HMD systems.
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Traditionally, the miniature, militarized,
monochrome-green cathode-ray tube (CRT)
has been the image source of choice for
HMDs, but its performance limitations,
high-voltage requirement, and cost have
spurred major efforts to develop four basic
categories of “CRT-replacement” technol-
ogy: emissive, transmissive, reflective, and
scanning. All of these technologies for
CRT-replacement promise reduced package
sizes, weights, voltage requirements, and
costs, and each has its performance strengths
and weaknesses. But only the scanning
type, exemplified by Microvision’s VRD, is
proving through rapid advancement to pro-
vide the high image quality of a mono-
chrome display, but in full color, and at lev-
els of spatial resolution and display bright-
ness unmatched by any of the altematives.
The VRD’s superiority lies in its “loosely-
coupled” architecture. Coherent light
sources of any color(s) or power(s) are
modulated with an image signal and com-
bined as a full-color pixel ‘stream’ into a
single optical fiber conduit. The fiber may
run a considerable distance to a head-worn,
15-gram scanner assembly which is unlike a
matrix-addressed display in that there is no
pixel structure or “yield” issue, and for
which the only resolution limits are imposed
by optical beam diffraction, scatter, and ef-
fective acousto-optic modulation (AQM)
frequency. As light sources, AOMs, fiber-
couplers, scanning technologies, or viewing
optics are improved, the VRD advances.
For instance, in late 1998 Microvision will
deliver a monochrome green binocular
HMD system to the Army with 1355 hori-
zontal pixels per eye and 1470 foot-
Lamberts displayed raster luminance at the
eye. Microvision has modularized the sys-
tem design to permit delivery of a full-color
1280 x 1024-pixel biocular head-mounted
system only 3 months later, as well as an
HDTV (1920 x 1080 pixels) HMD to the Air
Force by the year 2000. Even higher spatial
0-7803-5086-3 /98/$10.00 01998 IEEE
resolutions are feasible, placing the VRD
well beyond the capabilities of competing
miniature display technologies. Clearly, no
other miniature display image source in ex-
istence is supported by either the physics or
the engineering which characterize the
VRD.
Potential Applications
Because the versatility of VRD technology
makes it suitable for a broad range of appli-
cations and a wide variety of potential prod-
ucts, Microvision believes that markets for
personal displays incorporating the VRD are
very large in scale and scope, with the po-
tential to sustain rapid growth.
Microvision divides the marketplace for its
technology into five major categories:
0 Defense and public safety
0 Healthcare
Industrial
0 Wireless communications
0 Consumer electronics
Defense and Public Safety
Because battlefield success increasingly
turns on technology advantage, many na-
tions are pursuing technologies that can en-
hance combat effectiveness and survivability
while slowing steadily increasing costs.
As a part of this effort, military leaders have
focused on increasing battlefield “situational
awareness” by providing visual information
to participants in air, ground, and sea opera-
tions. Participants wearing devices capable
of displaying critical information are con-
sidered more likely to survive and to prevail
in military operations. Such “wearable” dis-
play systems must be obtainable at reason-
able cost, consume very little power, and
provide a high quality image without en-
cumbering the user or blocking vision.
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The suitability and cost of currently avail-
able personal display systems, commonly
miniaturized CRTs and flat panel displays,
have been compromised by trade-offs and
limitations in image quality, brightness,
power consumption and system bulk.
However, opportunities abound in the mili-
tary marketplace for a display system that
overcomes these limitations. As defense
agencies worldwide equip new aircraft with
more sophisticated information systems and
seek ways to extend the life and enhance the
combat effectiveness of existing aircraft,
display systems will play an important role.
Major market opportunities exist for:
Advanced helmet-mounted display systems
for jet aircraft and helicopter crew systems.
More than 75,000 combat aircraft are al-
ready in service worldwide, representing a
substantial retrofit market for new display
technology. The Teal Group estimates that
2,846 additional jet fighter aircraft will be
built between 1997-2005 worldwide, a mar-
ket worth approximately $1 10 billion, and
that 7,139 helicopters valued at approxi-
mately $38 billion will be built over that
same period.
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Aircraft simulation and training systems.
Microvision estimates that the worldwide
market for such systems (including newly
built units and retrofits) will exceed 24,000
units over the next five years. Displays de-
signed for these systems are expected to
range in price from $25,000 to $100,000.
Other military applications. Microvision
also anticipates a future opportunity to sell
advanced display systems for ground vehi-
cles and even ground troops. More than
100,000 ground vehicles and 23.4 million
ground troops are in service worldwide, rep-
resenting substantial market potential.
Public Safety. Many products designed and
built for military purposes will be attractive
to the public safety markets, which include
law enforcement, fire fighting, emergency
service and other applications.
-Healthcare
Widespread use of imaging techniques in
medical diagnostics has made healthcare
professionals increasingly dependent upon
high quality visual displays for the analysis
and interpretation of diagnostic images.
Such sophisticated techniques as ultrasound,
nuclear medical imaging, computed tomog-
raphy and magnetic resonance imaging are
critical sources of information-rich elec-
tronic images used by surgeons.
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In the emerging field of "image-guided sur-
gery," complex visual data is displayed to
assist the physician during a surgical proce-
dure. However, current systems require sur-
geons to refer to images on inconveniently
located CRT monitors and to instruments on
the periphery of the operating theater, away
from the work at hand.
A more desirable solution is to present high
contrast, high resolution and full color im-
ages in the surgeon's field of view, where he
may refer to them at any time during the
procedure without looking away from his
work. Using VRD technology, an image can
be superimposed over the target area on the
patient's body to help guide the surgeon's
hands through the procedure.
Image-guided surgery would be especially
useful during delicate procedures involving
the brain and spine. This technique will rep-
resent a market approaching $10 billion by
the year 2000, according to industry ana-
lysts.
The increasing number and complexity of
surgeries using minimally invasive tech-
niques, such as laparoscopy and endoscopy,
indicates that a significant opportunity exists
to improve the success rate of these tech-
niques by improving the surgeon's hand-eye
coordination. Laparascopic procedures will
comprise almost half of general surgeries by
the year 2000, according to the Society of
Laparoendoscopic Surgeons. According to
Frost & Sullivan, U.S. sales of endoscopic
equipment, currently growing at a 17.5%
compound annual rate, will reach $1.8 bil-
lion by 1999.
Industrial
Manufacturing and maintenance profession-
als in a wide range of industries have identi-
fied a means to achieve productivity gains
and increased performance by using portable
displays offering augmented vision to guide
and support complex manual procedures.
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Augmented vision allows workers wearing
personal displays to maintain full visual
contact with their work while viewing perti-
nent information such as blueprints, instruc-
tions and diagnostic information. Several
target industries and their needs include:
Manufacturing. Manufacturing workers
would benefit from consultimg blueprints
and instructions often as they perform man-
ual tasks. Production timelines could be
substantially reduced using devices that give
assembly operators a "heads-up" view of
their plans and instructions while working.
Maintenance and Repair. Field mainte-
nance workers such as aircraft mechanics
and photocopy machine technicians could
use real-time portable visual displays in or-
der to consult digitized repair manuals that
guide their work.
Construction. Supervisors would benefit
from the ability to visually check, share and
coordinate project blueprints, especially on
large, complex construction sites.
Inventory Control. Warehouse workers
could use a portable, body-wearable display
to locate and identify items wherever they
may be stored within an expansive facility.
Due to their inherent limitations, flat panel
displays have failed to meet the require-
ments for portable personal displays that can
deliver augmented (see-through) vision ca-
pabilities. A major shortcoming of screen
technologies is a lack of adequate image
brightness under high ambient light condi-
tions such as exist on a sunny day. In its
augmented vision mode, VRD technology
provides the industrial user with bright, crisp
images under any light condition.
Wireless Communications
Manufacturers of wireless communication
products have identified a need for users to
view the same kinds of information now
available on their desktops, such as e-mail,
D35-5
web pages, faxes, and other graphical docu-
ments.
A new generation of "personal data commu-
nicator" products represents the latest ad-
vance toward an emerging all-digital wire-
less communications environment in which
voice communications will be comple-
mented with high resolution, still images
and even full-motion videoconferencing.
Such devices must include a display that
presents a desktop-size image to the viewer
but adds little to its size, power requirements
or cost. VRD technology is uniquely capa-
ble of meeting the demanding combination
of performance requirements for such go-
anywhere access.
The burgeoning popularity of data commu-
nications and the possibility of handheld re-
mote access to the Internet and other busi-
ness networks have created substantial op-
portunity for new products that can provide
such capabilities.
Industry analysts forecast that demand for
cellular telephones will reach 350 million
units worldwide by the year 2000, up from
80 million units in 1997. Wireless data reve-
nues of $3.12 billion expected in 1997 could
more than triple in the same period, accord-
ing to Frost & Sullivan.
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Consumer Electronics
Increasingly powerful graphics image proc-
essors are becoming available at lower and
lower costs. As a result, simulations for pro-
fessional, educational, and entertainment
uses offer an unprecedented level of visual
realism. The experience offered by such
powerful new interactive media products
could be enhanced through the addition of
wearable stereoscopic displays that engage
the user with vivid 3-d images over a wide
field of view. Such displays must be very
reasonable in cost, should provide a high
quality image, and should be comfortable
for extended wear.
In the past, products that have attempted to
meet this need have provided too little per-
formance at too great a cost. Microvision
believes that VRD technology can enable
the development of gaming peripherals that
would be lightweight and affordable, and
that provide life-like realism to interactive
gaming and educational products.
The current popularity of personal com-
puter- and console-based video games indi-
cates a robust market for such peripheral
devices. Total sales in the category in 1996
were estimated at $5 billion. Dataquest es-
timates that 10 million console-based game
units will be sold worldwide during 1997.
In its first six months of availability, the
Nintendo 64 sold more than four million
units.
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