Rain Technology Advances AR/VR Headset Display Optics

First Anamorphic-XR Technical Paper To Be Presented at SID Display Week in San Jose

Rain Technology, creator of the world’s most advanced directional display technologies, today announced plans to present new developments to Anamorphic-XR™, its patented optical engine for augmented reality and virtual reality headsets.

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Rain Technology Anamorphic-XR Proposed Optical Design (Graphic: Business Wire)

Dr. Michael Robinson, chief scientist at Rain Technology, leads the company’s optical design programs and new concept development. He is the author of more than 50 research articles and the book “Polarization Engineering for LCD Projection” and holds over 170 U.S. patents. Dr. Robinson will be presenting the AR/VR innovations in the company’s first technical paper on this topic, “Anamorphic-XR: Imaging Waveguide Technology for Efficient and Wide Field-of-View Near-Eye Display,” at SID Display Week in San Jose. His session will take place on May 14, 2024, at 11:10 a.m. in Room 220B.

Anamorphic-XR is the company’s latest implementation of its performance-leading IP in waveguides and optics, offering high definition, wide-angle images that deliver a brighter, crisper view in a compact and transparent form factor. It transforms the capabilities of traditional AR and VR in addition to opening up new hybrid immersive possibilities. A general infosheet comparing Anamorphic-XR to conventional VR and AR optics can be downloaded at www.raintechnology.com/ar-vr-anamorphic-xr-form.

At SID Display Week, Dr. Robinson will present new optical and display developments that aim to solve common AR/VR challenges, including size, eye relief, and most importantly, field-of-view, resolution and brightness. A hybrid immersive display is also proposed that combines an anamorphic waveguide with a conventional VR display to enhance image realism and improve comfort, minimizing headaches commonly associated with wearing VR headsets.

“Our R&D has proven that contrary to popular wisdom, by using a mirror for the lateral optical path and lenses for the transverse path, you can realize field-of-view and efficiency improvements over conventional approaches to AR/VR optics, and you can do so in a highly compact and manufacturable form,” explained Robert Ramsey, CEO and founder at Rain Technology. “With appropriate adaptation, this advancement can address many of the key optical challenges faced by AR/VR today, namely wide-field image fidelity, brightness, dynamic range, and eye fatigue.”

How It Works

Anamorphic-XR displays are equipped with an anamorphic microdisplay integrated within the frame of the anamorphic waveguide. Light that is emitted from the microdisplay pixels travels down the transparent anamorphic waveguide where a cylindrical mirror reflects the light back upward to be extracted and perceived by the user’s eyes. This enables both real-world images to pass through the waveguide and metaverse images to appear floating in space in the user’s field of vision.

More specifically, the Anamorphic-XR technology incorporates separated lateral and transverse anamorphic elements that magnify images in orthogonal planes independently to optimize resolution and field-of-view. It also applies polarization instead of diffraction to extract light from the waveguide, which delivers a brighter, crisper image. The unique microdisplay with anamorphic pixels leverages the proven track record of Rain Technology’s proprietary micro LED technologies, providing a potential alternative to conventional AR and VR displays with improved efficiency, brightness and manufacturability that easily integrate with modern designs.

The “Anamorphic-XR: Imaging Waveguide Technology for Efficient and Wide Field-of-View Near-Eye Display” technical paper will be available for download following the presentation at SID Display Week.

About Rain Technology

Rain Technology is the creator of the world’s most advanced directional display technology including switchable privacy displays. The company licenses its IP to supply chain partners and manufacturers of laptops and monitors, smartphones, point-of-sale systems, ATMs, automotive displays, and AR/VR devices. IT departments and users benefit from embedded privacy technology for transaction security, No-Driver-Distraction™, and Display Screen Branding™. Founded in 2017 and privately held, Rain Technology is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, with operations in the UK and Taiwan. Visit Rain Technology at www.raintechnology.com, and follow the company on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

Anamorphic-XR, No-Driver-Distraction, and Display Screen Branding are trademarks of Rain Technology. All other brand names and solution names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Tags: Rain Technology, Anamorphic-XR, SID Display Week, directional display, augmented reality, virtual reality, AR, VR, waveguides, optics, spatial light modulator, visual security, automotive display, ATM display, retail POS, point of sale, switchable privacy display, display privacy, e-privacy display, infotainment display

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