Lightweight, Wide Field-Of-View Wave-guided Head-mounted Display

The ideal head-mounted display (HMD) would be one that preserves situational awareness by offering a panoramic view of the users surroundings with high see-through and provides high-resolution, wide-field-of-view color imagery. For soldier applications, such a system should also be unobtrusive; that is, compact, light-weight, and comfortable, where comfort comes from having an adequate exit pupil, generous eye relief, ergonomic center of mass, and focus at infinity. SBG Labs has developed such an HMD. Proof of feasibility was established with the demonstration of a monochrome 60a x 10a field-of-view display. The underlying architecture is such that it can be readily extended larger fields of view. Moreover, the approach is inherently high resolution and compatible with color. Phase I demonstrated the technical feasibility of transitioning this disruptive glass-based technology to plastic, making it lighter weight, more robust and, therefore, more suitable for soldiers in the field. Phase II will optimize the Phase-I design and deliver a prototype suitable for appraising performance, evaluating various sensor technologies, and conducting field tests. At the completion of Phase II, the technology will be at a technical readiness level (TRL) between TRL 4 (components validated in the laboratory) and TRL 5 (prototype validated in a relevant environment).