Holographic Brownout Condition Adaptive Symbology System for Day/Night HMDs

To address the Navy need for an integrated day/night helmet-mounted display (HMD) system that delivers symbology during brownout conditions, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Holographic Brownout Condition Adaptive Symbology (HOBCAS) system for day/night HMDs. This proposed system is based on a unique combination of narrow-band 3-color (RGB) high see-through holographic optics, OLED microdisplays, and symbology imagery display. The innovations in HOBCAS will enable the system to adapt to ambient conditions and allow for a quick clip-on to HMD and night vision goggles (NVGs) with independently controllable symbology imagery and functionality using existing helmet mounts. In Phase I, POC will demonstrate the feasibility of HOBCAS system by designing a breadboard prototype that illustrates see-through, holographic beam combination, and symbol rendering capabilities. HOBCAS system meets the needs of the Navy by providing high-resolution (>800x600) symbology with high luminance (>400 cd/m^2) and color capability. POC will also develop a mechanical means for a clip-on solution to switching from day to night HMDs. In Phase II, POC plans to develop a mature prototype that will allow a pilot to test the system's capabilities and evaluate the symbology.