Off the Visor Heads Up Display (HUD)

This project seeks to expand the boundaries of what can be achieved in AR HMD display systems which utilize a visor as the final combining element in the optical system. The goal is to design and demonstrate a compact, lightweight, low-cost OTV HUD system which is compatible with dismounted soldier system equipment, environments and mission profiles. During our Phase-I efforts we designed and simulated several OTV HUD designs which utilize a freeform (FF) optical surface on the image plane of a high-brightness OLED display and on the see-through visor (combining element) of the HUD. We will optimize our preferred Phase-I OTV HUD design by examining alternative combinations of the horizontal and vertical FOV, configuring the HUD for compatibility with the full range of helmet sizes, and studying the impacts of visor see-through transmission levels. We will conduct a sensitivity analysis on the final design to optimize the system for manufacturability and low cost. We will determine the final formulation for our high brightness multi-stack OLED display solution and produce 2Kx2K microdisplays to validate the OTV HUD optical performance. We will fabricate FF visors and housings to support three (3) unique OTV HUD solutions. We will fabricate FF fiber optic billets for integration with the 2Kx2K microdisplay. We will design and produce miniature display interface electronics suitable for demonstration in the OTV HUD on an Army helmet platform. We will fabricate, integrate, test and deliver two (2) prototype monocular OTV HUD systems consisting of: (1) our Reference Design OTV HUD solution on a medium Army helmet, (2) a revised OTV HUD potentially modified for improved visual acuity and eyeglass compatibility on an extra-large Army helmet. Each deliverable OTV HUD system will be capable of displaying static or video images which are viewable in full daylight conditions.