Eye-Mounted Displays Using Retinal Sub-Display Multiplexing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current display technologies face limitations in resolution, field of view, power requirements, bulk, weight, cost, and stereo support, particularly in portable electronics and head-mounted displays, which restrict their effectiveness in providing high-quality visual experiences.
Innovation Solution
The development of eye-mounted displays (EMDs) that project light onto the retina using multiple sub-displays, each targeting specific retinal regions, allowing for variable resolution and reduced pixel count, integrated with eye trackers and scalers to optimize image generation and transmission, enabling low brightness, high resolution, and wide field of view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional display technologies (CRT, LCD, OLED) are used to achieve high resolution and wide field of view, then image quality is improved, but device weight, bulk, and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical display systems (CRT, LCD, OLED panels) with a biological-optical system that uses the eye's natural optics to focus light from a small array of LEDs directly onto the retina. This substitution eliminates the need for bulky mechanical display components while achieving high resolution through the eye's own focusing mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the eye's optical system (cornea, lens, retina) as an intermediary between the light source and the visual display. This intermediary naturally focuses light from a small LED array onto the retina, eliminating the need for large mechanical optics while achieving high resolution and wide field of view.
2Measurement precision
If higher resolution displays are implemented in portable devices, then image quality improves, but power consumption and device size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces power-intensive mechanical display systems with low-power LEDs that emit light directly into the eye's optical path. The eye's natural optics perform the focusing function that would otherwise require powerful illumination, dramatically reducing power consumption while maintaining high resolution.
3Area of stationary object
If head-mounted displays are used to achieve portable high-resolution viewing, then field of view and resolution improve, but weight and bulk increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces heavy mechanical head-mounted display optics with a minimal LED array that couples directly to the eye's optical system. The eye's natural lens and retina perform the imaging function, eliminating the need for heavy mechanical optics while achieving wide field of view and high resolution simultaneously.
4Adaptability or versatility
If traditional display technologies are used to provide stereo support, then depth perception improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical stereo display systems with simple LED arrays that can be independently controlled for each eye. The eye's natural binocular vision performs the stereo processing, eliminating the need for complex mechanical or optical stereo mechanisms while maintaining depth perception capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
EMDs significantly reduce the number of pixels required while maintaining high resolution and field of view, offering portable, low-power, and potentially cost-effective visual display solutions that surpass traditional technologies in terms of image quality and usability.
Implementation Method 1
integrated with eye trackers and scalers to optimize image generation and transmission
Implementation Method 2
EMDs that project light onto the retina using multiple sub-displays
Data Source
AI summary
A display device is mounted on and/or inside the eye. The eye mounted display contains multiple sub-displays, each of which projects light to different retinal positions within a portion of the retina corresponding to the sub-display. The projected light propagates through the pupil but does not fill the entire pupil. In this way, multiple sub-displays can project their light onto the relevant portion of the retina. Moving from the pupil to the cornea, the projection of the pupil onto the cornea will be referred to as the corneal aperture. The projected light propagates through less than the full corneal aperture. The sub-displays use spatial multiplexing at the corneal surface. Various electronic devices interface to the eye mounted display.