Variable Resolution Eye-Mounted Display for Retinal Projection
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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 performance and usability.
Innovation Solution
The development of an eye-mounted display system, including a contact lens display with femto projectors and a scalable display mesh, that utilizes variable resolution pixels and optical elements to match the human eye's natural resolution and curvature, allowing for efficient light usage and precise image projection directly onto the retina.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If higher resolution displays are used, then image quality is improved, but device size, weight, and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The display is segmented into variable resolution zones matching the eye's foveal and peripheral regions, with higher pixel density only where needed (fovea) and lower density in peripheral areas, reducing total pixel count and display weight while maintaining perceived resolution
Solution Approach 2:
Different resolution qualities are applied to different regions of the display corresponding to foveal and peripheral vision, with high resolution concentrated in the foveal region and lower resolution in peripheral regions, optimizing the weight-resolution tradeoff
2Area of stationary object
If larger display surfaces are used, then field of view is improved, but portability and power consumption worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The display dynamically adjusts its active pixel regions and resolution based on eye tracking data, activating only the necessary display areas corresponding to the user's current foveal region, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining a large effective field of view
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of activating the entire display surface at full resolution, only partial regions corresponding to the foveal view are activated at high resolution, while peripheral regions use lower resolution or remain inactive, reducing overall power consumption
3Measurement precision
If more pixels are used, then image quality is improved, but power consumption and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pixel array is segmented into variable resolution zones with different pixel densities matching retinal sampling patterns, reducing total pixel count while maintaining image quality in the foveal region where visual acuity is highest
Solution Approach 2:
The display dynamically changes pixel activation parameters based on eye position and focus, adjusting which pixels are active and at what resolution, thereby reducing the effective pixel count and device complexity while maintaining image quality
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
This approach enables significant reductions in power consumption and pixel count while maintaining high image quality, allowing for more portable, cost-effective, and high-resolution displays that align with the human eye's natural resolution, overcoming traditional display technology limitations.
Implementation Method 1
optical elements to match the human eye's natural resolution and curvature, allowing for efficient light usage and precise image projection directly onto the retina
Data Source
AI summary
A display device (e.g., in a contact lens) is mounted on 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. Additionally, a “locally uniform resolution” mapping may be used to model the variable resolution of the eye. Accordingly, various aspects of the display device may be based on the locally uniform resolution mapping. For example, the light emitted from the sub-displays may be based on the locally uniform resolution mapping.