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This paper is an overview of multimirror array (MMA) optics for augmented reality (AR) devices. MMA optics is compact optics for constructing augmented reality devices. We made a prototype wearable display with MMA optics. By using MMA, the appearance of our wearable display is like a typical eyeglasses. We also made a prototype wide field of view combiners for head-up displays (HUD) with a Fresnel reflector. In addition, we developed optical distortion correction for projecting the images on MMA. Projected images are undistorted, thus ghost images are eliminated.

We have been focusing on personalized immersive display for the next generation display for more than 10 years, as shown in Fig. 1.

We proposed and developed a novel monocular hyper-realistic head dome projector for an amusement application and a novel monocular windshield augmented reality projector for augmented reality and head-up display applications. They use monocular vision that eliminates the depth cues caused by binocular parallax information. Our developed monocular hyper-realistic head dome projector and windshield augmented reality projector system achieved a high hyper-reality performance with free depth perception and high visibility.

Augmented reality technologies such as head-up display are significant and useful for not only an automotive application, but also medical applications, and therefore we have developed several technologies, i.e., the head dome projector, monocular head-up display. We also introduce our latest development, that is, the head-up display for the magnetic resonance imaging system to reduce the patients' anxiety during the examination.

Multi-Mirror Array can minimize the optics of Augmented Reality devices. We made a glass-type display device with Multi-Mirror Array, and Wide field of view combiners for head-up displays with Fresnel reflector that has optical power to magnify the projected image. We also developed Optical Distortion Correction for projecting the images on Multi-Mirror Array. Finally, we show an application of Optical Distortion Correction.

We examined depth perception effects on a moving automobile with static perspective method and dynamic perspective method by monocular HUD, WARP. Both methods have met the specification of within 70% accuracy. In addition, the dynamic perspective method provided stronger depth perception

We developed a compact, 2-liter, monocular head-up display that is WARP-mountable on an automobile. We proposed a novel depth-perception-controllable method and examined the depth perception enhancement characteristics under real space conditions. We confirmed depth perception was controlled as far as 60 meters and true AR was achieved.

A half-V-shaped switching ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) is a promising candidate for fast response displays. In the half-V FLC display, a liquid crystal with a chiral nematic–chiral smectic C phase transition is used, and the smectic layer is formed by cooling from N* to SmC* with an applied d.c. field. We studied the layer structure by means of X-ray measurements for two axes (ω and χ). By using a point-focused X-ray tube and optimizing the slit width, we succeeded in the two-axis measurement with a commercial X-ray system. The ω–χ profile of the half-V FLC showed two broad peaks in an arc-shaped high-intensity area. Our interpretation of this result is that the major part of the layer consists of a tilted-bookshelf structure and that the minor part consists of a near-bookshelf structure. Since optical microscopy observations on the half-V FLC cells showed a stripe-shaped texture, we consider that the coexistence of the tilted-bookshelf and the near-bookshelf structures forms the stripe-shaped patte...

We have developed reflective liquid crystal displays using microencapsulated guest-host liquid crystals, whose size was sufficiently large for viewing documents. A high-brightness image can be realized because there is no need for polarizers. Easy fabrication processes, consisting of screen-printing of microencapsulated liquid crystal and film adhesion, have enabled the realization of thinner and lighter cell structures. It has been confirmed that the display is tolerant of the pressures to which it would be subject in actual use. The optimization of fabrication processes has enabled the realization of reflectance uniformity in the display area and reduction of the driving voltage. Our developed display is suitable for portable information systems, such as electronic book applications.

We proposed and developed a novel monocular hyper- realistic Head-Dome Projector: MHDP for an amusement application and a novel monocular windshield augmented reality projector: WARP for AR and head-up display (HUD) applications. They use monocular vision that eliminates the depth cues caused by binocular parallax information. Our developed MHDP and WARP system achieved a high hyper-reality performance with free depth perception and high visibility.

We have developed a novel depth perception control method for a monocular head-up display (HUD) in a car. However, it is difficult to achieve an accurate depth perception in the real world because of car vibration. To resolve this problem, we focus on a property that people complement hidden images by previous continuous observed images. We hide the image on the HUD when the car is vibrated. We aim to point at the accurate depth position by using HUD images with having users compliment the hidden image positions based on the continuous images before car vibration. We developed a car which detects big vibration by an acceleration sensor and is equipped with our monocular HUD. Our method pointed at the depth position within a 3.4 [m] error, which was 2 times more accurate than the previous method does.

We proposed a novel hyper-realistic head-up display (HUD) concept(WARP) and developed a prototype WARP system. It uses monocular vision that eliminates the depth cues caused by parallax information. Our developed WARP system achieved a free depth control of the HUD image position.

Microstructural control of carbon fiber/carbon composites wasinvestigated by using high carbonyield pitches as matrix precursor, and by adding sulfur or carbon black to the precursor pitch. Using each precursor pitch the matrix carbon resulted in the flow-type microstructure where the carbon layers alligned extensively parallel to the carbon fiber axis, and hardly depended on the characteristics of the precursor pitch. However, the addition of sulfur or carbon black to the precursor pitch was effective in changing the matrix carbon into the fine mosaic microstructure where the size of the anisotropic region of the matrix carbon strongly depended on the characteristics of the precursor pitch and the type of the additives. These results suggested that the microstructure of carbon fiber/carbon composites with high carbon-yield pitch as matrix precursor could be controled by the addition of sulfur or carbon black.

We proposed and developed a novel monocular windshield augmented reality projector: WARP for AR and head-up display (HUD) applications. They use monocular vision that eliminates the depth cues caused by binocular parallax information. Our developed WARP system achieved not only a high hyper-reality performance with free depth perception and high visibility but also low eye-fatigue and wide field of attention.

We propose a monocular projection head-up display. It uses monocular vision that eliminates the depth cues caused by parallax information and it can control the depth point of the display image. Through examination in a simulator, we confirmed the enhancement of monocular depth perception.

We developed a novel spatio-temporal LAO processing method (ST-LAO) that can be installed on LCD driver IC for a mobile phone by applying a novel edge-enhancement processing to the linear approximation LAO method to reduce the LAO circuit size.

In this paper, we developed a novel hyperreality display called the Head Dome Projector (HDP). The HDP is a head-mounted display consisting of a dome-shaped screen with a radius of 40 cm, a mobile projector with ultra-wide projection lens and LED light sources. The main feature of the HDP is very wide viewing angle of 115 degrees horizontally by 80 degrees vertically without head tracking and 360 degrees by 360 degrees with head tracking. According to our objective evaluation comparing the HDP with a flat-panel display (FPD), the HDP realizes hyperreality 1.5 to 2.5 points higher than that realized by an FPD in the case of ±5 level evaluation for HD motion images

In a half-V-shaped switching ferroelectric liquid crystal (half-V FLC), a liquid crystal material with N*–SmC* phase transition is used. When the material is cooled from N* phase to SmC* phase without an applied electric field, two types of domain with spontaneous polarization (Ps) in the upward or downward direction to the substrate plane are formed. In the conventional half-V FLC, a DC voltage is applied to the liquid crystal during the phase transition to form either type of domain selectively. Is the DC voltage application indispensable for selecting one domain? To clarify this point and to reduce the expected residual charge due to the application of the DC voltage, various waveforms of non-DC voltage were studied. We achieved the formation of one type of domain by applying an asymmetric rectangular waveform adjusted to cancel the effective DC component, and the generation of residual charge was avoided. The obtained half-V FLC alignment showed desirable black appearance in the crossed polarizers.

A reflective color liquid crystal display (LCD), which dose not consume power for backlighting, is a key device for portable information equipment. A novel structure for three-layered guest-host (GH) liquid crystal displays (LCDs) has been proposed. The structure, called stacked films of encapsulated liquid crystal (SFELIC), has no intermediate substrates, and is expected to realize low cost and high brightness while eliminating parallax.

A reflective color liquid-crystal display (LCD), which does not consume power for backlighting, is a key device for portable information equipment. A novel structure for three-layered guest-host (GH-LCDs) has been proposed. The structure, called stacked films of encapsulated liquid crystal (SFELIC), has no intermediate substrates, and is expected to realize low cost and high luminance while eliminating parallax.