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'''Light field display''' ('''LFD''') is an advanced display technology designed to reproduce a [[light field]], the distribution of light rays in [[3D space]], including their intensity and direction.<ref name="WetzsteinPlenoptic">Wetzstein G. (2020). “Computational Displays: Achieving the Full Plenoptic Function.” ACM SIGGRAPH 2020 Courses. ACM Digital Library. doi:10.1145/3386569.3409414. Available: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3386569.3409414 (accessed 3 May 2025).</ref> Unlike conventional 2D displays or [[stereoscopic display|stereoscopic 3D]] systems that present flat images or fixed viewpoints requiring glasses, light field displays aim to recreate how light naturally propagates from a real scene.<ref name="WetzsteinTensor">Wetzstein, G., Lanman, D., Hirsch, M., & Raskar, R. (2012). Tensor displays: Compressive light field synthesis using multilayer displays with directional backlighting. ACM Transactions on Graphics, 31(4), Article 80. doi:10.1145/2185520.2185576</ref> This allows viewers to perceive genuine [[depth]], [[parallax]] (both horizontal and vertical), and perspective changes without special eyewear. (in many implementations).<ref name="LeiaVerge">Hollister, S. (2024, January 19). Leia is building a 3D empire on the back of the worst phone we've ever reviewed. The Verge. Retrieved from https://www.theverge.com/24036574/leia-glasses-free-3d-ces-2024</ref>
'''Light field display''' ('''LFD''') is an advanced display technology designed to reproduce a [[light field]], the distribution of light rays in [[3D space]], including their intensity and direction.<ref name="WetzsteinPlenoptic">Wetzstein G. (2020). “Computational Displays: Achieving the Full Plenoptic Function.” ACM SIGGRAPH 2020 Courses. ACM Digital Library. doi:10.1145/3386569.3409414. Available: https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3386569.3409414 (accessed 3 May 2025).</ref> Unlike conventional 2D displays or [[stereoscopic display|stereoscopic 3D]] systems that present flat images or fixed viewpoints requiring glasses, light field displays aim to recreate how light naturally propagates from a real scene.<ref name="WetzsteinTensor">Wetzstein, G., Lanman, D., Hirsch, M., & Raskar, R. (2012). Tensor displays: Compressive light field synthesis using multilayer displays with directional backlighting. ACM Transactions on Graphics, 31(4), Article 80. doi:10.1145/2185520.2185576</ref> This allows viewers to perceive genuine [[depth]], [[parallax]] (both horizontal and vertical), and perspective changes without special eyewear. (in many implementations).<ref name="LeiaVerge">Hollister, S. (2024, January 19). Leia is building a 3D empire on the back of the worst phone we've ever reviewed. The Verge. Retrieved from https://www.theverge.com/24036574/leia-glasses-free-3d-ces-2024</ref>


This method of display is crucial for the future of [[virtual reality]] (VR) and [[augmented reality]] (AR), because it can directly address the [[vergence-accommodation conflict]] (VAC).<ref name="WiredVAC">Zhang, S. (2015, August 11). The Obscure Neuroscience Problem That's Plaguing VR. WIRED. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/2015/08/obscure-neuroscience-problem-thats-plaguing-vr</ref><ref name="VACReview">Y. Zhou, J. Zhang, F. Fang, “Vergence-accommodation conflict in optical see-through display: Review and prospect,” *Results in Optics*, vol. 5, p. 100160, 2021, doi:10.1016/j.rio.2021.100160.</ref> By providing correct [[focal cues]] that match the [[vergence]] information, LFDs promise more immersive, realistic, and visually comfortable experiences, reducing eye strain and [[Virtual Reality Sickness|simulator sickness]] often associated with current [[head-mounted display]]s (HMDs).<ref name="CrealWebsite">CREAL. Light-field: Seeing Virtual Worlds Naturally. Retrieved from https://creal.com/technology/</ref>
This method of display is crucial for the future of [[virtual reality]] (VR) and [[augmented reality]] (AR), because it solves the [[vergence-accommodation conflict]] (VAC).<ref name="WiredVAC">Zhang, S. (2015, August 11). The Obscure Neuroscience Problem That's Plaguing VR. WIRED. Retrieved from https://www.wired.com/2015/08/obscure-neuroscience-problem-thats-plaguing-vr</ref><ref name="VACReview">Y. Zhou, J. Zhang, F. Fang, “Vergence-accommodation conflict in optical see-through display: Review and prospect,” *Results in Optics*, vol. 5, p. 100160, 2021, doi:10.1016/j.rio.2021.100160.</ref> It provides correct [[focal cues]] that match the [[vergence]] information, giving a more realistic 3D image that is more visually comfortable, reducing eye strain and [[Virtual Reality Sickness|simulator sickness]] often associated with current [[head-mounted display]]s (HMDs).<ref name="CrealWebsite">CREAL. Light-field: Seeing Virtual Worlds Naturally. Retrieved from https://creal.com/technology/</ref>


== Definition and Principles ==
== Definition and Principles ==
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* '''Form Factor and Miniaturization:''' Integrating complex optics and electronics into thin, lightweight, and power-efficient near-eye devices remains difficult.<ref name="Lanman2020NearEyeCourse"/><ref name="CrealRoadToVR"/>
* '''Form Factor and Miniaturization:''' Integrating complex optics and electronics into thin, lightweight, and power-efficient near-eye devices remains difficult.<ref name="Lanman2020NearEyeCourse"/><ref name="CrealRoadToVR"/>
* '''Limited Field of View (FoV):''' Achieving wide FoV comparable to traditional VR headsets while maintaining high angular resolution is challenging.<ref name="Lanman2020NearEyeCourse"/>
* '''Limited Field of View (FoV):''' Achieving wide FoV comparable to traditional VR headsets while maintaining high angular resolution is challenging.<ref name="Lanman2020NearEyeCourse"/>
* '''Brightness and Efficiency:''' Techniques like MLAs and parallax barriers inherently block or redirect light, reducing overall display brightness and power efficiency.
* '''Content Ecosystem:''' The workflow for creating, distributing, and viewing native light field content is still developing compared to standard 2D or stereoscopic 3D, due to no consumer lightfield hardware.
* '''Content Ecosystem:''' The workflow for creating, distributing, and viewing native light field content is still developing compared to standard 2D or stereoscopic 3D, due to no consumer lightfield hardware.
* '''Visual Artifacts:''' Potential issues include [[Moiré pattern|moiré]] effects (from periodic structures like MLAs), ghosting/crosstalk between views, and latency.


== Key Players and Commercial Landscape ==
== Key Players and Commercial Landscape ==
Several companies and research groups are active in LFD development:
Several companies and research groups are active in LFD development:
* '''[[CREAL]]:''' Swiss startup focused on compact near-eye LFD modules for AR/VR glasses aiming to solve VAC.<ref name="CrealRoadToVR"/>
* '''[[CREAL]]:''' Swiss startup focused on compact near-eye LFD modules for AR/VR glasses aiming to solve VAC.<ref name="CrealRoadToVR"/>
* '''[[Light Field Lab]]:''' Developing large-scale, modular "holographic" LFD panels (SolidLight™) based on proprietary [[Waveguide (optics)|waveguide]] technology.<ref name="LightFieldLabTech"/><ref name="LightFieldLabSolidLightPR"/>
* '''[[Light Field Lab]]:''' Developing large-scale, modular LFD panels (branded as SolidLight) based on [[Waveguide (optics)|waveguide]] technology.<ref name="LightFieldLabTech"/><ref name="LightFieldLabSolidLightPR"/>
* '''[[Sony]]:''' Produces the Spatial Reality Display (ELF-SR series), a high-fidelity desktop LFD using eye-tracking.<ref name="SonyELFSR2"/>
* '''[[Sony]]:''' Produces the Spatial Reality Display (ELF-SR series), a high-fidelity desktop LFD using eye-tracking.<ref name="SonyELFSR2"/>
* '''[[Avegant]]:''' Develops light field light engines, particularly for AR, focusing on VAC resolution.<ref name="AvegantPR">PR Newswire (2017, March 15). Avegant Introduces Light Field Technology for Mixed Reality. Retrieved from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avegant-introduces-light-field-technology-for-mixed-reality-300423855.html</ref>
* '''[[Avegant]]:''' Develops light field light engines, particularly for AR, focusing on VAC resolution.<ref name="AvegantPR">PR Newswire (2017, March 15). Avegant Introduces Light Field Technology for Mixed Reality. Retrieved from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/avegant-introduces-light-field-technology-for-mixed-reality-300423855.html</ref>