SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I research project focuses on the development of a new type of head set display technology for advanced applications in immersive virtual reality and 3-D imaging. The technology combines efficient up-conversion materials with densely-integrated semiconductor devices. The dense integration of high-speed semiconductors combined with efficient up-converters solves one of the important problems in implementing virtual reality hardware and 3-D imaging to provide very small, high resolution, high brightness micro-display chips that can be incorporated into new head set display designs. The small, high resolution, high brightness chips are a critical step in developing new types of compact, high performance virtual reality headsets, including eyeglass displays. The outcomes of this research project can be applied to head-mounted displays enabling users to experience high definition, high brightness, and rich color, 3-D stereo images. This could be a disruptive technology that impacts education, science, medicine, training, and entertainment world-wide. The use of virtual reality with 3-D imaging would facilitate new learning experiences for K-12 students, new employee and military training, and information gathering in new or unfamiliar environments. For medical applications, high resolution headset displays will enable graphic and realistic experiences based on virtual reality for doctors, nurses, and emergency medical providers. A high performance, low cost 3-D imaging headset display would likely dominate the world's entertainment industry with the ability to bring a real life visual experience to the wearer. The U.S. is the major consumer of displays, and with no manufacturing capabilities in current display technologies, this research could facilitate the recapturing of the high-performance display manufacturing industry, thus enabling new products for the education, medicine, government, and entertainment industries

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II research project focuses on new GaAs-based, low voltage technology for high definition head mounted displays (HMDs), suitable for advanced applications in immersive virtual reality and 3-D imaging. Applications for this technology include battery powered augmented reality HMDs, full color, high resolution HMDs with 3-D imaging potential, and low cost, low voltage indicators and backlights for battery powered electronics. Displays derived from this GaAs technology have superior color gamut, high brightness, resolution and efficiency compared to other approaches. The results obtained from the STTR Phase I project indicate that low cost HMD-based optical systems can be designed using these high resolution microdisplay chips at supply voltages as low as 1.5 volts. Compared to display systems based on GaN LED and OLED technology which require voltages of up to 4 volts, this technology presents a path for continued advancement to 3-D imaging systems that could reach the resolution of the human eye. This technology should impact low cost HMDs displaying low-information content data such as maps, text or line graphics that require long battery life for markets that include first responders, factory and inventory workers, and consumer appliances. The technology can be advanced to much higher resolution microdisplays and improved optics for the high-information content marketplace such as immersive virtual reality for education, medical imaging and surgery, games and videos. Commercial emphasis will be placed on the low voltage operation for battery compatibility, a key advantage for augmented reality HMDs; and one which may lead to fundamental changes in battery powered electronics having indicator lights and/or displays.