At Stanford University’s Computational Imaging Lab, a team led by associate professor Gordon Wetzstein has created a breakthrough in display technology that could change the future of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets. The team has designed a way to project moving, AI-generated 3D images onto standard-looking glasses. The key to this breakthrough is a nanophotonic metasurface waveguide embedded in the glass surface, which helps guide light in and out of the lens.
While I can’t try on the prototype glasses myself, I am allowed to hold them while they are attached to a model human head. The glasses and model together weigh about half a pound, which is significantly less than the weight of the Apple Vision Pro headset. The glasses are designed to provide a perceptually realistic experience that is similar to the real world, with the goal of creating an experience that is indistinguishable from real objects. This technology has potential uses beyond gaming and entertainment, with possibilities for surgeons to plan surgeries or airplane mechanics to learn about complex engines.
The prototype glasses have not yet been tested on human eyes, but future steps include testing on human subjects as well as making the glasses more compact and power efficient. This technology has the potential to revolutionize the fields of VR and AR, making it possible to create immersive experiences that mimic reality.
