Abstract
Although it is beneficial to use an optical simulator to design a mid-air imaging system, the use of a simulator requires optical knowledge, and it cannot be handled by non-specialists. To create a design assistance system that can be used by non-specialists, we demonstrate three methods: a method for extracting mid-air images and images of stray light from computer graphics rendered images, a method for calculating the visible range of mid-air images, and an evaluation of design parameters. First, a mid-air image and an image of stray light are extracted by considering the differences of images rendered using different numbers of bounces at each camera position, after which the visible range of the mid-air image is calculated. In addition, other parameters, such as the distance between a micro-mirror array plate (MMAP) and the extracted mid-air image, are adjusted in detail and evaluated by considering the visible range of the obtained mid-air image. Moreover, to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, the design of the previous research was improved to eliminate images of stray light, and we reduced the size of the existing system. Unlike other conventional approaches, using the visible range of the extracted mid-air images and without the need for a visual check, our proposed method enables the extraction of mid-air images and unwanted light, and the evaluation of optical systems. This technique can be applied to improve the design of optical systems and in the examination of the related applications.
Highlights
Mid-air imaging is a technology that can display real-life images, which can be seen by the naked eye in a physical space; it can be used for the realization of mixed reality
In the simulation of the reflective mid-air imaging optical system, the image with only an image of stray light is obtained by removing the image of the transmitted light from the image rendered using the number of bounces required to observe the image of stray light
We proposed methods for generating mid-air images by combining images rendered under multiple numbers of bounces in appearance-based simulations and for evaluating reflective mid-air imaging systems from the full visible range and that of the generated mid-air image
Summary
Mid-air imaging is a technology that can display real-life images, which can be seen by the naked eye in a physical space; it can be used for the realization of mixed reality. By simulating the appearance of the displayed mid-air image and the image of the unwanted light, it is possible to evaluate the mid-air image based on how it is perceived by the observer This can assist optical non-specialists (such as project designers) in designing mid-air imaging systems. It is difficult for optical non-specialists to recognize the issues and discover methods to improve them by adjusting the placement of MMAPs and displays. Our proposed method can be useful in enhancing the performance of such reflective mid-air imaging optical systems and in developing their associated applications This is because the appearance of the generated mid-air images can be designed along with the display space while considering the way in which such mid-air images are displayed. We compared the design of the novel optical system to that of the existing system (PortOn), and we reduced the size of the system without reducing the visible range of the generated mid-air images
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