[tech-3d] holographic optics & autostereo

[John Toeppen <toeppen@xxxxxxxx>]

Holography is one way to make a lens or wavelength selective concave
mirror.  So, it is possible to do many conventional optical functions
using holograms as optical elements.  Holographics lenses and concave
mirrors are basicly diffraction gratings with focus, so the color
dispersion is about 1 part in 10 - much worse than conventional glass
optics (acrylic is 1 in 25).  Lasers work very well with such lenses as
they have narrow color. Color displays are typically not narrow spectral
sources so holographic focusing elements have limited application.

Richard's holography site has a good tutorial:
http://alt.xmission.com/~ralcon/index.html

I have used holographic diffusers in some of my own designs and like
them very much.  These elements do not have the dispersion problems
because they behave like microprisms as well as diffractive components.
One might consider them to be optically generated frosted surfaces.
http://www.poc.com/hgram/index.htm
There are tooling costs and size limitations - financial but not
physical limitations.

Virtual imaging using projected real images have been known for hundreds
of years.  Psuedoscopic perspective inversion is a typical issue with
such devices.  However, there are ways to use these principles with
computer images.  This works very well for me, and I have built a few
devices along similar lines myself.

I have been rather pleased by the results of my current efforts.  The
images come through fine and the quality is limited by the image source
and not the optical system.  I have a limited amount of time and money
to spend on these efforts.  Proof of principle is different than selling
hardware and securing one's intellectual property. So, pardon me if I am
not too forthcoming at this time.  If someone actually is interested in
spending $3-5K US on a device we can do an Non-Disclosure Agreement.
Until such a time I will continue to work on some packaging, software,
and patent issues and wonder how to market this thing.....
http://members.home.com/holographics/autost.htm

John Toeppen
http://members.home.com/holographics/

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