The folks at the University of Washington's Human Interface Technology Laboratory have developed a laser diode that eliminates the need for a screen, drawing images directly onto the retina of the eye.
The head-mounted Virtual Retinal Display uses a combination of lasers and mirrors to produce full-color images bright enough to be seen in daylight. Researchers, funded by Micro Vision Inc. of Seattle, have produced working prototypes capable of displaying 1,280-by-1,024-pixel images at 72 hertz - as fast as many conventional monitors. Within the decade, the team hopes to produce an eyeglass-sized device that displays images at resolutions approaching human vision. Information: www.hitl.washington.edu/projects/vrd/.
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