Developing real world

technologies for mixed

reality worlds

About

The merging of real and virtual worlds to produce mixed reality (MR) environments is becoming a realistic component of future society. The effective use of MR demands a natural visual experience without physiological side effects for the user. REALHOLO is a project developed to meet these needs by researching advanced micro-mirror-based piston-type spatial light modulator (SLM) modulating the phase of visible light with optical features far superior to any liquid crystal-based alternative.The SLM will facilitate 3D display applications and structured illumination and sensing. REALHOLO will develop dedicated core hardware concepts and modules for integration. The goal is an application-specific demonstration of the MMA in medical application use in real holographic MR head-up display (HUD) to enable future applications like real holographic head-mounted displays (HMD).

Vision

REALHOLO will pave the way for main stream mixed reality environments by using micro mirror arrays to provide the best possible experience for the user without physiological side effects like eye fatigue, misjudgement, motion sickness and accommodation-vergence conflict, which are known from alternative and intermediate technologies such as stereoscopic 3D. The required natural visual experience can only be achieved with real holographic displays which have been principally demonstrated on the basis of available component technologies -both for direct view (TFT-LCD) and projection (micro displays). REALHOLO will research and develop a new type of SLM, a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) based reflective micro-display: a micro mirror array (MMA) component with a unique set of properties. The newly developed MEMS technology and MMA will be especially suited for real holographic MR displays but also for many other applications from high value to high volume will also benefit from the fast modulating MMA's for a precise phase modulation with a large number of pixels.

Keyfacts

Reference

Reference Number:
101014977
Programme type:
H2020-ICT-2020-2
Programme acronym:
REALHOLO

Duration

Project Start: 01.01.2021
60 Months

Cost and Funding

Costs:
€ 5.997.852,50
Funding:
100% EU-funded

Motivation

The REALHOLO project will take the next step towards developing commercially available real holographic projection displays usable in a wide range of applications from medical application head-up displays (HUD) to structured illumination and personal head-mounted displays (HMD). The REALHOLO consortium is constructed with the whole value chain represented for subsequent development of market-ready MR displays for the medical industry as well as other holographic and optical solutions. The consortium enables a revolutionary next generation light modulating device for a variety of new and proprietary applications with unique features in natural 3D imaging, highly efficient structured illumination, irradiation and sensing. REALHOLO will focus on the ethical aspects of research and exploitation as well as dissemination and training activities for the industries and institutions ranging from optical, electronics, medical, agricultural and outer space.

Mission and Objectives

To be able to develop an application-specific demonstration of the MMA in medical application use in real holographic MR head-up display HUD and the integration of the component in a holographic 2D projection demonstrator, enabling future applications like real holographic head-mounted displays HMD. The aim is to develop an advanced micro-mirror-based piston type spatial light modulator SLM for real holographic 3D mixed reality MR display applications, structured illumination and sensing. REALHOLO will focus on the following objectives:
  • Development of a novel MMA-based SLM
  • Demo of a MR display
  • Demo structured illumination application

Work Packages

WP1

Use cases and target specifications
100%
01.01.2021
30.09.2021
In WP1, the REALHOLO target specification will be finalized. This includes the specification of the MMA component and demonstrator systems, including all the underlying technologies, circuits, algorithms and components as well as electrical, optical and mechanical interfaces. This WP provides the input to all other WPs. The output is a specification that ensures that all the individual components will properly work together and that the developed demonstrator system will have an impressive performance.

WP2

Backplane and driving electronics development
82%
01.01.2021
30.09.2025
WP2 includes all the tasks for developing and fabricating the CMOS backplane featuring a 200 Giga-bits per second bandwidth digital interface, low power data receiver, fast but low power digital-analog converter, row and column drivers, the pixel storage cell array and the electronics for driving the component.

WP3

MEMS process and MMAcomponent development
78%
01.01.2021
31.12.2025
The core component of the REALHOLO system, the MEMS micro mirror array (MMA) will be developed together with a suitable fabrication process for the actuators and mirrors. Two different types of the component will be fabricated: one with and one without the precision-made optical window.

WP4

Application demonstration in real holographic MR Head Up Display
29%
01.07.2024
31.12.2025
The focus of WP4 will be on integration of the component into a principle holographic HUD demonstrator. Objective is the “validation in application settings” for future medical application use -including the design, building up and execution of use case tests.

WP5

Application demonstration: structured illumination
0%
01.02.2025
31.12.2025
This WP will focus on the integration of the component in a holographic 2D projection demonstrator. Objective is the demonstration of the functionality, the assessment of the image quality and of the overall performance, considering a variety of applications.

WP6

Dissemination, Communication and Exploitation
78%
01.01.2021
31.12.2025
Dedicated to the communication, dissemination and exploitation of the project and its developments. The main objectives refer to the targeted communication of project results, the dissemination and contribution to a European Research Union as well as the exploitation of the scientific results to create competitive advantage with innovative products.

WP7

Project, risk and innovationmanagement
78%
01.01.2021
31.12.2025
Responsible for the operational management and technical vitality of the REALHOLO project encompassing management tasks on contractual, financial, legal, technical, administrative and ethical levels.

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