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 active 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 automotive use in real holographic MR head-up display (HUD) and active head lamp projection system and to enable future applications like real holographic head-mounted displays (HMD).

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.