Air Mounted Eyepiece: Design Methods for Aerial Optical Functions of Near-Eye and See-Through Display using Transmissive Mirror Device

Abstract: We propose a novel method to implement an optical see-through head mounted display which renders real aerial images with a wide viewing angle, called an Air Mounted Eyepiece (AME). To achieve the AMD design, we employ an off-the-shelf head mounted display and Transmissive Mirror Device (TMD) which is usually used in aerial real imaging systems. In the proposed method, we replicate the function of the head mounted display (HMD) itself, which is used in the air by using the TMD and presenting a real image of eyepiece in front of the eye. Moreover, it can realize a wide viewing angle 3D display by placing a virtual lens in front of the eye without wearing an HMD. In addition to enhancing the experience of mixed reality and augmented reality, our proposed method can be used as a 3D imaging method for use in other applications such as in automobiles and desktop work. We aim to contribute to the field of human-computer interaction and the research on eyepiece interfaces by discussing the advantages and the limitations of this near-eye optical system.