Just like DVD replaced VHS...

Just like electricity replaced vapor, DVD replaced VHS and computers, typing machines, every emerging technology replace an older, less efficient one. In the case of Virtual Retinal Display, there is a good amount of technologies which could and certaily will be affected. LCD screens in cell phones and handheld computers are good examples of the first technologies which may suffer from the emergence of VRD. Indeed, imagine accessing the information displayed on your cell phone and navigating through it while your phone is actually in your pocket. The same scenario is applicable for Pda's users. Reading e-mails without having to hold any devices nor to keep focused only on the text is quite a good reason why VRD's would be much more interesting than your standard pda. In a more long term view, technologies as implemented as televisions might and surely will suffer from VRD. Indeed, this new technology will able movie watchers to immerse the movie, making it much more realistic! This is also applicable to gamers. How thrilling would it be to litteraly play ''in'' the game. Therefore, VRD will most certainly replace technologies such as LCD screens and even standard televisions when the user wishes to watch a movie or play a game.







For more informations, visit these sources I have used:

• http://www.microvision.com/
• http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/126722/virtual_retinal_display_.html?cat=15
• http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:1WQIlfv_hFEJ:www.hitl.washington.edu/publications//r-98-27/r-98-27.doc+virtual+retinal+display+replacement&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=ca

VRD's disadvantages

Of course, this emerging technology called Virtual retinal display does not have only advantages. First of all, since this technology is still in the development process, its cost are therefore very high and its use, limited. Also, even though the device is light and small, some improvements have to be done in order for it to be fully efficient in a workplace. Indeed, even though the device can be worn as regular glasses, if the user must also carry a 50 pound battery and processor, this makes its use a bit less interesting.


Finally, a last disadvantge is that limited brightness if VRD makes its use more difficult when used outdoor. Even though this problem is being worked on, it is seen as a current problem of the technology.




In conclusion, these disadvantages are mostly due to the fact that this technology is new and, therefore, the cost realted to it are very high. In other words, these disadvantages should be reduced or eliminated as more researches and improvments are made.


Sources:

• http://www.cs.nps.navy.mil/people/faculty/capps/4473/projects/fiambolis/vrd/vrd_full.html
  
• http://www.hitl.washington.edu/publications/p-95-5/
  
• http://www.futureconverged.com/Home/tabid/204/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/496/Virtual-Retinal-Display.aspx

VRD's advantages

Virtual retinal display offers tons of potential advantages in many fields. For example, researches have found that it is possible, through VRD, to send images directly to the optical nerve, so people who have had their retina damaged and could barely see could now be able to watch television or a movie with such a technology! As stated on the ''Virtual medical worlds'' website : ''The VRD-based system bypasses the lensing system and directly stimulates individual retinal neurons.'' (The link is stated below)

Other advantages include low power consumption, safe to use, and a higher image quality than LCD's screens. The most attractive advantages to businesses, athough would be possibility to work on multiple files while still having the background in sight. No need to look for that paper where you noted the customers requirements. All the informations are available in one sight. The development of interactive displays would also help a lot. The lightness of the device and its small size makes it ideal to use as a wearable technology.

Finally, VRD offers great advantages to the coutry's governmental sectors, such as the army, the navy and the rescue services. Indeed, virtual retinal displays allows to recover important information while driving vehicles. This hand-free advantage is crucial to these people since they often need to react in a short amount of time. Having the information they need in front of them while still keeping the background in sight is, therefore, a valuable asset.

In conclusion, there are plenty of other fields that could use virtual retinal displays since this technology replaces or improve a lots of other devices which are used everyday.

Sources:

http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/cs6751b_99_winter/projects/gromit/tdh/hw3/virtual_retinal_display.html

http://www.futurist.com/archives/science-and-technology/retinal-scanning-reversed/

http://www.hitl.washington.edu/publications/p-95-12/

What is virtual retinal display?

Virtual retinal display (VRD), as explained on wisegeek.com (http://wisegeek.com/what-is-a-virtual-retinal-display.htmvirtual-retinal-display.htm) is a head mounted system which projects images on the
human’s retina. This system allows the user to look at a screen which will appear a few feets away, in the air, while still allowing to see the background environment. The information contained on the screen and the possibility to interact with it depends both on the purpose of the VRD and the technology advances (as for the interaction with the virtual screen). This picture has been taken from Microvision's website, a leader in new generation display and imaging products. You can find information about the company and their products as well as interesting VRD's photos and videos on their website : http://www.microvision.com/

In order to create these virtual displays, VRD uses 4 modules consisting of drive electronics, light sources (lasers), a scanner and a lens. To make it simple, the drive electronics will convert the image (or data) so that it can be sent as a laser to the scanner, which will breakdown the laser in pixels to finally create an image using the lense. In other words, VRD is different from watching a tv as the image is sent directly on the retina and, therefore, can only be seen by the user. These informations as well as further explications can be found on both the US Navy and the HIT lab of the university of washington 's websites.


To see a very interesting interactive explanation of virtual images are created through lasers and scanners visit :

image.http://www.cs.nps.navy.mil/people/faculty/capps/iap/class1/disptech/disptech.html (java is needed)

Finally, altough VRD is still at the prototype stage, the army is already using it for different purposes. Helicopters pilots, for instance, have VRD's mounted in their helmets, as we can see in this photo taken from the US Navy computer science department website. These VRD's aren't ready for commercialisation, but as for most technologies, it is just a matter of time.