From: clarke@acme.ucf.edu (Thomas Clarke)
Subject: Re: TECH: Holographic optics?
Date: Wed, 21 Apr 1993 13:00:36 GMT
Organization: University of Central Florida



In article <1qvn26INNj95@shelley.u.washington.edu> kp@well.sf.ca.us (Kenneth  
Pimentel) writes:

> >In Pimentel and Teixeira's book there's an interesting thing I never
> >heard about before: they say it is possible to duplicate a complex set
> >of optics on inexpensive, lightweight plastic film via an appropriate
> >hologram (pg.109).

Someone else commented that if holographic optical elements (HOEs)
were so easy, that everyone would be using them.

Well, they are not so easy, we are finding out the hard way by trying
to develop a HMD using holographic optics.  While the start-up is
hard, the benefits should be great:

1.  HOEs can be the equivalent of complex, expensive, hard to 
      manufacture aspheric optics.

2.  HOEs are lightweight. DuPont and Polaroid both have holographic
      plastif films that are much better than the older 
      photographic films or dichromated gelation materials.  

3.  HOEs are easy to produce once the propoer laser wavefronts
      are generated. 

Stay tuned.  I hope we are not scooped by SEGA :-) A HOE would be a
natural for a consumer HMD.

--
Thomas Clarke
Institute for Simulation and Training, University of Central FL
12424 Research Parkway, Suite 300, Orlando, FL 32826
(407)658-5030, FAX: (407)658-5059, clarke@acme.ucf.edu