Facebook and Oculus have been trying to make VR headsets slimmer and more comfortable for a while, but their latest experiment comes close to the ideal: displays that are as easy to use as a pair of sunglasses. Facebook’s Reality Labs has developed a proof-of-concept device that uses flat film holography for optics, leading to screens less than 0.35 inches thick, much smaller than the usual LCD or OLED screens that shine at through the glass. This is helped in part by polarization-based optical folding that moves light back and forth multiple times, reducing it well below its original volume.
It should also offer a visual update. Although the prototype comes out in monochrome, Facebook promises a wider color gamut and more vivid images when the technology is ready. The company also hopes to improve resolution to the “limit of human vision” and eliminate visible pixels. The field of view must be comparable to existing headphones.
