Abstract: Near-eye displays will be the next generation computing platforms for augmented reality and virtual reality. However, there are remaining challenges to deliver comfortable and immersive visual experiences to users, such as a compact form factor, solving the vergence-accommodation conflict, and achieving high resolution with a large eyebox.
In this talk, I will discuss two state-of-the-art technologies for realizing AR/VR glasses: waveguide displays and holographic displays. Waveguide displays are currently the top candidate in the industry for their thin form factor and large eyebox, but they cannot provide 3D accommodation cues, which are essential for immersive experiences. On the other hand, holographic displays are believed to be the ultimate 3D displays, but they come with challenges such as a limited eyebox and a lack of compact architectures. I will discuss how to connect these two technologies together to solve each other’s problems towards building future AR/VR glasses, through novel optics and a computational modeling framework.

Bio: Changwon Jang is a research scientist at Meta Reality Labs Research. His role involves solving problems in wearable displays for augmented reality and virtual reality by using a combination of diffractive optics and computational optimization. He has published novel designs and fabrication methods for holographic optical elements that enable a greater degree of freedom. He has also published on computational displays including light field displays and holographic displays, aiming to achieve a compact form factor, high resolution, 3D accommodation cues, and a large eyebox. Before joining Meta, he received his B.S. and Ph.D. in electrical engineering and computer science from Seoul National University, and worked as a research intern at Microsoft Research Cambridge (UK).