What They Say
A group from three UK universities has developed a LiDAR-based augmented reality head-up display for use in vehicles that is intended to help road safety by providing additional information to a driver. A paper detailing the research was published here. In the paper, the display is described as follows:
The LiDAR data was collected with a 3D terrestrial laser scanner and was converted to computer-generated holograms (CGHs). The reconstructions were obtained with a HeNe laser and a UHD spatial light modulator with a panel resolution of 3840×2160 px for replay field projections. By decreasing the focal distance of the CGHs, the zero-order spot was diffused into the holographic replay field image. 3D holograms were observed floating as a ghost image at a variable focal distance with a digital Fresnel lens into the CGH and a concave lens.
Digitally created objects appear in the driver’s field of view according to their actual position.
In future, the researchers hope to refine their system by personalizing the layout of the head-up displays and have created an algorithm capable of projecting several layers of different objects. These layered holograms can be freely arranged in the driver’s vision space.
“This layering technique provides an augmented reality experience and alerts the driver in a natural way,” said lead author Jana Skirnewskaja. “Panoramic holographic projections could be a valuable addition to existing safety measures by showing road objects in real time. Holograms act to alert the driver but are not a distraction.”
The system has not yet been tested in a vehicle, but was used on a busy street in Central London. They plan to miniaturise the system and carry out further tests.
What We Think
The LiDAR system used was substantial in size, but there is a huge amount of work going on in this field to shrink the size and cost. (BR)
