Extended reality (XR) headsets and smart glasses use near-eye displays to create virtual images within a user’s field of view (FOV). According to a press release, a new device from Radiant Vision Systems designed for in-headset testing of those displays is the first to offer electronic focus.
“Electronic focus is a huge advantage for XR testing,” said Eric Eisenberg, optics development manager at Radiant. The capability enables precise focal distances to be set and adjusted remotely via software to measure multiple or variable focal planes — something that XR devices incorporate to create a more realistic view of objects near and far.
The XRE Lens is designed for in-headset testing of near-eye displays. Source: Radiant Vision SystemsThe new device, Radiant’s XRE Lens, utilizes patent-pending technology featuring electronic focus and configuration options. It offers flexibility for evaluating visual elements as they are seen through the headset, simplifying the task of deploying measurement for a diverse array of augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality devices.
“The diversity of XR devices and their measurement requirements continue to expand,” Eisenberg noted. “New display types, FOVs, resolutions, focal distances, form factors, and unique combinations of these elements can’t be addressed universally with a single optical solution.” The Radiant XRE addresses this diversity by offering specification options and flexible features to meet unique measurement parameters.
Eisenberg also pointed out that analyses like through-focus modulation transfer function (MTF) are essentially impossible with traditional manual lenses. They require multiple focus adjustments that are both imprecise and time-consuming — “potentially taking hours for a complete analysis with little confidence is the accuracy of the result,” he said. “With electronic focus, a through-focus MTF analysis can be fully automated to provide results in a matter of seconds.”
For additional flexibility, the XRE Lens is available in two configurations — folded and non-folded — to accommodate near-eye measurement positions within different headset form factors. The folded (“periscope”) geometry can be applied to measure devices with head straps or other headgear that prevent a linear path to the near-eye measurement position. This configuration also supports stereoscopic (dual-eye) measurement, where two XRE Lens systems are positioned inside the headset at once to capture simultaneous measurements of left- and right-eye positions.
In addition to multiple configuration options to address measurement requirements, the XRE Lens can be paired with a Radiant ProMetric imaging colorimeter or imaging photometer. Visit the Radiant Vision Systems website for more information.
