Enhancing the Visual Experience of AR & VR
RGB light engines (e.g. LED, LCD, DLP, LCoS) in modern displays output a colour co-ordinate to recreate the effect that a natural image has on the eye’s red, green and blue cone cells. However, RGB approaches don’t account for an additional retinal photoreceptor – melanopsin – which also influences the visual experience (brightness, circadian cycles, pupil size, alert- ness, mood).
4Sight is an image rendering framework which uses four degrees of freedom (red, green, cyan, violet – RGCV) to control the stimulation of melanopsin independently of cone cells.
In near-eye displays, users are acutely sensitive to image quality. A 4sight light engine could enable closer replication of the natural world and sophisticated control of viewing experience.
a) Location of melanopsin in the retina. b) Viewers’ experience of images with identical colour co-ordinates and adjusted melanopsin stimulation. c) Image rendering from RGB vs RGCV displays.
Key Benefits
- “Visual salt”: Control of melanopsin produces more vivid and natural looking images without distorting chromaticity or luminance.
- Circadian effects: “Night-time” viewing settings without distorted colour balance.
- Power consumption: A cyan primary can reduce the required luminance from a, typically less efficient, deep- blue primary.
- Dynamic range: Enhance perceived brightness in dark conditions without increasing luminance.
- Colour palette: Accurate rendering of blues & greens beyond UHDTV standards (rec. 2020), utilise the full gamut of the latest cinematic cameras.
We are seeking licensing and co- development partners to evaluate this technology and create a demonstrator 4Sight light engine for a near-eye display or immersive visual art installation.
