Optical waveguide combiners for AR headsets: features and limitations

Abstract

This paper is a review of the main waveguide combiner architectures that have been implemented in industry and academia to produce Augmented Reality (AR) and Optical See-Through (OST) Mixed Reality (MR) Head Mounted Displays (HMDs). We review their features and limitations and show product examples. We review also the design constrains and the main optical simulation techniques used to model and predict the overall performances of such optical waveguide combiners.