SITIS Topic Details |
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| Proposals Accepted: | |
| Program: | SBIR |
| Topic Number: | AF103-027 (AirForce) |
| Title: | See-through Transparent Displays | Research & Technical Areas: | Information Systems, Human Systems |
| Objective: | Develop and demonstrate a wide field of view transparent display, for symbols and imagery that can be applied to curved surfaces such as aircrew helmet's visors and/or aircraft canopies/windshields.
| Description: | The goal of this effort is to produce a head- or helmet-mounted see-through capability with the ability to display synthetic imagery. The primary customer is a pilot in an aircraft cockpit (e.g., C-130, F-35, or F-16) but the technology may have applications for dismounts such as the battlefield airman or special operations. See-through display technologies, particularly on curved surfaces, have advanced to the point of being viable, and possibly invaluable, in many different Air Force situations. Being able to superimpose computer-generated imagery onto one’s view of the real world has been a goal of researchers for years but, until recently, has been impractical outside of a controlled environment.
Many piloting and warfighting tasks could be greatly enhanced by large field of view displays that overlay the outside world with data and symbology applicable to that outside scene; as well as weapon and sensor status, own ship data and battlespace awareness information. This requires that not only the display area be transparent, but also any grid lines or thin film transistors be transparent and that any necessary wires be minimized. Most of the functions of the head up display (HUD) can be performed by this display, but the new capabilities of this concept can be best utilized by offering information on the location of friendlies, foes, targets of interest, and way points in a larger than ever available field of view.
There are several key performance parameters for this effort:
1. The transparency of the display should be 90% or higher but not less than 70%.
2. The display should be full-color and should appear on the aircrew helmet's visors and/or aircraft canopies/windshields.
3. The outside view should focus to infinity.
4. The application is not meant for HMD (Helmet Mounted Displays) only, though it can be used for HMD. It is a concept that cannot be easily supported by some of the current technologies such as LCD which needs a backlight that makes it hard to be transparent unless it is edge-lighted.
5. The pilot must have the capability to turn the display on and off and adjust the brightness.
6. The ability to move the display to any part of the viewing surface, at the aircrew’s discretion, would also have value.
7. The display should meet the performance requirements such as environmental, vibration, sunlight-readability, and night vision compatibility.
Recent advances in display technology, display concepts, and displays materials have led to applications such as holographic displays, immersive displays, 3-D displays, flexible displays, displays that are low cost, small size, and low power consumption. There is a good possibility that a see-through transparent display can be developed which can superimpose important information on an out-the-window scene.
There is a moderate amount of risk involved in this research. It is possible that the technology/process proposed may not perform as intended or not work at all. The technology/process proposed should be new, viable, innovative, and should contain a risk reduction plan. The selected proposer must be willing and capable of completing Phase II and Phase III efforts, if selected to do so. This type of display has not been attempted before or, if attempted, has not met the stated objectives for the Air Force application. The proposer has the option of choosing the technology or the technique to be used to meet the stated objectives.
Besides aircraft transparencies and helmet mounted displays for the Air Force, Navy, and Army, there are many other areas where such a display could be useful such as displays for commercial, automotive, medical, industrial, and entertainment applications.
| PHASE I: Develop an innovative design concept for a full-color see-through or transparent display and demonstrate its feasibility for Air Force application.
| PHASE II: Fabricate, demonstrate, and deliver a full-color see-through or transparent display breadboard subsystem at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5, as defined in the DoD Defense Acquisition Handbook. Four such breadboard prototypes shall be delivered to Air Force.
| PHASE III | DUAL USE COMMERCIALIZATION: Military Application: An Air Force application includes transparent display for pilot’s helmet. Develop a TRL 6 system/subsystem model or prototype. TRL 6 requires successful testing in a relevant environment.
Commercial Application: Commercial applications include a transparent display on the windshield of a car. Such a display can show the speed of the car, the engine revolutions, or some unsafe condition such as an open door. Another application is for a surgeon performing an operation. The vital signs of the patient can be displayed on the surgeon's helmet while the operation is going on.
| References: | 1. “Flexible transparent display by plastic MEMS”, Higo A. Fujita, Proceedings of the 12th International Display Workshop in Conjunction with Asia Display 2005, p 2021-2034. 2. “See-through transistors allow messages on eyeglasses, windshields”, CBS News, Wednesday, June 27, 2007; 6:47 PM ET. 3. “Transparent transistors to bring future displays, ‘e-paper’ “, Sanghyun Ju ,Yi Xuan, and Peide Ye in Purdue’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Antonio Facchetti and Jun Liu in the Department of Chemistry at Northwestern University; Fumiaki Ishikawa and Chongwu Zhou in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Southern California;and Marks and Janes. 4. “Cheap, transparent, and flexible displays”, Kevin Bullis, Technology Review, Monday, October 23, 2006, page 1 and 2. |
| Keywords: | See-through, transparent, transmissivity, sunlight-readability, night-vision-compatibility, HUD |
Questions and Answers: |
No questions posed on this topic at this time |
As of midnight September 1, questions for solicitations SBIR 10.3 and STTR 10.B will no longer be accepted.
To read the solicitation for full proposal preparation and submission details click here. |