Available display tech (theoretically)

• Colorado Micro Display 800x600 24 bit color display. Developers kit due out Oct. 15, 1998. Thad's actually used one fully working, so we believe it.
• DisplayTech (manufacturer kits) Fully digital. Color done through time sequencing. Very fast response/update. Possible to PC/104.
• Intervisionhas a VGA LCD monochrome system
• Iota Tech's small 8 character display (our page on them).
• KopinVGA LCD monochrome displays available with Xybernautand Rockwell systems.
• Liquid Image M1 display. LCD but somewhat lower power (2W). Monochrome VGA monocle, with QVGA resolution (320 x 240).
• Reflection Tech's Private Eye (LED) system. (It used to also be available from Phoenix Group, but no longer.) This is also known as the P4, and is what the MIT design uses. VERY crisp. VERY low power. Robust. However, neither Reflection nor Phoenix are selling the P4 anymore, so you have to find a used one. The P5 is similar technology and is used in their FaxView product, but currently there are no drivers available (if anyone develops one, please contact and we'll link to you). PED, Inc. has some technical specs on the P5, though they are no longer selling the display as a kit.
• Seattle Sight Various LCD VGA mono displays. Hardhat/helmet emphasis.
• Virtual IO Color low-res binocular see-through display. VGA or NTSC input /integrated tracker depending on the system. Cool for games/graphics, bad for text. Cheap. Good way to start.
• Virtual Vision LCD monochrome see through monocle/sensor cap. If you want integration of senses, this is it.

Up and coming display tech (i.e. not really purchaseable)

• MicroOptical The most unobtrusive prototype display system we've seen! Literally, the display is a pair of prescription glasses. When off, the display is transparent. When on, it is a 320x240x8bits greyscale display you can see through. Bright outside? Put normal eyeglass shades on and you can see the display. Very hot stuff. Very natural. Don't expect to buy one yet. Purely prototype stage, but a lot of people are waiting for this one.
• Planar (shipping manufacturer kits-electroluminescent AMEL)
• Reflection Technology is now working on color VGA versions of their scanning LED tech, called the P7. (The original P4 version of the Private Eye was 1989). No recent updates on when it will actually be available.
• Microdisplay (LCD diffraction)
• Microvision (laser scanning...see Virtual Retinal Display on main page)

The Darpa HMD Summaries