Smart materials, processes and optical devices for immersive technologies

Augmented and virtual reality (AR VR) technologies are continuing to grow in popularity and demand. They have proven invaluable in entertainment, education, healthcare, engineering and many other industries. Exemplars of these technologies are already integrated in our daily lives from mobile phone apps to car windscreen displays. The market for immersive technologies is projected to grow exponentially in the next five to ten years. Increasingly, new capabilities including specialist sensors, artificial intelligence, health monitors etc. are being added to the AR VR products. As society embrace immersive technologies, the electronics hardware industry is yet to catch up with the user demand and massive advancements in AR VR software sector. The goal for the hardware industry is to deliver high performing socially acceptable AR VR devices at reasonable prices for the consumer market. However, there are several challenges to overcome. It is extremely difficult to satisfy all of the technical and ergonomic specifications of AR VR products and the current technologies have significant trade-offs. The solution requires bespoke device designs, improved fabrication processes and breakthrough in materials science. This prosperity partnership addresses the challenges in AR VR products through a cohesive research programme by inventing new materials and novel device architectures and developing components that meet the specifications of the AR VR industry. The partnership will create a wide range of new understanding and tools that bring technical solutions to AR VR devices. We will use liquid crystals and related technologies to do this. There are clear challenges that require fundamental research in material design, surface optics development and novel designs in combination optics. We will apply a holistic multi-disciplinary approach that involves material science, physics, chemistry, and engineering, informed by molecular simulation, optical modelling and machine learning. Liquid crystals are already an integral part flat panel displays. They are remarkable optical materials with tuneable optical anisotropy or birefringence, optical transparency, high sensitivity to electric, light and thermal fields. Therefore, they could be a key enabler for the AR VR market and this partnership will harness that potential. The know-how developed through this partnership will pave the way to comfortable, low powered, high performance device components for AR VR where the benefits will enable the immersive technologies to become as ubiquitous as smartphones. The partnership contributes to addressing key UK societal challenges and current and future economy as the materials and understanding developed will be relevant to sectors including healthcare, net zero, digitisation and data etc. The development of new materials, novel devices and fabrication methodologies will provide an excellent platform for a number of applications, which would allow the industries to adapt more reliable, and energy efficient techniques and hence contribute to a safer environment and better quality of life in the society.