REHOVOT, Israel — Israeli start up Lumus has developed an optical imaging technology that enables a wide range of ultra-compact personal displays for mobile applications.

Called Light-guide Optical Element (LOE), the technology enables personal screenless displays by projecting images and data from computers, DVD players, or VCRs into the viewer's eye, displaying them in the visual field of the viewer.

The start-up's first product is a Head Worn Display (HWD) which provides viewing through personal displays attached to various headgears or is worn like a pair of glasses, with different resolutions and corresponding fields-of-view. The HWD displays images generated by a computer (VGA interface) or from a video source (C-video interface). The user can see through the virtual image while the normal field of vision of the real world is unobstructed.

The image source and the LED-based illuminator are mounted on top of the head, while the electronics reside in a small box attached to the headgear and connected by a cable to the head unit.

The company's second product line is a Wearable Smart Terminal (WST). The WST comprises a head-worn display combined with a pocket PC with wireless communication links (such as WiFi, IR or WAP), to be used for a wide range of mobile and outdoor applications.

The displayed image can be acquired from any source, including a remote camera or remote PC that transmits the image via WiFi, IR or cellular communications. An optional two-way audio system, used for communication, signalling and voice activation control of the application, enables bi-directional audio and video streams as well as Internet transmission. An optional head-location tracking system uses an independent tracking sensor or software operated tracking using the visual signal from the camera.