What do laparoscopic surgeons, soldiers and 3-D game players have in common? All have a need for large field-of-view in a small space. Traditional displays such as CRT's and LCD's are too large for mobility and reducing their size reduces resolution, rendering them useless for applications that require a large field-of-view. Several technologies have been explored in hopes of creating the definitive solution to these problems. These technologies include Head-Mounted Displays or HMD's , Head Mounted Optical Projection System (HOPROS), and the Virtual Display. These technologies are in various stages of development and use, and each has technical limitations for resolution and viewing space. However, a new technology is emerging which allows for a resolution and field-of-view equal to the human eye, because the image is created directly on your eye "for your eyes only."
In this paper we explore the potential of this emerging technology called the Virtual Retinal Display or VRD. We will discuss the technology, the current status of the research, its likely future applications, and the obstacles that exist in successfully bringing this technology to market. We conclude the paper with a summary of our findings and some advice for the future.
