Dynamic visual display

A display is a device that uses visible light to convey images or information. It can be a near-eye display or a traditional display, like one in a laptop. Displays create light according to the state of a connected control system, such as a digital state machine or an analog electronic circuit. Examples of displays include laptop screens, VR headset displays, and televisions. It can also be called a dynamic visual display or electronic visual display.

There are two major types of display: World fixed display and head-fixed display. A world fixed display exists in the world, like a laptop, a TV, or a smartphone. A head fixed display is mounted to the head, meaning when you turn your head it stays in front of your eyes. Head fixed displays include VR headsets and the Google Glass and devices from Vuzix.

The most important features for a display to be useful are field of view, contrast (both static and dynamic and in color), and focal depth capability.

Common digital state machines include computers.

Traditional computer systems typically use 2D displays, which have a fixed focal depth.

Ray based devices are based on rays. These include heads up displays in cars.

By position

Head

VR headsets.

Eye

AR contact lens

By representation

Display devices can be point based, ray based, or interference based. Point and ray based displays can be studied using ray optics. Interference based displays must be examined using wave optics. Point based devices are based on point sources. These include laptop screens, televisions, and smartphone screens.

Interference pattern based

Interference based devices are also called holographic devices. The display device modulates light as in wave optics that interferes with itself and forms a pattern at some distance. This is the rarest type of device.