Physical Optics Corporation — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: AF183-010

Description

To address the Air Force’s need for a personal display that eliminates visual eavesdropping, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Retinal Image Projector and Scanner (RIPS), which is based on a new design integrating POC-developed components with commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components. Specifically, the innovation combines a retinal scanner and retinal projector into an integrated head-mounted device that will enable RIPS to offer classified information only to authorized users, while eliminating the potential for visual eavesdropping. This device offers a direct retinal image projector that will eliminate the possibility of visual eavesdropping, and a retinal scanner to verify the identity of the user, which will allow only authorized users access to classified information. RIPS directly addresses the Air Force requirement for a personal display that eliminates visual eavesdropping and also is inoperable by an unauthorized user. In Phase I, POC will demonstrate the feasibility of combining a retinal projector with a retinal scanner by integrating the two technologies into one single transportable system, reaching technology readiness level (TRL)-3. In Phase II, POC will develop a TRL-5 prototype to show how RIPS will prevent unauthorized users from gaining access to classified data on RIPS.