Optical Film with Microstructures to Regulate Viewing Angle of HUDs

Area of Science:

• Optics
• Automotive Engineering
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Head-up displays (HUDs) improve driving safety by projecting information onto windshields, reducing the need for drivers to look down.
• Current HUDs often lack independent control over horizontal and vertical viewing angles, limiting their effectiveness.
• A wider horizontal viewing field is crucial for drivers to monitor road conditions effectively.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and validate a method for independently regulating the horizontal and vertical viewing angles of HUDs.
• To design an optical film with microstructures capable of achieving differentiated viewing angles.
• To enhance driving safety by optimizing the visual field provided by HUDs.

Main Methods:

• Modeling the microstructure morphology as an ellipsoid.
• Calculating the curvatures of the ellipsoid's major and minor axes based on desired viewing angles.
• Simulating and experimentally measuring the viewing angles and luminance distribution of the optical film.

Main Results:

• Simulation showed an increase in horizontal viewing angle from 2° to 20° (at 85% max luminance) with the film.
• Simulation indicated an increase in vertical viewing angle from 2° to 8° (at 85% max luminance) with the film.
• Experimental measurements confirmed significant differentiation, with horizontal viewing angle increasing to 23° and vertical to 10° (at 85% max luminance).

Conclusions:

• The proposed method successfully enables independent regulation of horizontal and vertical viewing angles for HUDs.
• The developed optical film effectively widens the horizontal viewing angle, meeting design requirements.
• This advancement contributes to improved driving safety through optimized head-up display technology.