Adaptive coded aperture projection

With adaptive coded aperture projection, we present solutions for taking projectors to the next level. By placing a programmable liquid crystal array at a projectors aperture plane we show how the depth of field (DOF) of a projection can be greatly enhanced. This allows focussed imagery to be shown on complex screens with varying distances to the projectors focal plane, such as projection domes as in planetariums or cylindrical canvases as in IMAX theaters. We demonstrate that adaptive apertures outperform previous methods of projector defocus compensation for objective lenses with static apertures. In addition, our adaptive apertures can perform the type of temporal contrast enhancement employed by common auto-iris projection lenses, and also produce high-quality depixelated images. The latter is beneficial for close-view displays with limited resolution, such as rear-projected TV sets.