Lumus is an Israeli-based Augmented Reality based in Rechovot, Israel. Founded in 2000 by Dr. Yaakov Amitai, Lumus has developed technology to see through portable screens through its patented Light-guide Optical Element (LOE) platform to market producers of smart glasses and augmented reality glasses . Lumus technology allows for a small natural looking shape factor, wide field of view and true transparent performance.
The LOE is a patented optical waveguide that makes use of multiple partial reflectors embedded in a single substrate to reflect a virtual image in the user's eye. Specifically, the image is coupled to the LOE by a "Pod" (micro-screen projector) located at the edge of the waveguide, in an eyeglass configuration, is embedded in the temple's eye. The image travels through the total internal reflection to the multiple matrix of partial reflectors and is reflected in the eye. Although each partial reflector shows only a part of the image, the optics is such that the user sees the combined matrix and perceives it as a single uniform image projected at infinity. The transparent screen allows a virtual image to overlap without problems on the user's real user view. This is especially true when the source image comprises a black background with a clear colour description or symbology displayed. Black is essentially transparent, whereas objects, symbols or characters of lighter colour seem to float in the line of sight of the user. By contrast, full-screen images such as documents, Internet pages, movies that are typically brighter colours can be displayed to look like a large virtual image floating a few feet away from the user.