What are Phased Array Optics?
Phased Array Optics (PAO) is the as-yet unimplemented idea of creating 2-D arrays of tiny screens programmed to emit light of the specific amplitude and phase necessary to create the illusion of a 3-D image. Implementing this concept would require a lot of computing power; many equations must be solved in realtime in order to create the appropriate optical output. This is beyond the present-day processing capacity of wearable computers, though with advances such as nanoelectronics, portable Phased Array Optics would become practical. If a large number of mini-screens are used, and their states updated rapidly enough, any 3-D image can be projected. The illusion would be convincing to anyone with the 2-D screen in their line of sight. A room with walls covered in Phased Array Optics could operate like a “holodeck” from Star Trek. A suit covered in flexible PAOs could provide an illusion of invisibility by projecting an image of whatever is behind the user, or give the illusion of the us
