PFI-TT: Kits for Developing Aerial 3D Display Technology

这项创新-技术转化伙伴关系（PFI-TT）项目的更广泛影响是创建一个光学陷阱显示（OTD）套件的商业化版本。OTD是一种新兴的显示技术，能够在空气中创建全彩色图像。这个PFI项目将从零开始制作空中3D显示器。这项技术还将创建一个开放的数据库，允许学生和企业家在全球范围内进行合作，以获取与建造空中3D显示器相关的想法、实践和数据的自由流动。这项研究将为第二代和第三代原型提供信息，提供客户验证，并推动潜在投资者和许可合作伙伴的演示；所有这些都是迈向未来的关键步骤，在未来，科幻显示器将普遍可用。拟议的项目将产生一套新颖的、可扩展的、面向市场的光学陷阱显示（OTD）套件原型。将进行研究，以克服优化诱捕过程的挑战，以获得接近1的克努森数，并在最低可实现的激光功率下实现大于99%的诱捕率。可扩展材料和建筑技术将被纳入实验室到工具包的翻译，并将与犹他州STEM行动中心合作开发相关的学生课程。原型将扩展对三个OTD参数的理解：光功率，粒子尺寸（及其与Knudsen数的关系），以及通过反向反射的关键透镜对准。当新的公民科学家分享他们的实验数据时，这些工具包将使他们能够自动地、网络化地探索这些参数。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact of this Partnerships for Innovation - Technology Translation (PFI-TT) project is to create a commercialized version of an optical trap display (OTD) kit. The OTD is an emerging display technology with the ability to create full-color images in air. This PFI project will produce aerial 3D displays from scratch. This technology will also create an open database allowing students and entrepreneurs to collaborate globally to access a free flow of ideas, practices, and data related to building aerial 3D displays. This research will inform the second- and third-generation prototypes, provide customer validation, and drive the demonstration to potential investors and licensing partners; all critical steps toward a future in which the sci-fi displays are commonly available. The proposed project will result in a set of novel, scalable, market-ready optical trap display (OTD) kit prototypes. Research will be conducted to overcome the challenges of optimizing the trapping process for introductory particle collection to achieve a Knudsen number close to 1 and a trap rate greater than 99% at the lowest achievable laser power. Scalable materials and construction techniques will be incorporated for lab-to-kit translation and an associated student curriculum will be developed in partnership with Utah STEM Action Center. The prototypes will expand the understanding of three OTD parameters: optical power, particle dimension (and its relation to the Knudsen number), and critical lens alignment by back-reflection. The kits will enable an automated, networked exploration of these parameters by new citizen-scientists as they share their experimental data.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.