Skip to main content

Envisioning is an emerging technology research institute and advisory.

LinkedInInstagramGitHub

2011 — 2026

research
  • Observatory
  • Newsletter
  • Methodology
  • Origins
  • Vocab
services
  • Signals Session
  • Bespoke Projects
  • Build Sessions
  • Use Cases
  • Readinessfree
  • Signals
  • Free scan↗free
impact
  • ANBIMAFuture of Brazilian Capital Markets
  • IEEECharting the Energy Transition
  • Horizon 2045Future of Human and Planetary Security
  • WKOTechnology Scanning for Austria
solutions
  • Innovation
  • Strategy
  • Consultants
  • Foresight
  • Associations
  • Governments
resources
  • Partners
  • Coding for Non-Coders
  • How We Work
  • Data Visualization
  • Multi-Model Method
  • FAQ
  • Security & Privacy
about
  • Manifesto
  • Community
  • Events
  • Support
  • Contact
ResearchServicesSignalsAbout
ResearchServicesSignalsAbout
  1. Home
  2. Research
  3. Prism
  4. Screenless Display

Screenless Display

Projecting images directly onto the retina or into space without physical screens
Back to PrismView interactive version

Screenless displays project images directly onto the retina, into the eye via contact lens, or into the environment without a physical screen. Virtual retinal displays (VRD) use scanned laser or LED beams to paint images on the retina; bionic contact lenses embed micro-displays or projectors; augmented reality headsets (Google Glass, Microsoft HoloLens) overlay imagery via waveguide optics. Applications include assistive devices for the visually impaired, AR glasses, and future interfaces where displays become invisible or embedded. Experiments and limited commercialization exist; mainstream adoption remains emerging.

Display technology seeks to merge digital content with physical reality. Screenless approaches eliminate the screen as discrete object: content appears in the world or on the retina. Challenges include form factor, power, eye safety, and optical quality. Research continues into waveguide efficiency, contact lens power and optics, and retinal projection safety. Screenless displays represent a frontier for immersive and ubiquitous computing.

TRL
5/9Validated
Impact
5/5
Investment
4/5
Category
Hardware

Research this in Signals

Scan Screenless Display for yourself.

Signals turns a topic into a sourced research record you can inspect and rerun. Your first scan is free, and this one starts with Screenless Display already loaded, so edit it or scan as is.