HUGS

So I started working on my heads-up guidance system display. Took an old projector and made some trial projections on to plastic materials, but the first problem will be the semi-mirror properties of the material. A simple glas won´t do it, because the light will go thru and will be seen on the glareshield, where it doesn´t belong. So the material has to be somewhat dark and have some mirroring properties. Alignment of the projection with the main outside view projection didn´t seem difficult.
Here is some pics
Attachment 7147Attachment 7148Attachment 7149Obviously, HUGS usage makes sense in CATIII or night conditions ;)


I also consider using one of those pico-projectors. But they are said to have too little lumens. Is there anybody who has some experience with them? I looked up this one: Acer C120 or similar.C120 | Product Model
Cheers
Chris

Hi Chris,
Brilliant work! Look forward to seeing the finished result.
Cheers
Steve

Chris

This is fantastic! Well done!!

We need a guide on exactly how you have accomplished this.

What is the item being projected? I've thought about doing this for a while but i was unaware there was a HUD type display that you could project.

All the best from us

Hi Chris,

A very good start. Looks like a good solution. Interested how you are going to finish it. Keep us posted.

Regards,


JWS

I have been looking around the internet and found some useful advice. One is the description of how to build HUDs on Mike´s website: www.mikesflightdeck.com
In real HUDs, the image generator is a CRT or -lately- a high-intensity LED array with monochromic light, e.g. green. The image is projected via a lens system onto the combiner glas, which typically is a dichroic glas with anti-reflective properties. I.e., the glas will not pass green light from the projector, but all other colors, so that the pilot can see the green projector image on the combiner glas and also the outside world except this monochromic green (which is only a fraction of the spectrum of colors). The function of the lens is to throw the image into "infinity", so that the pilot does not need to focus between outside view and HUD display screen, which would be annoying. Such a lens would be a Fresnell-lens or similar.
Since all these components are quite expensive, I was looking for something more affordable. So:
The combiner glas has to be semi-transparent with an optimum transparency of 70% versus reflectivity of 30%. The back of the combiner glas needs to have an anti-reflective layer to prevent so-called "ghost-pictures", which are kind of doublings of the real picture. The whole thing is somewhat similar to a teleprompter.
I found a german provider for this beam-splitter glas, they will mail me their price list. Then let´s see...
I somewhere read, that the light intensity needed for this kind of projection is fairly low, which is why I will be probably happy with a 100 Lumen or even 20 Lumen pico-projector.
The software I use is Project Magenta. I am not aware of any other software provider (ProSim or other) who simulate a HUD display at this time. However, there is a freeware program on AVSIM for the PMDG 737 (in FS9) which adds a HUD to the airplane. I don´t know, whether this can be taken as a stand-alone solution and be linked to FS bia FSUIPC. Also in FSX, the PMDG has an integrated HUD, and maybe this can be extracted for external use via the SDK?

Chris

As I am reading this post I come to think of a sort of sun-protective-film that I peeled of the windows at my office some time ago.

It is quite reflective (Perhaps too reflective) but you can still see through it.
I've taken a shoot of it.

Attachment 7200

You can see through the film and see my monitor, but you can also see the reflection from me and my chequered shirt.

But perhaps it is too reflective and to dark.
But if this is somewhat what you are looking for, I will be more than happy to send you a piece of the film. Just PM me your postal address.

Cheers
Peter
EDIT: Didn't manage to get the picture shown inline to begin with.