Temporal modulation for bandwidth-efficient and flicker-free AR/MR displays

Pulsed emission is common in high-performance augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) head-mounted displays (HMDs) to reduce motion blur in dynamic scenes. However, at refresh rates below 90 Hz, pulsed emission often introduces noticeable flicker, which substantially increases both display bandwidth and power consumption. To address these challenges, we propose a novel display modulation scheme based on human binocular vision. We alternate emission pulses between the left and right eyes with precise timing control, cutting the needed bandwidth by up to 50%. Additionally, our approach achieves a flicker-free experience at 60 Hz, equivalent to 90 Hz performance, through a 6.25 ms emission period. This approach leverages the temporal integration properties of the human visual system, ensuring good image quality and accurate depth perception while significantly lowering hardware costs and power usage. Furthermore, our solution works seamlessly with late-stage warp and foveated rendering techniques, which independently reduce rendering overhead. These combined techniques enable cumulative reductions in overall display pipeline power consumption. Empirical user studies validate robust depth perception even under dynamic viewing conditions, making this method a scalable and energy-efficient pathway for next-generation AR/MR displays.