TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A team from National Taiwan University (NTU) has developed a light field augmented reality (AR) display technology, capable of reducing dizziness from long use.

According to a National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) press release Wednesday (Oct. 16) the technology can also be used in 3D gastric reconstruction, gaze tracking, and AR-guided minimally invasive surgeries.

NTU Department of Electrical Engineering Professor Homer Chen (陳宏銘), who led the NSTC-sponsored team, said traditional AR devices cause discomfort because users cannot simultaneously adjust their eye focus and line of sight, per CNA. Light field technology uses input signals not as object images but as the light rays produced by objects, he added.

Chen explained the key technology is a light field projection module, which costs less than US$10 (NT$320). AR equipment, with adjusted modules, can achieve the light field effect.

NTU Hospital attending radiologist and Associate Professor Chen Shyh-jye (陳世杰) said AR technology could eliminate the need for radiation exposure during procedures like bile drainage or tumor ablation, potentially reducing surgery time. However, further clinical trials and approvals are necessary for application.