Apple has patented a projector that displays volumetric images. No helmet is needed to see them.
Apple has registered a new patent related to AR projectors.

The system developed by the company allows projecting AR/VR images onto various surfaces in augmented reality format. The key feature is that you don’t need a special headset, like a helmet, to see them. You will see everything as a regular projection, like in a movie.

“The high-resolution LED projector of the augmented reality system can be used to project 2D augmented reality or virtual reality (VR) content, viewed by a person in a room with the augmented reality system (for example, an augmented reality headset and/or glasses), onto a surface (such as a table or floor) in the room so that other people in the room can see what the person using the augmented reality system sees.” — excerpt from the company’s patent

Apple says that its technology could be incorporated into a form factor resembling a light bulb. It could even be integrated into a standard light bulb socket.

Visible light or infrared cameras can be used to enable the projector to determine the size, shape, and textures of the room.

For now, this is just a patent, and it’s unclear whether Apple will use it for its future products. It’s possible that the development could be integrated into future versions of Vision Pro or as a separate device for smart homes