Diploma in HUD: Optics, Projection and Occlusion in Windshields
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in HUD: optics, projection and windscreen occlusion: 8 modules covering head-up display principles, system optics, image sources, windscreen and double image, occlusion and visual management, HUD content design, and integration and validation, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in HUD: Optics, Projection and Occlusion in Windshields — studying from Canada
Product design and human-machine interface work is well established in Canada across automotive, aerospace, medical devices and consumer electronics. Design studios and engineering firms in Toronto, Montréal, Waterloo and Vancouver develop user interfaces for vehicles, industrial equipment and healthcare technology. Usability and accessibility requirements are shaped by national standards and provincial legislation, including the Accessible Canada Act at the federal level. Typical employers include manufacturers, software companies and design consultancies.
Fees for Canada: C$1,700 (Canadian dollar), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Canada
Typical roles
Questions from Canada
Is design or HMI work in Canada regulated, and how does SEIUM fit in?
Product and HMI design is generally not a licensed profession in Canada, unlike engineering, which is regulated by provincial associations issuing Professional Engineer licences. SEIUM's qualifications are private, not official state degrees and not accredited by a national body. Recognition is decided by employers or relevant bodies, so confirm acceptance with them before enrolling.
Do Canadian product and interface design employers value this kind of study?
Canadian design employers, including software firms in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, usually focus on portfolios, user research and shipped work. A SEIUM qualification may add to your profile, especially with a strong final project, but whether it is valued depends on each employer. Build your portfolio alongside your studies.
How much time does this need alongside work, and how is it paid for?
The courses are fully online, so you can study from home at your own pace. Specialist courses take 300 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 and master's 1,900, so consider your weekly availability. Teaching is in English with an assigned technical tutor. Fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible, which you can ask your employer about.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Explain the optical principles of head-up displays.
Calculate eyebox, field of view and virtual image distance.
Compare image source technologies.
Analyse and correct double image in the windscreen.
Manage content occlusion and luminance.
Design legible, prioritised HUD content.
Plan the integration and validation of a HUD.
Who it's for
- Display optical engineers
- HUD engineers
- Cabin HMI designers
- Cabin electronics integration engineers
- Human factors specialists
- Optical validation engineers
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into the automotive sector
What you'll work with
- ISO 15008:2017 (presentation of visual information in vehicles)
- UN ECE Regulation No. 43 (safety glazing)
- UN ECE Regulation No. 125 (forward field of vision)
- SAE J1757-2 (optical measurement of head-up displays)
- ISO 15005:2017 (dialogue management)
- UN ECE Regulation No. 10 (electromagnetic compatibility)
- Recommendation 2008/653/EC (European Statement of Principles on HMI)
- Ansys Zemax OpticStudio
- Ansys Speos
- CATIA V5/3DEXPERIENCE
- Unreal Engine
- Tobii Pro Lab
8 modules
1.1History and evolution of the HUD1.2Virtual image and projection distance1.3Eyebox and eye position1.4HUD field of view1.5Combiner HUD versus windscreen HUD1.6Architecture of a conventional HUD1.7AR-HUD and large fields of view1.8Package requirements in the dashboard1.9Benchmarking of current systems1.10Workshop: calculating the eyebox for a population
2.1Geometric optics and aspheric mirrors2.2Freeform mirrors2.3Magnification and virtual image distance2.4Aberrations and distortion2.5Optical design with Zemax2.6Manufacturing tolerances2.7Waveguides and holography2.8Light field optics2.9Image quality simulation2.10Practical: basic mirror design with Zemax
3.1Backlit TFT-LCD displays3.2DLP and micromirrors3.3MEMS laser scanners3.4LCoS and holography3.5Luminance and efficiency3.6Thermal management of the source3.7Reverse solar load3.8Durability and ageing3.9Technology selection3.10Lab: comparing sources by luminance and power consumption
4.1The windscreen as a combiner4.2Ghost image and double image4.3PVB wedges to correct double image4.4Windscreen curvature and distortion4.5Coatings and polarisation4.6Driver polarised sunglasses4.7Requirements of UN ECE Regulation No. 434.8Measuring optical distortion4.9Glass supplier tolerances4.10Case study: double image analysis with a PVB wedge
5.1Field-of-view occlusion by content5.2Content placement relative to the horizon5.3Focal distance and accommodation5.4Contrast against the outside background5.5Day and night luminance5.6Clutter and amount of information5.7Distraction and attentional tunnelling5.8Clear field-of-view requirements5.9Evaluation with eye-tracking5.10Workshop: HUD content occlusion study
6.1Priority information for the HUD6.2Speed, navigation and ADAS6.3Typography and symbology6.4Colours and legibility6.5Animations and transitions6.6Context-adaptive content6.7Consistency with cluster and infotainment6.8Driver personalisation6.9User evaluation6.10Practical: content layout for a navigation HUD
7.1Mechanical integration in the dashboard7.2Calibration on the assembly line7.3Height adjustment per driver7.4Image quality tests7.5Environmental and vibration tests7.6Electromagnetic compatibility requirements7.7User validation7.8Regulations applicable to the HUD7.9Costs and scaling7.10Case study: HUD validation plan
8.1Defining requirements8.2Calculating eyebox and field of view8.3Optical concept of the system8.4Selecting the image source8.5Windscreen analysis8.6Content design8.7Validation plan8.8Cost and package estimate8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits around your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Ansys Zemax OpticStudio, Ansys Speos, CATIA V5/3DEXPERIENCE, Unreal Engine and Tobii Pro Lab, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures for eyebox calculation and optical design of a HUD, windscreen double image analysis, and content occlusion and legibility studies. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integration project.
Standards covered: ISO 15008:2017 (presentation of visual information in vehicles); UN ECE Regulation No. 43 (safety glazing); UN ECE Regulation No. 125 (forward field of vision); SAE J1757-2 (optical measurement of head-up displays); ISO 15005:2017 (dialogue management); UN ECE Regulation No. 10 (electromagnetic compatibility); Recommendation 2008/653/EC (European Statement of Principles on HMI).
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Ansys Zemax OpticStudio, Ansys Speos, CATIA V5/3DEXPERIENCE, Unreal Engine and Tobii Pro Lab, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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