Optical assemblies that are both brightly backlit and transparent for use in costumed characters

A helmet, comprising:

• a shell with at least one eye slit;
• an outer screen positioned on the shell between the at least one eye slit and an interior space of the shell, wherein the outer screen comprises PDLC material;
• a shutter switchable from a closed state blocking light and an open state transmitting light;
• a backlighting assembly comprising a plurality of light sources switchable between a first state illuminating the outer screen with the light sources and a second state in which the light sources are powered off;
• and
• a controller in a first operating mode operating the outer screen to be translucent, the shutter to be in the closed state, and the backlighting assembly in the first state and in a second operating mode operating the outer screen to be transparent, the shutter to be in the open state, and the backlighting assembly in the second state.

A special effects and vision assembly for use in headgear, comprising:

• a controller;
• an outer screen switchable between being transparent to translucent to light;
• a shutter switchable between being transparent to light and being substantially opaque to light;
• a support panel disposed between the shutter and the outer screen;
• a plurality of LEDs position on a surface of the support panel that faces the outer screen;
• and
• a controller during a first operating phase operating the outer screen to be translucent, the shutter to be substantially opaque, and the LEDs to be on and emitting light onto the outer screen and during a second operating phase operating the outer screen to be transparent, the shutter to be transparent, and the LEDs to be off.

An apparatus for use as headgear providing visual effects, comprising:

• a shell with an interior space for receiving a person's head, wherein the shell includes at least one opening to the interior space;
• and
• an optical assembly mounted in the interior space of the shell, the optical assembly comprising:
• an outer screen switchable between a rear projection (RP) screen state and a transparent state;
• a backlighting assembly with a plurality of lights switchable between a first state with the lights powered on and a second state with the lights powered off;
• and
• a controller switching between operating the optical assembly in a first operating state with the outer screen in the RP screen state and the backlighting assembly in the first state to illuminate a rear surface of the outer screen with light from the lights and in a second operating state with the outer screen in the transparent state and the backlighting assembly in the second state to allow light to pass through the outer screen into the interior space of the shell,
• wherein the optical assembly further comprises a shutter assembly,
• wherein the backlighting assembly is disposed between the shutter assembly and the outer screen,
• wherein the shutter assembly comprises a shutter switchable between a dark or opaque state and a transparent state, and
• wherein the controller operates the shutter in the dark or opaque state during the first operating state of the optical assembly and in the transparent state during the second operating state.