Head-mounted augmented vision device

Abstract

In particular, a head-mounted device is provided that provides augmented vision. [Solution] The device of the present invention includes a display (DP) for displaying information, sensors for sensing the environment outside the device, a data processing system for controlling the DP using output from the sensors, and a lens system for allowing the wearer to focus the information displayed on the DP when the device is worn on the wearer's head. An arrangement for mounting the device on the wearer's head is provided. The mounting arrangement includes a head-engaging portion that fits on and / or around the head, and a protrusion that is mechanically attached to the head-engaging portion and extends from the head generally forward relative to the wearer's face when the device is worn on the wearer's head.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to head-mounted augmented vision devices, particularly with respect to providing an augmented display output to individuals with sensory, perceptual, or cognitive impairments that affect their ability to process and interpret visual and auditory stimuli. [Background technology]

[0002] Dedicated virtual reality (VR) headsets are known, but they are relatively expensive and heavy. Others feature head-mounted cradles with optical components that allow users to view a smartphone held directly in front of their eyes. While both approaches meet the requirements for generating a virtual reality environment, they are typically unsuitable for long-term wear or for use in situations where the user must move around in the real world, such as when a user with some kind of sensory, perceptual, or cognitive disorder wears the device to enhance their awareness of their surroundings. While such devices may capture information about the environment via multiple sensors, it is difficult to naturally communicate this information to the user. Users may have difficulty maintaining balance by relying solely on the visual information provided by such displays, for example. Furthermore, known devices are difficult to wear for extended periods of time and may cause headaches, nausea, or fatigue. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] It is an object of the present disclosure to at least partially address one, some, or all of the shortcomings and / or other problems associated with the prior art discussed above. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] According to the present invention, there is provided a head-worn device comprising: a display configured to display information; a sensor configured to sense an environment outside the device; a data processing system configured to control the display using output from the sensor; a lens system configured to enable a wearer to focus on information displayed by the display when the device is worn on the wearer's head; and a mounting arrangement configured to enable the device to be worn on the wearer's head, the mounting arrangement comprising a head engaging portion configured to fit on and / or around the head, and a protrusion mechanically attached to the head engaging portion and configured to extend from the head generally forward relative to the wearer's face when the device is worn on the wearer's head, the protrusion being configured to support the weight of at least the display and lens system.

[0005] Thus, a configuration is provided in which at least the weight of the display and lens system is supported by a protrusion, which in turn is supported by a head-engaging portion that fits over and / or around (e.g., surrounds) the head, while still allowing the user to view displayed information via the display worn by the user. The head-engaging portion may be the crown of a hat or may have substantially the same shape as the crown of a hat, which may be open or closed. The protrusion may be the brim of a hat or may have substantially the same shape as the brim of a hat, which may extend only forward or in all directions. The approach of the present invention has been found to provide significantly greater comfort than known head-worn devices with active displays, which are typically secured to the facial region of the wearer's head via a harness that applies pressure near the eyes, ears, and nose, and / or on the nose, cheekbones, temples, ears, and forehead, and which may cause headaches, nausea, or fatigue with prolonged use. If it is desired to enable peripheral vision, for example by switching from a virtual reality form factor to a glasses-like form factor, the drawbacks of the prior art become even worse, as there are typically fewer contacts but the weight remains roughly the same. Some use cases, for example, visual assistance, require the user to wear the device for many hours per day.

[0006] In embodiments, the device further comprises a face-contacting member supported by the protrusions, the face-contacting member configured to engage the wearer's face. The protrusions may be configured to pivot under gravity to press the face-contacting member against the wearer's face, thereby providing stable positioning of the lens system relative to the wearer's face. This approach has been found to be a simple and effective way of providing proper positioning of the lens system without compromising extended-wear comfort.

[0007] In embodiments, the device further comprises an abutment member configured such that when the wearer is looking horizontally, the face-contacting member extends substantially horizontally and the abutment member extends substantially downward from the face-contacting member and presses against the face below the face-contacting member, thereby limiting the range of pivoting of the protrusion. This approach has been found to allow for particularly precise positioning of the lens system while minimizing adverse effects on extended-wear comfort. This feature further reduces the mechanical requirements for the protrusion of the mounting arrangement, allowing a wide range of hat brims to be used to implement the protrusion, including, for example, fragile hat brims.

[0008] In embodiments, the abutment member is configured to allow adjustment of the angle between the wearer's face and the lens axis of the lens system. This approach may allow the wearer to vertically control which part of the scene is sensed by the sensor without having to turn their head.

[0009] In embodiments, the device is configured so that when the face-contacting member is engaged with the face, the wearer has peripheral vision of the environment outside the device. Enabling peripheral vision makes it easier for the user to maintain balance compared to alternative configurations in which the user must rely solely on central vision and / or in which peripheral vision is blocked. Peripheral vision is important for spatial navigation (e.g., the left and right monocular temporal crests are used for spatial awareness and learning).

[0010] In embodiments, the device includes an actuatable shroud configuration configured to allow for controllable variation in the extent of peripheral vision. This feature provides flexibility to accommodate various use cases or scenarios and / or further enhance comfort. Neither eyeglass-like (unsuppressed peripheral vision) nor VR-based (completely blocked peripheral vision) systems optimally address all use cases, and each form factor has advantages and disadvantages for specific applications. For example, eyeglasses that typically allow partial use of peripheral vision for navigation may block the peripheral vision available when ambient light is too strong.

[0011] You can benefit from reducing the brightness of the scene. VR-based systems can benefit from being "opened up" to not only allow peripheral vision to be used for navigation, similar to glasses, but also to expose more of the wearer's face to the person they are interacting with (or to the front-facing camera if interacting remotely), allowing for better capture of facial expressions and emotions. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the head-mounted device as seen from below. [Figure 2] 2 is a perspective front view of a portion of the device of FIG. 1 showing details of an exemplary smartphone holder. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a perspective rear view of a portion of the apparatus showing the shroud arrangement with the L-shaped members in a blocked state. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the configuration of FIG. 3 as seen from below. [Figure 5] 4 is a bottom perspective view of the arrangement of FIG. 3 with the L-shaped members of the shroud arrangement in an open position. FIG. [Figure 6] 6 is a perspective view from below of a portion of a device having a lens housing configured to be switchable between an axially expanded state and an axially contracted state, with FIG. 6 showing the lens housing in an axially expanded state. [Figure 7] 1 shows the lens housing in an intermediate state between an axially expanded state and an axially contracted state. [Figure 8] 8A and 8B are side views of the configuration of FIGS. 6 and 7, with the lens housing in an axially contracted state and the pivotable support member in three different transition stages between the deployed and retracted positions. [Figure 9] 8A and 8B are side views of the configuration of FIGS. 6 and 7, with the lens housing in an axially contracted state and the pivotable support member in three different transition stages between the deployed and retracted positions. [Figure 10] 8A and 8B are side views of the configuration of FIGS. 6 and 7, with the lens housing in an axially contracted state and the pivotable support member in three different transition stages between the deployed and retracted positions. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are perspective views of alternative mounting configurations for the device. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are perspective views of alternative mounting configurations for the device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present disclosure relates to head-mounted devices. Exemplary configurations are described below.

[0014] The device comprises a display, a sensor, and a data processing system.

[0015] The display is configured to display information. The display may comprise, for example, an electronic display. The display may be opaque or transparent.

[0016] The sensors are configured to sense an environment outside the device, for example, the sensors may be configured to perform any combination of one or more of: capturing a visual scene, recording audio data, optionally performing light detection and ranging, LIDAR to obtain multi-point distance information across a field of view, measuring linear acceleration, measuring ambient light intensity, measuring magnetic fields or magnetic dipole moments, and measuring angular velocity.

[0017] The data processing system is configured to control the display using output from the sensors. Any of a variety of known configurations may be provided to provide the necessary data processing functionality (including, for example, a CPU, GPU, memory, power supply, etc.). For example, the data processing system may be configured such that controlling the display using output from the sensors comprises any combination of one or more of segmentation and matting, localization and mapping, color enhancement, brightness adjustment, contrast adjustment, object tracking, pose estimation, recognition and / or analysis of text information, object and / or object attribute recognition, object distance measurement, object location and object boundary, position change estimation, obstacle detection, spoken language analysis and / or translation, and human face, emotion, and / or motion detection.

[0018] The display, sensors, and data processing system may be provided by a portable computing device such as a smartphone. This type of configuration is illustrated in the figures. 1 and 2, for example, the device may include a smartphone holder 2 and a smartphone supported by the smartphone holder.

[0019] The smartphone holder 2 is configured to hold a smartphone. As shown in FIG. 2 , the smartphone holder 2 may, for example, comprise a cage defining an interior volume in which a smartphone can be placed and stably held. FIG. 2 shows the cage in a closed state without a smartphone in place. The cage is opened by a user, and the smartphone is placed inside. Any of a variety of known techniques may be used to allow smartphones of various sizes and shapes to be properly held in the interior volume, including specially dimensioned adapters and / or elastic members. The smartphone holder 2 defines at least one opening 3 or transparent portion configured to allow a camera (e.g., of a sensor) of the smartphone to capture images of the exterior of the smartphone holder 2 when the smartphone is placed in the smartphone holder 2. For example, images may be captured of an area in front of the smartphone holder 2 (on the opposite side of the smartphone holder from the wearer) and / or an area behind the smartphone holder 2 (e.g., of the wearer themselves to capture the wearer's emotions, etc.).

[0020] The device further comprises a lens system 4 and a mounting arrangement comprising a head engagement portion 10 and a protrusion 12 .

[0021] Lens system 4 is configured such that, when the device is worn on the wearer's head, the wearer of the device can focus on information displayed by the display (e.g., focus on the display of a smartphone held in smartphone holder 2). Lens systems configured to enable focusing on objects closer to the eyes than would be possible without the lens system are well known, and any suitable lens configuration can be used. Lenses for each eye can be provided in respective lens housings 18. The lenses of lens system 4 are typically separate from the display, although this is not required. The display can be partially or wholly integrated (e.g., built into) one or more lenses of lens system 4.

[0022] The attachment configuration formed by the head engagement portion 10 and the protrusion 12 allows the device to be worn on the head. The engagement portion 10 is configured to fit over and / or around the head (e.g., surround the head) so that the protrusion 12, mechanically attached to the head engagement portion 10, can support at least the weight of the display and lens system, and optionally also the weight of the sensor and data processing system, without the head engagement portion becoming dislodged or significantly shifting on the head. In a configuration including a smartphone held in the smartphone holder 2, the protrusion 12 is configured to support the smartphone, smartphone holder 2, and lens system 4 without the head engagement portion becoming dislodged or significantly shifting on the head. The engagement portion 10 may have substantially the same shape as the crown of a hat (cap). The cap can be closed, as in the example of FIG. 1. In other configurations, the cap can be open. An example of an attachment configuration having a head engagement portion in the shape of an open cap is shown in FIG. 11.

[0023] The protrusion 12 is mechanically attached to the head-engaging portion 10 and is configured to extend from the head generally forward relative to the wearer's face when the device is attached to the wearer's head. The protrusion 12 may have substantially the same shape as a hat brim. The hat brim may extend only forward, as in the example of FIG. 1. In other configurations, the hat brim may extend in all directions. An example of an attachment configuration having a protrusion 12 in the shape of an omnidirectional hat brim is shown in FIG. 12.

[0024] The display, the sensor, the data processing system, and the lens system may be provided in a unit coupled to the protrusion 12. The unit may be detachably coupled to the protrusion 12.

[0025] In some configurations, the device includes a face-contacting member 14. The face-contacting member 14 may be supported by a protrusion 12 of the mounting arrangement. The face-contacting member 14 is configured to engage the wearer's face, typically in an upper portion of the face, such as the forehead. The protrusion 12 is configured to pivot under gravity and press the face-contacting member 14 against the wearer's face, thereby providing stable positioning of the lens system 4 relative to the wearer's face. Thus, the weight of the display and lens system (and optionally, for example, sensors and data processing systems, if these elements are provided by a smartphone in the smartphone holder 2) may impart a torque to the protrusion 12, causing the protrusion 12 to bend downward (e.g., pivot about an axis near where the protrusion 12 couples to the head-engagement portion 10) until the face-contacting member 14 presses against the face with sufficient force to balance the torque. This configuration allows the device to be quickly and reliably attached so that the lens system 4 is properly positioned in front of the wearer's eyes, eliminating or minimizing the need for time-consuming adjustments by the wearer (e.g., to align the lens system and / or adjust lens focus). It has been found that this function can be particularly effectively achieved by configuring the face-contacting member 14 to contact the face along an elongated path along the wearer's head. The face-contacting member 14 may be configured, in particular, such that the elongated path has an axis of elongation that lies in a substantially horizontal plane when the device is worn on the wearer's head and the wearer is looking horizontally, as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 1 .

[0026] In some configurations, the face-contacting member 14 is configured to extend substantially horizontally when the wearer is looking horizontally, and the device further includes an abutment member 15 extending substantially downward from the face-contacting member 14 and configured to limit the range of pivoting of the protrusion 12 under the weight of elements attached to the protrusion 12 (e.g., the smartphone holder 2, the smartphone, and the lens system 4). The pivoting is limited by the abutment member 15 applying pressure (i.e., pressing) against the face at a position below the face-contacting member 14. The abutment member 15 thus serves to securely fix the position and alignment of the lens system 4 relative to the wearer's eyes. In some configurations, the abutment member 15 is configured to allow adjustment of the angle between the wearer's face and the axis of the lens of the lens system 4. The abutment member 15 thus allows for precise control of the angle between the wearer's face and the protrusion 12, allowing the user to better control which part of the scene is captured by the device (e.g., sensed by a sensor) without having to turn their head. In some configurations, the abutment member 15 is configured to substantially conform to the contours of the bony structure between the wearer's eyes. The abutment member 15 may be coupled to and / or supported by the face-contacting member 14 and / or the protrusion 12 in an attachment configuration.

[0027] In some configurations, the device is configured so that the wearer has peripheral vision of the environment outside the device when the face-contacting member 14 is engaged against the face. Thus, the device conforms to the wearer to allow some peripheral vision. Enabling peripheral vision improves the wearer's comfort, particularly when the device is configured to provide support for visually impaired individuals to interact with the environment, for example, by extending the wearer's vision as the wearer moves through and / or interacts with the environment. For example, a smartphone may be configured to capture visual information using the smartphone's camera and display a processed version of the captured visual information on the smartphone's display. The processed version of the captured visual information may be configured to be easier for a visually impaired wearer to interpret than the captured visual information. Enabling peripheral vision in this situation may help the wearer maintain balance and improve safety.

[0028] The data processing system may be configured to enhance the information displayed by the display in a variety of ways. These may include one or more of the following: The captured image may be subjected to color enhancement, for example, by adjusting contrast based on the lighting conditions of the scene. The captured image can undergo edge enhancement by detecting edges in the scene and enhancing them to make them easier to identify by the user. The captured images can undergo object recognition, i.e., specific objects within the scene are detected and the properties and attributes of those objects are communicated to the user via some output mechanism. The captured images can be subjected to motion tracking of associated objects, i.e., the direction in which a particular object in the scene is moving is highlighted to make its movement easier to identify, and the combination of motion tracking and object recognition can be used for obstacle avoidance by conveying information about obstacles and their possible directions to the user. The captured text information present in the image can be subjected to optical character recognition to help the user understand the content of the text block. The captured images may be subject to stabilization, i.e., if the user's head is unsteady or shaking, the captured frames are stabilized to compensate for the head movement and present a more stable and consistent scene to the user. The distance measurement module can provide information about the distance to various objects, which, combined with object recognition, can help the user estimate the distance to an object of interest or help the user identify the distance to a particular obstacle. Audio data may be captured via the device's microphone and this data can be used to analyze human speech and trigger actions based on the processed input, and directional information within the audio stream can be extracted and combined with input from other sensors to aid in spatial awareness and spatial perception.

[0029] Peripheral vision may be enabled in all surrounding directions or in a selected subset of the available directions. In some implementations, peripheral vision may be enabled in the lateral and / or downward directions. Peripheral vision in the upward direction may be blocked by the protrusion 12 of the mounting arrangement.

[0030] In some configurations, the extent to which peripheral vision is enabled can be controlled by the wearer and / or by the data processing system. The device may therefore be switchable between different modes. In some situations, for example, it may be desirable to completely block peripheral vision, allowing the wearer to focus entirely on the output from the display. This may be appropriate when the wearer is sedentary or physically inactive. Alternatively, it may be more comfortable to suppress peripheral vision when the surrounding environment is overly bright or distracting. In other situations, for example, when the wearer is more actively interacting with their surroundings and / or moving around, it may be desirable to switch the device to a mode that enables peripheral vision or increases the extent of peripheral vision. These actions may be performed manually by the wearer or automatically by the data processing system. For example, the data processing system may use a motion sensor (e.g., an accelerometer) to detect when the wearer switches from an inactive to an active state and respond by increasing peripheral vision. Alternatively or additionally, the data processing system may detect changes in the intensity of ambient light and respond by modifying the peripheral vision (reducing peripheral vision when an increase in intensity is detected, e.g., when the sun comes out, and increasing peripheral vision when a decrease in intensity is detected), so that the device automatically attempts to provide an optimal balance between light from the display and ambient light coming in via the peripheral vision.

[0031] In some configurations, the device comprises an actuatable shroud arrangement configured to allow controllable variation of the range of peripheral vision. The variation may be controlled by a data processing system, controlled by the wearer, or occur automatically for other reasons (e.g., via a material that responds to different intensities of ambient light). The variation may be achieved at least in part by changing the transparency (e.g., transmittance) of a variable transparency material. Thus, the shroud arrangement may comprise a material with variable transparency. Alternatively or additionally, the variation may be achieved mechanically (by movement and / or rotation of one or more elements), as illustrated in FIGS. 3-5.

[0032] 3-5 illustrate examples of classes of configurations in which a device can control peripheral vision using an actuatable shroud configuration 16. For ease of illustration, the smartphone holder 2 is not shown in FIGS. 3-5. The shroud configuration 16 can be manually actuated via direct manual manipulation by the wearer. Alternatively, the shroud configuration 16 can be electrically actuated, for example, via a motor or any other suitable powered mechanism. Such actuation can be controlled by a data processing system, for example, in response to output from a sensor. The actuatable shroud configuration 16 is configured so that the shroud configuration 16 can be selectively switched between an open state and one or more peripheral vision suppression states. In the particular example shown, the shroud configuration 16 comprises an L-shaped member, one for each eye, that blocks peripheral vision to the side and downward. Various other configurations are possible.

[0033] The or each peripheral vision suppression state of shroud configuration 16 illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 is such that when face contact member 14 is engaged against the user's face, the user can focus on information displayed by the display and shroud configuration 16 suppresses peripheral vision of the surrounding environment relative to the open state.

[0034] The open state of the shroud arrangement 16 illustrated in FIG. 5 is a state in which, when the face-contacting member 14 is engaged against the wearer's face, the wearer can focus on the information displayed by the display and peripherally view part of the environment.

[0035] The one or more peripheral vision suppression states may comprise multiple peripheral vision suppression states, each suppressing peripheral vision to a different degree. For example, in the configuration of FIGS. 3-5 , the shroud configuration 16 is operable to position the L-shaped member at a plurality of different positions along a longitudinal displacement axis parallel to the optical axis of the lens system 4. The different peripheral vision suppression states may be provided by making the L-shaped member positionable in one or more positions intermediate between a fully blocked state (e.g., as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 ), in which peripheral vision is completely blocked, and a fully open state, in which the L-shaped member does not suppress peripheral vision at all. In such intermediate positions, the shroud configuration 16 reduces, but does not completely block, peripheral vision. Providing such multiple peripheral vision suppression states provides increased control to the wearer. For example, the wearer may adapt the degree of peripheral vision obscuration as a function of the brightness of the surrounding environment, e.g., to provide a high level of obscuration when the wearer is outdoors, especially when the weather is clear, and a low level of obscuration when the wearer is indoors, or when the weather is cloudy or the sun is not high in the sky, etc.

[0036] The shroud configuration 16 can be configured in various ways to achieve desired functionality. In some configurations, at least a portion of the shroud configuration 16 is configured to move and / or rotate so that it is positioned closer to the wearer's face in one or more peripheral vision suppression states than in the open state. As noted above, in the example of FIGS. 3-5, the L-shaped members of the shroud configuration 16 move longitudinally. In an alternative configuration, the shroud configuration 16 may comprise a hinged shroud element that is rotatable about a hinge axis from a blocked position to an open position. Alternatively or additionally, the shroud configuration may comprise multiple pins that are independently movable along parallel pin axes. Each pin blocks a portion of peripheral vision when in a longitudinally advanced position. By selectively advancing the available pins, the extent and directionality of peripheral vision blockage can be flexibly varied. Additionally or alternatively, the shroud configuration may be permanently mounted closed but made of a variable transparency material, with the level of transparency controlled by a data processing system based on the use case (e.g., photo viewing vs. navigating the environment) or based on sensor input (e.g., the amount of light read by an ambient light sensor).

[0037] In some configurations, the lens system 4 includes two tubular lens housings 18. Each lens housing 18 houses one or more of the lenses of the lens system 4 and is aligned so that the wearer can see axially with each eye through the lens housing 18 and through the lenses housed in the lens housings 18. Thus, the left eye sees through one of the lens housings 18 and the right eye sees through the other. In the open state of the shroud arrangement 16, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the shroud arrangement 16 is positioned the same distance from the wearer's face as each lens housing 18 or further away (as shown in FIG. 5) than each lens housing 18. In the peripheral vision suppression state or states, the shroud arrangement 16 is positioned closer to the wearer's face than each tubular lens housing 18, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0038] In some configurations, lens system 4 is configured to be switchable between a viewing mode and a retracted mode. The viewing mode is a mode in which lens system 4 is in the straight-ahead line of sight of a wearer of the device. The retracted mode is a mode in which lens system 4 is outside the straight-ahead line of sight of a wearer of the device, and optionally the lenses of lens system 4 are folded towards, and optionally parallel and / or flush with (e.g., immediately adjacent to) protrusion 12 of the mounting configuration.

[0039] In some configurations, as illustrated in FIGS. 6-10 , switching between the viewing mode and the storage mode can be achieved by configuring the lens housing 18 to be switchable between an axially expanded state (shown in FIG. 6 ) and an axially contracted state (shown in FIGS. 7-10 ). This can be achieved by providing the lens housing 18 with walls formed of a malleable / deformable material or by configuring the walls to be longitudinally compressible in an accordion-like or collapsible manner. This allows the overall thickness of the lens system 4 to be reduced in a direction parallel to the optical axis, if desired. This reduced thickness facilitates folding the lens system 4, for example, when the wearer does not wish to use the device. As shown in FIGS. 8-10 , the device can include a pivotable support member 20 that allows the lens housing 18 (and the smartphone holder 2 in the illustrated configuration) to pivot to a storage position when the lens housing 18 is in the axially contracted state.

Claims

1. a head-mounted device, a display configured to display information; a sensor configured to sense an environment external to the device; a data processing system configured to use output from the sensor to control the display; a lens system configured to enable a wearer to focus the information displayed by the display when the device is worn on the wearer's head; a mounting arrangement configured to allow the device to be attached to the head of the wearer; a head-mounted device comprising: a head engaging portion configured to fit over and / or around the head; a protrusion mechanically attached to the head engaging portion and configured to extend from the wearer's head generally forward relative to the wearer's face when the device is worn on the head of the wearer, the protrusion configured to support the weight of at least the display and the lens system; A head-mounted device comprising:

2. 10. The device of claim 1, wherein the protrusion is a hat brim or has substantially the same shape as a hat brim, the hat brim extending only in the forward direction or in all directions.

3. 3. The device of claim 1 or 2, wherein the head engaging portion is a crown of a hat or has substantially the same shape as a crown of a hat, and the crown of the hat is either open or closed.

4. 4. The device of claim 1, wherein the display, the sensor, the data processing system, and the lens system are coupled to the protrusion and are optionally provided in a unit detachably coupled to the protrusion.

5. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a smartphone holder and a smartphone supported by the smartphone holder, the smartphone comprising the display, the sensor, and the data processing system, and the smartphone holder being supported by the protrusion.

6. the lens system is configured to be switchable between a viewing mode and a retracted mode; the viewing mode is such that the lens system is in a straight-ahead line of sight of the wearer of the device; 6. A device as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the stored mode is such that the lens system is out of the straight ahead line of sight of the wearer of the device, and optionally the lens of the lens system is folded towards, and optionally parallel and / or flush with, the protrusion of the mounting configuration.

7. 7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a face-contacting member supported by the protrusion, the face-contacting member configured to engage the wearer's face.

8. 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the protrusions are configured to pivot under gravity to press the face contact members against the face of the wearer, thereby providing stable positioning of the lens system against the face of the wearer.

9. The device further includes an abutment member, the abutment member being configured to: the face-contacting member extends substantially horizontally; the abutment member extends substantially downward from the face contacting member and presses against the face below the face contacting member to limit the range of the pivoting of the protrusion; and optionally The abutment member allows adjustment of the angle between the wearer's face and a lens axis of the lens system, optionally allowing the wearer to vertically control which part of a scene is sensed by the sensor without changing the orientation of the head.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the device is configured to:

10. 10. The device of any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the face-contacting member is configured to contact the face along an elongated path along the head of the wearer.

11. 11. The device of claim 10, wherein the face-contacting member is configured such that when the device is worn on the head of the wearer and the wearer is looking straight ahead in a horizontal direction, the elongated path has an axis of extension that lies in a substantially horizontal plane.

12. 12. A device according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the device is configured such that when the face-contacting member is engaged with the face, the wearer has peripheral vision of the environment outside the device.

13. The device of claim 12, comprising an actuatable shroud arrangement configured to allow controllable variation of the extent of the peripheral vision.

14. the device comprises an actuatable shroud arrangement configured to allow the shroud arrangement to be selectively switched between an open state and one or more peripheral vision suppression states; the open state is a state in which, when the face-contacting member is engaged with the face of the wearer, the wearer can focus on the information displayed by the display and peripherally view a portion of the environment; 13. The device of claims 7 to 12, wherein the or each peripheral vision suppression state is a state in which, when the face contact member is engaged with the face of the user, the user can focus on the information displayed by the display and the shroud configuration suppresses peripheral vision of the environment relative to the open state.

15. 15. The device of claim 14, wherein the one or more peripheral vision suppression states comprise a plurality of peripheral vision suppression states, each peripheral vision suppression state suppressing peripheral vision to a different extent.

16. 16. The device of claim 14 or 15, wherein at least a portion of the shroud configuration is configured to move and / or rotate to be positioned closer to the wearer's face in the one or more peripheral vision suppression states than in the open state.

17. 17. The device of any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the lens system comprises two tubular lens housings, each housing housing one or more of the lenses of the lens system, and aligned so that the wearer can see axially with each eye through the lens housing and through the lenses housed by the lens housing.

18. in the open state of the shroud arrangement, the shroud arrangement is positioned the same distance from the face of the wearer as each lens housing or further than each lens housing; 20. The device of claim 17, wherein in the or each peripheral vision suppression state of the shroud configuration, the shroud configuration is positioned closer to the wearer's face than each lens housing.

19. 14. The device of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the lens system comprises two tubular lens housings, each housing housing one or more of the lenses of the lens system, and aligned so that the wearer can see axially with each eye through the lens housing and through the lenses housed by the lens housing.

20. 20. Apparatus according to any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein each lens housing is configured to be switchable between an axially expanded state and an axially contracted state.

21. 21. The device of claim 20, wherein the lens housing is supported by a pivotable support member configured to allow the lens housing to be pivoted to a stored position that is out of the wearer's straight-forward line of sight of the device, and wherein, when the lens housing is in the axially contracted state, the stored position is optionally such that the pivotable support member and / or lens housing is substantially parallel and / or flush with the protrusion of the mounting arrangement.

22. 22. Apparatus according to any one of claims 13 to 21, wherein the data processing system is configured to control operation of the shroud arrangement in response to the output from the sensor.

23. 23. The device of any of claims 13 to 22, wherein the shroud arrangement is configured to be manually actuated at least in part by the wearer.

24. The sensor Visual scene capture, Recording audio data, Optionally performing Light Detection and Ranging, LiDaR, to obtain multi-point distance information across the field of view; Measurement of linear acceleration, Measurement of ambient light intensity, Measurement of magnetic fields or magnetic dipole moments, and Angular velocity measurement 24. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, configured to perform one or more of the following in any combination:

25. The data processing system further comprises: Segmentation and matting, localization and mapping, Color enhancement, Brightness adjustment, Contrast adjustment, Object tracking, Pose estimation, Recognition and / or analysis of textual information; Recognition of objects and / or object attributes; Measuring the distance to an object, object location and object boundaries, Estimating position changes, Obstacle detection, Spoken language analysis and / or translation; and Human face, emotion, and / or movement detection 25. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, configured to comprise one or more of the following in any combination:

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