Head-Worn AR Proximity Warnings Based on Cycling Braking Distance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Riders of bicycles or other vehicles are often unaware of unsafe following distances, leading to potential hazards due to insufficient awareness of braking distances based on speed and terrain.
Innovation Solution
A head-worn AR device with image-processing capabilities monitors distance and speed, determining a braking distance and providing visual or audible warnings when the distance to a preceding object is unsafe.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a head-worn device with transparent display is used to provide AR information to cyclists, then the user can see virtual objects overlaid on the surrounding environment, but the device may obstruct the user's peripheral vision and awareness of the real-world environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by positioning AR information in specific peripheral regions of the user's field of view rather than centrally. The system detects objects in the user's periphery and places warning indicators in non-central regions, allowing information delivery without blocking the user's central vision or creating a tunnel vision effect. This localized placement strategy maintains situational awareness while providing necessary safety information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the dimensional space of the user's field of view by placing AR indicators in the peripheral dimension rather than the central dimension. By leveraging the peripheral visual field as an additional information display dimension, the system provides safety warnings without competing with the user's central focus on the road ahead, effectively using spatial dimensionality to resolve the contradiction.
2Reliability
If the head-worn device provides continuous proximity warnings to ensure safety, then collision risk is reduced, but the device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining safety thresholds and warning criteria before cycling begins. The system establishes predetermined distance thresholds for different object types and pre-configures warning behaviors, allowing real-time operation to simply compare sensor data against these pre-set parameters rather than making complex decisions during critical moments. This reduces computational complexity while maintaining safety reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the system continuously monitors object distance and relative velocity, providing warnings only when specific threshold conditions are met. This conditional feedback approach filters out unnecessary warnings while maintaining accurate safety alerts, reducing system complexity by avoiding continuous alert generation while preserving reliable safety warnings through intelligent condition-based triggering.
3Loss of information
If the AR device displays detailed safety information to improve awareness, then the user's situational awareness increases, but the field of view required for display increases, potentially blocking more of the real environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different types of information in different peripheral regions rather than displaying all information centrally or uniformly. The system places concise warning indicators in immediate peripheral regions and more detailed information in farther peripheral regions, allowing situational awareness enhancement with minimal field of view occupation by using localized, region-specific information display strategies.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method of providing a proximity warning using a head-worn device. A distance is determined between the head-worn device and a relevant object, such as a cyclist, jogger or vehicle, using image-processing techniques. A speed of the head-worn device is determined using a GPS receiver or other position components located in the head-worn device or an associated user device. A braking distance for the head-worn device is determined based on the speed of the head-worn device, and compared to the distance to the relevant object. A warning notification is provided by the head-worn device if the distance to the relevant object is less than the braking distance.