AR Headset Gaze Tracking for Aerospace Situational Awareness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Crew members in aerospace and defense environments face challenges in maintaining situational awareness due to the transition between two-dimensional computer displays and the three-dimensional external environment, with limited access to information and increased mental workload from mapping between these contexts.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses an augmented reality (AR) headset to estimate user movement and vehicle movement, determining the user's gaze target and context to generate visualization data that includes visual elements for both internal and external environments, reducing the mental workload by providing consistent visual cues across contexts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If crew members use fixed two-dimensional computer displays to access information, then information availability is improved, but the need to transition between displays and the external environment increases mental workload and reduces situational awareness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the information display function with the external environment view by projecting augmented reality information directly onto the windshield or visor. This merging eliminates the need for separate fixed displays and allows crew members to access information while maintaining situational awareness of the external environment, thereby reducing mental workload and transitions between contexts.
2Loss of information
If crew members redirect their gaze to fixed displays to access information, then information access is improved, but situational awareness of the external environment is temporarily lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from two-dimensional fixed displays to three-dimensional augmented reality projections that overlay information directly onto the crew member's field of view through the windshield or visor. This dimensional change allows information to be presented in the same spatial context as the external environment, eliminating the need to redirect gaze and maintaining continuous situational awareness.
3Loss of information
If multiple fixed displays are installed to provide comprehensive information, then information availability is improved, but size and weight constraints are exceeded
Solution Approach 1:
The augmented reality projection system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it displays information, maintains situational awareness, and eliminates the need for separate fixed displays. By making the windshield or visor a multi-functional element that combines viewing of the external environment with information display, the system reduces overall weight while improving information availability.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3
AI summary
A device is configured to determine a movement of a vehicle based on vehicle sensor data, and a movement of an augmented reality (AR) headset based on headset sensor data. The device is configured to estimate a user portion of the movement of the AR headset caused by a movement of a user and not caused by the movement of the vehicle. The device is configured to determine a gaze target of the user based on the user portion and to generate visualization data based on the gaze target. Responsive to determining that the gaze target is inside the vehicle, the visualization data includes a first visual depiction of a first point of interest that is outside the vehicle. Responsive to determining that the gaze target is outside the vehicle, the visualization data includes a second visual depiction of a second point of interest that is inside the vehicle.