Artificial Reality Panel Opacity Control for View Occlusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Artificial reality systems, such as augmented and virtual reality, often use opaque virtual panels that obstruct the user's view, causing hazards by blocking real-world objects and interfering with interactions, especially when the user needs to look through them.
Innovation Solution
The system adjusts the opacity of virtual display panels based on the user's vergence distance and gaze direction, using eye tracking technology to determine when the user is looking beyond the panels, and displays visual anchors to allow the panels to reappear when focused on, ensuring unobstructed viewing while maintaining essential content visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If virtual panels are made opaque to display content clearly, then content visibility is improved, but user safety deteriorates due to blocked view of real-world objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the virtual panel opacity variable rather than fixed. The system dynamically adjusts panel opacity based on real-time eye tracking data, transitioning between opaque and transparent states according to user gaze direction and vergence distance, allowing the panel to adapt its transparency level to balance content visibility and environmental awareness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical parameter of the virtual panel by modulating its opacity value. The system varies the opacity parameter from fully opaque (0.0) to fully transparent (1.0) based on detected user behavior, such as vergence distance exceeding a threshold or gaze direction indicating interest in objects beyond the panel, thereby resolving the contradiction between content visibility and view clarity
2Object-affected harmful factors
If virtual panels are made transparent to allow viewing through, then user safety is improved, but content visibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches the panel between transparent and opaque states based on real-time user interaction detection. When eye tracking indicates the user is looking at objects beyond the panel (vergences distance exceeds threshold), the panel becomes transparent to eliminate view occlusion. When the user returns gaze to the panel, it restores content visibility by becoming opaque again
Solution Approach 2:
The panel opacity operates in periodic cycles, alternating between transparent and opaque states based on user gaze patterns. The system detects periodic eye movements and vergence changes, using these periodic signals to rhythmically switch the panel state, ensuring content is visible when needed and environmental view is clear when needed
3Ease of operation
If panel opacity is continuously adjusted to respond to user gaze, then interaction capability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by automatically detecting user needs through eye tracking and vergence analysis, then autonomously adjusting panel opacity without requiring manual user input. The system monitors vergence distance and gaze direction, automatically transitioning panel states based on detected user intent, thereby simplifying the user interface while managing system complexity through automated decision-making
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, the artificial reality system displays a virtual content to a first user. The virtual content has a first opacity. The system determines a first vergence distance of the first user and compare the first vergence distance of the first user to a first distance between the virtual content and the first user. The system adjusts the virtual content to have a second opacity that is less opaque than the first opacity in response to a determination that the first vergence distance of the first user is greater than the first distance by a first threshold distance.