AR Projection Brightness Adaptation for User Eye Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Augmented reality systems face discomfort due to intense brightness when digital content is projected onto users, as they may inadvertently look into the projection, causing visual discomfort.
Innovation Solution
An augmented reality functional node (ARFN) that includes a projector and camera system, capable of detecting when content is projected onto a user's face or eyes, adjusts the projection by dimming or altering the location of the projected content to prevent direct exposure to bright light, using techniques such as structured light and facial recognition to identify and respond to predefined surfaces within the environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If digital content is projected onto real-world objects to create augmented reality environments, then visual interest and interaction are improved, but user comfort deteriorates due to intense brightness when users accidentally look into the projection
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of user presence and position before projecting content, using camera feeds and facial recognition to identify when a user is in the projection path. This allows the system to proactively adjust projection parameters or redirect the beam before the user is exposed to intense brightness, preventing visual discomfort while maintaining augmented reality functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The projection system dynamically adjusts its operation based on real-time user detection. When a user is detected in the projection path, the system modifies projection intensity, redirects the beam, or pauses projection temporarily. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain augmented reality capabilities while avoiding harm to users, resolving the contradiction between versatility and safety.
2Illumination intensity
If the projection brightness is increased to improve content visibility, then content visibility is improved, but user safety deteriorates due to potential direct exposure to bright light
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different brightness levels to different spatial regions. When a user is detected in the projection path, the system maintains high brightness for the intended projection surface while reducing or redirecting the beam in the user's direction. This localized quality adjustment ensures content visibility on the target surface while preventing direct exposure to bright light by users, resolving the contradiction between illumination intensity and user safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses camera detection and facial recognition as intermediary mechanisms to monitor user position relative to the projection path. This intermediary detection system enables the projector to adjust its operation based on user presence, maintaining high brightness for content visibility while preventing harmful direct exposure by redirecting or dimming the projection when users are detected in the path.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the projection is dimmed to prevent user discomfort, then user comfort is improved, but content visibility on the projection surface deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The projection system segments its operation into different spatial and temporal modes. Instead of uniformly dimming the entire projection, the system segments the projection beam and selectively redirects or dims only the portion that would reach the user, while maintaining full brightness on the intended projection surface. This segmentation allows the system to improve user comfort by preventing direct exposure while preserving content visibility on the target surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts projection parameters based on real-time user detection. When no user is present in the projection path, the projection operates at full brightness for optimal content visibility. When a user is detected, the system dynamically modifies the projection path or intensity only in the user's direction while maintaining visibility on the intended surface. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting brightness levels to contextual conditions rather than uniformly dimming.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and techniques for determining when content is being projected onto a predefined surface and, in response, altering the projection are described herein. For instance, the systems may project content onto one or more surfaces of an environment. The content may comprise electronic books, images, videos, animations, interactive menus, and/or any other type of visual content. While projecting the content, the systems projecting the content may determine when some or all of the content is projected onto a predefined surface, either due to the system dynamically projecting the content throughout different locations and surfaces in the environment, due to the predefined surface moving within the environment, or a combination thereof. When the systems determine that all or a portion of the content is being projected onto a predefined surface, the systems may alter the projection of content by dimming the content, altering a location of the projection, or the like.