AR Subsurface Feature Perception via HSL Color Blending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Augmented reality representations of subsurface features, such as utility pipes, often appear unnatural and unreliable to users due to 'jitter' and lack of integration with the physical environment, hindering their adoption in excavation planning and other applications.
Innovation Solution
The technique involves creating an augmentation stencil image aligned with the input image using an orthogonal projection of subsurface features, with pixel values in the HSL color space, allowing virtual paint markings to blend seamlessly with the terrain surface by matching hue and saturation values while preserving lightness, thus enhancing user perception.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If virtual paint markings are used to indicate subsurface features in augmented reality, then physical markings on the terrain surface are eliminated, but user perception of accuracy deteriorates because the markings appear to float above or occlude the terrain surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by selectively modifying only the color properties (hue and saturation) of pixels in the regions where virtual paint markings are displayed, while preserving the original lightness values and underlying terrain texture. This creates a localized integration effect where the virtual markings blend with the specific regions they overlay, making them appear as if they are part of the terrain surface rather than floating above it.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the color parameters of the virtual paint markings by converting them to the HSL color space and modifying only the hue and saturation components while maintaining the original lightness values. This parameter transformation allows the virtual markings to adopt the visual characteristics of the underlying terrain, improving their perceptual integration and user acceptance.
2Loss of information
If virtual paint markings completely occlude the terrain surface, then clear visibility of subsurface feature locations is achieved, but natural appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry in the treatment of different color channels by selectively modifying hue and saturation while leaving lightness unchanged. This asymmetric approach to color space manipulation allows the virtual markings to maintain their functional visibility while adopting the natural lighting characteristics of the terrain, creating an asymmetric blend that preserves both information and natural appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent preserves the local quality of the terrain surface by maintaining the original lightness values in regions where virtual markings are displayed. This local preservation of lighting information allows the markings to adapt to the underlying surface characteristics, making them appear naturally integrated rather than artificially imposed.
3Speed
If augmentation moves unpredictably due to user movement or environmental changes, then real-time tracking is achieved, but visual stability deteriorates causing jitter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent stabilizes the visual appearance of virtual markings by changing the treatment of color parameters over time. By maintaining consistent hue and saturation values while preserving the dynamic lightness information from the terrain, the markings achieve a stable visual identity that resists jitter while still responding to user movement for accurate positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, techniques are provided for improving perception of representations of subsurface features (e.g., virtual paint markings) in augmented reality. An input image of a terrain surface is accessed. An augmentation stencil image aligned with the input image is created and represented utilizing HSL color space. The input image is converted to the HSL color space. The technique creates and displays an augmented image that, for each pixel that falls outside of the representation subsurface features, has pixel values based on a hue value, a saturation value and a lightness value of the input image and for each pixel that coincides with the representation subsurface features has pixel values based on a hue value and a saturation value of the augmentation stencil image and a lightness value based on the input image.