Audio Enhanced AR Eyewear Sound Localization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing augmented reality technologies lack effective integration of audio enhancements to provide immersive and interactive experiences by accurately detecting and classifying environmental sounds, determining their direction, and presenting relevant applications or visual overlays in real-time.
Innovation Solution
The eyewear device incorporates microphones and speakers to capture and process audio signals, applying beam forming and classification algorithms to detect sound direction and classify audio, while simultaneously presenting audio and visual overlays associated with detected sounds, using a combination of cameras for spatial awareness and image processing to enhance the augmented reality experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If audio processing and classification algorithms are integrated into the eyewear device, then the immersive augmented reality experience is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions (audio capture via microphones, audio processing, sound classification, visual overlay presentation, and spatial localization) into a single integrated eyewear device. The processor unit coordinates all these components to deliver a unified augmented reality experience that responds to environmental sounds, resolving the contradiction by merging previously separate systems into one cohesive device.
Solution Approach 2:
The eyewear device is designed as a multi-functional system that simultaneously performs audio capture, audio classification, visual display, spatial awareness, and interactive response. The single device serves multiple purposes: it acts as a camera system, audio recorder, processor, and display device, thereby improving adaptability while managing complexity through universal design.
2Productivity
If real-time audio detection and classification is performed, then the interactivity of the augmented reality system is improved, but the processing time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously captures and pre-processes audio signals through microphones, maintaining a ready state for immediate classification and response. By continuously monitoring the audio environment rather than processing on-demand, the system reduces latency when interactive responses are needed, as the audio processing pipeline is already active and prepared.
Solution Approach 2:
The audio processing and classification operations run continuously in the background, ensuring that the system is always prepared to detect and respond to environmental sounds. This continuous operation eliminates startup delays and maintains constant interactivity, as the processing chain never stops but operates steadily to provide immediate responses.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors and processing units are added to enhance audio detection accuracy, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The audio detection system is divided into specialized components: microphones for capture, processors for signal processing, and classification algorithms for sound identification. Each component handles a specific aspect of audio detection, allowing the system to achieve high precision through division of labor rather than relying on a single complex unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor acts as an intermediary between the microphones and the classification algorithms, performing signal processing and preparation. This intermediate processing stage enhances detection accuracy by filtering and conditioning audio signals before classification, while keeping the overall system architecture modular and manageable despite the multiple components involved.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables an immersive audio-enhanced augmented reality experience by accurately localizing and presenting audio and visual content in relation to detected sounds, providing a more interactive and engaging user interface.
Implementation Method 1
The eyewear device incorporates microphones and speakers to capture and process audio signals
Implementation Method 2
The eyewear device incorporates microphones and speakers to capture and process audio signals
Implementation Method 3
applying beam forming and classification algorithms to detect sound direction
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, media, and methods are presented for an audio enhanced augmented reality (AR) experience using an eyewear device. The eyewear device has a microphone system, a presentation system, a support structure configured to be head-mounted on a user, and a processor. The support structure supports the microphone system and the presentation system. The eyewear device is configured to capture, with the microphone system, audio information of an environment surrounding the eyewear device, identify an audio signal within the audio information, detect a direction of the audio signal with respect to the eyewear device, classify the audio signal, and present, by the presentation system, an application associated with the classification of the audio signal.