Head-Worn Augmented Vision Mounting for Comfort and Peripheral Vision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing head-wearable devices for sensory or cognitive disorders are cumbersome, cause discomfort during long-term wear, and hinder peripheral vision, leading to issues like headache, nausea, and difficulty in spatial navigation.
Innovation Solution
A head-wearable apparatus with a mounting arrangement that supports the display and lens system via a projecting portion, allowing for comfortable long-term wear and enabling peripheral vision by using a face contacting member and abutment member for stable positioning, with adjustable peripheral vision control through a shrouding arrangement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the display and lens system are secured to the face area via harnesses, then the device can be worn on the head, but the weight applied to the face causes headache, nausea or fatigue during prolonged use
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting arrangement is divided into distinct functional components: a head engagement portion (band) that circumferentially secures the device to the head, and a projecting portion (arm) that extends forward to support the display and lens system. This segmentation separates the weight-bearing function from the face-contacting function, allowing the face contacting member to engage the face without supporting the full device weight, thereby eliminating pressure-related discomfort while maintaining device stability.
2Area of stationary object
If the device uses a glasses-like form factor to open up peripheral vision, then peripheral vision is improved, but the weight remains unchanged and there are fewer contact points making positioning more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting arrangement transitions from a two-dimensional face-hugging configuration to a three-dimensional structure that extends backward around the head. The head engagement portion wraps circumferentially around the skull, creating multiple contact points distributed around the head's perimeter, while the projecting portion extends forward in the third dimension to position the display and lenses. This dimensional transition provides both stable positioning and unrestricted peripheral vision.
3Loss of information
If dedicated VR headsets are used to create a virtual reality environment, then visual information is provided, but the devices are heavy and cause discomfort for long-term wear
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the heavy active display components from the head-wearable apparatus, replacing them with a passive optical system. A smartphone or external display device is positioned in front of the user's eyes, and optical elements (lenses, mirrors, or waveguides) are used to relay and focus the display information onto the user's retina. This extraction removes the weight burden from the head while preserving the visual information delivery function.
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
Enhances comfort and safety by supporting the weight of the device away from the face, ensuring stable lens positioning, and allowing adjustable peripheral vision to improve spatial awareness and balance, particularly beneficial for visually impaired users.
Implementation Method 1
a lens system configured to allow a wearer to focus on the information displayed by the display when the apparatus is worn on a head of the wearer
Data Source
AI summary
A head-wearable apparatus includes a display configured to display information, a sensor configured to sense an environment outside of the apparatus, a data processing system configured to control the display using an output from the sensor, a lens system configured to allow a wearer to focus on the information displayed by the display when the apparatus is worn on a head of the wearer, and a mounting arrangement configured to allow the apparatus to be worn on the head of the wearer. The mounting arrangement includes a head engagement portion configured to fit over or around the head and a projecting portion mechanically attached to the head engagement portion and configured to extend away from the head in a generally forwards direction relative to a face of the wearer when the apparatus is worn on the head of the wearer.