Autofocusing Eyewear Using Structured Light Pupil Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current eyewear solutions for presbyopia and other accommodative dysfunctions require manual adjustment to focus on near and far objects, lacking the ability to automatically adjust focal power based on the user's gaze depth.
Innovation Solution
The use of a pupil-tracking structured-light system in conjunction with a focus-tunable lens and controller to determine the 3D position of the pupils and adjust the lens focal power automatically, allowing for continuous focus adjustment without user input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If manual adjustment mechanisms (knobs, buttons) are used to change focal power, then the user can switch between near and far prescriptions, but the system requires continuous user engagement and cannot automatically adjust focus
Solution Approach 1:
The eyewear system automatically adjusts focal power without requiring user intervention. The controller continuously monitors pupil position via structured light imaging and autonomously tunes the Alvarez lens to the appropriate focus distance, eliminating the need for manual knob twisting or button pressing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses structured light to continuously image the user's eyes and track pupil position in real-time. This feedback about gaze direction and depth is processed by the controller to dynamically adjust the lens focal power, creating a closed-loop control system that adapts to user needs automatically.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sets of glasses are carried to accommodate different focal requirements, then near and far vision can be corrected, but the solution becomes cumbersome and inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using static multiple pairs of glasses, the system employs a dynamic Alvarez lens that can continuously adjust its focal power in real-time. The lens transitions smoothly between different focal states based on real-time eye tracking, providing versatile prescription coverage without requiring multiple discrete eyewear items.
Solution Approach 2:
A single pair of eyewear performs multiple functions by dynamically adjusting focal power for different distances. The Alvarez lens can accommodate near, intermediate, and far vision requirements within one device, eliminating the need to carry and switch between multiple specialized glasses.
3Extent of automation
If structured light imaging is used to track pupil position in 3D space, then automatic focus determination is achieved, but the system complexity increases compared to traditional Purkinje point methods
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces traditional mechanical or simple optical methods with computer vision and image processing. Instead of relying on calibrated Purkinje points, the system uses structured light imaging combined with algorithms to detect pupil position and depth of gaze, substituting mechanical calibration with computational analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from 2D eye surface imaging to 3D spatial analysis by projecting structured light patterns onto the eye. This allows the system to determine the three-dimensional position of the pupils and calculate the depth of gaze, enabling automatic focus determination across multiple distances.
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
Enables automatic correction of focal power for varying distances, improving usability by eliminating the need for manual switching between different prescriptions and providing accurate, real-time focus adjustments.
Implementation Method 1
The current disclosure uses cameras and a computer controller to track the pupils and determine the depth of gaze using a technique known as structured light
Implementation Method 2
Sorensen proposed using a neural network to process reflections from the eye to provide an at least partially in focus image in a display screen
Implementation Method 3
The lens is any focus-tunable lens, such as an electro-mechanical lens (which use electrical motors or electroactive polymers to move or reshape solid, flexible or Alvarez lens) or liquid-crystal lens
Data Source
AI summary
Continuously autofocusing eyeglass systems include focus adjustable lenses and a controller to automatically adjust focus power of the lenses to match the correction needed for each eye at the depth of gaze of a user. Focus depth is determined using an image obtained by illuminating the eyes with a structured light illumination source.