Binocular Vision Assistance Apparatus for Depth Perception
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Solution Overview
Problem
Individuals with monocular or partial monocular vision experience impaired depth perception due to the loss of binocular vision, affecting daily activities and increasing the risk of accidents in tasks requiring accurate depth perception.
Innovation Solution
A binocular vision assistance apparatus using mirrors, prisms, cameras, and electronic displays to simulate binocular vision by reflecting or translating images from an impaired eye to a healthy eye, enhancing depth perception through alternative depth cues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mirrors and prisms are used to reflect images from the impaired eye to the healthy eye, then depth perception is restored, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses mirrors and prisms as intermediary optical elements to transfer the image captured by the camera (representing the impaired eye's perspective) to the healthy eye. The mirror reflects light paths, while the prism redirects and combines images, serving as mediators that enable binocular vision simulation without requiring direct optical connection between eyes.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical system is divided into distinct functional segments: a camera module to capture the impaired eye's perspective, separate mirror elements for light reflection, prism components for image redirection, and display elements for presenting the combined view. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while working together to restore depth perception.
2Reliability
If cameras and electronic displays are used to simulate binocular vision, then depth perception is enhanced, but loss of information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera creates an optical copy of the scene from the impaired eye's perspective, which is then displayed to the healthy eye. This copying approach preserves the visual information that would otherwise be lost due to the impaired eye's condition, allowing the brain to receive and process binocular disparity cues for depth perception without requiring the physically impaired eye to function normally.
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
Restores a measure of depth perception, enabling individuals with monocular or partial monocular vision to participate more fully in daily activities with improved accuracy and safety, and can also enhance peripheral vision and provide additional perspective views.
Implementation Method 1
a binocular vision assistance apparatus may comprise pair of mirrors and/or prisms which may reflect an image captured from a position and/or point of view of an eye with vision loss and/or impairment
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the disclosed systems and methods provide for a vision assistance apparatus that may enhance the vision of a user and/or provide vision correction. Certain implementations provide for a binocular vision assistance apparatus that may translate an image captured at and/or near a location of a user's impaired eye and translate the image to a location that is perceivable by the user's healthy eye. In certain embodiments, optical systems may be used to translate the image to the location perceivable by the user's healthy eye. In further embodiments, electronic sensors and/or displays may be used. By providing translating certain images to a location perceivable by a user's healthy eye, embodiments disclosed herein may improve the quality of life and functionality of individuals with compromised vision, enabling them to participate more fully in daily activities and/or reducing the limitations imposed by their visual condition(s).