Compact Mind-View Communicator With Eye-Tracked Scene Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cameras and camcorders require users to split their attention between recording and enjoying experiences, and they are bulky, making it difficult to capture unexpected moments.
Innovation Solution
A wearable mind-view communicator (MVC) with eyeglass frames and a separate electronic box that uses eye tracking to automatically record what the user is viewing, allowing hands-free operation and live broadcasting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional cameras and camcorders are used to record videos, then recording quality is improved, but device bulk and weight increase, making it difficult to carry around all the time
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two separate components: lightweight eyeglass frames containing only essential optical components (lenses, small cameras) and a separate electronic box containing processing units, storage, and power supply. This segmentation allows the wearable portion to be minimal while offloading computational and storage functions to an external device.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from a single integrated device to a distributed architecture where functional components are spread across multiple devices (eyeglasses + electronic box), effectively adding a spatial dimension to the system architecture to resolve the weight constraint.
2Ease of operation
If users manually operate cameras to select scenes, then recording control is improved, but user attention is divided between recording and enjoying the experience
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically captures images and video based on eye movement detection and pre-defined capture zones, eliminating the need for manual operation. The eyeglasses autonomously determine what to record based on user gaze direction, allowing users to fully engage with the experience without divided attention.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors eye movement and provides real-time feedback to control the recording process. Eye tracking data feeds back to the processing system to dynamically adjust capture decisions, ensuring automatic recording based on user attention without requiring manual intervention.
3Productivity
If existing recording devices are used, then recording capability is improved, but unexpected moments are not captured due to bulk and inability to carry around all the time
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the system into lightweight eyeglasses and a separate electronic box, the recording device becomes portable enough to wear continuously while maintaining full recording capability through the distributed architecture that processes and stores data in the external box.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables continuous recording capability by wearing the eyeglasses throughout the day, capturing unexpected moments as they occur rather than requiring the user to manually activate a bulky camera. The circular buffer memory provides continuous capture with automatic overwrite of oldest data when full.
4Ease of operation
If eyeglass frames with optical units are used for capturing images, then hands-free operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Complex functions including image processing, eye tracking analysis, data management, and power supply are segregated into a separate electronic box, leaving the eyeglass frames with only simple optical components and minimal electronics for capturing and transmitting visual data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses an intermediary communication interface between the eyeglasses and electronic box to transfer data and control signals, simplifying the individual components while maintaining functional integration through a standardized connection protocol.
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of a mind-view communication apparatus includes a first portable unit and a second portable unit. The first portable unit includes an eyeglass frame, at least one first optical unit disposed on the eyeglass frame for capturing at least one scene image corresponding to a field of view of a user, and at least one second optical unit disposed on the eyeglass frame for capturing at least one eye image corresponding to at least a portion of at least one eye of the user. The second portable unit is in communication with the first portable unit and includes at least one processor configured for receiving the at least one scene image and the at least one eye image, determining a direction within the field of view to which the at least one eye is directed based upon the at least one eye image, and generating a subset of the at least one scene image based on the determined direction.