Eye Tracking Image Stabilization for HMDs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing image display devices, such as head-mounted displays, struggle to accurately maintain an image horizontal to the viewer due to optokinetic eye movements, which cause blurring and eye strain.
Innovation Solution
An image display device with an eyeball position acquiring unit that adjusts the image display based on the viewer's eye orientation relative to a reference position, using a combination of infrared emission and photodiodes to calculate the eye's position and adjust the image accordingly, ensuring it remains horizontal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rotation correction of the display image is performed according to the rotation angle of the head, then the image can be kept horizontal during head movement, but the image cannot be displayed accurately horizontal on the viewer's eyes due to optokinetic eye movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces head rotation detection (mechanical/physical movement detection) with direct eyeball orientation detection using optical methods. Specifically, it uses infrared light reflection from the eyeball surface detected by photodiodes to calculate eyeball rotation angles, thereby substituting a mechanical head-tracking system with an optical eye-tracking system that directly measures the parameter needed for image correction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary infrared light source and photodiode detection system between the viewer and the display image. The infrared light reflects off the eyeball surface and is detected by photodiodes, creating an intermediary measurement path that allows precise detection of eyeball orientation without directly measuring head position or relying on vestibulo-ocular reflex compensation.
2Measurement precision
If a light radiating unit is used to acquire eyeball position based on reflected light, then direct eyeball orientation detection is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The infrared light radiating unit and photodiode detection system serve multiple functions: they detect eyeball orientation for image correction, can track eye movement patterns, and provide feedback for adaptive display adjustment. This multi-functional optical system reduces the need for separate detection mechanisms and integrates eye-tracking capabilities into the existing display device architecture.
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 effectively prevents image blurring and reduces eye strain by ensuring the image remains accurately horizontal, even during head movements, by dynamically adjusting the image display to match the viewer's eye orientation.
Implementation Method 1
a light radiating unit that is provided in the frame and radiates light to the viewer's eye, and the eyeball position acquiring unit may acquire the orientation of the viewer's eye relative to the reference position based on the light radiated by the light radiating unit
Data Source
AI summary
An image display device includes: an image display unit that displays an image; an eyeball position acquiring unit that acquires an orientation of an eye of a viewer relative to a reference position; and an image moving unit that translates the image display unit or an image displayed on the image display unit by a distance corresponding to the acquired orientation of the eye relative to the reference position or rotationally moves the image display unit or the image displayed on the image display unit by an angle corresponding to the acquired orientation of the eye relative to the reference position.