Focus Plus Context View for Telepresence Robot Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current remote robotic control methods suffer from 'tunnel vision' due to limited field of view and latency issues, making navigation and control tedious and error-prone, especially when using manual teleoperation with video feeds.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of focus plus context views using digital warping of images from panoramic or wide-angle cameras, allowing a central undistorted region with a warped peripheral view, enabling seamless integration of peripheral awareness without distortion, and automatic orientation of the robot based on user input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a wide field of view lens is used to provide peripheral awareness, then the field of view is expanded, but the image becomes distorted throughout the whole image creating a stretched appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The display is segmented into a central focused region and a surrounding peripheral context region. The central region displays undistorted high-resolution imagery while the peripheral region displays warped context imagery, allowing each region to serve its specific function without compromise
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the display have different image processing qualities applied to them. The central region receives undistorted processing for high precision, while the peripheral region receives warped processing to expand field of view, with each region's quality optimized for its specific purpose
2Area of stationary object
If multiple cameras are used to provide wide views, then peripheral awareness is improved, but the views become hard to understand and integrate
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple camera feeds or wide-angle imagery are merged into a single unified display composition. The central focused view and peripheral context views are combined into one coherent visual representation that the operator can understand intuitively without needing to mentally integrate multiple separate feeds
Solution Approach 2:
The display system acts as an intermediary that processes and transforms raw multi-camera or wide-angle data into a comprehensible focus-plus-context visualization. This intermediary processing layer handles the complexity of integrating multiple views and presents a simplified, intuitive representation to the operator
3Area of stationary object
If head-mounted displays with wide FOV are used for immersive experience, then peripheral vision is improved, but the hardware complexity and bandwidth requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of requiring specialized head-mounted display hardware, the system creates a virtual copy of the wide-field human visual experience through software-based focus-plus-context processing on standard displays. This copying approach replicates the beneficial visual effects without requiring the complex hardware infrastructure
4Measurement precision
If the robot rotates to orient toward selected peripheral elements, then navigation accuracy is improved, but the transition from perceptual to cognitive processing increases mental effort
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by automatically rotating the robot to orient toward selected peripheral elements before the operator needs to manually control navigation. This preliminary orientation action reduces the operator's mental effort by handling the complex rotation task automatically while maintaining precise navigation capability
Data Source
AI summary
Example implementations include a system and method for providing a focus and context view for a movable apparatus. The focus view is indicated in a central portion of the display, and a context view is warped around the focus portion of the display to provide context. In example implementations, selection of another portion to render as the focus portion causes the movable apparatus to orient itself to the focus portion as the forward direction.