Gaze-Supported Cursor Control via Decoupled Guidance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gaze-tracking systems in virtual environments face challenges with asynchronous and jittery gaze signals, making it difficult to reliably interact with small and closely positioned targets, especially when combining multimodal inputs.
Innovation Solution
A head-mounted display (HMD) system that uses gaze-tracking data to provide a guidance cursor, which can be manually controlled using additional inputs like gestures or voice commands, allowing for precise selection of virtual elements by decoupling the cursor from gaze location and translating it based on user inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If gaze tracking is used to control cursor position, then interaction intuitiveness is improved, but reliability of target selection deteriorates due to jittery and offset gaze signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a guidance cursor as an intermediary element between the gaze signal and the actual cursor position. The guidance cursor is positioned at the gaze location to provide visual feedback, while the actual cursor can be independently controlled through manual input devices. This mediator allows the system to benefit from gaze tracking's intuitiveness while maintaining reliable cursor control through separate manual input mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the cursor control function into two independent parts: a guidance cursor that follows gaze position for intuitive feedback, and a controllable cursor that responds to manual input devices for reliable positioning. This segmentation allows each component to optimize for its specific function without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between intuitiveness and reliability.
2Ease of operation
If gaze tracking data is used directly for cursor control, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to asynchronous and jittery gaze signals
Solution Approach 1:
The guidance cursor serves as a visual intermediary that displays gaze position information in a stable and precise manner, separate from the actual cursor control. This allows the system to present precise gaze tracking data through the guidance cursor while maintaining ease of operation through the decoupled cursor control mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by displaying the guidance cursor at the gaze location, providing visual confirmation of gaze position. This feedback loop allows users to see precisely where their gaze is directed, improving measurement precision perception while maintaining ease of operation through the feedback mechanism.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple input modes are combined for cursor control, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases due to asynchronous input processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the input processing into independent modules: gaze tracking for intuitive positioning, manual input devices for precise control, and a coordination mechanism that resolves conflicts between inputs. This segmentation allows multiple input modes to coexist without creating complex interdependencies, maintaining adaptability while managing device complexity through modular architecture.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A method for improving user interaction with a virtual environment includes measuring a first position of a user's gaze relative to the virtual environment, receiving a system engagement input, presenting a guidance cursor at the first position, receiving a target engagement input and decoupling the guidance cursor from the user's gaze, receiving a movement input, and translating the guidance cursor based on the movement input.