Gaze Input Area Selection for Electronic Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gaze input systems for electronic devices, such as digital cameras, require users to perform multiple operations to select a desired area, which can be labor-intensive and time-consuming, especially when the initial gaze position is not on the subject.
Innovation Solution
An electronic device equipped with a gaze detecting unit, a subject detecting unit, and a control unit that allows the system to automatically select a region within the gaze input position, reducing the need for user-operated movements by aligning the selected area with the user's gaze input, even if the initial position is not on the subject.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the user specifies areas in succession by operating an operating member, then the area selection can be made systematically, but the time and labor required to select the desired area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of the subject's position and characteristics before the user operates the operating member. By pre-identifying the subject and calculating the appropriate region based on gaze position and subject attributes, the system reduces the number of operations needed during actual selection, thereby decreasing selection time while maintaining accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback by displaying the detected subject and the calculated region on the display unit. This visual feedback allows the user to verify the system's understanding of their intent and makes adjustments if necessary, improving both the speed and accuracy of area selection by reducing trial-and-error operations
2Loss of time
If the movement speed of selecting areas is modified in accordance with positional relationship, then the time to select area is reduced, but the operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes parameters such as region size and position dynamically based on detected subject characteristics and gaze position. By adjusting these parameters automatically according to pre-established rules, the system achieves fast area selection without requiring complex user interactions or manual adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-adjustment by automatically calculating the appropriate region based on its own detection of subject position and the user's gaze input. This self-service capability eliminates the need for complex external control mechanisms while achieving rapid and accurate area selection
3Measurement precision
If the user manually moves the selected area to the desired position, then precise area selection is achieved, but the number of operations and labor involved increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical operation with automated computational processing. Instead of requiring the user to manually move the selected area through multiple operations, the system uses image processing and coordinate calculations to automatically position the selection region at the desired location based on gaze input and subject detection
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary calculation process that translates gaze position and subject characteristics into the appropriate selection region. This intermediary layer automatically determines the optimal region parameters, serving as a mediator between the user's intent and the final selection, thereby reducing manual operations while maintaining precision
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device includes: a gaze detecting unit configured to detect a position of gaze input on an image displayed on a display unit; a subject detecting unit configured to detect from the image a subject of a specific type and a region included in the subject of the specific type; and a control unit configured to execute control so that, in a case where a position selected prior to a user operation on an operating member is not on the subject in the position of gaze input, a region corresponding to the user operation, which is included in the subject in the position of gaze input, is selected in response to the user operation, regardless of the position selected prior to the user operation.