Head-Mounted Sensor System for Continuous Virtual Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wearable detection systems for mapping surfaces are limited in their ability to provide continuous navigation within a virtual environment, often restricting users to predefined points and lacking the ability to accurately render transparent and edge-defined surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A head-mounted sensor system incorporating a combination of sensors such as LIDAR, optical, and ultrasonic sensors, synchronized with movement sensors, to generate a three-dimensional wireframe and texture representation of spaces, allowing for continuous navigation and identification of transparent surfaces and edges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a head-mounted sensor system uses multiple sensors (LIDAR, ultrasonic, optical) to detect surfaces and generate 3D wireframe representations, then the ability to navigate continuously within a virtual environment and identify transparent surfaces is improved, but the device complexity and synchronization requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the detection task among multiple specialized sensors (LIDAR for distance, ultrasonic for transparent surfaces, optical for textures) and processes their outputs separately through dedicated circuits before integration. This segmentation allows each sensor to operate independently while maintaining overall system coordination through the synchronization circuit.
Solution Approach 2:
The synchronization circuit acts as an intermediary that coordinates the outputs from multiple independent sensors (LIDAR, ultrasonic, optical) and movement sensors. It reconciles timing differences between sensors and integrates their data streams into a unified output that drives the virtual environment rendering, enabling continuous navigation without requiring direct complex interactions between all sensor components.
2Reliability
If the system synchronizes outputs from multiple sensors to provide real-time data for virtual environment rendering, then the realism and usability of the virtual environment are enhanced, but the processing time and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The synchronization circuit is configured to pre-coordinate the timing of sensor outputs before data processing begins. By establishing synchronized timing relationships in advance and continuously maintaining them, the system avoids time-consuming synchronization calculations during real-time operation, enabling efficient processing of sensor data for virtual environment rendering.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex post-processing synchronization algorithms with a hardware-based synchronization circuit that directly coordinates sensor outputs in real-time. This electrical/electronic synchronization mechanism is faster and more reliable than software-based timing coordination, reducing processing delays while maintaining accurate texture registration.
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
Enables users to navigate virtually through spaces with high fidelity, including transparent surfaces and edges, by providing real-time data synchronization and accurate texture registration, enhancing the realism and usability of the virtual environment.
Implementation Method 1
a first sensor mounted on the helmet, the first sensor being configured to detect distances between the first sensor and surfaces around the helmet using a laser
Implementation Method 2
a second sensor mounted on the helmet, the second sensor being configured to detect distances between the second sensor and the surfaces using sound
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and method of mapping spaces include a head-mounted sensor array. The array includes sensors configured to both measure distances within spaces and capture images of the spaces. This data may be used to generate continuously navigable virtual simulations of the spaces. Mapping of the spaces may include movable objects such as doors, transparent objects such as windows, and transitions between floors.