Head-Worn Multi-State Panels for Low-Power AR Visibility
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional XR displays are expensive, have a low field-of-view, consume high power, and are computationally intensive, limiting their effectiveness and user experience.
Innovation Solution
Integration of pixelated multi-state panels that can be selectively activated based on contextual triggers, providing dimmed or scattered light to enhance visibility of virtual objects and user interface elements without requiring extensive computational resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional XR displays are used, then virtual reality experiences can be provided, but the device becomes expensive and consumes high power
Solution Approach 1:
The display system is segmented into two distinct components: conventional XR displays for immersive virtual content and multi-state panels for augmented reality overlays. This segmentation allows each component to operate independently, enabling the system to use only the multi-state panels when AR functionality is needed, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining XR display capabilities when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between conventional XR displays and multi-state panels based on the application mode (VR vs. AR). The multi-state panels can be selectively activated or deactivated, and their transparency can be dynamically adjusted, allowing the system to optimize power consumption by using the lighter-weight multi-state panels for AR overlays instead of continuously operating power-intensive conventional XR displays.
2Reliability
If conventional XR displays are used, then virtual objects can be displayed, but the field-of-view is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges conventional XR displays with multi-state panels to create a hybrid display system. The multi-state panels are positioned to overlay the field-of-view provided by the conventional XR displays, effectively combining the immersive VR capability with an expanded AR layer. This merging allows virtual objects to be displayed with an extended field-of-view by utilizing the additional display area of the multi-state panels.
3Reliability
If conventional XR displays are used, then immersive experiences can be provided, but the device becomes computationally intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the augmented reality rendering function from the computationally intensive conventional XR display and assigns it to the multi-state panels. By taking out the AR overlay functionality and implementing it separately on the multi-state panels, the system reduces the computational burden on the main XR processing unit, as the multi-state panels require significantly less computational resources to render and display AR content.
4Use of energy by moving object
If multi-state panels are used, then power consumption is reduced, but visibility enhancement capability must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-state panels utilize parameter changes in their optical properties, specifically their transparency state, to enhance visibility. By dynamically adjusting the transparency parameter of the multi-state panels, the system can selectively dim or obscure portions of the real-world view to highlight virtual objects and UI elements. This parameter-based control allows the panels to provide effective visibility enhancement while consuming significantly less power than conventional displays that would require continuous high-intensity illumination.
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
The multi-state panels offer a wide field-of-view, consume lower power, are lightweight, and provide enhanced visibility of virtual objects and user interfaces, while conserving battery life and reducing computational load.
Implementation Method 1
pixelated multi-state panels that can be selectively activated based on contextual triggers, providing dimmed or scattered light to enhance visibility
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure integrate pixelated multi-state panels (e.g., liquid crystal dimming panels) into artificial reality (XR) displays (e.g., augmented reality (AR) glasses) or conventional glasses. Conventional visual displays for XR displays can be expensive, have a low field-of-view, and consume high power. On the other hand, pixelated multi-state panels consume lower power, have a wide field-of-view, and are light, inexpensive, and computationally simple. The multi-state panels can have 4 configurations: 1) included on the periphery of an XR display, 2) as a standalone display, 3) as a display that's overlaid onto an XR display, and/or 4) as a secondary externally facing display. The multi-state panels can be selectively activated based on a trigger, such as identification of an object in the real-world environment, based on an event occurring in an XR application executing on the XR display, based on detected audio, etc.