Head-Mounted Display Visual Feedback for External Input Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable computing devices with head-mounted displays face challenges in providing intuitive input interfaces, as traditional interfaces like touch pads or keypads are often located outside the user's field of view, making it difficult for users to interact effectively due to the lack of visual feedback.
Innovation Solution
A head-mounted display system that includes a see-through display and an input interface mounted outside the user's field of view, with a controller that records physical interactions and generates real-time visual representations of these interactions, allowing the user to see feedback on the display, such as simulated hand movements or symbols, to enhance interaction accuracy and comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the input interface is located outside the field of view to maintain a compact head-mounted display design, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to lack of visual feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a visual copy or representation of the input interface and user interactions within the field of view. The see-through display shows a simulated view that replicates what the user would see if the interface were directly visible, allowing users to interact with the interface outside the field of view while receiving visual feedback about their interactions through the displayed representation.
Solution Approach 2:
The see-through display acts as an intermediary between the input interface (located outside the field of view) and the user's visual system. It mediates the interaction by providing visual feedback about interface interactions without requiring the interface itself to be visible, thus resolving the contradiction between compact design and operational ease.
2Illumination intensity
If the input interface is placed outside the field of view to improve the field of view quality, then the illumination intensity and visual clarity are improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to inability to see the interface
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of placing the interface within the field of view (which would compromise visual clarity), the patent creates a visual copy of the interface interaction feedback and displays it within the field of view through the see-through display. This allows the actual interface to remain outside the field of view (preserving illumination quality) while providing visual feedback through the copied representation.
3Ease of operation
If visual feedback is provided for the input interface to improve ease of operation, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional display components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the see-through display functionality with the input interface feedback system. The same see-through display that provides the augmented reality view also displays the visual feedback for input interface interactions. This combining of functions reduces overall device complexity compared to having separate display systems for AR and interface feedback.
Data Source
AI summary
A head-mounted display (HMD) displays a visual representation of a physical interaction with an input interface that is located outside of the field of view. In one embodiment, the visual representation includes symbols that indicate when close proximity or physical contact is made with the input interface. In another embodiment, the visual representation is a simulation of the physical interaction with the input interface. The visual representation displayed by the HMD can beneficially enable the wearer to interact with the input interface more efficiently.