HMD Gaze Detection for Social Comfort
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In environments where head-mounted display (HMD) users interact with others, unintentional line-of-sight direction towards surrounding people can lead to misunderstandings and discomfort, as the HMD wearer's gaze may be misinterpreted, and existing techniques fail to alleviate this issue effectively.
Innovation Solution
An information processing apparatus and method that acquires gaze information to determine if the HMD wearer is looking at a virtual object, allowing the system to display specific virtual objects based on this information, thereby preventing misinterpretation of the wearer's gaze direction and alleviating discomfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the HMD wearer gazes at a virtual object displayed on a surrounding person, then the virtual object can be viewed, but the surrounding person feels uncomfortable due to misinterpretation of the line of sight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of gaze detection units and communication modules that mediate between the HMD wearer and surrounding people. The system detects the wearer's line of sight direction and communicates this information to surrounding people, preventing misinterpretation of whether the wearer is looking at them or at a virtual object positioned near them.
2Weight of moving object
If the HMD size and weight are reduced to resemble eyeglasses, then the device becomes more wearable and less noticeable, but it becomes impossible to determine whether surrounding people are using an HMD
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs visual indicators such as colored LEDs or display elements on the HMD frame that change color or illuminate to indicate usage status. When the HMD is being used, these indicators become visible to surrounding people, providing information about the wearer's HMD usage without requiring the device to be large or heavy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses communication modules and external indicators as intermediaries to convey HMD usage status information. Surrounding people can detect whether the wearer is using the HMD through visual indicators on the device or through communication with the HMD system, eliminating the need for the device to be visibly distinct from regular eyeglasses.
3Device complexity
If gaze information is not tracked, then the system is simpler, but misunderstandings occur about the wearer's attention direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical gaze tracking systems with simpler optical detection methods. Instead of using complex mechanical sensors to track eye movements, the system uses optical detection units that sense the direction of the wearer's gaze through light reflection or other optical phenomena, achieving accurate gaze tracking with reduced mechanical complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An information processing apparatus according to the present invention includes at least one memory and at least one processor which function as: a control unit configured to cause a first display apparatus serving as a head-mounted display apparatus to display a virtual object such that the virtual object is combined with real space, and a first acquisition unit configured to acquire gaze information related to whether or not a user wearing a second display apparatus serving as a head-mounted display apparatus different from the first display apparatus gazes at a virtual object displayed by the second display apparatus, wherein the control unit causes the first display apparatus to display a specific virtual object based on the gaze information acquired by the first acquisition unit.