Head-Mounted Display Stabilizes Magnified Images
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional magnification devices like optical loupes are cumbersome, obstruct peripheral vision, and provide insufficient magnification, while wearable imaging devices suffer from image stabilization issues due to head movements, making it difficult to maintain focus on small details.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a head-mounted camera, head tracker, and processor that acquires image frames, stabilizes images, and rescales regions of interest to maintain a magnified view of an object locked onto its true geolocation, regardless of head movements, using a head-mounted display that overlays magnified images onto the background scene.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If optical loupes are used for magnification, then small details can be distinguished, but peripheral vision is obstructed and the device is cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a camera to capture an image of the scene and displays it on a head-mounted display, creating a digital copy of the visual information. This replaces the optical loupe with a electronic imaging system that can provide magnification without physically obstructing the user's field of view, as the magnified image is projected onto a display surface in front of the eye rather than requiring a physical lens assembly in front of the eye.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical optical loupe system with an electronic imaging and display system. Instead of using physical lenses and glass components that obstruct vision, the system uses a camera sensor, image processor, and electronic display to achieve magnification, thereby eliminating the mechanical obstruction while maintaining the magnification function.
2Measurement precision
If optical loupes are used for magnification, then small details can be distinguished, but the device provides insufficient magnification for extremely minuscule objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic magnification control by allowing the user to adjust the magnification level through software or user interface controls. The system can dynamically change the magnification factor based on the user's needs, enabling adaptation to different magnification requirements without requiring multiple physical loupes with fixed magnification powers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables variable magnification by changing the digital parameters of the imaging system, such as the size of the displayed image, the field of view, and the crop ratio. These parameter adjustments allow the system to provide different magnification levels (e.g., 2x, 4x, 8x) by modifying digital image processing parameters rather than requiring physical lens changes.
3Measurement precision
If optical loupes are used for magnification, then small details can be distinguished, but the device is prone to falling off, breaking, and degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the physical optical components (lenses, glass, mounts) with a digital imaging and display system. The camera and display components can be securely mounted on the head, and the digital nature of the system eliminates the risk of optical components breaking or degrading over time, thereby improving reliability and durability.
4Productivity
If head-mounted camera is used for imaging, then real-time viewing is possible, but head movements cause image vibration and loss of focus on small details
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses head movement sensors (such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, or position sensors) to detect the user's head movements in real-time. This feedback information is fed to the image processing system, which then adjusts the displayed image position and orientation to compensate for the detected head movements, maintaining stable viewing of small details despite head motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary counter-action by detecting head movements before they cause image blur or loss of focus. The system uses sensor feedback to predict and compensate for the effects of head movement on the displayed image, actively counteracting the vibration and displacement caused by head motions to maintain image stability.
5Measurement precision
If magnification is increased for smaller details, then resolution of small objects improves, but the viewable area decreases and stability degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables dynamic adjustment of the field of view and magnification level. The user can switch between different magnification settings (e.g., wide-angle view for overview, high-magnification view for detailed examination) based on the task requirements. This dynamic reconfigurability allows the system to optimize the balance between viewable area and detail resolution without being constrained by a fixed optical design.
Data Source
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AI summary
System and method for presenting magnified images locked onto object of interest in operator environment. A camera disposed on head of operator captures images of scene, where camera moves in conjunction with head movements. A head tracker detects the operator LOS by detecting at least head orientation. A processor obtains designated coordinates of object of interest in scene, and determines relative angle between detected operator LOS and object. The processor determines coordinates of object in acquired images, and applies image processing for fine stabilization of images based on previous images so as to compensate for operator head movements. The processor rescales an image region surrounding object of interest, in accordance with at least one display parameter, to produce respective magnified image frames of object. A head-mounted display displays the magnified images to operator such that object of interest appears in a defined position on display regardless of operator head movements.