Hybrid Rendering for Wearable Displays Reducing Latency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wearable VR displays face challenges with high compute and battery load, weight, and bandwidth demands, leading to compromised experiences due to latency and motion sickness, especially when using tethered or smartphone-based headsets.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid computing architecture is implemented, where rendering is partitioned between the headset and a separate computer, using local processing for rapid head and eye movements to reduce latency and bandwidth by rendering with lower detail and frame rate during fast motion, and switching back to higher fidelity when motion stops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If rendering is performed entirely by the tethered computer, then visual fidelity is improved, but latency increases during fast head movements
Solution Approach 1:
The rendering system is segmented into two parts: the tethered computer handles high-fidelity rendering for stable conditions, while the wearable device handles low-detail rendering for fast motion conditions. This segmentation allows each component to optimize for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between fidelity and latency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between two rendering modes based on detected head motion. When motion exceeds a threshold, the system transitions from high-fidelity remote rendering to low-detail local rendering, and vice versa. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by adjusting the rendering approach according to real-time conditions.
2Manufacturing precision
If high fidelity rendering is maintained during fast motion, then visual quality is improved, but bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the rendering parameters (detail level, resolution) based on motion conditions. During fast motion, parameters are adjusted to lower detail levels, reducing bandwidth consumption while maintaining adequate visual quality for the dynamic condition. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction between quality and bandwidth.
3Manufacturing precision
If full detail rendering is used at all times, then visual quality is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs periodic assessment of motion conditions and adjusts rendering detail accordingly. During fast motion periods, low-detail rendering reduces power consumption while maintaining acceptable quality. During stable periods, high-detail rendering restores visual quality. This periodic adaptation resolves the contradiction between quality and power consumption.
4Loss of time
If local rendering is used during fast motion, then latency is reduced, but visual detail decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from motion sensors to determine when to switch between rendering modes. This feedback mechanism ensures that local low-detail rendering is activated only when necessary (during fast motion), and high-fidelity remote rendering is restored when conditions permit, thus managing the trade-off between latency and detail based on real-time conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
Hybrid rendering is described for a wearable display that is attached to a tethered computer. In one example, a process includes determining a position and orientation of a wearable computing device, determining a rate of motion of the wearable computing device, comparing the rate of motion to a threshold, if the rate of motion is above the threshold, then rendering a view of a scene at the wearable computing device using the position and orientation information, and displaying the rendered view of the scene.