Movable Micromirror Array Eyewear for Selective AR Occlusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing augmented reality eyewear struggles to display bright opaque virtual objects in a portion of a user's field of view while maintaining a clear view of the real world in the rest of the field of view.
Innovation Solution
The eyewear employs a micromirror array with selectively-movable micromirrors and an electroconductive pathway array to transition between configurations, allowing light from the environment to pass through or be blocked and reflected from an optical display, depending on the configuration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a micromirror array is used to block light from the environment, then virtual objects can be displayed, but the view of the real world is blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The micromirror array is divided into multiple independently controllable micromirrors, allowing selective blocking of light in specific regions of the field of view. This enables virtual objects to be displayed in certain areas while maintaining clear views of the real world in other areas, resolving the contradiction between displaying bright virtual objects and maintaining real world visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the micromirror array have different states - some micromirrors are positioned to block light for displaying virtual objects, while others remain transparent to allow real world viewing. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying light blocking only where needed for virtual object display while preserving real world visibility elsewhere.
2Adaptability or versatility
If micromirrors are moved to block light, then virtual reality mode is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The micromirror array employs dynamically movable micromirrors that can be repositioned between different configurations to switch between viewing modes. This dynamic capability enables the system to adapt between virtual reality, augmented reality, and transparent modes, achieving versatility while the micromirror technology itself provides a relatively compact and integrated solution for mode switching.
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
This design enables the simultaneous display of virtual objects and a clear view of the real world by selectively blocking or reflecting light, enhancing the user's experience in augmented reality environments.
Implementation Method 1
a micromirror array with a plurality of selectively-movable (e.g. pivoting or rotating) micromirrors... in a second configuration which blocks at least some of the light from the environment from passing through the selected portion of the transparent optical component to the person's eye and reflects light from the optical display toward the person's eye
Data Source
AI summary
This invention is augmented reality eyewear which can transition between a real world viewing mode, a virtual reality viewing mode, and an augmented reality viewing mode. This eyewear shows bright opaque virtual objects in a portion of a person's field of view while providing the person with a clear view of the real world in the rest of their field of view. This eyewear includes an eyewear frame, an optical display, a lens, a plurality of selectively-movable (pivoting or rotating) micromirrors, and an array of electroconductive pathways.