Mixed-reality image alignment for head-mounted displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current augmented-reality devices struggle to accurately align and present mixed-reality images with real-world surfaces in a physical space, especially when the surface angle is less than a threshold, leading to difficulties in user viewing experience.
Innovation Solution
A head-mounted display device equipped with a visible-light camera, surface sensor, and augmented-reality engine that identifies surfaces, composes mixed-reality images by overlaying augmentation images on visible-light images, and adjusts the alignment based on gaze vectors and surface angles to ensure optimal viewing, including animations and virtual adjustment controls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If augmented-reality devices present mixed-reality images on surfaces, then user immersion and visualization are improved, but alignment accuracy deteriorates when surface angles are shallow (less than threshold)
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the presentation mode based on surface angle detection. When a surface angle is detected as shallow (less than a threshold), the system automatically switches from surface-aligned presentation to a alternative presentation mode, ensuring continuous accurate alignment across varying surface orientations
Solution Approach 2:
The augmented-reality engine changes the alignment parameter based on detected surface parameters. By monitoring surface angle and adjusting the alignment transformation matrix accordingly, the system maintains accurate image alignment even when surfaces are oriented at shallow angles relative to the device
2Ease of operation
If the system automatically aligns images with surfaces, then ease of operation is improved, but complexity of alignment computation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-alignment by automatically detecting surface parameters and computing appropriate transformations without requiring user input. The augmented-reality engine autonomously processes surface data from sensors and adjusts image composition accordingly
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-computes alignment transformations based on detected surface parameters before presenting the mixed-reality image. By preparing the alignment configuration in advance based on surface angle detection, the system reduces real-time computational complexity while maintaining automatic alignment functionality
Data Source
AI summary
A head-mounted display includes a visible-light camera configured to collect a visible-light image of a physical space, a surface sensor configured to measure one or more surface parameters of the physical space, a see-through display configured to visually present an augmentation image while light from the physical space passes through the see-through display to a user eye, and an augmented-reality engine. The augmented-reality engine may be configured to identify a surface of the physical space from the one or more measured surface parameters, compose a mixed-reality image that includes the augmentation image overlaid on the visible-light image, and visually present, via the see-through display, the mixed-reality image in alignment with the identified surface.