Multi-step virtual object selection using gaze tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Interacting with virtual objects in mixed reality environments using hand or voice gestures can be tedious and prone to unintended selections, especially when navigating multiple virtual objects.
Innovation Solution
A head-mounted display system that determines user focus through gaze and head position, using a multi-step focusing mechanism involving a selectable virtual object and a validation object to confirm selection intent, thereby reducing unintended selections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If hand or voice gestures are used to interact with virtual objects, then user interaction capability is provided, but the interaction becomes tedious and prone to unintended selections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an eye-tracking system as an intermediary between the user and virtual objects. Instead of directly selecting objects with hand or voice gestures, the system first tracks the user's gaze to determine which object is being viewed, then presents that object for confirmation through additional gestures. This intermediary step prevents unintended selections while maintaining ease of interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary gaze tracking to identify the user's intended target before requiring any selection gesture. By determining which virtual object the user is looking at prior to initiating a selection action, the system can pre-validate the intent and reduce the chance of unintended selections, making the interaction more reliable without adding complexity.
2Reliability
If gaze tracking is used to determine user focus, then selection accuracy is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The eye-tracking system serves multiple functions: it determines user focus for selection accuracy, tracks head position for spatial awareness, and provides feedback for interaction confirmation. By making the gaze tracking system multi-functional, the patent reduces the need for separate systems, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity while maintaining improved selection accuracy.
3Reliability
If multi-step focusing mechanism is implemented, then unintended selections are reduced, but interaction time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The eye-tracking system operates continuously in the background, constantly monitoring user gaze and head position without requiring explicit user initiation. This continuous tracking means that when the user performs a selection gesture, the system already has up-to-date information about which object is being targeted, eliminating the need for separate confirmation steps and reducing overall interaction time while maintaining high selection accuracy.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B~1C
Figure 2
AI summary
A head mounted display allows user selection of a virtual object through multi-step focusing by the user. Focus on the selectable object is determined and then a validation object is displayed. When user focus moves to the validation object, a timeout determines that a selection of the validation object, and thus the selectable object has occurred. The technology can be used in see through head mounted displays to allow a user to effectively navigate an environment with a multitude of virtual objects without unintended selections.