Peripheral Optical Error Locomotion Testing with Projected Patterns
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Peripheral optical errors negatively impact an individual's mobility by reducing their ability to notice obstacles in their periphery, affecting locomotion.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using an overhead video projector to project patterns or obstacles on the floor, combined with an optical motion capture system, to track and quantify the impact of peripheral optical errors on locomotion by isolating peripheral vision effects through tasks that require reliance on peripheral vision for accurate foot placement and obstacle navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional vision testing methods are used, then central vision can be assessed, but peripheral vision impact on locomotion cannot be measured
Solution Approach 1:
The testing system is segmented into distinct functional modules: an overhead video projector for pattern projection, an optical motion capture system for tracking, and a computer for data processing. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while collectively achieving precise measurement of foot placement accuracy that would be impossible with conventional single-system approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an optical motion capture system as an intermediary between the participant's locomotion and the measurement process. This intermediary captures three-dimensional positional data of feet and body segments, translating complex locomotor patterns into quantifiable metrics of foot placement accuracy and clearance, thereby enabling precise measurement without direct intervention.
2Reliability
If peripheral vision testing is implemented, then impact on locomotion can be quantified, but testing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical motion capture system operates continuously throughout the locomotion task, recording foot placement and body position data at high frequency without interruption. This continuous measurement approach captures the dynamic nature of peripheral vision impact during actual movement, providing reliable locomotion assessment data more efficiently than discrete, interrupted testing methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The testing protocol is designed with preliminary setup phases where the projection patterns and motion capture markers are positioned in advance. This preliminary action allows the actual locomotion testing to proceed without interruptions for setup adjustments, reducing overall testing time while maintaining assessment reliability.
3Measurement precision
If complex patterns are projected to challenge peripheral vision, then measurement accuracy improves, but participant safety decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates real-time feedback through the optical motion capture system that continuously monitors foot position and body orientation. This feedback mechanism allows immediate detection of potentially unsafe movements, enabling the testing protocol to adjust pattern complexity or provide alerts to maintain participant safety while preserving measurement accuracy through dynamic adaptation.
Solution Approach 2:
The testing environment is designed with beforehand cushioning measures including safety flooring, controlled lighting conditions, and pre-positioned support elements. These protective measures are in place before testing begins, creating a safe environment that allows complex projection patterns to be used for accurate measurement without significantly increasing participant safety risks.
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
The system effectively measures the impact of peripheral optical errors on mobility by accurately determining foot placement accuracy and clearance over obstacles, providing data for improving vision correction devices like glasses, contact lenses, or intraocular lenses to mitigate these effects.
Implementation Method 1
projecting, from an overhead video projector, a pattern on a floor in front of a participant
Implementation Method 2
tracking, with an optical motion capture system, a position of the participant along the pattern
Data Source
AI summary
A method of quantifying the effect of peripheral optical errors on patient locomotion includes projecting a pattern on the floor that includes a discrete shapes and empty spaces between the discrete shapes. The method also includes tracking a position of the participant along the pattern as the participant traverses the pattern, and determining foot placement accuracy, utilizing a optical motion capture system and a computer, as the participant walked through the pattern by determining a total area of overlap between the participant's feet and the empty spaces of the pattern. In another embodiment, the method includes arranging obstacles in front of a participant, intermittently displaying a character in front of the participant, determining participant's accuracy in identifying or counting the characters, and determining the participant's step length and foot clearance as the participant steps over the obstacles to quantify the effect of the peripheral optical errors on the participant's locomotion.