Polarized Motion Tracking for Low-Latency 6DoF Head Displays
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing movement tracking systems for head-worn displays are often expensive, bulky, and suffer from latency issues, making them unsuitable for applications like aviation where timely and accurate information is crucial.
Innovation Solution
A polarization-based system that uses multiple emitters and detectors to track the orientation and position of a head-worn display relative to a platform, providing high accuracy, low latency, and a reduced form factor, with the ability to determine all six degrees of freedom.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If inertial, magnetic, ultrasonic, or camera-based optical tracking systems are used for head-worn displays, then movement tracking capability is achieved, but the system becomes expensive, bulky, and experiences latency issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical tracking systems (inertial sensors, magnetic sensors, ultrasonic transducers, camera-based optical systems) with a lightweight polarized electromagnetic radiation system. This substitution maintains measurement precision while dramatically reducing device complexity, bulk, and cost by using simple polarized emitters and detectors instead of bulky mechanical components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental operating parameters of the tracking system by using polarized electromagnetic radiation in the visible or near-infrared spectrum. This parameter change enables the system to achieve high-precision tracking with minimal hardware, as the polarized light interaction provides sufficient measurement data without requiring complex sensor arrays or processing systems
2Measurement precision
If complex tracking systems are used to ensure timely information delivery, then movement tracking accuracy is improved, but latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces processing-intensive mechanical tracking systems with a simple polarized light detection system that requires minimal computation. The direct detection of polarized electromagnetic radiation by photodetectors provides immediate measurement data with no complex filtering or integration required, thereby achieving high tracking accuracy while minimizing latency
3Volume of moving object
If a compact NTE form factor is used, then device portability is improved, but tracking functionality becomes limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves full six-degree-of-freedom tracking capability in a compact NTE form factor by using polarized electromagnetic radiation that can detect both angular and linear movements. The polarized light system serves multiple tracking functions simultaneously (pitch, roll, yaw, and translational movements) without requiring separate sensor systems, thereby maintaining versatility while minimizing device volume
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 achieves sub-millisecond latency, reduced cost, and simplified installation, enabling accurate tracking of complex movements while tolerating metallic structures, thereby enhancing the operational efficiency of head-worn display systems in various applications.
Implementation Method 1
transmitting polarized electromagnetic radiation from a plurality of emitters, the emitters affixed to the platform
Implementation Method 2
receiving the polarized electromagnetic radiation by a plurality of polarized detectors affixed to the object
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 2
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A system and method are provided for leveraging emitted polarized electromagnetic radiation as a means to track relative orientation and position of an object with regard to another object. Six basic degrees of freedom including three angular and three translational are determined based on making multiple polarization-based measurements and then determining the corresponding geometry that would yield those measurements.