Reflective Protractor Headset for Objective Eye Response Measurement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining impairment, such as eye gaze tracking and monitoring, are subjective and prone to errors due to ambient conditions like lighting and the administrator's variability, affecting the accuracy of pupil measurement and eye behavior analysis.
Innovation Solution
An image-based system with a headset that uses infrared illumination and imaging devices to record and analyze eye responses, including pupil movement and tracking, providing objective data and reducing ambient light interference through a reflective protractor and optional hood for a controlled environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual observation and video taping methods are used to track eye movements and measure pupil size, then the test can be administered without specialized equipment, but the measurements are subjective and inaccurate due to ambient lighting conditions and administrator variability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a reflective protractor as an intermediary element that mediates between the stimulus target and the subject's eye. The protractor provides a fixed reference frame that allows accurate measurement of eye movement angles and pupil responses regardless of ambient lighting conditions or administrator variability, thereby improving measurement precision without requiring complex automated equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of measurement from direct video imaging to optical reflection off a calibrated protractor surface. By reflecting the stimulus target and eye movements off the protractor's marked surface, the system transforms ambient light into a controlled measurement reference, enabling accurate angular and positional measurements that are insensitive to lighting variations
2Reliability
If video cameras are used to record eye responses, then the test results can be documented for review, but the video image becomes unstable and inaccurate when the camera is handheld or improperly positioned
Solution Approach 1:
The reflective protractor serves as a stable intermediary reference that eliminates the need for complex camera positioning. By providing a fixed, marked surface that reflects both the stimulus and eye movements, it creates a reliable measurement reference that remains consistent regardless of camera handholding or positioning variations
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates an optical copy of the eye movements and stimulus position through reflection off the protractor. This reflected image serves as a stable, measurable record that can be captured by the camera without requiring the camera itself to be perfectly positioned, as the protractor provides the fixed reference frame
3Measurement precision
If the stimulus target position is not precisely measured, then the test administration is simpler, but the accuracy of eye gaze tracking measurement is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The reflective protractor acts as an intermediary measurement device that provides precise stimulus position data through its calibrated markings. The protractor's angular scales and reference lines enable accurate determination of stimulus position relative to the subject's eye without requiring complex electronic positioning sensors or tracking systems
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
Enhances the accuracy and reliability of impairment assessments by providing objective, high-quality data for pupil measurement and eye behavior analysis, suitable for both field and training environments, and allows for precise analysis of eye responses, especially in low-light conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a reflective protractor, having a scale imprinted thereon, is mounted on the headset above the eye opening and facing the test administrator to provide an image of the stimulus target
Data Source
AI summary
The image-based system is used to observe and document eye responses which can be used to implement the procedures defined in the Standardized Field Sobriety Test as well as the Drug Recognition Expert Program. These eye responses include pupil movement, as well as pupil size and responses, for either one or both eyes simultaneously. The system includes a headset against which the subject places their face. The faceplate has an opening through which illumination devices transmit beams of infrared light to illuminate the subject's eyes. A reflective protractor, having a scale imprinted thereon, is mounted on the headset above the eye opening and facing the test administrator to provide an image of the stimulus target that is used by the test administrator. Two imaging devices are mounted on the headset opposite the eye opening to generate images of the subject's illuminated eyes. The generated images are transmitted to an image recording device for storage and an image display device for display to a test administrator.