Virtual Touch in Stereoscopic 3D Space via Parallax Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional stereoscopic 3D displays generate uncomfortable parallax when users are close enough to touch the screen, leading to eyestrain and increased system costs due to the use of touch panels.
Innovation Solution
A virtual touch system that uses stereoscopic 3D video subsystems with parallax adjustment logic to position virtual cursors and objects in viewer space, maintaining a comfortable parallax by tracking user body and hand positions and adjusting the stereoscopic depth of objects and cursors accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a touch panel is incorporated in conventional stereoscopic 3D displays to enable user interaction, then user interaction capability is improved, but system cost increases and eyestrain is caused due to uncomfortable parallax when users are close to the screen
Solution Approach 1:
A camera acts as an intermediary device to capture the user's hand position and translate it into cursor movement on the display. This mediator allows the user to interact with the 3D interface without physically touching the screen, thereby avoiding the parallax discomfort that would result from close viewing distances while maintaining full interaction capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical touch panel system with an optical detection system (camera) and computational mapping system. Instead of requiring physical contact with the display surface, the system uses visual tracking of hand movements and translates them into cursor positions through algorithmic mapping, eliminating the need for a touch panel while preserving interaction functionality.
2Ease of operation
If a touch panel is incorporated in conventional stereoscopic 3D displays to enable user interaction, then user interaction capability is improved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a visual copy or representation of the user's hand position through camera imaging and maps it to the corresponding location on the display. This copying approach allows interaction without requiring the expensive touch panel hardware, as the camera and computational mapping provide a cost-effective alternative that replicates touch functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the expensive mechanical touch panel system with an optical camera system and software-based cursor mapping. This replacement eliminates the need for complex touch-sensitive display layers and associated processing hardware, significantly reducing system cost while maintaining interaction capability through visual tracking and computational translation of hand movements.
3Measurement precision
If the user is positioned close to the screen to interact with touch panel, then interaction precision is improved, but parallax becomes uncomfortable causing eyestrain
Solution Approach 1:
The camera serves as an intermediary that captures hand position at a distance from the display, allowing the user to maintain a comfortable viewing distance while achieving precise interaction control. The mediator translates hand position into cursor position through optical detection and computational mapping, decoupling interaction precision from viewing distance and eliminating the need to lean close to the screen.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from direct 2D screen contact interaction to 3D spatial hand tracking. By capturing hand position in three-dimensional space through the camera and mapping it to the 2D display plane, the system adds a spatial dimension to the interaction model. This allows precise control to be achieved through spatial positioning rather than physical contact, enabling users to maintain comfortable viewing distances.
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 reduces eyestrain by maintaining a comfortable parallax level and eliminates the need for physical touch panels, thereby lowering system costs and enhancing user interaction with 3D graphics.
Implementation Method 1
The apparent displacement of an object viewed along these two different lines of sight is known as 'parallax.' When each eye receives its appropriate image, the brain perceives differences in these images (parallax) as depth, the third dimension in '3D'.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for adjusting parallax for a 3D object appearing on a display. One such method includes selecting a target 3D object, calculating an adjusted parallax position, calculating a z-axis offset based at least in part on the adjusted parallax position, adjusting a first z-axis position of the target 3D object by the z-axis offset, and rendering the target 3D object on the display at the adjusted first z-axis position. The adjusted parallax position is based at least in part on a maximum user reach, a comfortable viewing distance, and a distance between a user and the display. The z-axis offset is set to a difference between the adjusted parallax position and a parallax for a 3D object which is farthest from the user.