Virtual Reality System for Autonomous Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
In autonomous vehicles, virtual reality experiences are disrupted by external stimuli such as bumps and turns, leading to motion sickness, and riders lack situational awareness due to limited visibility of internal passengers and obstructions, while current computing resources are insufficient for high-fidelity graphics.
Innovation Solution
A virtual reality system that utilizes motion prediction and sensor data to minimize the impact of external stimuli, provides riders with enhanced views of their surroundings through camera feeds and 3D volumetric data, and allocates additional computing resources from the vehicle to improve virtual reality performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If virtual reality is provided in a moving vehicle, then user entertainment and engagement are improved, but motion sickness is caused due to external stimuli such as bumps and turns
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by using motion prediction to anticipate upcoming vehicle movements (bumps, turns, acceleration) and preemptively adjusting the virtual reality content to counteract the expected motion effects. This allows the VR experience to be adapted in advance to compensate for harmful motion stimuli, reducing motion sickness before it occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the harmful effect of vehicle motion into a benefit by using sensor data from the vehicle's motion sensors to dynamically adjust and synchronize virtual reality content with the actual vehicle movement. This transforms the previously harmful motion stimuli into an opportunity to create a more immersive and realistic VR experience that matches the physical environment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If riders wear head-mounted displays for virtual reality, then entertainment experience is improved, but situational awareness deteriorates due to limited visibility of internal passengers and obstructions
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies multi-functionality by integrating multiple functions into the head-mounted display: it provides virtual reality entertainment content while simultaneously displaying augmented reality information about the physical environment, including other passengers and vehicle interior elements. This allows the device to serve both entertainment and situational awareness needs concurrently.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges virtual reality and augmented reality functionalities into a single integrated display system. The HMD combines virtual content with real-world camera feeds and sensor data, creating a unified view that presents both entertainment and environmental information in a single immersive interface, allowing users to access both virtual and physical world information simultaneously.
3Manufacturing precision
If high-fidelity graphics are provided for virtual reality, then visual quality is improved, but computing resources become insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies dynamics by making the graphics rendering adaptive and dynamic rather than static. The virtual reality content is rendered in real-time with varying fidelity levels that adjust based on the vehicle's motion state, current scene complexity, and available computing resources. This allows high visual quality when conditions permit while maintaining system responsiveness when resources are constrained.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes key rendering parameters dynamically, including resolution, frame rate, and graphical detail levels, based on real-time conditions such as vehicle motion intensity, scene importance, and computing resource availability. This allows the system to optimize graphics quality for different situations without requiring maximum computing resources at all times.
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual reality system provides autonomous vehicle (AV) sensor data to applications such as games and augmented reality overlays to enhance experiences for riders in the autonomous vehicle. Virtual reality headsets offer users unique and interesting experiences, but when used in a changing environment such as a moving vehicle, external stimuli can impair the virtual reality experience. AV sensors can predict these stimuli so that applications can take measures to reduce their impacts on virtual reality experiences. In addition, sensors can include cameras that send live video feeds to virtual reality devices to render improved views of the environment around the AV and of landmarks in a city. Furthermore, virtual reality devices can take advantage of the AV's computing resources in order to offer better performance and more features to applications.