Wearable Sound Reproduction System with Shielding Object Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional AR systems fail to realistically control sound quality when a virtual sound source is blocked by a shielding object, leading to a less immersive augmented reality experience.
Innovation Solution
A device system comprising an acoustic device, a sensor, and a sound processor that detects the movement of a shielding object and adjusts sound quality accordingly, changing from a blocked state to an unblocked state sound quality when the object moves, using a sensor to inform the sound processor to emit sound with specific qualities based on the object's position relative to the virtual sound source.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If sound quality is maintained constant regardless of shielding object position, then device complexity is reduced, but realism of augmented reality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sound quality is made dynamic by continuously adjusting it based on the detected position of the shielding object. The sound processor changes sound quality parameters (such as attenuation, frequency characteristics) in real-time as the shielding object moves between blocking and non-blocking positions, creating a dynamic adaptation to environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by using the sensor to detect the shielding object's position and feeding this information back to the sound processor. The sound processor then adjusts the sound quality based on this feedback, creating a closed-loop system that continuously optimizes sound reproduction according to the actual spatial configuration.
2Reliability
If sound quality changes dynamically based on shielding object position, then realism of augmented reality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the spatial environment into distinct states (blocking position and non-blocking position) based on the shielding object's location. Each segment corresponds to a specific sound quality configuration, simplifying the control logic by dividing the continuous spatial problem into discrete manageable states.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor acts as an intermediary between the physical shielding object and the sound processing system. It detects the object's position and converts this physical information into signals that the sound processor can use to adjust sound quality, mediating the interaction between the physical and acoustic domains.
3Reliability
If sound quality reflects shielding object influence, then auditory realism is improved, but measurement and detection difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex acoustic measurements with a simpler sensor-based detection mechanism. Instead of analyzing sound field changes to infer shielding object position, a dedicated sensor directly detects the object's position, substituting a mechanical/direct detection approach for a more complex acoustic inference system.
Data Source
AI summary
A device system includes an acoustic device, a sensor, and a sound processor. The acoustic device is configured to be worn by a user. A sensor is configured to detect a movement of a shielding object. The sound processor is configured to generate sound with a first sound quality for a block state in which the shielding object blocks a virtual sound source localized on an opposite side of the shielding object and emit the sound from the acoustic device. The sound processor is further configured to change a sound quality of the sound from the first sound quality to a second sound quality for a non-block state in which the shielding object does not block the virtual sound source, in response to the sensor detecting that the shielding object moves from a position blocking the virtual sound source.