XR Interface Attention Detection and Dynamic Emphasis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for interacting with virtual, augmented, and extended reality environments are cumbersome, inefficient, and place a significant cognitive burden on users, often requiring multiple inputs and providing insufficient feedback, leading to errors and energy wastage, particularly in battery-operated devices.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a computer system with improved user interfaces that detect user attention and movement, adjusting the display of user interface objects in three-dimensional environments to provide more intuitive interactions, including deemphasizing objects when not in focus and updating their position based on user viewpoint changes, to reduce the number of inputs required and enhance feedback.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional user interfaces are used in XR environments, then basic interaction functionality is provided, but user cognitive burden increases and interaction efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interaction efficiencyVSAvoidcognitive burden

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically detects user attention through eye tracking and autonomously adjusts UI object emphasis and positioning without requiring explicit user commands. The interface serves itself by monitoring user behavior and making adaptive changes, reducing the cognitive steps users must take to interact with the system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback loops by tracking user gaze and attention, then immediately adjusting UI object appearance and position in response. This real-time feedback mechanism allows the interface to adapt to user needs dynamically, improving interaction efficiency while maintaining simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If multiple input steps are required for UI interactions, then precise control is achieved, but interaction time increases and energy consumption rises

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinteraction speedVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-positioning and pre-emphasizing UI objects based on predicted user attention patterns. By anticipating user needs and preparing the interface state in advance, the system reduces the number of interaction steps required while minimizing energy-consuming processing operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system applies partial action by selectively adjusting only those UI objects that are currently in or near the user's field of view, rather than processing all objects. This targeted approach accelerates interaction while reducing overall energy consumption compared to comprehensive UI management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Loss of information

If UI objects are always displayed with high emphasis, then user awareness is maintained, but visual clutter increases and user focus is disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser awarenessVSAvoiduser focus

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by dynamically adjusting the emphasis and visual properties of individual UI objects based on their spatial relationship to the user's current gaze and attention. Objects in the user's field of view receive enhanced emphasis, while peripheral objects are deemphasized, maintaining awareness without creating visual clutter.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements dynamic adjustment of UI object properties based on real-time user attention tracking. Emphasis levels, positioning, and visibility of UI objects change dynamically as the user moves their gaze, ensuring important information remains accessible while minimizing distractions from less relevant elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12124674B2Devices, methods, and graphical user interfaces for interacting with three-dimensional environments

Publication Date: 2024.10.22 APPLE INC

AI summary

A computer system detects whether the user satisfies attention criteria with respect to a first user interface object displayed in a first view of a three-dimensional environment. In response to detecting that the user does not satisfy the attention criteria with respect to the first user interface object, the computer system displays the first user interface object with a modified appearance. The computer system detects a first movement of a viewpoint of the user relative to a physical environment and detects that the user satisfies the attention criteria with respect to the first user interface object. In response, the computer system displays the first user interface object in a second view of the three-dimensional environment, including displaying the first user interface object with an appearance that emphasizes the first user interface object more than when the first user interface object was displayed with the modified appearance.