NZ794186A - Automatic control of wearable display device based on external conditions - Google Patents
Automatic control of wearable display device based on external conditionsInfo
- Publication number
- NZ794186A NZ794186A NZ794186A NZ79418617A NZ794186A NZ 794186 A NZ794186 A NZ 794186A NZ 794186 A NZ794186 A NZ 794186A NZ 79418617 A NZ79418617 A NZ 79418617A NZ 794186 A NZ794186 A NZ 794186A
- Authority
- NZ
- New Zealand
- Prior art keywords
- user
- environment
- virtual
- wearable system
- virtual content
- Prior art date
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Abstract
wearable system configured to display virtual content in a mixed reality or virtual reality environment, the wearable system comprising a display configured to present virtual content in a mixed reality, augmented reality, or virtual reality environment and a hardware processor programmed to receive images of an environment of a user, cause to be rendered by the display a plurality of virtual content items associated with the environment of the user, analyze the image using one or more object recognizers configured to recognize objects in the environment with machine learning algorithms, detect a triggering event based at least partly on an analysis of the image and in response to a detection of the triggering event, access content blocking rules associated with the environment, wherein the content blocking rules comprise a blacklist indicating virtual content items that are available for muting, determine, based on the content blocking rules associated with the environment, one or more of the plurality of virtual content items that are available for muting in the environment and mute the determined one or more virtual content. ve images of an environment of a user, cause to be rendered by the display a plurality of virtual content items associated with the environment of the user, analyze the image using one or more object recognizers configured to recognize objects in the environment with machine learning algorithms, detect a triggering event based at least partly on an analysis of the image and in response to a detection of the triggering event, access content blocking rules associated with the environment, wherein the content blocking rules comprise a blacklist indicating virtual content items that are available for muting, determine, based on the content blocking rules associated with the environment, one or more of the plurality of virtual content items that are available for muting in the environment and mute the determined one or more virtual content.
Description
A wearable system configured to display virtual content in a mixed reality or virtual reality
environment, the wearable system comprising a y configured to present virtual content
in a mixed reality, augmented reality, or virtual y environment and a hardware processor
programmed to receive images of an nment of a user, cause to be rendered by the y
a plurality of l content items associated with the environment of the user, analyze the
image using one or more object recognizers configured to recognize objects in the environment
with machine learning thms, detect a triggering event based at least partly on an analysis
of the image and in response to a detection of the ring event, access content blocking
rules associated with the environment, wherein the content blocking rules comprise a blacklist
indicating virtual content items that are available for muting, determine, based on the content
blocking rules associated with the environment, one or more of the plurality of virtual content
items that are available for muting in the environment and mute the determined one or more
virtual content.
NZ 794186
TIC CONTROL OF WEARABLE Y DEVICE BASED ON
EXTERNAL CONDITIONS
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S.
Provisional Application No. 62/440099, filed on December 29, 2016, entitled “MANUAL OR
AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF WEARABLE DISPLAY DEVICE BASED ON EXTERNAL
CONDITIONS,” the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its
entirety. This ation is a divisional of New Zealand Patent Application No. , the
entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD
The present disclosure relates to mixed reality imaging and visualization
s and more particularly to tic controls of mixed reality imaging and visualization
system based on external conditions.
BACKGROUND
Modern computing and display technologies have facilitated the
development of systems for so called "virtual reality", "augmented reality", or “mixed reality”
experiences, wherein digitally reproduced images or portions thereof are presented to a user in
a manner wherein they seem to be, or may be perceived as, real. A virtual reality, or "VR",
scenario typically involves presentation of digital or virtual image ation without
transparency to other actual orld visual input; an augmented reality, or "AR", scenario
typically involves presentation of digital or virtual image information as an augmentation to
visualization of the actual world around the user; a mixed reality, or “MR”, d to merging
real and virtual worlds to e new environments where physical and virtual objects coexist
and interact in real time. As it turns out, the human visual perception system is very
complex, and producing a VR, AR, or MR technology that facilitates a comfortable, naturalfeeling
, rich presentation of l image elements amongst other virtual or real-world imagery
elements is challenging. s and methods sed herein address various challenges
related to VR, AR and MR technology.
Embodiments of a wearable device can include a head-mounted display
(HMD) which can be configured to display virtual content. While the user is cting with
visual or audible virtual content, the user of the wearable device may encounter a triggering
event such as, for example, an emergency condition or an unsafe condition, ing one or
more triggering objects in an environment, or detecting that a user has entered into a particular
nment (e.g., home or ). Embodim ents of the wearable device can tically
detect the triggering event and automatically control the HMD to deemphasize, block, or stop
displaying the virtual content. The HMD may include a button that can be actuated by the user
to manually deemphasize, block, or stop displaying the virtual content. In certain
implementations, the wearable device can resume or restore the virtual content in response to
detection of a termination condition.
Details of one or more implementations of the subject matter described in
this specification are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other
es, aspects, and advantages will become apparent from the description, the drawings, and
the claims. r this y nor the following detailed description purports to define or
limit the scope of the inventive subject matter.
[0005A] In one broad form, the present ion seeks to provide a wearable system
configured to display virtual content in a mixed reality or virtual reality environment, the
wearable system comprising a display configured to present l content in a mixed reality,
augmented reality, or virtual reality environment and a hardware processor programmed to
receive images of an environment of a user, cause to be rendered by the display a plurality of
virtual content items associated with the environment of the user, analyze the image using one
or more object izers configured to recognize objects in the environment with machine
ng algorithms, detect a triggering event based at least partly on an analysis of the image
and in response to a detection of the triggering event, access content blocking rules associated
with the environment, wherein the content blocking rules se a blacklist indicating virtual
t items that are available for muting, determine, based on the content blocking rules
associated with the environment, one or more of the plurality of virtual t items that are
available for muting in the environment and mute the determined one or more virtual content.
[0005B] In one embodiment, the t blocking rules are stored in a storage device
in which, for each of a plurality of environments, a corresponding set of content blocking rules
are stored.
[0005C] In one embodiment, to mute the display, the hardware processor is
programmed to at least dim light output by the display, turn off the display of the virtual
t, reduce a size of the virtual content, increase a transparency of the virtual content or
change a position of the l content as rendered by the display.
[0005D] In one embodiment, the hardware processor is further programmed to detect
a termination condition of the ring event and discontinue muting the determined one or
more virtual content items in se to a detect a termination condition.
[0005E] In one embodiment, to detect the termination condition, the wearable
system is programmed to ine whether the triggering event has terminated or determine
whether the user has left the environment where the triggering event occurs.
[0005F] In one embodiment, the hardware process is further mmed to mute a
speaker of the le system in response to the detection of the triggering event.
[0005G] In one embodiment, in response to the triggering event, the hardware
processor is further programmed to provide an indication of a presence of the triggering event,
wherein the indication comprises at least one of a focus indicator associated with an element
in the environment that is at least partly responsible for the triggering event or an alert message,
wherein the alert message indicates to the user at least one of: (1) that the wearable system
will be automatically muted in a time period unless the user performs a cancellation action or
(2) that the wearable system will not be muted unless the user performs a confirmation action.
[0005H] In one embodiment, the processor is further programed to mute the
determined one or more virtual content in se to a determination that a threshold
condition associated with the triggering event is met, and wherein the threshold condition
comprises a duration of time within which the cancellation action is not ed.
[0005I] In one embodiment, the triggering event ses an emergency or unsafe
condition in the environment.
] In one embodiment, the environment of the user comprises a surgical site
and the emergency or unsafe ion comprises a medical condition occurring in the surgical
site.
[0005K] In one embodiment, the environment of the user is an industrial working
site and the emergency or unsafe condition comprises a condition near the industrial working
site.
[0005L] In one embodiment, the n the environment of the user is an
educational environment and the ring event comprises a ce between the user from
a student being less than a threshold distance.
[0005M] In one embodiment, the nment of the user is a shopping environment
and the emergency or unsafe condition comprises a distance of the user from a physical item
being less than a old ce.
[0005N] In one embodiment, the virtual content is a video game and the emergency
or unsafe ion comprises a physiological condition of the user.
[0005O] In one embodiment, virtual content items that are available for muting are
further determined based on potential perceptual confusion to the user associated with the
respective virtual content items.
[0005P] In one embodiment, the blocking rules comprise a whitelist indicating
virtual content items that are not available for muting.
[0005Q] In another broad form, the present invention seeks to provide a method for
displaying virtual content in a mixed reality or l y environment, the method
comprising under l of a hardware processor, receiving an image of an environment of a
user, analyzing the image using one or more object recognizers configured to recognize objects
in the environment, detecting a triggering event based at least partly on an analysis of the image
and in response to a detection of the triggering event ing content blocking rules
associated with the environment, wherein the content blocking rules comprise a blacklist
indicating virtual content items that are ble for muting, determining, based on the content
blocking rules associated with the environment, one or more of the plurality of virtual content
items that are available for muting in the environment and muting the determined one or more
virtual t items.
[0005R] In one embodiment, muting the l content comprises at least one of
blocking the virtual content from being rendered, disabling interactions with the virtual
content, turning off display of the virtual content, reducing a size of the virtual content,
increasing a transparency of the virtual content or changing a position of the virtual t as
rendered by the display.
[0005S] In one embodiment, analyzing the image comprises recognizing objects in
the environment and determining the triggering event based at least partly on the recognized
objects.
[0005T] In one embodiment, the determined one or more virtual content items
e at least one virtual content item that is not associated with the ized objects that
are at least partly responsible for determining the triggering event.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
depicts an illustration of a mixed y scenario with certain
virtual reality objects, and certain physical objects viewed by a person.
illustrates a field of view and a field of regard for a wearer of a
wearable display .
schematically illustrates an example of a wearable system.
schematically illustrates aspects of an approach for simulating threedimensional
imagery using multiple depth planes.
schematically illustrates an example of a ide stack for
outputting image information to a user.
shows example exit beams that may be ted by a waveguide.
is a schematic diagram showing an optical system including a
waveguide apparatus, an l coupler subsystem to optically couple light to or from the
waveguide apparatus, and a l tem, used in the generation of a multi-focal
volumetric display, image, or light field.
is a block m of an example of a wearable system.
is a process flow diagram of an example of a method of rendering
l content in relation to recognized objects.
is a block diagram of another example of a wearable system.
shows a schematic view of an example of various components of
an wearable system comprising environmental sensors.
FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate an example of muting a head-mounted y
(HMD) in a surgical context.
C illustrates an example of muting an HMD in an industrial context.
D illustrates an example of muting an HMD in an educational
context.
E illustrates an example of muting an HMD in a ng context.
F illustrates an example of selectively blocking virtual content in a
work environment.
G illustrates an example of selectively ng virtual content in a
break room environment.
FIGS. 12A, 12B, and 12C illustrate examples of muting virtual content
presented by an HMD based on a triggering event.
D illustrates an e of muting virtual content upon detecting a
change in a user’s environment.
FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate example processes of muting an augmented
reality display device based on a triggering event.
C illustrates an e flowchart for ively blocking virtual
content in an environment.
A rates an alert message that can be displayed by an HMD in
se to manual actuation of a reality button.
B is a flowchart that shows an example process for manually
activating a mute mode of operation of an HMD.
Throughout the drawings, nce numbers may be re-used to indicate
correspondence between referenced elements. The drawings are provided to illustrate example
embodiments described herein and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure.
ED DESCRIPTION
Overview
The display system of a wearable device can be configured to present virtual
content in an AR/VR/MR environment. The virtual content can include visual and/or audible
content. While using a ounted display device (HMD), the user may encounter situations
in which it may be desirable for some or all of the virtual content to be deemphasized or not
provided at all. For example, the user may encounter an emergency condition or an unsafe
condition during which the user’s full attention should be on the actual, physical reality without
potential distraction from the virtual content. In such conditions, presentation of virtual content
to the user may cause tual confusion as the user tries to process both the actual physical
content of the real world as well as the virtual content provided by the HMD. Accordingly, as
described further below, ments of the HMD may provide manual or automatic control
of the HMD in cases where it may be desirable to deemphasize or stop displaying the virtual
content.
Furthermore, while the wearable device can present a rich amount of
information to a user, in some situations, it may be difficult for the user to sift through virtual
content to identify the t that a user is interested in interacting with. Advantageously, in
some embodiments, the wearable device can automatically detect a location of the user and
selectively block (or selectively allow) virtual content based on the location, and thus the
wearable device can present virtual content with higher relevance to the user and appropriate
to the user’s environment (e.g., location) such as r the user is at home or at work. For
example, the wearable device can present a variety of virtual content relating to video games,
scheduled conference calls, or work emails. If the user is in an office, the user may wish to
view the work related virtual t, such as, e.g., conference calls and emails but block
virtual content related to video games so that the user may focus on work.
In certain implementations, the wearable device can automatically detect a
change in a user’s location based on image data acquired by an outward-facing imaging system
(alone or in combination with a location sensor). The wearable device can tically apply
a setting appropriate to the t location in response to a detection that the user has moved
from one environment to another. In certain implementations, the wearable system can mute
virtual content based on the user’s environment (also referred to as ). For example, a
living room in a home and a mall may both be considered as an entertainment scene and thus
r virtual content may be blocked (or d) in both environments. l content may
also be d (or allowed) based on whether content having similar characteristics is blocked
(or d). For example, a user may choose to block a social networking application in an
office environment (or may choose to allow only work-related content). Based on this
configuration provided by the user, the le system can automatically block a video game
for the office environment, because both the video game and the social networking application
have recreational characteristics.
Although the examples are described with reference to muting virtual
content, similar techniques can also be applied for muting one or more components of the
wearable system. For example, the wearable system can mute the inward-facing g
system in response to an emergency situation (e.g., a fire) to preserves ’s hardware
resources. Further, although certain examples are described as selectively blocking certain
virtual content in certain environments, this is for illustration, and the mixed reality device
could onally or alternatively selectively allow different l content, to achieve
ntially the same results as blocking.
Examples of 3D Display
A wearable system (also ed to herein as an augmented reality (AR)
system) can be configured to present 2D or 3D virtual images to a user. The images may be
still images, frames of a video, or a video, in combination or the like. At least a portion of the
wearable system can be implemented on a wearable device that can present a VR, AR, or MR
environment, alone or in ation, for user interaction. The wearable device can be used
interchangeably as an AR device (ARD). Further, for the purpose of the present disclosure, the
term “AR” is used hangeably with the term “MR”.
depicts an illustration of a mixed y scenario with certain
virtual reality objects, and certain physical objects viewed by a . In , an MR
scene 100 is depicted wherein a user of an MR technology sees a real-world park-like setting
110 featuring people, trees, buildings in the background, and a concrete platform 120. In
addition to these items, the user of the MR logy also perceives that he "sees" a robot
statue 130 standing upon the real-world platform 120, and a cartoon-like avatar character 140
flying by which seems to be a personification of a bumble bee, even though these elements do
not exist in the real world.
In order for the 3D display to produce a true sensation of depth, and more
specifically, a simulated sensation of surface depth, it may be desirable for each point in the
display's visual field to generate an accommodative response ponding to its virtual depth.
If the accommodative response to a y point does not correspond to the virtual depth of
that point, as determined by the binocular depth cues of convergence and stereopsis, the human
eye may experience an accommodation ct, resulting in unstable imaging, harmful eye
strain, headaches, and, in the absence of accommodation information, almost a complete lack
of surface depth.
illustrates a person’s field of view (FOV) and field of regard (FOR).
The FOV comprises a portion of an environment of the user that is perceived at a given time
by the user. This field of view can change as the person moves about, moves their head, or
moves their eyes or gaze.
The FOR comprises a portion of the environment around the user that is
capable of being perceived by the user via the wearable system. Accordingly, for a user
wearing a head-mounted display , the field of regard may include substantially all of the
4π steradian solid angle surrounding the wearer, because the wearer can move his or her body,
head, or eyes to perceive substantially any direction in space. In other ts, the user’s
movements may be more constricted, and accordingly the user’s field of regard may subtend a
smaller solid angle. shows such a field of view 155 including central and peripheral
regions. The central field of view will provide a person a ponding view of objects in a
central region of the environmental view. Similarly, the peripheral field of view will provide
a person a corresponding view of objects in a peripheral region of the environmental view. In
this case, what is considered central and what is considered peripheral is a function of which
direction the person is looking, and hence their field of view. The field of view 155 may
include objects 121, 122. In this example, the central field of view 145 includes the object
121, while the other object 122 is in the peripheral field of view.
The field of view (FOV) 155 can n multiple objects (e.g. objects 121,
122). The field of view 155 can depend on the size or optical teristics of the AR system,
for example, clear aperture size of the transparent window or lens of the head mounted display
through which light passes from the real world in front of the user to the user’s eyes. In some
ments, as the user’s210 pose changes (e.g., head pose, body pose, and/or eye pose),
the field of view 155 can correspondingly change, and the objects within the field of view 155
may also change. As described herein, the wearable system may include s such as
cameras that monitor or image objects in the field of regard 165 as well as objects in the field
of view 155. In some such embodiments, the wearable system may alert the user of unnoticed
objects or events occurring in the user’s field of view 155 and/or ing outside the user’s
field of view but within the field of regard 165. In some embodiments, the wearable system
can also distinguish between what a user 210 is or is not directing attention to.
The objects in the FOV or the FOR may be virtual or physical s. The
virtual objects may e, for example, operating system objects such as e.g., a terminal for
ing commands, a file manager for accessing files or ories, an icon, a menu, an
application for audio or video streaming, a notification from an operating system, and so on.
The virtual s may also include objects in an application such as e.g., s, virtual
s in games, graphics or images, etc. Some virtual objects can be both an operating system
object and an object in an application. The wearable system can add virtual elements to the
existing physical objects viewed through the transparent optics of the head mounted y,
thereby permitting user ction with the physical objects. For example, the wearable system
may add a virtual menu associated with a medical monitor in the room, where the virtual menu
may give the user the option to turn on or adjust medical g equipment or dosing controls.
ingly, the head-mounted display may present additional virtual image t to the
wearer in addition to the object in the environment of the user.
also shows the field of regard (FOR) 165, which comprises a
portion of the environment around a person 210 that is capable of being perceived by the person
210, for example, by turning their head or redirecting their gaze. The center portion of the
field of view 155 of a person’s 210 eyes may be referred to as the central field of view 145.
The region within the field of view 155 but outside the central field of view 145 may be referred
to as the peripheral field of view. In , the field of regard 165 can contain a group of
objects (e.g., objects 121, 122, 127) which can be perceived by the user wearing the wearable
system.
In some embodiments, objects 129 may be outside the user’s visual FOR
but may nonetheless potentially be perceived by a sensor (e.g., a camera) on a wearable device
(depending on their location and field of view) and information associated with the object 129
displayed for the user 210 or otherwise used by the wearable device. For example, the objects
129 may be behind a wall in a user’s environment so that the objects 129 are not visually
perceivable by the user. However, the wearable device may include sensors (such as radio
frequency, Bluetooth, wireless, or other types of sensors) that can communicate with the
s 129.
Examples of A Display System
VR, AR, and MR experiences can be provided by display systems having
displays in which images corresponding to a plurality of depth planes are provided to a viewer.
The images may be different for each depth plane (e.g., e slightly different tations
of a scene or object) and may be tely focused by the viewer’s eyes, thereby g to
provide the user with depth cues based on the accommodation of the eye required to bring into
focus different image features for the scene d on different depth plane or based on
observing different image features on different depth planes being out of focus. As discussed
elsewhere herein, such depth cues provide credible perceptions of depth.
illustrates an example of wearable system 200 which can be
configured to provide an AR/VR/MR scene. The wearable system 200 can also be referred to
as the AR system 200. The wearable system 200 includes a display 220, and various
mechanical and electronic modules and s to support the functioning of display 220. The
display 220 may be d to a frame 230, which is wearable by a user, wearer, or viewer
210. The display 220 can be positioned in front of the eyes of the user 210. The display 220
can present AR/VR/MR content to a user. The display 220 can se a head mounted
display (HMD) that is worn on the head of the user. In some embodiments, a speaker 240 is
coupled to the frame 230 and positioned adjacent the ear canal of the user (in some
embodiments, another speaker, not shown, is positioned adjacent the other ear canal of the user
to provide for stereo/shapeable sound control). The wearable system 200 can include an audio
sensor 232 (e.g., a hone) for detecting an audio stream from the environment and
capture ambient sound. In some embodiments, one or more other audio sensors, not shown,
are positioned to provide stereo sound reception. Stereo sound reception can be used to
determine the on of a sound source. The wearable system 200 can perform voice or
speech recognition on the audio stream.
The wearable system 200 can include an d-facing imaging system
464 (shown in which observes the world in the environment around the user. The
wearable system 200 can also include an inward-facing imaging system 462 (shown in
which can track the eye movements of the user. The inward-facing imaging system may track
either one eye’s movements or both eyes’ movements. The inward-facing imaging system 462
may be ed to the frame 230 and may be in ical communication with the processing
modules 260 or 270, which may process image information acquired by the inward-facing
g system to ine, e.g., the pupil diameters or orientations of the eyes, eye
movements or eye pose of the user 210.
As an e, the wearable system 200 can use the outward-facing
imaging system 464 or the inward-facing imaging system 462 to acquire images of a pose of
the user. The images may be still images, frames of a video, or a video.
The wearable system 200 can include a user-selectable reality button 263
that can be used to attenuate the visual or audible content presented by the wearable system
200 to the user. When the reality button 263 is actuated, the visual or audible virtual content
is reduced (compared to normal display conditions) so that the user perceives more of the
actual, physical reality occurring in the user’s environment. The reality button263 may be
touch or pressure ive and may be disposed on the frame 230 of the wearable system 200
or on a battery power pack (e.g., worn near the user’s waist, for example, on a belt clip). The
reality button 263 will be r described below with reference to FIGS. 14A and 14B.
The display 220 can be operatively coupled 250, such as by a wired lead or
wireless connectivity, to a local data processing module 260 which may be mounted in a variety
of configurations, such as fixedly attached to the frame 230, fixedly attached to a helmet or hat
worn by the user, embedded in headphones, or ise removably attached to the user 210
(e.g., in a ck-style configuration, in a belt-coupling style configuration).
The local processing and data module 260 may comprise a hardware
processor, as well as digital memory, such as non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory), both
of which may be utilized to assist in the sing, caching, and storage of data. The data may
include data a) captured from sensors (which may be, e.g., operatively coupled to the frame
230 or otherwise attached to the user 210), such as image capture devices (e.g., cameras in the
inward-facing imaging system or the outward-facing imaging system), audio s (e.g.,
microphones), al measurement units (IMUs), accelerometers, compasses, global
positioning system (GPS) units, radio devices, or gyroscopes; or b) acquired or processed using
remote processing module 270 or remote data tory 280, possibly for passage to the
display 220 after such processing or retrieval. The local processing and data module 260 may
be operatively coupled by communication links 262 or 264, such as via wired or wireless
communication links, to the remote processing module 270 or remote data repository 280 such
that these remote modules are available as ces to the local processing and data module
260. In addition, remote processing module 280 and remote data repository 280 may be
operatively coupled to each other.
In some embodiments, the remote sing module 270 may comprise
one or more processors configured to analyze and process data or image information. In some
ments, the remote data tory 280 may comprise a digital data storage facility,
which may be available through the internet or other networking configuration in a “cloud”
resource configuration. In some embodiments, all data is stored and all computations are
performed in the local processing and data , allowing fully autonomous use from a
remote module.
Example Environmental Sensors
The environmental sensors 267 may be configured to detect objects, stimuli,
people, animals, locations, or other s of the world around the user. As further described
with references to FIGS. 11A – 11C, the information acquired by the environment sensors 267
may be used to determine one or more triggering event which can cause the wearable device
to mute audio or virtual perceptions. The environmental sensors may include image e
s (e.g., cameras, inward-facing imaging system, outward-facing imaging system, etc.),
microphones, al ement units (IMUs), accelerometers, compasses, global
positioning system (GPS) units, radio devices, gyroscopes, altimeters, barometers, chemical
sensors, humidity s, temperature sensors, al microphones, light sensors (e.g., light
meters), timing devices (e.g., clocks or calendars), or any combination or subcombination
thereof. In some embodiments, the environmental sensors may also include a variety of
physiological sensors. These sensors can e or estimate the user’s physiological
parameters such as heart rate, respiratory rate, galvanic skin response, blood pressure,
encephalographic state, and so on. Environmental sensors may further include emissions
devices configured to receive signals such as laser, visible light, invisible wavelengths of light,
or sound (e.g., audible sound, ultrasound, or other frequencies). In some embodiments, one or
more environmental s (e.g., cameras or light sensors) may be configured to e the
ambient light (e.g., luminance) of the environment (e.g., to capture the ng conditions of
the environment). Physical contact sensors, such as strain gauges, curb feelers, or the like,
may also be included as nmental sensors. Additional details on the environmental
sensors 267 are further described with reference to .
The local processing and data module 260 may be operatively coupled by
communication links 262 and/or 264, such as via wired or wireless ication links, to
the remote processing module 270 and/or remote data repository 280 such that these remote
modules are ble as resources to the local processing and data module 260. In addition,
remote processing module 262 and remote data repository 264 may be operatively coupled to
each other.
The le system 200 may r be ured to receive other
environmental inputs, such as global positioning satellite (GPS) location data, weather data,
date and time, or other available environmental data which may be received from the internet,
satellite communication, or other suitable wired or wireless data communication method. The
processing module 260 may be configured to access further information characterizing a
location of the user, such as pollen count, demographics, air pollution, environmental toxins,
information from smart thermostats, lifestyle statistics, or proximity to other users, buildings,
or a healthcare provider. In some embodiments, information characterizing the location may
be accessed using cloud-based or other remote ses. The local processing module 270
may be configured to obtain such data and/or to further analyze data from any one or
combinations of the environmental sensors.
Examples of a 3D Light Field Display
The human visual system is complicated and providing a realistic
perception of depth is challenging. Without being limited by theory, it is believed that viewers
of an object may perceive the object as being three-dimensional due to a combination of
vergence and accommodation. Vergence nts (e.g., rotational movements of the pupils
toward or away from each other to ge the lines of sight of the eyes to fixate upon an
object) of the two eyes relative to each other are closely associated with focusing (or
“accommodation”) of the lenses of the eyes. Under normal conditions, changing the focus of
the lenses of the eyes, or accommodating the eyes, to change focus from one object to another
object at a different distance will automatically cause a matching change in vergence to the
same distance, under a onship known as the “accommodation-vergence reflex.”
Likewise, a change in vergence will trigger a ng change in accommodation, under
normal conditions. Display systems that provide a better match between accommodation and
vergence may form more realistic or comfortable tions of three-dimensional imagery.
illustrates aspects of an ch for ting a three-dimensional
imagery using le depth planes. With nce to objects at various distances
from eyes 302 and 304 on the z-axis are accommodated by the eyes 302 and 304 so that those
objects are in focus. The eyes 302 and 304 assume particular accommodated states to bring
into focus objects at different distances along the z-axis. uently, a particular
odated state may be said to be associated with a particular one of depth planes 306,
which has an associated focal distance, such that objects or parts of objects in a particular depth
plane are in focus when the eye is in the accommodated state for that depth plane. In some
embodiments, three-dimensional imagery may be ted by ing different
presentations of an image for each of the eyes 302 and 304, and also by providing different
presentations of the image corresponding to each of the depth planes. While shown as being
separate for clarity of illustration, it will be appreciated that the fields of view of the eyes 302
and 304 may overlap, for example, as distance along the z-axis increases. In addition, while
shown as flat for the ease of illustration, it will be appreciated that the contours of a depth plane
may be curved in physical space, such that all features in a depth plane are in focus with the
eye in a ular accommodated state. Without being limited by theory, it is believed that the
human eye typically can interpret a finite number of depth planes to provide depth perception.
Consequently, a highly believable simulation of perceived depth may be achieved by
providing, to the eye, different presentations of an image corresponding to each of these limited
number of depth planes.
Waveguide Stack Assembly
illustrates an example of a waveguide stack for outputting image
information to a user. A wearable system 400 includes a stack of waveguides, or stacked
waveguide assembly 480 that may be utilized to provide three-dimensional perception to the
eye/brain using a plurality of waveguides 432b, 434b, 436b, 438b, 4400b. In some
embodiments, the wearable system 400 may correspond to wearable system 200 of ,
with schematically showing some parts of that wearable system 200 in greater detail.
For example, in some ments, the waveguide assembly 480 may be integrated into the
display 220 of .
With continued reference to the waveguide assembly 480 may also
include a plurality of features 458, 456, 454, 452 between the waveguides. In some
embodiments, the features 458, 456, 454, 452 may be lenses. In other embodiments, the
features 458, 456, 454, 452 may not be . Rather, they may simply be spacers (e.g.,
cladding layers or structures for forming air gaps).
The ides 432b, 434b, 436b, 438b, 440b or the plurality of lenses
458, 456, 454, 452 may be configured to send image information to the eye with various levels
of wavefront curvature or light ray divergence. Each waveguide level may be associated with
a particular depth plane and may be configured to output image information corresponding to
that depth plane. Image injection devices 420, 422, 424, 426, 428 may be utilized to inject
image information into the waveguides 440b, 438b, 436b, 434b, 432b, each of which may be
configured to distribute incoming light across each respective waveguide, for output toward
the eye 410. Light exits an output surface of the image injection devices 420, 422, 424, 426,
428 and is injected into a corresponding input edge of the waveguides 440b, 438b, 436b, 434b,
432b. In some embodiments, a single beam of light (e.g., a collimated beam) may be injected
into each waveguide to output an entire field of cloned collimated beams that are directed
toward the eye 410 at particular angles (and s of ence) corresponding to the depth
plane ated with a particular waveguide.
In some embodiments, the image injection devices 420, 422, 424, 426, 428
are te displays that each produce image information for injection into a corresponding
waveguide 440b, 438b, 436b, 434b, 432b, respectively. In some other embodiments, the image
injection devices 420, 422, 424, 426, 428 are the output ends of a single multiplexed display
which may, e.g., pipe image ation via one or more l ts (such as fiber optic
cables) to each of the image ion devices 420, 422, 424, 426, 428.
A controller 460 controls the operation of the stacked waveguide assembly
480 and the image injection devices 420, 422, 424, 426, 428. T he controller 460 includes
programming (e.g., instructions in a non-transitory er-readable medium) that regulates
the timing and provision of image information to the waveguides 440b, 438b, 436b, 434b,
432b. In some embodiments, the controller 460 may be a single integral , or a distributed
system connected by wired or wireless ication ls. The controller 460 may be
part of the processing modules 260 or 270 (illustrated in ) in some embodiments.
The waveguides 440b, 438b, 436b, 434b, 432b may be configured to
propagate light within each respective waveguide by total internal reflection (TIR). The
waveguides 440b, 438b, 436b, 434b, 432b may each be planar or have another shape (e.g.,
curved), with major top and bottom surfaces and edges ing between those major top and
bottom surfaces. In the illustrated configuration, the waveguides 440b, 438b, 436b, 434b, 432b
may each include light ting optical elements 440a, 438a, 436a, 434a, 432a that are
configured to t light out of a waveguide by redirecting the light, propagating within each
respective waveguide, out of the waveguide to output image information to the eye 410.
Extracted light may also be referred to as outcoupled light, and light extracting optical elements
may also be referred to as outcoupling optical elements. An extracted beam of light is outputted
by the waveguide at locations at which the light propagating in the waveguide strikes a light
redirecting element. The light extracting optical elements (440a, 438a, 436a, 434a, 432a) may,
for example, be reflective or diffractive optical es. While illustrated ed at the
bottom major es of the waveguides 440b, 438b, 436b, 434b, 432b for ease of description
and drawing clarity, in some embodiments, the light ting optical elements 440a, 438a,
436a, 434a, 432a may be disposed at the top or bottom major surfaces, or may be disposed
directly in the volume of the waveguides 440b, 438b, 436b, 434b, 432b. In some embodiments,
the light extracting optical ts 440a, 438a, 436a, 434a, 432a may be formed in a layer of
material that is attached to a transparent substrate to form the waveguides 440b, 438b, 436b,
434b, 432b. In some other embodiments, the waveguides 440b, 438b, 436b, 434b, 432b may
be a monolithic piece of material and the light extracting optical elements 440a, 438a, 436a,
434a, 432a may be formed on a surface or in the interior of that piece of material.
With continued reference to as discussed herein, each waveguide
440b, 438b, 436b, 434b, 432b is configured to output light to form an image ponding to
a particular depth plane. For example, the waveguide 432b nearest the eye may be configured
to deliver collimated light, as injected into such waveguide 432b, to the eye 410. The
collimated light may be representative of the optical infinity focal plane. The next ide
up 434b may be ured to send out ated light which passes through the first lens 452
(e.g., a negative lens) before it can reach the eye 410. First lens 452 may be configured to
create a slight convex wavefront curvature so that the eye/brain rets light coming from
that next waveguide up 434b as coming from a first focal plane closer inward toward the eye
410 from optical infinity. Similarly, the third up waveguide 436b passes its output light through
both the first lens 452 and second lens 454 before reaching the eye 410. The combined optical
power of the first and second lenses 452 and 454 may be configured to create another
incremental amount of wavefront curvature so that the eye/brain interprets light coming from
the third waveguide 436b as coming from a second focal plane that is even closer inward
toward the person from optical infinity than was light from the next waveguide up 434b.
The other waveguide layers (e.g., waveguides 438b, 440b) and lenses (e.g.,
lenses 456, 458) are similarly configured, with the highest waveguide 440b in the stack sending
its output through all of the lenses between it and the eye for an aggregate focal power
representative of the closest focal plane to the person. To compensate for the stack of lenses
458, 456, 454, 452 when viewing/interpreting light coming from the world 470 on the other
side of the stacked waveguide assembly 480, a compensating lens layer 430 may be disposed
at the top of the stack to compensate for the aggregate power of the lens stack 458, 456, 454,
452 below. Such a configuration provides as many perceived focal planes as there are available
waveguide/lens pairings. Both the light extracting optical elements of the waveguides and the
focusing aspects of the lenses may be static (e.g., not dynamic or electro-active). In some
alternative embodiments, either or both may be dynamic using electro-active es.
With continued reference to the light extracting optical elements
440a, 438a, 436a, 434a, 432a may be ured to both redirect light out of their respective
waveguides and to output this light with the appropriate amount of divergence or collimation
for a ular depth plane associated with the waveguide. As a result, waveguides having
different associated depth planes may have ent configurations of light extracting optical
elements, which output light with a ent amount of divergence depending on the associated
depth plane. In some embodiments, as discussed herein, the light extracting optical elements
440a, 438a, 436a, 434a, 432a may be volumetric or surface features, which may be ured
to output light at specific angles. For example, the light ting optical elements 440a, 438a,
436a, 434a, 432a may be volume ams, surface holograms, or diffraction gratings. Light
extracting optical elements, such as diffraction gratings, are described in U.S. Patent
Publication No. 2015/0178939, published June 25, 2015, which is incorporated by reference
herein in its entirety.
In some ments, the light extracting optical ts 440a, 438a,
436a, 434a, 432a are diffractive features that form a diffraction pattern, or “diffractive optical
element” (also referred to herein as a “DOE”).Preferably, the DOE has a relatively low
diffraction efficiency so that only a n of the light of the beam is deflected away toward
the eye 410 with each intersection of the DOE, while the rest continues to move through a
waveguide via total internal reflection. The light carrying the image information can thus be
divided into a number of related exit beams that exit the waveguide at a multiplicity of locations
and the result is a fairly uniform pattern of exit emission toward the eye 304 for this particular
collimated beam bouncing around within a waveguide.
In some embodiments, one or more DOEs may be switchable between “on”
state in which they actively diffract, and “off” state in which they do not significantly diffract.
For instance, a switchable DOE may comprise a layer of r dispersed liquid crystal, in
which microdroplets comprise a diffraction pattern in a host medium, and the refractive index
of the microdroplets can be switched to substantially match the tive index of the host
material (in which case the n does not appreciably diffract incident light) or the
microdroplet can be switched to an index that does not match that of the host medium (in which
case the pattern actively diffracts nt light).
In some embodiments, the number and distribution of depth planes or depth
of field may be varied dynamically based on the pupil sizes or orientations of the eyes of the
viewer. Depth of field may change ely with a viewer’s pupil size. As a result, as the sizes
of the pupils of the viewer’s eyes decrease, the depth of field increases such that one plane that
is not discernible because the location of that plane is beyond the depth of focus of the eye may
become discernible and appear more in focus with ion of pupil size and commensurate
with the increase in depth of field. Likewise, the number of spaced apart depth planes used to
present different images to the viewer may be decreased with the decreased pupil size. For
example, a viewer may not be able to clearly perceive the details of both a first depth plane
and a second depth plane at one pupil size without ing the accommodation of the eye
away from one depth plane and to the other depth plane. These two depth planes may, however,
be sufficiently in focus at the same time to the user at another pupil size without changing
accommodation.
In some embodiments, the display system may vary the number of
waveguides receiving image information based upon determinations of pupil size or
orientation, or upon receiving ical signals tive of ular pupil size or orientation.
For example, if the user’s eyes are unable to distinguish n two depth planes associated
with two ides, then the ller 460 (which may be an embodiment of the local
processing and data module 260) can be configured or programmed to cease providing image
information to one of these waveguides. Advantageously, this may reduce the processing
burden on the system, thereby increasing the responsiveness of the system. In embodiments in
which the DOEs for a waveguide are switchable between the on and off states, the DOEs may
be switched to the off state when the ide does e image information.
In some embodiments, it may be desirable to have an exit beam meet the
condition of having a diameter that is less than the diameter of the eye of a viewer. However,
meeting this condition may be challenging in view of the variability in size of the viewer’s
pupils. In some embodiments, this condition is met over a wide range of pupil sizes by varying
the size of the exit beam in response to determinations of the size of the viewer’s pupil. For
example, as the pupil size decreases, the size of the exit beam may also decrease. In some
embodiments, the exit beam size may be varied using a variable aperture.
The wearable system 400 can include an outward-facing g system
464 (e.g., a digital camera) that images a portion of the world 470. This portion of the world
470 may be referred to as the field of view (FOV) of a world camera and the imaging system
464 is sometimes referred to as an FOV camera. The FOV of the world camera may or may
not be the same as the FOV of a viewer 210 which encompasses a portion of the world 470 the
viewer 210 perceives at a given time. For example, in some situations, the FOV of the world
camera may be larger than the viewer 210 of the viewer 210 of the wearable system 400. The
entire region available for viewing or imaging by a viewer may be referred to as the field of
regard (FOR). The FOR may include 4π steradians of solid angle surrounding the wearable
system 400 because the wearer can move his body, head, or eyes to perceive substantially any
direction in space. In other ts, the wearer’s movements may be more constricted, and
accordingly the wearer’s FOR may subtend a smaller solid angle. As described with reference
to , the user 210 may also have an FOV associated with the user’s eyes when the user
is using the HMD. In some embodiments, the FOV ated with the user’s eyes may be the
same as the FOV of the imaging system 464. In other embodiments, the FOV associated with
the user’s eyes is different from the FOV of the imaging system 464.Images obtained from
the outward-facing imaging system 464 can be used to track es made by the user (e.g.,
hand or finger gestures), detect objects in the world 470 in front of the user, and so forth.
The wearable system 400 can include an audio sensor 232, e.g., a
microphone, to capture ambient sound. As described above, in some embodiments, one or more
other audio sensors can be positioned to e stereo sound reception useful to the
determination of location of a speech source. The audio sensor 232 can comprise a directional
microphone, as another e, which can also provide such useful directional ation
as to where the audio source is located.
The wearable system 400 can also include an inward-facing imaging system
466 (e.g., a digital camera), which observes the nts of the user, such as the eye
movements and the facial movements. The inward-facing imaging system 466 may be used to
capture images of the eye 410 to determine the size or orientation of the pupil of the eye 304.
The inward-facing imaging system 466 can be used to obtain images for use in determining
the direction the user is looking (e.g., eye pose) or for biometric identification of the user (e.g.,
via iris identification). In some embodiments, at least one camera may be utilized for each eye,
to separately determine the pupil size or eye pose of each eye independently, thereby ng
the presentation of image information to each eye to be dynamically ed to that eye. In
some other embodiments, the pupil diameter or orientation of only a single eye 410 (e.g., using
only a single camera per pair of eyes) is determined and assumed to be similar for both eyes
of the user. The images obtained by the -facing imaging system 466 may be analyzed
to ine the user’s eye pose or mood, which can be used by the wearable system 400 to
decide which audio or visual content should be presented to the user. The wearable system 400
may also determine head pose (e.g., head position or head orientation) using sensors such as
IMUs, accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.
The wearable system 400 can include a user input device 466 by which the
user can input commands to the controller 460 to interact with the wearable system 400. For
example, the user input device 466 can include a trackpad, a touchscreen, a ck, a multiple
degree-of-freedom (DOF) controller, a capacitive g device, a game controller, a
keyboard, a mouse, a directional pad (D-pad), a wand, a haptic , a totem (e.g.,
functioning as a virtual user input device), and so forth. A multi-DOF controller can sense user
input in some or all possible translations (e.g., left/right, forward/backward, or up/down) or
ons (e.g., yaw, pitch, or roll) of the controller. A DOF controller which supports
the translation movements may be referred to as a 3DOF while a multi-DOF controller which
supports the translations and rotations may be ed to as 6DOF. In some cases, the user
may use a finger (e.g., a thumb) to press or swipe on a touch-sensitive input device to provide
input to the wearable system 400 (e.g., to provide user input to a user interface provided by the
wearable system 400). The user input device 466 may be held by the user’s hand during the
use of the wearable system 400. The user input device 466 can be in wired or wireless
communication with the wearable system 400.
shows an example of exit beams outputted by a waveguide. One
waveguide is illustrated, but it will be appreciated that other waveguides in the waveguide
assembly 480 may function similarly, where the waveguide assembly 480 includes multiple
waveguides. Light 520 is injected into the ide 432b at the input edge 432c of the
waveguide 432b and propagates within the waveguide 432b by TIR. At points where the light
520 impinges on the DOE 432a, a portion of the light exits the waveguide as exit beams 510.
The exit beams 510 are rated as substantially parallel but they may also be redirected to
propagate to the eye 410 at an angle (e.g., g divergent exit beams), depending on the
depth plane associated with the waveguide 432b. It will be appreciated that ntially
parallel exit beams may be indicative of a waveguide with light extracting optical elements
that outcouple light to form images that appear to be set on a depth plane at a large distance
(e.g., optical infinity) from the eye 410. Other waveguides or other sets of light extracting
optical elements may output an exit beam pattern that is more divergent, which would require
the eye 410 to accommodate to a closer distance to bring it into focus on the retina and would
be interpreted by the brain as light from a distance closer to the eye 410 than optical infinity.
is a schematic diagram showing an optical system including a
ide apparatus, an optical coupler subsystem to optically couple light to or from the
waveguide apparatus, and a control subsystem, used in the generation of a multi-focal
volumetric display, image, or light field. The optical system can e a waveguide
apparatus, an optical coupler subsystem to optically couple light to or from the waveguide
tus, and a control subsystem. The l system can be used to generate a multi-focal
volumetric, image, or light field. The optical system can include one or more primary planar
waveguides 632a (only one is shown in and one or more DOEs 632b associated with
each of at least some of the primary waveguides 632a. The planar waveguides 632b can be
similar to the waveguides 432b, 434b, 436b, 438b, 440b discussed with reference to
The optical system may employ a distribution waveguide apparatus to relay light along a first
axis (vertical or Y-axis in view of , and expand the light's effective exit pupil along the
first axis (e.g., Y-axis). The distribution waveguide apparatus may, for example, include a
distribution planar waveguide 622b and at least one DOE 622a trated by double dash-dot
line) associated with the bution planar waveguide 622b. The distribution planar
waveguide 622b may be similar or identical in at least some respects to the primary planar
waveguide 632b, having a different orientation therefrom. Likewise, at least one DOE 622a
may be similar to or identical in at least some respects to the DOE 632a. For example, the
bution planar waveguide 622b or DOE 622a may be comprised of the same materials as
the primary planar waveguide 632b or DOE 632a, respectively. Embodiments of the optical
display system 600 shown in can be integrated into the le system 200 shown in
.
The relayed and exit-pupil expanded light may be optically coupled from
the distribution waveguide apparatus into the one or more primary planar ides 632b.
The primary planar waveguide 632b can relay light along a second axis, preferably orthogonal
to first axis (e.g., ntal or X-axis in view of . Notably, the second axis can be a
non-orthogonal axis to the first axis. The primary planar waveguide 632b expands the light's
effective exit pupil along that second axis (e.g., ). For e, the distribution planar
waveguide 622b can relay and expand light along the vertical or Y-axis, and pass that light to
the primary planar waveguide 632b which can relay and expand light along the horizontal or
X-axis.
The optical system may include one or more sources of colored light (e.g.,
red, green, and blue laser light) 610 which may be optically coupled into a proximal end of a
single mode optical fiber 640. A distal end of the optical fiber 640 may be threaded or received
through a hollow tube 642 of piezoelectric material. The distal end protrudes from the tube 642
as fixed-free le ever 644. The piezoelectric tube 642 can be associated with four
quadrant electrodes (not illustrated). The electrodes may, for example, be plated on the outside,
outer surface or outer periphery or diameter of the tube 642. A core electrode (not illustrated)
may also be located in a core, center, inner periphery or inner diameter of the tube 642.
Drive electronics 650, for example electrically coupled via wires 660, drive
opposing pairs of electrodes to bend the piezoelectric tube 642 in two axes independently. The
protruding distal tip of the optical fiber 644 has mechanical modes of resonance. The
frequencies of resonance can depend upon a diameter, length, and material properties of the
optical fiber 644. By vibrating the piezoelectric tube 642 near a first mode of mechanical
resonance of the fiber cantilever 644, the fiber cantilever 644 can be caused to vibrate, and can
sweep h large deflections.
By stimulating nt vibration in two axes, the tip of the fiber cantilever
644 is d biaxially in an area filling two-dimensional (2D) scan. By modulating an
intensity of light source(s) 610 in synchrony with the scan of the fiber ever 644, light
emerging from the fiber cantilever 644 can form an image. Descriptions of such a set up are
provided in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0003762, which is orated by reference
herein in its entirety.
A component of an optical coupler subsystem can collimate the light
emerging from the scanning fiber cantilever 644. The collimated light can be reflected by
mirrored surface 648 into the narrow distribution planar waveguide 622b which contains the
at least one diffractive optical t (DOE) 622a. The collimated light can propagate
vertically (relative to the view of along the bution planar waveguide 622b by TIR,
and in doing so repeatedly intersects with the DOE 622a. The DOE 622a preferably has a low
diffraction efficiency. This can cause a fraction (e.g., 10%) of the light to be diffracted toward
an edge of the larger primary planar waveguide 632b at each point of intersection with the
DOE 622a, and a fraction of the light to continue on its al trajectory down the length of
the distribution planar waveguide 622b via TIR.
At each point of intersection with the DOE 622a, additional light can be
diffracted toward the entrance of the primary waveguide 632b. By dividing the ng light
into multiple outcoupled sets, the exit pupil of the light can be expanded vertically by the DOE
622a in the distribution planar waveguide 622b. This vertically expanded light coupled out of
distribution planar waveguide 622b can enter the edge of the primary planar waveguide 632b.
Light entering primary waveguide 632b can propagate horizontally (relative
to the view of along the primary waveguide 632b via TIR. As the light intersects with
DOE 632a at le points as it propagates ntally along at least a portion of the length
of the y waveguide 632b via TIR. The DOE 632a may advantageously be designed or
ured to have a phase profile that is a summation of a linear diffraction pattern and a
radially symmetric diffractive pattern, to produce both deflection and focusing of the light. The
DOE 632a may advantageously have a low diffraction efficiency (e.g., 10%), so that only a
portion of the light of the beam is deflected toward the eye of the view with each intersection
of the DOE 632a while the rest of the light continues to propagate through the primary
ide 632b via TIR.
At each point of intersection n the propagating light and the DOE
632a, a fraction of the light is diffracted toward the adjacent face of the primary waveguide
632b allowing the light to escape the TIR, and emerge from the face of the primary waveguide
632b. In some embodiments, the radially symmetric diffraction pattern of the DOE 632a
additionally imparts a focus level to the diffracted light, both shaping the light wavefront (e.g.,
imparting a curvature) of the individual beam as well as steering the beam at an angle that
s the designed focus level.
Accordingly, these different pathways can cause the light to be coupled out
of the primary planar waveguide 632b by a multiplicity of DOEs 632a at different angles, focus
, or yielding different fill patterns at the exit pupil. Different fill patterns at the exit pupil
can be beneficially used to create a light field y with multiple depth planes. Each layer
in the waveguide ly or a set of layers (e.g., 3 layers) in the stack may be employed to
generate a respective color (e.g., red, blue, green). Thus, for example, a first set of three
adjacent layers may be employed to respectively produce red, blue and green light at a first
focal depth. A second set of three adjacent layers may be employed to respectively produce
red, blue and green light at a second focal depth. Multiple sets may be ed to generate a
full 3D or 4D color image light field with various focal depths.
Other Components of the Wearable System
In many entations, the wearable system may include other
components in addition or in alternative to the components of the wearable system described
above. The wearable system may, for example, e one or more haptic devices or
components. The haptic devices or components may be le to provide a tactile sensation
to a user. For example, the haptic devices or components may provide a tactile sensation of
pressure or texture when touching virtual content (e.g., virtual objects, virtual tools, other
virtual constructs). The tactile ion may replicate a feel of a al object which a l
object represents, or may replicate a feel of an imagined object or character (e.g., a dragon)
which the virtual content represents. In some implementations, haptic devices or components
may be worn by the user (e.g., a user wearable glove). In some implementations, haptic devices
or components may be held by the user.
The wearable system may, for example, include one or more physical
objects which are manipulable by the user to allow input or interaction with the wearable
system. These physical objects may be referred to herein as totems. Some totems may take the
form of inanimate s, such as for example, a piece of metal or plastic, a wall, a surface of
table. In certain implementations, the totems may not actually have any al input
structures (e.g., keys, triggers, joystick, trackball, rocker switch). Instead, the totem may
simply provide a physical surface, and the wearable system may render a user ace so as
to appear to a user to be on one or more surfaces of the totem. For example, the wearable
system may render an image of a computer keyboard and trackpad to appear to reside on one
or more es of a totem. For example, the wearable system may render a virtual computer
keyboard and virtual trackpad to appear on a surface of a thin rectangular plate of aluminum
which serves as a totem. The rectangular plate does not itself have any physical keys or
ad or sensors. However, the wearable system may detect user manipulation or ction
or touches with the rectangular plate as selections or inputs made via the virtual keyboard or
virtual trackpad. The user input device 466 (shown in may be an embodiment of a
totem, which may include a ad, a touchpad, a trigger, a joystick, a trackball, a rocker or
virtual switch, a mouse, a keyboard, a multi-degree-of-freedom controller, or another al
input device. A user may use the totem, alone or in combination with poses, to interact with
the wearable system or other users.
Examples of haptic devices and totems usable with the wearable devices,
HMD, and display systems of the t disclosure are described in U.S. Patent Publication
No. 2015/0016777, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Example Wearable Systems, Environments, and Interfaces
A le system may employ various mapping d techniques in
order to e high depth of field in the rendered light . In g out the virtual
world, it is advantageous to know all the features and points in the real world to accurately
portray l objects in on to the real world. To this end, FOV images captured from
users of the wearable system can be added to a world model by including new pictures that
convey ation about various points and features of the real world. For example, the
wearable system can collect a set of map points (such as 2D points or 3D points) and find new
map points to render a more accurate version of the world model. The world model of a first
user can be communicated (e.g., over a network such as a cloud network) to a second user so
that the second user can experience the world surrounding the first user.
is a block diagram of an example of an MR environment 700. The
MR environment 700 may be configured to receive input (e.g., visual input 702 from the user's
wearable system, stationary input 704 such as room cameras, sensory input 706 from various
sensors, gestures, totems, eye tracking, user input from the user input device 466 etc.) from
one or more user wearable systems (e.g., wearable system 200 or display system 220) or
stationary room systems (e.g., room cameras, etc.). The wearable systems can use various
sensors (e.g., accelerometers, gyroscopes, temperature s, movement sensors, depth
sensors, GPS sensors, inward-facing imaging system, outward-facing imaging system, etc.) to
determine the location and various other attributes of the environment of the user. This
information may r be mented with information from stationary cameras in the
room that may provide images or various cues from a different point of view. The image data
acquired by the cameras (such as the room cameras or the cameras of the outward-facing
imaging system) may be reduced to a set of mapping points.
One or more object recognizers 708 can crawl through the received data
(e.g., the collection of points) and ize or map points, tag images, attach semantic
information to objects with the help of a map database 710. The map database 710 may
comprise s points collected over time and their ponding objects. The various
devices and the map se can be connected to each other through a k (e.g., LAN,
WAN, etc.) to access the cloud.
Based on this information and collection of points in the map database, the
object recognizers 708a to 708n may recognize objects in an environment. For example, the
object recognizers can recognize faces, persons, windows, walls, user input devices,
televisions, documents (e.g., travel tickets, driver’s license, passport as described in the
security examples herein), other objects in the user’s environment, etc. One or more object
recognizers may be specialized for object with certain characteristics. For example, the object
recognizer 708a may be used to izer faces, while another object recognizer may be used
recognize nts.
The object recognitions may be performed using a variety of computer
vision techniques. For example, the wearable system can analyze the images acquired by the
outward-facing g system 464 (shown in to perform scene reconstruction, event
detection, video tracking, object recognition (e.g., persons or documents), object pose
estimation, facial ition (e.g., from a person in the environment or an image on a
document), learning, indexing, motion estimation, or image analysis (e.g., identifying indicia
within documents such as photos, signatures, identification information, travel ation,
etc.), and so forth. One or more computer vision algorithms may be used to perform these
tasks. Non-limiting examples of computer vision algorithms include: invariant feature
transform (SIFT), speeded up robust features (SURF), oriented FAST and rotated BRIEF
(ORB), binary robust invariant scalable keypoints (BRISK), fast retina keypoint (FREAK),
Viola-Jones algorithm, Eigenfaces approach, Kanade algorithm, Horn-Schunk
algorithm, Mean-shift thm, visual simultaneous location and mapping (vSLAM)
techniques, a sequential Bayesian estimator (e.g., Kalman filter, extended Kalman filter, etc.),
bundle adjustment, Adaptive thresholding (and other thresholding ques), Iterative
Closest Point (ICP), Semi Global Matching (SGM), Semi Global Block Matching (SGBM),
Feature Point Histograms, various machine learning thms (such as e.g., support vector
machine, k-nearest neighbors algorithm, Naive Bayes, neural network (including
convolutional or deep neural ks), or other supervised/unsupervised models, etc.), and
so forth.
One or more object recognizers 708 can also implement various text
recognition algorithms to identify and extract the text from the images. Some example text
recognition algorithms include: optical character recognition (OCR) algorithms, deep learning
algorithms (such as deep neural networks), pattern ng algorithms, algorithms for preprocessing
, etc.
The object recognitions can additionally or alternatively be performed by a
variety of machine learning algorithms. Once trained, the machine learning algorithm can be
stored by the HMD. Some examples of machine learning algorithms can include supervised or
non-supervised machine learning algorithms, ing regression algorithms (such as, for
e, Ordinary Least Squares Regression), ce-based algorithms (such as, for
example, Learning Vector Quantization), decision tree thms (such as, for e,
classification and regression trees), Bayesian algorithms (such as, for example, Naive Bayes),
clustering algorithms (such as, for example, k-means clustering), association rule learning
algorithms (such as, for example, a-priori algorithms), artificial neural network algorithms
(such as, for e, Perceptron), deep learning algorithms (such as, for example, Deep
Boltzmann Machine, or deep neural network), dimensionality reduction thms (such as,
for example, Principal Component Analysis), ensemble algorithms (such as, for example,
d Generalization), or other machine learning algorithms. In some embodiments,
individual models can be customized for individual data sets. For example, the wearable device
can generate or store a base model. The base model may be used as a starting point to generate
additional models specific to a data type (e.g., a particular user in the telepresence session), a
data set (e.g., a set of additional images obtained of the user in the telepresence n),
conditional situations, or other variations. In some embodiments, the wearable HMD can be
configured to utilize a plurality of techniques to generate models for analysis of the aggregated
data. Other techniques may include using pre-defined thresholds or data values.
Based on this information and collection of points in the map database, the
object izers 708a to 708n may recognize objects and ment objects with semantic
ation to give life to the objects. For e, if the object recognizer recognizes a set of
points to be a door, the system may attach some semantic information (e.g., the door has a
hinge and has a 90 degree movement about the hinge). If the object izer recognizes a set
of points to be a mirror, the system may attach semantic information that the mirror has a
reflective surface that can t images of objects in the room. The semantic information can
include affordances of the objects as described herein. For example, the semantic information
may e a normal of the object. The system can assign a vector whose direction indicates
the normal of the object. In certain implementations, once an object recognizer 708 recognizes
an nment (e.g., a leisure or work nment, a public or private environment, or a
home environment, etc.) based on objects recognized from images of the user’s surroundings,
the wearable system can associate the recognized environment to n coordinates in the
world map or GPS coordinates. For example, once the le system recognizes (e.g., via
the object recognizer 708 or a user’s response) that an nment is a living room in a user’s
home, the wearable system can automatically associate the on of the nment with a
GPS coordinate or with a location in a world map. As a result, when a user enters the same
location in the future, the wearable system can present / block virtual content based on the
living room environment. The wearable system can also create, as part of the semantic
information for the environment, a setting for muting the wearable device or for presenting
ed content for the recognized environment. Thus, when the user enters the same location
in the future, the wearable system can tically present virtual content or mute the
wearable device in accordance with the environment, without needing to re-recognize the type
of the environment, which can improve efficiency and reduce latency.
Over time the map database grows as the system (which may reside locally
or may be accessible through a wireless network) lates more data from the world. Once
the objects are recognized, the information may be transmitted to one or more wearable
systems. For example, the MR environment 700 may include information about a scene
happening in California. The environment 700 may be transmitted to one or more users in New
York. Based on data received from an FOV camera and other , the object recognizers
and other software components can map the points collected from the various images,
recognize objects etc., such that the scene may be accurately "passed over" to a second user,
who may be in a different part of the world. The environment 700 may also use a topological
map for localization purposes.
is a process flow diagram of an example of a method 800 of rendering
virtual t in relation to recognized objects. The method 800 describes how a virtual scene
may be presented to a user of the wearable system. The user may be geographically remote
from the scene. For example, the user may be in New York, but may want to view a scene that
is presently going on in California, or may want to go on a walk with a friend who resides in
California.
At block 810, the wearable system may receive input from the user and
other users regarding the nment of the user. This may be achieved through s input
devices, and knowledge already possessed in the map database. The user's FOV ,
sensors, GPS, eye tracking, etc., convey information to the system at block 810. The system
may determine sparse points based on this information at block 820. The sparse points may be
used in determining pose data (e.g., head pose, eye pose, body pose, or hand gestures) that can
be used in ying and understanding the orientation and position of various objects in the
user's surroundings. The object recognizers 708a-708n may crawl through these collected
points and recognize one or more objects using a map database at block 830. This information
may then be conveyed to the user's individual wearable system at block 840, and the desired
virtual scene may be accordingly displayed to the user at block 850. For example, the desired
virtual scene (e.g., user in CA) may be displayed at the appropriate orientation, position, etc.,
in relation to the various s and other surroundings of the user in New York.
is a block diagram of another e of a wearable system. In this
example, the le system 900 comprises a map 920, which may include the map database
710 containing map data for the world. The map may partly reside locally on the wearable
, and may partly reside at networked storage locations ible by wired or wireless
network (e.g., in a cloud system). A pose process 910 may be executed on the wearable
computing architecture (e.g., processing module 260 or controller 460) and utilize data from
the map 920 to determine position and orientation of the wearable computing hardware or user.
Pose data may be computed from data collected on the fly as the user is experiencing the system
and operating in the world. The data may comprise images, data from sensors (such as inertial
measurement units, which generally comprise accelerometer and gyroscope components) and
surface ation pertinent to objects in the real or virtual environment.
A sparse point representation may be the output of a simultaneous
localization and mapping (e.g., SLAM or vSLAM, referring to a configuration wherein the
input is images/visual only) s. The system can be configured to not only find out where
in the world the various components are, but what the world is made of. Pose may be a building
block that achieves many goals, including populating the map and using the data from the map.
In one embodiment, a sparse point position may not be completely adequate
on its own, and further information may be needed to produce a multifocal AR, VR, or MR
experience. Dense representations, generally referring to depth map information, may be
utilized to fill this gap at least in part. Such information may be computed from a process
referred to as Stereo 940, wherein depth information is determined using a technique such as
triangulation or time-of-flight sensing. Image ation and active patterns (such as infrared
patterns created using active projectors), images acquired from image cameras, or hand
es / totem 950 may serve as input to the Stereo s 940. A significant amount of
depth map information may be fused er, and some of this may be summarized with a
surface representation. For example, atically definable surfaces may be efficient (e.g.,
relative to a large point cloud) and digestible inputs to other processing devices like game
engines. Thus, the output of the stereo process (e.g., a depth map) 940 may be combined in the
fusion process 930. Pose 910 may be an input to this fusion s 930 as well, and the output
of fusion 930 becomes an input to populating the map process 920. rfaces may connect
with each other, such as in topographical mapping, to form larger surfaces, and the map
becomes a large hybrid of points and surfaces.
To e various aspects in a mixed reality process 960, various inputs
may be utilized. For example, in the embodiment depicted in Game parameters may be
inputs to determine that the user of the system is playing a monster battling game with one or
more monsters at various locations, monsters dying or running away under various ions
(such as if the user shoots the monster), walls or other objects at various locations, and the like.
The world map may include information ing the location of the objects or semantic
information of the s and the world map can be another valuable input to mixed reality.
Pose relative to the world becomes an input as well and plays a key role to almost any
interactive system.
Controls or inputs from the user are another input to the wearable system
900. As described herein, user inputs can include visual input, gestures, totems, audio input,
sensory input, etc. In order to move around or play a game, for example, the user may need to
instruct the wearable system 900 regarding what he or she wants to do. Beyond just moving
oneself in space, there are various forms of user controls that may be utilized. In one
embodiment, a totem (e.g. a user input device), or an object such as a toy gun may be held by
the user and tracked by the system. The system preferably will be configured to know that the
user is holding the item and understand what kind of interaction the user is having with the
item (e.g., if the totem or object is a gun, the system may be configured to understand on
and orientation, as well as whether the user is clicking a trigger or other sensed button or
element which may be equipped with a sensor, such as an IMU, which may assist in
determining what is going on, even when such ty is not within the field of view of any of
the cameras.)
Hand gesture tracking or recognition may also provide input information.
The wearable system 900 may be configured to track and interpret hand gestures for button
presses, for gesturing left or right, stop, grab, hold, etc. For example, in one configuration, the
user may want to flip through emails or a calendar in a non-gaming nment, or do a "fist
bump" with another person or player. The le system 900 may be ured to leverage
a minimum amount of hand e, which may or may not be c. For e, the
gestures may be simple static gestures like open hand for stop, thumbs up for ok, thumbs down
for not ok; or a hand flip right, or left, or up/down for directional commands.
Eye tracking is another input (e.g., tracking where the user is looking to
control the display technology to render at a specific depth or range). In one embodiment,
vergence of the eyes may be determined using triangulation, and then using a
vergence/accommodation model developed for that particular person, accommodation may be
determined. Eye tracking can be performed by the eye camera(s) to determine eye gaze (e.g.,
direction or ation of one or both eyes). Other techniques can be used for eye tracking
such as, e.g., measurement of electrical potentials by electrodes placed near the eye(s) (e.g.,
electrooculography).
Speech tracking can be r input can be used alone or in combination
with other inputs (e.g., totem tracking, eye tracking, gesture tracking, etc.). Speech tracking
may include speech recognition, voice recognition, alone or in combination. The system 900
can include an audio sensor (e.g., a microphone) that receives an audio stream from the
environment. The system 900 can incorporate voice recognition technology to ine who
is speaking (e.g., whether the speech is from the wearer of the wearable device or another
person or voice (e.g., a recorded voice transmitted by a loudspeaker in the environment)) as
well as speech recognition technology to determine what is being said. The local data &
processing module 260 or the remote processing module 270 can process the audio data from
the microphone (or audio data in another stream such as, e.g., a video stream being watched
by the user) to identify content of the speech by applying s speech recognition
thms, such as, e.g., hidden Markov models, dynamic time warping (DTW)-based speech
recognitions, neural networks, deep learning algorithms such as deep feedforward and
recurrent neural networks, end-to-end automatic speech itions, machine learning
algorithms ibed with reference to , or other algorithms that uses acoustic
modeling or language modeling, etc.
Another input to the mixed reality process 960 can include event ng.
Data acquired from the outward facing imaging system 464 can be used event ng, and
the wearable system can analyze such imaging information (using er vision techniques)
to determine if a triggering event is occurring that may beneficially cause the system to
automatically mute the visual or audible content being ted to the user.
The local data & processing module 260 or the remote processing module
270 can also apply voice recognition algorithms which can fy the identity of the speaker,
such as whether the speaker is the user 210 of the wearable system 900 or another person with
whom the user is conversing. Some example voice recognition algorithms can
e frequency estimation, hidden Markov models, Gaussian mixture , pattern
matching algorithms, neural networks, matrix representation, Vector Quantization, speaker
diarisation, decision trees, and c time warping (DTW) technique. Voice recognition
ques can also include anti-speaker techniques, such as cohort models, and world models.
Spectral features may be used in representing speaker characteristics. The local data &
processing module or the remote data processing module 270 can use various machine learning
algorithms described with reference to to perform the voice recognition.
With regard to the camera systems, the example wearable system 900
shown in can include three pairs of cameras: a relative wide FOV or passive SLAM
pair of cameras arranged to the sides of the user's face, a different pair of cameras oriented in
front of the user to handle the stereo imaging process 940 and also to e hand gestures
and totem/object tracking in front of the user's face. The FOV cameras or the pair of cameras
for stereo process 940 may also be ed to as cameras 16. The FOV cameras and the pair
of cameras for the stereo process 940 may be a part of the outward-facing imaging system 464
(shown in . The wearable system 900 can include eye tracking s (which also
were shown as eye s 24 and which may be a part of an inward-facing imaging system
462 shown in oriented toward the eyes of the user in order to triangulate eye vectors
and other information. The wearable system 900 may also comprise one or more textured light
projectors (such as infrared (IR) projectors) to inject e into a scene.
Examples of a Wearable System Including Environmental Sensors
shows a schematic view of an example of various ents of
an wearable system comprising environmental sensors. In some embodiments, the augmented
reality display system 1010 may be an embodiment of the y system 100 illustrated in
The AR display system 1010 may be a mixed reality display system in some
implementations. The environmental sensors may include sensors 24, 28, 30, 32, and 34. An
environmental sensor may be configured to detect data regarding the user of the AR system
(also referred to as a user sensor) or be configured to collect data regarding the user’s
environment (also referred to as an external sensor). For e, a physiological sensor may
be an ment of a user sensor while a barometer may be an external sensor. In some
situations, a sensor may be both a user sensor and an external sensor. For example, an outward-
facing imaging system may acquire an image of the user’s environment as well as an image of
the user when the user is in front of a reflective surface (such as, e.g., a mirror). As another
example, a microphone may serve as both the user sensor and the al sensor because the
microphone can acquire sound from the user and from the environment. In the example
illustrated in , the sensors 24, 28, 30, and 32 may be user sensors while the sensor 34
may be an external sensor.
As illustrated, an augmented y display system 1010 may include
various user sensors. The augmented reality display system 1010 may include a viewer
imaging system 22. The viewer imaging system 22 may be an embodiment of the inwardfacing
imaging system 466 described in The viewer imaging system 22 may e
cameras 24 (e.g., infrared, UV, and/or visible light cameras) paired with light sources 26 (e.g.,
infrared light sources) directed at and configured to monitor the user (e.g., the eyes 1001, 1002
and/or surrounding tissues of the user). The cameras 24 and light sources 26 may be
operatively coupled to the local processing module 270. Such cameras 24 may be configured
to monitor one or more of the orientation, shape, and symmetry of pupils (including pupil sizes)
or irises of the respective eyes, and/or tissues surrounding the eye, such as eyelids or eyebrows
to conduct the s analyses disclosed herein. In some embodiments, imaging of the iris
and/or retina of an eye may be used for secure identification of a user. With continued
reference to , cameras 24 may further be configured to image the retinas of the
respective eyes, such as for diagnostic purposes and/or for orientation tracking based on the
location of retinal features, such as the fovea or features of the fundus. Iris and retina imaging
or scanning may be performed for secure identification of users for, e.g., correctly associating
user data with a particular user and/or to present private information to the appropriate user.
In some ments, in on to or as an ative to the cameras 24, one or more
cameras 28 may be configured to detect and/or monitor various other aspects of the status of a
user. For e, one or more cameras 28 may be inward-facing and configured to monitor
the shape, position, movement, color, and/or other properties of features other than the eyes of
the user, e.g., one or more facial features (e.g., facial expression, voluntary movement,
involuntary tics). In r example, one or more cameras 28 may be downward-facing or
outward-facing and configured to monitor the position, movement, and/or other features or
properties of the arms, hands, legs, feet, and/or torso of a user, of another person in the user’s
FOV, objects in the FOV, etc. The s 28 may be used to image the environment, and
such images can be analyzed by the wearable device to determine whether a triggering event
is occurring such that the visual or audible t being presented to the user by the wearable
device should be muted.
In some embodiments, as disclosed herein, the display system 1010 may
include a l light modulator that variably projects, through a fiber scanner (e.g., the image
injection devices in - 420, 422, 424, 426, 428), light beams across the retina of the user
to form an image. In some embodiments, the fiber scanner may be used in conjunction with,
or in place of, the cameras 24 or 28 to, e.g., track or image the user’s eyes. For e, as an
alternative to or in addition to the scanning fiber being ured to output light, the health
system may have a separate light-receiving device to receive light ted from the user’s
eyes, and to collect data associated with that reflected light.
With continued reference to , the cameras 24, 28 and light sources
26 may be d on the frame 230, which may also hold the waveguide stacks 1005, 1006.
In some embodiments, sensors and/or other electronic devices (e.g., the cameras 24, 28 and
light sources 26) of the display system 1010 may be configured to communicate with the local
processing and data module 270 through communication links 262, 264.
In some embodiments, in addition to providing data regarding the user, one
or both of the cameras 24 and 28 may be ed to track the eyes to provide user input. For
example, the viewer imaging system 22 may be utilized to select items on virtual menus, and/or
provide other input to the display system 2010, such as for providing user responses in the
various tests and analyses disclosed herein.
In some ments, the display system 1010 may include motion sensors
32, such as one or more accelerometers, gyros, gesture sensors, gait sensors, e sensors,
and/or IMU s. The sensors 30 may include one or more inwardly directed (user directed)
microphones configured to detect sounds, and various properties of those sound, including the
intensity and type of sounds detected, the presence of le signals, and/or signal location.
The sensors 30 are schematically illustrated as being connected to the frame
230. It will be a ppreciated that this connection may take the form of a physical attachment to
the frame 230 and may be anywhere on the frame 230, including the ends of the temples of the
frame 230 which extend over the user’s ears. For example, the sensors 30 may be mounted at
the ends of the s of the frame 230, at a point of contact between the frame 230 and the
user. In some other embodiments, the sensors 30 may extend away from the frame 230 to
contact the user 210. In yet other embodiments, the sensors 30 may not be physically attached
to the frame 230; rather, the s 30 may be spaced apart from the frame 230.
In some ments, the display system 1010 may further include one or
more environmental sensors 34 configured to detect objects, stimuli, people, animals,
locations, or other aspects of the world around the user. For example, environmental sensors
34 may e one or more cameras, altimeters, ters, chemical sensors, humidity
sensors, temperature sensors, external microphones, light sensors (e.g., light meters), timing
devices (e.g., clocks or calendars), or any combination or subcombination thereof. In some
embodiments, le (e.g., two) microphones may be spaced-apart, to facilitate sound source
location determinations. In various embodiments including environment sensing cameras,
cameras may be located, for example, facing outward so as to capture images similar to at least
a portion of an ordinary field of view of a user. Environmental sensors may further include
emissions s configured to receive signals such as laser, e light, invisible
wavelengths of light, sound (e.g., audible sound, ultrasound, or other frequencies). In some
embodiments, one or more environmental s (e.g., cameras or light sensors) may be
configured to e the ambient light (e.g., luminance) of the environment (e.g., to capture
the lighting conditions of the environment). Physical contact sensors, such as strain gauges,
curb feelers, or the like, may also be included as environmental sensors.
In some embodiments, the display system 1010 may further be configured
to receive other environmental inputs, such as GPS location data, weather data, date and time,
or other available environmental data which may be received from the internet, satellite
communication, or other suitable wired or wireless data communication . The
processing module 260 may be configured to access further information characterizing a
location of the user, such as pollen count, aphics, air pollution, environmental toxins,
information from smart stats, lifestyle statistics, or proximity to other users, buildings,
or a care provider. In some ments, information characterizing the location may
be accessed using based or other remote databases. The processing module 260 may be
configured to obtain such data and/or to further analyze data from any one or combinations of
the environmental sensors.
The display system 1010 may be configured to collect and store data
obtained through any of the sensors and/or inputs described above for extended periods of time.
Data received at the device may be processed and/or stored at the local processing module 260
and/or remotely (e.g., as shown in at the remote processing module 270 or remote data
repository 280). In some embodiments, additional data, such as date and time, GPS location,
or other global data may be received ly at the local processing module 260. Data
regarding content being delivered to the user by the system, such as , other visual
content, or auditory content, may be received at the local processing module 260 as well.
Automatic Control of a Wearable Display System
As described above, ions may occur where it is desirable or even
necessary to deemphasize or block virtual t, or even turn off the display of virtual content
by the wearable . Such situations can occur in response to triggering events, such as,
e.g., emergency situations, unsafe situations, or situations where it may be desirable for the
user of the wearable device to be ted less virtual content so that the user can focus more
attention on the physical world outside the user. The triggering events can also be based on the
environment in which the user is using the system. A le system can block virtual content
or present tailored virtual content based on the user’s environment. For example, the wearable
system can block video games if the wearable system detects that the user is at work.
Embodiments of the wearable device disclosed herein may include
components and functionality that can determine if such a situation is occurring and take an
riate action to mute the wearable , such as, e.g., by muting the virtual content
(e.g., deemphasize, block, or turn off the display of virtual t), or by muting one or more
ents of the wearable system (such as, e.g., turn off, attenuate, put into sleep mode of
the one or more components). As used herein, muting virtual content can generally include
deemphasizing, attenuating, or reducing the quantity or impact of the visual or audible content
presented to the user by the wearable device, up to and including turning the content off.
Muting can include a visible mute (e.g., turning off or dimming the display 220) or an audible
mute (e.g., reducing the sound emitted by the speaker 240 or turning the speakers completely
off). Muting can include increasing the transparency of visible virtual content, which makes
it easier for the user to see through such virtual content to perceive the outside physical world.
Muting can also include sing the size of the virtual content or altering its placement so
that it is less prominent in the field of view of the user. Muting can further include blocking
content from the display by the wearable device or selectively allowing some content but not
allowing other content. Accordingly, muting can be implemented via a blacklist (which
identifies the content to be blocked) or via a whitelist (which identifies the content to be
allowed). In some implementations, a ation of blacklisting and whitelisting can be used
to effectively mute content. Additionally or alternatively, a greylist can be used to indicate
content that should temporarily be blocked (or allowed) until r condition or event occurs.
For example, in an office environment, n l content could be greylisted and
temporarily blocked for display to a user, until the user’s supervisor des the block and
moves the content to a whitelist or permanently blocks the content by moving the content to a
blacklist. Various embodiments of the wearable device described herein can use some or all of
the foregoing techniques to mute the virtual content presented to the user.
In the following, various non-limiting, illustrative examples of user
experiences will be described in which it may be desirable to mute the virtual content.
Following these examples, techniques and apparatus for ining that an event is occurring
that triggers the wearable device to mute the virtual content will be described.
Examples of Muting a Wearable Device in a Surgical Context
FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate an example of muting an HMD in a surgical
context. In A, a surgeon is performing a surgery on a heart 1147. The surgeon may
wear the HMD described herein. The n can perceive the heart 1147 in his FOV. The
surgeon can also perceive virtual objects 1141, 1142, and 1145 in his FOV. The virtual objects
1141, 1142, and 1145 may be d to various metrics (such as e.g., heart rate, ECG, etc.)
ated with the heart as well as diagnosis, such as, e.g., arrhythmia, cardiac , etc.).
The HMD can present the virtual objects 1141, 1142, and 1145 based on information acquired
by the wearable system’s environmental sensors or by communicating with another device or
the remote processing module of the wearable system.
However, during the surgery, an unanticipated or emergency ion may
occur. For example, there may be a sudden, unwanted flow of blood at the surgical site (as
shown by the spray 1149 of blood from the heart 1147 in B). The wearable system may
detect this situation using computer vision techniques, for e, by ing (in images
acquired by an outward-facing camera) rapidly ing changes in keypoints or features in
or near the surgical site. The wearable system may also make the detection based on the data
ed from the other device or the remote processing module.
The wearable system may determine that this situation meets the criteria for
a triggering event in which the display of visual or e virtual content should be muted so
that the surgeon can focus attention on the unexpected or emergency situation. Accordingly,
the wearable system may automatically mute the virtual content in response to automatic
detection of the triggering event (in this example, the spray 1149 of blood). As a result, in B, the surgeon is not presented with the virtual objects 1141, 1142, and 1145 by the HMD,
and the n can focus all his attention on stopping the eruption of blood.
The HMD may resume normal operations and restore presentation of virtual
content to the surgeon in response to a termination event. The termination event may be
detected when the triggering event is over (e.g., the blood stops spraying) or when user enters
another environment in which the triggering event is not present (e.g., when the user walks out
of the emergency room). The termination event can also be based on a threshold period of time.
For example, the HMD may resume normal operations after a period of time has d (e.g.,
minutes, 15 minutes, 1 hour, etc.) upon the detection of the triggering event or upon the
ion that the triggering event is over for the period of time. In this example, the wearable
system can resume the display (or other components of the wearable system) before the
triggering event is over.
Examples of Muting the le Device in an Industrial Context
r techniques for muting the HMD can also be applied in other
contexts. For example, the techniques may be used in an industrial context. As an example, a
worker may be welding a metal ece in a factory while g the HMD. The worker
can perceive, through the HMD, the metal which he is working on as well as the virtual content
ated with the welding process. For example, the HMD can display virtual content
including instructions for how to weld a component.
However, an unanticipated or emergency situation may happen while the
worker is using the HMD. For example, the worker’s clothes may accidentally catch fire or the
welding torch may overheat or set fire to the ece or nearby materials. Other emergency
situations may occur such as a spill of industrial chemicals in the ’s environment. The
wearable system can detect these situations as events triggering the HMD to mute the virtual
content. As further described with reference to FIGS. 12A – 12C, the le system can
detect the triggering events using a computer vision thm (or a machine learning
algorithm) by analyzing images of the worker’s environment. For example, to detect a fire or
overheating, the wearable system may analyze infrared (IR) images taken by the outward
facing camera, since the heat from fires or overheating will be particularly apparent in IR
images. The wearable system can automatically mute the display of virtual content in response
to the detection of the triggering event. In some situations, the le system may provide
an alert indicating that the HMD will be automatically turned off unless the user indicates
otherwise.
In certain embodiments, the worker can manually actuate a reality button
263, which may cause the HMD to mute the l content. For example, the worker may
sense the emergency or unsafe condition (e.g., by smelling the overheated materials) and
actuate the reality button so that the worker can more readily focus on the actual reality. To
avoid accidentally muting the l content when the worker is still interested in the virtual
content, the HMD may provide an alert to the worker prior to performing the mute operation.
For example, upon detecting the actuation of the reality button, the HMD may provide a
e to the worker indicating that the virtual content will be muted shortly (e.g. in a few
seconds) unless the worker indicates ise (such as by actuating the reality button again
or by a change in his pose). Further details regarding such an alert are described below with
reference to FIGS. 14A and 14B.
C shows a landscaping worker operating machinery (e.g., a lawn
. Like many repetitive jobs, cutting grass can be tedious. Workers may lose interest
after some period of time, increasing the probability of an accident. Further, it may be ult
to attract qualified workers, or to ensure that workers are performing tely.
The worker shown in C wears an HMD, which s virtual
content 1130 in the user's field of view to enhance job performance. For example, as illustrated
in the scene 1100c, the HMD may render a virtual game, where the goal is to follow a virtually
mapped pattern. Points are received for accurately following the pattern and hitting certain
score multipliers before they disappear. Points may be deducted for straying from the pattern
or straying too close to certain physical objects (e.g., trees, sprinkler heads, roadway).
However, the worker may ter an incoming vehicle which may drive
at a very fast speed or a pedestrian may walk in front of the machinery. The worker may need
to react to this ng vehicle or the pedestrian (such as by slowing down or changing
directions). The wearable system can use its outward-facing imaging system to acquire images
of the worker’s surroundings and use computer vision algorithms to detect the incoming
vehicle or the pedestrian.
The wearable system can calculate the speed or distance from the worker
based on the acquired images (or location based data ed from other environmental
sensors, such as a GPS). If the wearable system determines that the speed or the distance passes
a threshold condition (e.g., the vehicle is approaching very fast or the vehicle or pedestrian is
very close to the worker), the HMD may automatically mute the virtual content (e.g., by
pausing the game, moving the virtual game to be outside of the FOV) to reduce distractions
and to allow the worker to concentrate on maneuvering the lawn mower to avoid the incoming
vehicle or pedestrian. For example, as shown in the scene 1132c, when the HMD mutes the
virtual content, the user does not perceive the virtual game component 1130.
When the le system detects a termination condition, such as e.g.,
when the triggering event is over, the HMD may resume normal operations and restore
presentation of virtual content to the . In some implementations, the HMD may mute
the virtual content while the rest of the HMD may continue to operate. For example, the
wearable system may continuously image the user’s position using one or more environmental
s (such as the GPS or the outward-facing camera). When wearable system determines
that incoming vehicle or the pedestrian has passed the worker, the wearable system may turn
the virtual t back on.
In some implementations, the wearable system can present an alert before
ng normal operations or restoring presentation of the virtual content. This can prevent
the virtual content to be turned on when the triggering event is still ongoing (e.g., when a user
is still in an emergency), if the user needs time to recover after the emergency, or for any other
. In response to the alert, the user can e the reality button 263 if the user would
like to virtual content to remain muted. In some implementations, the user can resume l
content during the triggering event, through a manual user input or automatically. This allows
for situations where the virtual content could help the user during the triggering event. For
example, the system may automatically detect a child is choking, and thus mute the parent’s
virtual content. If the system has an emergency response ation installed, the system may
automatically selectively turn on only the virtual t related to the ncy response
application if the parent does not respond within a threshold period of time, or if the parent
does not take the correct action.
Examples of Muting the Wearable Device in an Educational Context
D illustrates an e of muting the HMD in an educational
context. D shows a classroom 1100d with two students 1122 and 1124 ally
g in the classroom (in this example, the class is a yoga class). While the students 1122
and 1124 are wearing the HMD, they can perceive a virtual avatar for a student 1126 and a
virtual avatar for a teacher 1110, neither of whom are physically present in the room. The
student 1126 may participate in a class in his house (rather than in the classroom 1100d).
In one situation, the student 1122 may want to discuss with the other student
1124 a related problem during the class (e.g., how to perform a particular yoga pose).
The student 1122 may walk to the student 1124. The wearable system of the student 1124 may
detect that the other student 1122 is in front of her and automatically mute the audio and virtual
content presented by the HMD to allow the students 1124 and 1122 to interact in person, with
less (or no) virtual content being presented. For example, the wearable system may use a facial
ition algorithm to detect the presence of a physical person in front of the HMD (which
may be an e of a triggering event that causes the HMD to automatically mute the virtual
content). In response to this detection, the HMD can turn off (or attenuate) the audio and virtual
content from the HMD. In the example shown in D, once the HMD of the student 1124
is muted, the student 1124 will not be able to ve the virtual avatars 1126 and 1110.
However, the student 1124 can still see and interact with the t 1122 who is also in the
physical classroom.
As another e, the teacher 1110 may tell the students to engage in
group discussions and the students 1122 and 1124 may be classified into the same group. In
this example, the HMD may mute the virtual t and to allow the students 1112 and 1124
to engage in a face-to-face discussion. The HMD can also reduce the size of the virtual avatars
1110 and 1126 to reduce tual confusion during the group discussion.
Examples of Muting the Wearable Device in an Entertainment Context
The wearable system can also detect a triggering event and mute the
audio/visual content in an entertainment context. For example, the wearable system can
monitor the user’s physiological data while a user is playing a game. If the physiological data
indicates that the user is experiencing an agitated nal state (such as being extremely
angry due to a loss in a game or extremely scared during a game), the wearable system may
detect the presence of a triggering event and thus can cause the HMD to automatically mute
the virtual content. The wearable system can compare the physiological data with one or more
thresholds for the detection of the triggering event. As an example, the wearable system can
monitor the user’s heart rate, respiratory rate, pupil dilation, etc.The threshold conditions may
depend on the type of game the user is playing. For example, if the user is playing a relatively
relaxing game (such as a life simulation game), the threshold condition (e.g., the old hear
rate, respiratory rate, etc.) may be lower than if the user is playing a racing game (which may
require intense concentration and can cause the user’s heart rate to go up). If the user’s
physiological state passes the threshold, then the wearable system is triggered to mute the
virtual content provided by the HMD.
As another example, virtual content may be associated with unpleasant
music. The unpleasant music may be a triggering event for muting the audio/visual content of
the HMD. The wearable system can detect the user’s reaction using the -facing imaging
system (e.g., to determine the user’s facial expression or pupil dilation) or other nmental
sensors (e.g., to detect the user’s respiratory rate or heart rate). For example, the wearable
system may detect that the user frowns when the user hears certain music.
The wearable system can generate an alert message ting that the user
is experiencing an agitated emotional state. The HMD may y a l graphic that
suggests the user manually actuate the reality button 263 to mute y of the l content.
In some embodiments, the HMD may automatically turn off the virtual content if the HMD
does not e the user mation within a certain period of time. The HMD may also
automatically turn off the virtual content in response to the detection of the triggering event.
For example, when an unpleasant music is played, the HMD may automatically mute the sound
or lower the volume of the sound. In the meantime, the HMD may still play the virtual images
associated with the sound.
Examples of Muting the Wearable Device in a Shopping Context
E illustrates an example of muting an HMD in a shopping context.
In this e, the user 210 may wear an HMD in a shopping mall 1100e. The user 210 can
perceive virtual content such as her shopping list, price tags, recommended items (and their
locations in the store), etc., using the HMD. The user can also perceive a physical booth 1150
with a chef 1152 selling various spices and cooking utensils.
The le system can detect the user’s 210 position using environmental
sensors (such as GPS or outward-facing g system). If the wearable system determines
that the user 210 is within a threshold distance of the booth 1150, the HMD may automatically
mute the display of virtual content so that the user can ct with the chef 1152 in person.
This may advantageously reduce perceptual confusion when the user 210 engages in a
conversion with the chef 1152. Further, for example, the user may be able to tell which items
in the booth are physical items (rather than virtual items). The wearable system can detect a
termination condition, such as, e.g., when the user 210 walks away from the booth 1150, the
HMD may unmute the display of l content in response to the detection of the termination
condition.
Examples of Muting Virtual Content Based on Environment
In addition to or in alternative to muting virtual content based on events in
the environments (e.g., emergency situations) or s in the environment (e.g., the presence
of another user’s face), the le system can also rtual content based on the
characteristics of the user’s environment. For e, the wearable system can fy such
characteristics of the user’s environment based on the s observed by the outward-facing
imaging system 464. Based on the type of the user’s environment (e.g., home, office, break or
gaming area, outdoors, retail store, mall, theater or concert venue, restaurant, museum,
transportation (e.g., automobile, plane, bus, train), etc.), the wearable system can tailor virtual
content or mute certain virtual content.
Additionally or alternatively to using the wearable system’s outward-facing
imaging system 464, as will be further described herein, the wearable system may use a
location sensor (e.g., a GPS sensor) to determine the user’s location and y infer the nature
of the user’s nment. For example, the wearable system may store locations of interest to
the user (e.g., a home location, an office location, etc.). The location sensor can determine
location, compare to a known location of interest, and the wearable system can infer the user’s
environment (e.g., if the GPS coordinates of the system are sufficiently close to the user’s
home location, the wearable system can determine that the user is in a home environment and
apply appropriate content blocking (or allowing) based on the home environment).
As one example, the le system can include a variety of virtual content
such as, e.g., virtual content related to social media, game invitations, audiovisual content,
office content, and navigation applications. The outward-facing imaging system 464 can detect
that a user is in an office (e.g., by recognizing the presence of a computer monitor, business
telephone, work files on an office desk using object recognizers). The wearable system can
accordingly allow office ations and block the social media feeds and gaming invitations
so that the user can focus on work. The wearable system, however, may be ured not to
mute the navigation applications because they may be helpful to direct the user to a client
destination. However, when the wearable system detects that the user is sitting in a chair in the
office that is away from the user’s desk (e.g., with analysis of images acquired by the d-
facing imaging system), the wearable system may be configured to allow social media feeds,
alone or in combination with the office (or navigation) applications, as the user might be taking
a short break. Additionally or alternatively, the le system can label environment and
y what content is to be blocked or allowed based on user input. For example, the wearable
system can receive an indication from a user that a scene is the user’s bedroom, and the user
can select the option of allowing entertainment content or blocking work content at the scene.
Thus, when the user re-enters the m, the system can determine that the user is in the
bedroom, and automatically block or allow content based on the user input.
In some situations, the wearable system can mute or present virtual content
based on a combination of environment and user’s role with respect to the environment. For
example, the wearable system can present a set of office tools for an employee and block access
to the et (or other applications) when the wearable system detects that the user is in the
office (e.g., by identifying office furniture using object recognizers 708). However, if a
supervisor enters into the same office environment, the wearable system may allow the
supervisor to access to Internet because the supervisor may have more access to l content.
As another example, the wearable system can recognize that a user is in a
house, such as, e.g., by recognizing the presence of home furniture (e.g., sofa, television, dining
tables, etc.) in an environment or by manual labeling, by the user, for e. The wearable
system can ingly allow n virtual content, such as, e.g., social media feeds, video
games, or telepresence invitations from/to friends. In n implementations, even though
two users are in the same environment, the virtual content perceivable by the user may be
different. For example, a child and a parent can both be in a living environment, but the
wearable system can block the virtual content not appropriate to the s age while allowing
the parent to view such virtual content. Additional examples of muting virtual content based
on locations are further described below with reference to FIGS. 11F and 11G.
Although the es are described with reference to blocking the virtual
content, the wearable system can also mute the virtual content based on location by, e.g.,
asizing some or all of the virtual content or turning off the display based on the
location.
Examples of Selective Content Muting in a Work Environment
F illustrates an example of selectively blocking content in a work
environment. F shows two scenes 1160a and 1160b, where some virtual content is
blocked in the scene 1160b. Scenes 1160a and 1160b show an office 1100f with a user 210
physically standing in the office. The user 210 can wear an HMD 1166 (which may be an
embodiment of the HMD described with reference to . The user can perceive, via the
HMD, physical objects in the office, such as, e.g., a table 1164a, a chair 1164b, and a mirror
1164c. The HMD can also be configured to present virtual objects such as, e.g., a virtual menu
1168 and a l avatar 1164 for a game.
In some situations, the wearable system can be configured to selectively
mute virtual content in the user’s environment such that not all virtual t is presented to
the user by the HMD 1166. As one example, the wearable system can e data about the
environment acquired from one or more nmental sensors of the wearable system. The
environmental data may include images of the office alone or in combination of GPS data. The
environmental data can be used to recognize objects in the user’s environment or to ine
the user’s location based on the recognized objects. With reference to F, the wearable
system can analyze the environmental data to detect the physical ce of a work desk
1164a, a chair 1164b, and a mirror 1164c. Based at least in part on the received data detecting
the work desk 1514, the chair 1512, and the mirror 1164c, the wearable system 200 may
recognize the environment to be an office environment. For example, the wearable system can
make this determination based on tual information ated with the objects, such as,
e.g., characteristics of the objects as well as layout of objects. The collection of the objects in
the user’s nment can also be used to determine a probability that a user is at a certain
on. As one example, the wearable system can ine that the presence of an L-shaped
desk and a rolling chair indicates a high likelihood that the environment is an office. The
wearable system can train and apply a machine learning model (e.g., a neural network) to
determine the environment. Various e learning algorithms (such as a neural network or
supervised learning) may be trained and used for recognizing the environment. In various
embodiments, one or more object recognizers 708 can be used for such recognition.
Alternatively, the user may have previously labeled this location as “work” through a user
input.
Based on the environment, the wearable system can automatically
block/unblock (or allow/disallow) n virtual t. The wearable system can access one
or more settings ated with the environment for blocking the virtual content. With
reference to F, a setting ated with the office environment may include muting the
video games. Thus, as shown in the scene 1160b, the wearable system may automatically block
the virtual avatar 1524 from being rendered by the HMD 1166 to allow the user 210 to focus
on his work. As another example, the wearable system can be configured to render an image
of the virtual avatar 1164, but nevertheless block one or more user interface operations
associated with the virtual avatar 1164. In this example, the user 210 will still be able to see
the virtual avatar 1164, but the user 210 cannot interact with virtual avatar 1164 while the
wearable system enables the setting associated with the work environment.
In certain implementations, the setting for muting virtual content at a
location can be user configurable. For example, a user can select which virtual content to block
for an environment and what label to apply to that location and/or virtual content selection.
With reference to F, the user 210 can select to block virtual avatar 1164 from appearing
in the HMD while the user 210 is in the office 1100f. The wearable system can then store the
setting associated with office 1100f and apply the setting to selectively block the virtual avatar
1164. Thus, as shown in the scene 1160b, the l avatar 1164 is blocked from the user’s
view.
The examples are described with reference to determining an environment
(e.g., an office) and mute virtual content based on the environment, the wearable system can
also mute the virtual content (or a component of the wearable system) based on the
nmental factors or the similarity of the content to other blocked content, so that the
wearable system does not have to determine the specific location of the user. This may be
ageous if the wearable system does not include a location sensor, the location sensor is
blocked (e.g., path to GPS ites is blocked), or the location accuracy is insufficient to
determine the environmental characteristics. The wearable system can recognize the objects in
an environment and determine characteristics of the environment (e.g., a leisure nment,
a public environment, or a work environment) in general and mute virtual content based on the
characteristics of the environment. For e, the wearable system can identify that the
user’s environment includes a sofa and a television. The wearable system can thus determine
that a user is in a leisure environment, without g whether the leisure environment is
actually the user’s home or a break room at the user’s work.In some implementations, the
system will determine the type of nment and provide a notification to the user to either
accept or deny the environment label.
es of Selective Content Blocking in a Break Room Environment
G illustrates examples of ively blocking content in a break
room environment. G shows two scenes 1170a and 1170b. The break room 1100g
shown in G shows a user 210 wearing an HMD 1166 and physically standing in the
break room 1100g. The break room 1100g includes physical objects such as a table 1172c, a
sofa 1172b, and a television 1172a. The HMD 1166 can also be ured to present virtual
content, such as, e.g., a virtual avatar 1176 for a game and a virtual menu 1174, neither of
which are physically t in the room. In this example, virtual menu 1174 presents options
1178a, 1178b, 1178c to the user 210 to play a crossword, start a conference call, or access work
email respectively.
The wearable system can be configured to mute some virtual content based
on the user’s environment. For example, the outward-facing imaging system 464 can acquire
images of the user’s environment. The wearable system can analyze the images and detect the
physical presence of a coffee table 1172c, a sofa 1172b, and a television 1172a. Based at least
in part on the presence of the coffee table 1172c, the sofa 1172b, and the television 1172a, the
wearable system 200 may then recognize that the user 210 is in a break room environment.
The le system can render or mute virtual content based on one or
more settings associated with the user’s environment.The setting can e muting some
virtual content in the nment or muting a portion of the virtual content. As an example of
muting some virtual content, the le system can block the virtual avatar 1176 from
displaying while keeping the virtual menu 1174. As an example of blocking a portion of the
virtual content, the scene 1170b rates an example of blocking work related content when
a user is in a break room. As shown in the scene 1170b, rather than blocking the whole virtual
menu 1174, the le system can selectively block the conference option 1178b and work
email option 1178c but keep crossword option 1178a available for interaction because the
crossword option 1178a is entertainment related while the options 1178b and 1178c are work
related and the setting associated with the breakroom nment enables blocking of the
work related content. In certain implementations, the conference option 1178b and 1178c may
still be visible to a user but the wearable system may prevent user interactions with the options
1178b and 1178c while the user 210 is in the break room 1100g.
In some implementations, the user can configure a mute setting associated
with an environment and the wearable system can automatically block similar virtual t
even though a particular piece of virtual content may not be part of the mute setting. For
example, a user can configure a work setting for muting social networking applications. The
le system can automatically mute game invitations because the game invitations and
the social networking applications are both considered as entertainment activities. As another
example, the wearable system may be tailored to present work email and office tools in an
office environment. Based on this g, the wearable system can also present worked related
contacts for telepresence tools to tailor the virtual content to the office environment. The
wearable system can ine whether l content is similar to those blocked (or tailored)
using one or more machine learning algorithms described with reference to object recognizers
708 in
Although the examples in the scenes 1170a and 1170b are described with
reference to blocking t based on the user’s environment, in some implementations, the
settings associated with the environment may relate to allowing certain virtual content. For
example, a setting associated with a break room environment can include enabling interactions
with entertainment related virtual content.
Examples of a Triggering Event
FIGS. 12A, 12B, and 12C illustrate examples of muting virtual content
presented by an HMD based at least partly on occurrence of a triggering event. In A, a
user of an HMD can perceive physical objects in his FOV 1200a. The physical objects may
include a television (TV) 1210, a remote control 1212, a TV stand 1214, and a window 1216.
The HMD here may be an embodiment of the y 220 described with reference to FIGS. 2
and 4. The HMD can display the virtual objects onto the physical environment of the user in
an AR or MR ence. For example, in A, the user can perceive virtual objects such
as a virtual building 1222 and an avatar 1224 in the user’s environment.
The user can interact with objects in the user’s FOV. For example, the avatar
1224 may represent a virtual image of the user’s friend. While the user is conducting a
telepresence session with his friend, the avatar 1224 may animate the user’s friend’s
movements and emotions to create a tangible sense of the friend’s presence in the user’s
environment. As r e, the user can interact with the TV 1210 using the remote
1212 or using a virtual remote rendered by the HMD. For example, the user can change the
channel, volume, sound settings, etc. using the remote 1212 or the virtual remote. As yet
another example, the user can interact with the l building 1222. For example, the user
can use poses (e.g., hand gestures or other body poses) or e a user input device (e.g., user
input device 504 in to select the virtual building 1222. Upon selection of the virtual
building, the HMD can display a virtual environment inside of the virtual building 1222. For
example, the virtual building 1222 may include virtual classrooms inside. The user can
simulate walking into the l classrooms and engage in a class in an AR/MR/VR
environment.
When the user is in an AR/MR/VR environment, the environmental sensors
(including the user sensors and the external sensors) can acquire data of the user and the user’s
nment. The le system can analyze the data acquired by the nmental sensors
to determine one or more triggering . Upon occurrence of a triggering event (which may
have a magnitude or icance above a threshold), the wearable system can automatically
mute the virtual content, such as, e.g., by muting the display of some or all of visible virtual
content or muting audible virtual content.
A triggering event may be based on physical events occurring in the user’s
environment. For example, a triggering event may include an emergency or unsafe situation
such as a fire, an artery rupture (in a surgery), a police car approaching, spill of chemicals (in
an experiment or industrial procedure), etc. The triggering event may also be associated with
a user’s action, such as when a user walks on a crowded street, sits in a car (whichmay be
unsafe to drive if too much virtual t is ted to the user). The triggering event may
also be based on a user’s location (e.g., at home or a park) or a scene (e.g., a work scene or a
leisure scene) around the user. The triggering event can further be based on the objects
(including other people) in the user’s environment. For example, the triggering event may be
based on the density of people within a certain distance of the user or computer face recognition
that a particular person (e.g., a teacher, police officer, supervisor, etc.) has ched the user.
Additionally or alternatively, the triggering event may be based on virtual
content. For example, the triggering event may include an unexpected loud noise in the
AR/VR/MR environment. The triggering event may also include unpleasant or disturbing
experiences in the MR nment. As yet another example, the wearable system
may mute a virtual content similar to the virtual content that was previously blocked by the
wearable system at a certain location.
The ring event can also include a change in the user’s location. D illustrates an example of muting virtual content upon detecting a change in a user’s
nment. In D, a user 210 is initially in a break room 1240b. The user can perceive,
via an HMD, virtual t ed to the break room 1240b, such as the example virtual
contents 1178a and 1176 shown in the scene 1170b in G. The user 210 can walk out
of the break room 1240b and enter the office 1240a. As the user 210 transitions from the break
room 1240b to the office 1240a, the wearable system 200 can acquire data from one or more
environmental sensors. The acquired data can include images acquired by the outward-facing
imaging system 464. The wearable system can analyze the ed images to detect the
presence of a work desk 1242, a chair 1244, and a computer monitor 1246. The wearable
system 200 can recognize that the user has entered in an office environment based at least
partly on the presence of one or more physical objects in the environment.
Because the wearable system 200 detects that a change in environment has
occurred (e.g., because the user walked from the break room 1240b to the office 1240a), the
wearable system 200 determines a setting associated with muting content for the new
environment. For example, the wearable system 200 can check whether a content blocking
setting associated with office 1240a was previously enabled. If a content blocking g
associated with office 1705 was previously enabled, the wearable system 200 can
automatically apply the associated setting for the content blocking. As an example, the content
blocking setting for the office 1240a can include blocking entertainment content. Thus, as
shown in D, the user can no longer perceive virtual game applications. The wearable
system can also remove the crossword ation 1178a (which the user was able to perceive
in the break room 1240b) and instead shows an office tools application 1252. As another
e, the wearable system can update the t list 1254 of the esence session to
present work related ts (rather than the user’s friends outside of work). The wearable
system can also sort the contact list such that the work related contacts are more easily
perceived by the user (e.g., moving work related contacts to the top of the contact list) when
the user is in the office 1240a.
Although in this example, the user walks from the break room 1240b to the
office 1240a, similar techniques can also be d if the user walks from the office 1240a to
the break room 1240b. In certain implementations, although a user moves from one location
to another, the le system may nevertheless apply the same setting for muting virtual
content because the scene has not changed. For example, a user may move from a park to a
subway station. The wearable system can apply the same setting for muting virtual content
because the park and the subway n may both be considered as a public scene.
Computer Vision and Sensor Based Detection of Triggering Events
A triggering event can be detected using a y of ques. A
triggering event may be determined based on reactions of the user. For example, the wearable
system can analyze data acquired by the inward-facing imaging system or by a physiological
sensor. The wearable system can use the data to determine the user’s emotional state. The
wearable system can detect the presence of a triggering event by determining whether the user
is in a certain emotional state (such as angry, scared, ortable, etc.). As an example, the
wearable system can analyze the user’s pupil dilation, heart rate, ation rate, or
perspiration rate to ine the user’s emotional state.
The triggering event can also be detected using computer vision techniques.
For example, the le system can analyze the images acquired by the outward-facing
imaging system to perform scene reconstruction, event detection, video tracking, object
recognition, object pose estimation, learning, indexing, motion estimation, or image
restoration, etc. One or more computer vision algorithms may be used to perform these tasks.
Non-limiting examples of computer vision thms include: Scale-invariant e
transform (SIFT), d up robust features (SURF), oriented FAST and rotated BRIEF
(ORB), binary robust invariant scalable keypoints (BRISK), fast retina keypoint (FREAK),
Viola-Jones algorithm, Eigenfaces approach, Lucas-Kanade algorithm, Horn-Schunk
algorithm, Mean-shift algorithm, visual simultaneous location and mapping (vSLAM)
techniques, a sequential Bayesian estimator (e.g., Kalman , extended Kalman filter, etc.),
bundle adjustment, Adaptive thresholding (and other thresholding techniques), Iterative
Closest Point (ICP), Semi Global Matching (SGM), Semi Global Block ng (SGBM),
Feature Point Histograms, various e learning algorithms (such as e.g., support vector
machine, k-nearest neighbors algorithm, Naive Bayes, neural network (including
convolutional or deep neural networks), or other supervised/unsupervised models, etc.), and
so forth. As described with nce to one or more of the computer vision algorithms
may be implemented by an object recognizer 708 for recognizing objects, events, or
environments.
One or more of these computer vision techniques can also be used together
with data acquired from other environmental sensors (such as, e.g., microphone) to detect the
presence of the triggering event.
The triggering event may be detected based on one or more criteria. These
ia may be defined by a user. For example, the user may set a triggering event to be fire in
the user’s environment. Therefore, when the wearable system detects the fire using a er
vision algorithm or using data ed from a smoke detector (which may or may not be part
of the wearable system), the wearable system can then signal the presence of the triggering
event and automatically mute the virtual content being displayed. The criteria may also be set
by another person. For example, the programmer of the wearable system may set a triggering
event to be overheating of the wearable system.
The presence of the triggering event may also be indicated by a user’s
interactions. For e, the user may make a certain pose (e.g., a hand gesture or a body
pose) or actuate a user input device ting the presence of the ring event.
Additionally or alternatively, the criteria may also be learned based on the
user’s behaviors (or behaviors of a group of users). For example, thewearable system can
monitor when a user turns off the HMD. The wearable system can observe that the user often
turns of the wearable system in response to a certain type of l content (e.g., certain types
of scenes in a movie). The wearable system may accordingly learn the user’s behavior and
predict a triggering event based on the user’s behavior. As another example, thewearable
system can associate the user’s emotional state based on the user’s previous interactions with
virtual content. The wearable system can use this association to predict whether a triggering
event is present when the user is interacting with a virtual object.
The triggering event may also be based on known s. For example, the
wearable system may block virtual content from the display in a given location. The wearable
system can automatically block other virtual content having similar characteristics at the given
on. For example, a user may configure blocking a video ng application in a car.
Based on this configuration, the le system can automatically block a movie and a music
application even though the user did not specifically configure blocking of the movie and the
music ation, because the movie and music application share similar characteristics as the
video watching application (e.g., all of them are audio-visual entertainment content).
Machine ng of Triggering Events
A y of machine learning algorithms can be used to learn triggering
events. Once trained, a machine learning model can be stored by the wearable system for
subsequent applications. As described with reference to one or more of the machine
learning algorithms or models may be implemented by the object recognizer 708.
Some examples of machine learning algorithms can include ised or
non-supervised machine learning algorithms, including regression algorithms (such as, for
example, Ordinary Least Squares Regression), ce-based algorithms (such as, for
example, ng Vector Quantization), decision tree algorithms (such as, for example,
classification and regression trees), Bayesian algorithms (such as, for example, Naive Bayes),
clustering algorithms (such as, for example, k-means clustering), association rule learning
algorithms (such as, for example, a-priori algorithms), artificial neural network algorithms
(such as, for example, Perceptron), deep learning algorithms (such as, for example, Deep
Boltzmann Machine, or deep neural network), dimensionality reduction algorithms (such as,
for example, Principal Component Analysis), ensemble algorithms (such as, for example,
Stacked lization), and/or other machine learning algorithms. In some embodiments,
individual models can be customized for individual data sets. For e, the le device
can generate or store a base model. The base model may be used as a starting point to generate
additional models specific to a data type (e.g., a particular user), a data set (e.g., a set of
additional images obtained), conditional situations, or other variations. In some embodiments,
the wearable system can be configured to utilize a plurality of techniques to generate models
for analysis of the aggregated data. Other techniques may include using pre-defined thresholds
or data values.
The criteria can include a threshold ion. If the analysis of the data
acquired by the environmental sensor tes that the threshold condition is passed, the
wearable system may detect the presence of the triggering event. The threshold condition may
e a tative and/or qualitative e. For example, the threshold condition can
include a score or a percentage associated with the likelihood of the triggering event is
occurring. The wearable system can compare the score calculated from the environmental
sensor’s data with the threshold score. If the score is higher than the threshold level, the
wearable system may detect the presence of the triggering event. In other embodiments, the
wearable system can signal the presence of the triggering event if the score is lower than the
threshold.
The threshold condition may also include letter grades such as such as “A”,
“B”, “C”, “D”, and so on. Each grade may ent a severity of the situation. For example,
“A” may be the most severe while “D”may be least severe. When the le system
determines that an event in the user’s environment is severe enough (as compared to the
threshold condition), le system may indicate the presence of a triggering event and take
action (e.g., muting the l content).
The threshold condition may be determined based on objects (or people) in
the user’s physical environment. For example, a threshold condition may be determined based
on the user’s heart rate. If the user’s heart rate exceeds a thresholdnumber (e.g., a certain
number of beats per minute), the wearable system may signal the presence of the triggering
event. As another example described above with reference to FIGS. 11A and 11B, the user of
the wearable system may be a surgeon ming a surgery on a patient. The threshold
condition may be based on the patient’s blood loss, the patient’s heart rate, or other
physiological parameters. As described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 10, the le system
can acquire the data of the patient from the environmental sensors (e.g., an outward-facing
camera that images the surgical site) or from an external source (such as, e.g., ECG data
red by an electrocardiograph). As yet another example, the threshold condition may be
ined based on the presence of certain objects (such as the presence of fire or smoke) in
the user’s environment.
The threshold condition may also be determined based on the virtual objects
being displayed to the user. As one example, the threshold ion may be based on the
presence of certain number of virtual objects (such as e.g., a number of missed virtual
telepresence calls from a person). As another example, the threshold ion may be based
on the user’s ction with the virtual object. For example, the threshold condition may be
the duration of the user watching a piece of l content.
In some embodiments, the threshold conditions, the machine learning
algorithms, or the computer vision algorithms may be specialized for a specific context. For
example, in a surgical context, the er vision algorithm may be specialized to detect
certain al events. As another e, the wearable system may execute facial
recognition algorithms (rather than event tracing algorithms) in the educational context to
detect whether a person is near the user.
Example Alerts
The wearable system can provide to the user an indication of the presence
of the triggering event. The indication may be in the form of a focus indicator. The focus
tor can comprise a halo, a color, a perceived size or depth change (e.g., causing a virtual
object to appear closer and/or larger when selected), a change in a user interface element (e.g.,
changing the shape of a cursor from a circle to an escalation mark), a message (with text or
graphics), or other audible, tactile, or visual effects which draw the user’s attention.The
le system may t the focus indicator near the cause of the triggering event. For
example, a user of the le system may be cooking on a stove and ng a virtual TV
show with the le system. However, the user may forg et about the food he is cooking
while watching the TV show. As a result, the food may be burnt, thereby producing smoke or
flames. The wearable system can detect smoke or flames using environmental sensors or by
analyzing images of the stove. The wearable system can further detect that the source of the
smoke or flames is the food on the stove. Accordingly, the wearable system may present a halo
around the food on the stove indicating that it is burning. This implementation may be
beneficial because the user may be able to cure the source of the triggering event (e.g., by
turning off the stove) before the event escalates (e.g., into a house fire). While the triggering
event is occurring, the wearable system may automatically mute the display of virtual content
that is not associated with the triggering event (such as, e.g., the virtual TV show) so that the
user can focus attention on the triggering event. uing with the above burnt food example,
the wearable system may mute virtual content not associated with the food or stove, while
emphasizing the source of the triggering event (e.g., by continuing to display a halo around the
burnt food).
As another example, the focus indicator may be an alert message. For
example, the alert message may include a brief ption of the triggering event (such as,
e.g., fire on the second floor, patient’s blood loss exceeds a certain number, etc.). In some
embodiments, the alert message may also include one or more recommendations to cure the
triggering event. For example, the alert message may say, call fireman, infuse a certain type of
blood, etc.
In certain implementations, the wearable system can use a user’s response
to the alert message to update the wearable system’s recognition of a triggering event. For
example, a wearable system can recognize, based on images acquired by the outward-facing
imaging system, that a user has arrived at home. Thus, the wearable system may present the
l content tailored to the user’s home. But the user is actually at a friend’s house. The user
can provide an indication, e.g., by actuating the reality button, using hand gestures, or actuating
a user input , to dismiss the virtual t or change in setting. The wearable system
can remember the user’s response for this environment, and will not present the virtual t
tailored to the user’s home next time when the user is at the same house.
As another example, the wearable system can ize an emergency
situation and present a message for automatically shutting off the display. The user can also
provide indication to prevent the wearable system from ng off the display. The wearable
system can remember the user’s response, and use this response for updating a model used by
an object recognizer 708 for determining the presence of the emergency situation.
Examples of Muting Components of a Wearable System or Virtual Content in Response to a
Triggering Event
In response to a triggering event the wearable system can mute visual
audible virtual content. For example, the wearable system can automatically mute the audio
from the HMD, turn off the virtual t displayed by the HMD, cause the HMD to enter a
sleep mode, dim the light field of the HMD, reduce the amount of virtual content (e.g., by
hiding virtual content, moving virtual content out of the FOV, or ng the size of a virtual
object). In embodiments in which the wearable system provides e virtual t (e.g.,
vibrations), the le system can additionally or alternatively mute the tactile virtual
content. In addition to or in ative to muting audio or visual content, the wearable system
can also mute one or more of other components of the le system. For e, the
wearable system can ively suspend the outward-facing imaging system, the inwardfacing
imaging system, the microphone, or other sensitive s of the wearable system. For
example, the wearable system may include two eye cameras configured to image the user’s
eyes. The wearable system may mute one or both eye cameras in response to the triggering
event. As another example, the wearable system may turn off one or more cameras configured
to image the user’s surroundings in the outward-facing imaging system. In some embodiments,
the wearable system may change one or more cameras in the inward-facing imaging system or
the outward-facing imaging system to low resolution mode such that the images acquired may
not have fine details. These implementations may reduce the wearable system’s battery
consumption when the user is not viewing the virtual content.
Continuing with the example user environment shown in FIGS. 12A-12C,
B illustrates an e FOV where the virtual display of the wearable system has
been turned off. In this figure, the user can perceive only physical objects 1210, 1212, 1214,
and 1216 in his FOV 1200b because the l display of the wearable system has turned off.
This figure is in contrast with A where the wearable system is turned on. In A,
the user can perceive virtual objects 1222, 1224 in the FOV 1200a while in B, the user
is not able to perceive the virtual s 1222, 1224.
Advantageously, in some embodiments, the wearable system can allow
faster re-start or resume after a triggering event by keeping the rest of the wearable system
components continuously operating while muting the presentation of the virtual content in
response to the triggering event. For example, the wearable system may mute (or completely
turn off) the speaker or the display, while g the rest of the wearable system components
in a functioning state. Accordingly, after the triggering event has ceased, the wearable system
may not need to restart all components as comparing to a full restart when the wearable system
is completely turned off. As one example, the wearable system can mute the display of virtual
images but leave the audio on. In this example, le system can reduce visual confusion
in response to a triggering event while allow the user to hear an alert via the speaker of the
wearable system. As another example, a triggering event can occur when the user is in a
telepresence session. The wearable system can mute the virtual t as well as the sound
ated with the telepresence session but allow the telepresence application running in the
background of the wearable system. As yet another example, the wearable system can mute
the virtual t (and the audio) while keep one or more environmental sensors operating. In
response to the triggering event, the wearable system can turn off the display while
uously acquire data use GPS sensor (for example). In this example, the le system
can allow a rescuer to more accurately locate the position of the user in an emergency situation.
C illustrates an example FOV where the le system has
reduced the amount of virtual content. Comparing to A, the virtual avatar 1224 in FOV
1200c has been reduced in size. In addition, the wearable system has moved the virtual avatar
1224 from close to the center of the FOV to the bottom right corner. As a result, the virtual
avatar 1224 is deemphasized and may create less tual ion for the user. In addition,
the wearable system has moved the virtual building 1222 to the outside of the FOV 1200c. As
a result, the virtual object 1224 does not appear in the FOV 1200c.
In addition to or as an alternative to automatically muting virtual content
based on a triggering event, the wearable system can also mute the l content when a user
manually actuates a y button (e.g., the reality button 263 in . For example, the user
can press the reality button to turn off audio or visual t or gently tap the reality button
to move the virtual content out of the FOV. Further details relating to the reality button are
described below with nce to FIGS. 14A and 14B.
In some embodiments, upon detecting a triggering event, the wearable
system may present an audible, tactile, or visual indication of the triggering event to the user.
If the user does not respond to the triggering event, the wearable system may automatically be
muted to reduce the perceptual ions. In other ments, the wearable system will be
muted if the user responds to the indication of the triggering event. For example, the user may
respond by actuating a realty button or a user input device, or by providing a certain pose (such
as e.g., g his hand in front of the outward-facing imaging system).
Example ses for Muting a Wearable Device
FIGS. 13A and 13B illustrate example processes of muting the wearable
system based on a triggering event. The ses 1310 and 1320 in FIGS. 13A and 13B
(respectively) may be performed by the wearable system described herein. In these two
processes, one or more blocks may be optional or be part of another block. In addition, these
two processes are not required to be performed in the sequence indicated by the arrows in the
figures.
At block 1312 of the process 1310, the wearable system can receive data
from environmental sensors. The environmental sensors may e user s as well as
external sensors. Accordingly, the data acquired by the environment sensors can include data
associated with the user and the user’s physical environment. In some embodiments, the
le system can communicate with another data source to acquire additional data. For
example, the wearable system can communicate with a medical device to obtain a patient’s
data (such as heart rate, respiratory rate, disease history, etc.). As another example, the
wearable system can communicate with a remote data store to determine the information of
virtual objects (such as e.g., the type of movie the user is watching, the previous interactions
of the virtual objects, etc.) for which the user is currently interacting. In some implementations,
the wearable system can receive the data from an external imaging system in communication
with the wearable system or from an internal imaging system that is networked to external
g systems.
At block 1314, the wearable system analyzes the data to detect a triggering
event. The wearable system may analyze the data in view of a threshold condition. If the data
indicates that the threshold condition is , the wearable system can detect the presence of
a triggering event. The triggering event may be detected in real-time using computer vision
algorithms. The triggering event may also be ed based on one or more predictive .
For example, wearable system may indicate the presence of a triggering event if the likelihood
of the triggering event occurring exceeds a threshold condition.
At block 1316, the display system can automatically be muted in response
to the triggering event. For example, the wearable system can automatically turn off the virtual
t display or mute a portion of the virtual content presented by the display. As a result,
the user may see through the wearable system into the physical environment without
distractions by the virtual content or t problems for distinguishing a real physical object
from a virtual object, or may perceive virtual content relevant to a n environment. As
r example, the wearable system can turn off the sound or lower the volume of the sound
associated with the virtual t to reduce perceptual confusions.
At optional block 1318a, the wearable system can determine the termination
of a triggering event. For example, the wearable system can determine whether the situation
which caused the triggering event is over (e.g., the fire is put out) or the user is no longer in
the same environment (e.g., a user walks from home to a park). If the ring event is no
longer present, the process 1310 may proceed to optional block 1318b to resume the display
system or the muted l content.
In some situations, the wearable system can determine, at the optional block
1318b, the presence of a second triggering event. The second triggering event may cause the
wearable system to resume the display system or a portion of the muted virtual content, or
cause the wearable system to mute other virtual t, the display system or other
components of the wearable system (if they were not previously muted).
The process 1320 in B illustrates another example process of muting
virtual content based on a triggering event. The blocks 1312 and 1314 in the processes 1310
and 1320 follow the same description.
At block 1322, the wearable system can determine whether the triggering
event is present based on the is of data at block 1314. If the triggering event is not
present, the process 1320 goes back to the block 1312 where the wearable system continuously
monitors data acquired from the environmental s.
If the triggering event is detected, at block 1324, the wearable system can
provide an indication of the ring event. As described with nce to A, the
indication may be a focus indicator. For example, the tion may be an alert message. The
alert e may state that a triggering event has been detected and if no response is received
from the user for a certain period of time (e.g., 5 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, etc.), the
wearable system may automatically mute the perceptual confusions.
At block 1324, the wearable system can determine whether a response to
the indication has been received. The user can respond to the indication by actuating a user
input device or a reality . The user can also respond by a change in pose. The wearable
system can determine whether the user has provided the response by monitoring the input from
the user input device or the reality button. The wearable system can also analyze the images
acquired by the outward-facing imaging system or data acquired by the IMUs to ine
r the user has changed his pose to provide the se.
If the wearable system does not receive the response, the wearable system
may automatically mute virtual content (or the sound) at block 1328. If the wearable system
does receive the response, the process 1320 ends. In some embodiments, the wearable system
may continuously monitor the nmental sensor if the wearable system receives the
response. The wearable system may later detect another triggering event. In some
embodiments, the response received from the user cts the wearable system to perform
another action not provided in the indication. As an example, the wearable system may provide
an alert message indicating that the virtual display will be turned off in the user does not
respond within a threshold time duration. However, the user does respond within the time
duration, for example, by tapping twice on the y button. But this response is associated
with dimming the light field ad of turning off). Accordingly, the wearable system may
instead dim the light field instead of g it off as indicated in the alert e.
The process 1330 in C illustrates an example of selectively blocking
virtual content according to an environment. The process 1330 can be performed by the
wearable system 200 described herein.
The process 1330 starts from block 1332 and moves to block 1334. At block
1334, the wearable system can receive data acquired from an environmental sensor of a
wearable device. For example, the wearable system can e images acquired by the
outward-facing imaging system 464 of the wearable device. In some implementations, the
wearable system can receive the data from an external g system in communication with
the wearable system or from an internal imaging system that is networked to al imaging
systems.
At block 1336, the wearable system analyzes data gathered and received by
the environmental sensor. Based at least partly on the data received from the environmental
sensor, the wearable system will recognize the nment in which the user of the wearable
system is currently situated. As described with reference to F, the wearable system may
recognize the environment based on the presence of physical s in the environment, the
arrangement of physical objects in the environment, or the user’s location in on to
physical objects in the environment.
At block 1338, the wearable system checks the content blocking setting for
the environment. For example, the wearable system can ine whether the user has entered
into a new nment (e.g., whether the user has entered a leisure environment from a work
environment). If the wearable system determines that the user has not entered into a new
environment, the wearable system can apply the same setting as the previous environment, and
thus the blocks 1340 – 1352 may become optional.
At block 1340, the wearable system determines whether it has ed an
indication to enable or to edit a content blocking setting. Such indication may come from a
user (such as, e.g., based on the user’s pose or inputs from a user input device). The indication
may also be automatic. For example, the wearable system can automatically apply a setting
specific to an environment in response to a triggering event.
If the wearable system does not receive the indication, the process 1330
moves to the block 1350 where the le system determines whether a content blocking
setting has previously been enabled. If not, at block 1352, the l content is presented
without blocking. Otherwise, at block 1344, the wearable system can selectively block the
virtual content based on the content blocking setting.
If the wearable system receives the indication, the wearable system can edit
a content ng setting or create a new content ng setting. Where the g needs to
be configured for a new environment, the wearable system can initiate storage of the content
blocking setting at block 1342. Accordingly, when the user enters into the same or analogous
new environment again, the wearable system can automatically apply the content blocking
setting. Further, if the user can reconfigure the existing t blocking g which will be
stored and later be applied to the same or similar environment.
The content blocking setting associated with the environment may reside
locally on the wearable device (e.g., at the local processing and data module 260) or ly
at networked storage locations (e.g., the remote data repository 280) accessible by a wired or
wireless network. In some embodiments, the content blocking setting may partly reside locally
on the wearable system, and may partly reside at networked storage locations accessible by
wired or wireless network.
At block 1344, the wearable system ents the stored content blocking
setting ated with the new nment. By applying the content blocking setting
associated with the new environment, some or all virtual content will be blocked according to
the content blocking setting. The process then loops back to block 1332.
At block 1350, the wearable system can check whether the content blocking
setting was previously enabled 1350. If not, the wearable system can present the virtual content
without blocking at block 1352. Otherwise, the wearable system can selectively block virtual
content based on the content blocking setting at block 1344. The blocks 1350 – 1352 and the
blocks 1340 – 1344 may be run in parallel or in sequence. For example, the wearable system
can check r there is a previous content blocking setting while ining whether it
has received an indication to modify a t blocking setting for the environment.
Manual Control of a Wearable Display System
As bed herein, embodiments of the wearable display system may
tically control visual or audible display of virtual content based on the occurrence of a
triggering event in the user’s environment. Additionally or alternatively, the user may desire
to have the ability to manually mute the visual or audible virtual content.
Accordingly, as described with reference to the display system 100
can include a user-selectable reality button 263. The reality button 263 can mute the wearable
device’s visual display 220 or audio system (e.g., the speaker 240) in response to certain
situations, such as, e.g., unexpected loud , unpleasant or unsafe experiences or conditions
in the physical or virtual nment, emergencies in the real world, or simply because the
user desires to experience more l” reality than augmented or mixed reality (e.g., to talk
to friend without the display of virtual content).
The reality button 263 (once actuated) can cause the display system 100 to
turn off or dim the brightness of the display 220 or audibly mute the audio from the speakers
240. As a result, the user 210 will be able to perceive the physical objects in the nment
more easily, because tual confusion caused by the display of l objects or sound to
the user will be reduced or eliminated. In some embodiments, when the reality button 263 is
actuated, the display system 100 may turn off the VR or AR display 220 and the speaker 600
while the rest of the display system 100 (such as the environmental sensors, the user input
device, etc.) may continue to e normally (which may provide for faster re-start after the
wearable device is unmuted).
The reality button 263 can cause the display system 100 to reduce the
amount of virtual content. For example, the display system 100 to reduce the size of the virtual
objects in the FOV (e.g., reduce the size of a virtual avatar or another virtual ), make the
virtual objects more transparent, or reduce the brightness at which the virtual s are
displayed. The reality button 263 can additionally or alternatively cause the display system 100
to move the virtual content from one location to the other, such as by moving a virtual object
from inside the FOV to outside of the FOV or moving the virtual object from a central region
to a peripheral region. Additionally or atively, the reality button 263 can dim the light
field generated by the display system, ore reducing the likelihood of perceptual
confusion. In certain implementations, the y system 100 can mute only a portion of the
virtual content when the reality button 263 is actuated. For example, while a user of the
wearable device is shopping in a store, the wearable device may display virtual content such
as the price of the clothes in the store as well as the map of the ment store. In response
to a loud noise in the department store, upon actuation of the reality button 263, the wearable
device may hide or move the l content (e.g., to the outside of the FOV) related to the
price of the clothes but nevertheless leaves the map on in case the user needs to leave the store
quickly.
The reality button 263 may be a touch-sensitive sensor that is mounted to
the frame 230 of the display system 100 or on a y pack that provides electrical power to
the display system 100. The user may wear the battery pack, for example, on his waist. The
reality button 263 may be a touch ive region which the user can actuate, for example, by
a touch gesture or by swiping along a trajectory. For example, by swiping downward on the
touch-sensitive portion, the wearable device may be muted, whereas by swiping upward, the
wearable device may be restored to its normal functioning.
In some embodiments, the wearable device may (additionally or
alternatively) include a virtual reality button, which is not a physical button, but rather
functionality that is actuated by a user gesture. For example, the outward-facing cameras of
the wearable device may image the user’s gestures and if a particular “mute” gesture is
recognized (e.g., the user holding up his hand and forming a fist), then the wearable device
will mute the visual or audible content being displayed to the user. In some ments, after
ion of the reality button 263 by the user, the display system 100 may display an alert
message 1430 (shown in A), which notifies the user that the display will be muted. In
some embodiments, the display system 100 will be muted after a time period passes (e.g., 5
seconds, as shown in A) unless the user actuates the reality button 263 a second time
or es the virtual alert message 1430 (or a virtual button ated with the message
1430) to cancel the muting. In other embodiments, the reality button 263 must be actuated a
second time or the virtual alert e 1430 (or a l button associated with the message
1430) must be ed before the display system 100 mutes the visual or audible display. Such
functionality can be beneficial in situations where the user inadvertently actuates the reality
button 263 but does not want the display system 100 to enter a mute mode.
After the mute mode has been entered, the user may revert to normal
operations by actuating the y button 263, accessing a user interface to restore normal
operations, speaking a command, or allowing a period of time to pass.
B is a flowchart that shows an example process 1400 for manually
activating a mute mode of operation of the display system 100. The process 1400 can be
performed by the display system 100. At block 1404, the process receives an indication that
the reality button has been actuated. At optional block 1408, the s causes the display
system to y an alert e indicating to the user that the display system will enter a
mute mode of operation. In the mute mode of operation, the visual or audible display of virtual
content may be attenuated. At optional decision block 1410, the process ines whether
the user has provided an indication that the mute mode of operation should be canceled (e.g.,
by the user actuating the reality button a second time or actuating the alert message). If a
cancellation is received, the process ends. If the cancellation is not received, the display system
is visually or audibly muted, in some implementations, after a time period (e.g., 3 s, 5 s, 10 s,
etc.). Although the example process 1400 describes receiving a cancellation request at block
1410, in other embodiments the process 1400 may determine whether a confirmation is
received at block 1410. If the confirmation is received, the process 1400 moves to block 1412
and mutes the y system, and if the mation is not received, the process 1400 ends.
Additional Aspects
In a 1st aspect, a head-mounted device (HMD) configured to display
augmented reality image content, the HMD comprising: a y configured to t virtual
content, at least a n of the display being transparent and disposed at a location in front of
a user’s eye when the user wears the HMD such that the transparent portion transmits light
from a portion of the environment in front of the user to the user’s eye to provide a view of the
portion of the nment in front of the user, the y further configured to display virtual
content to the user at a plurality of depth planes; an environmental sensor configured to acquire
data associated with at least one of (1) an environment of the user or (2) the user; and a
hardware processor programmed to: receive data from the nmental sensor; analyze the
data to detect a triggering event; in response to detection of the triggering event, provide an
indication of an occurrence of the triggering event to the user; and mute the display of the
In a 2nd aspect, the HMD of aspect 1, wherein to mute the display of the
HMD, the re processor is at least programmed to: dim light output by the display; turn
off display of the virtual content; reduce a size of the virtual content; increase a transparency
of the virtual t; or change a position of the virtual t as rendered by the display.
In a 3rd aspect, the HMD of any one of aspects 1 – 2, wherein the HMD
further comprises a speaker, and to mute the display of the HMD, the hardware processor is
programmed to mute the speaker.
In a 4th aspect, the HMD of any one of aspects 1 – 3, wherein to analyze
the data to detect the triggering event, the hardware processor is programmed to: analyze the
data in view of a threshold condition associated with a presence of the triggering event; detect
the presence of the triggering event if the threshold condition is passed.
In a 5th aspect, the HMD of any one of aspects 1 – 4, wherein the hardware
processor is programmed with at least one of a machine learning algorithm or a computer
vision thm to detect the triggering event.
In a 6th aspect, the HMD of any one of aspects 1 – 5, wherein the indication
of the ce of the triggering event comprises a focus tor associated with an t
in the environment that is at least partly responsible for the triggering event.
In a 7th , the HMD of any one of aspects 1 – 6, n the indication
of the presence of the triggering event ses an alert message, wherein the alert message
indicates to the user at least one of: (1) that the HMD will be automatically muted in a time
period unless the user ms a cancellation action or (2) that the HMD will not be muted
unless the user performs a confirmation action.
In an 8th aspect, the HMD of aspect 7, wherein the cancellation action or
the confirmation action comprise at least one of: actuating a reality button, actuating a virtual
user interface element rendered by the display, actuating a user input device, or detecting a
cancellation or confirmation pose of the user.
In a 9th aspect, the HMD of any one of aspects 7 – 8, wherein in response
to the user performing the lation action, the hardware processor is programmed to
unmute the y or continue displaying the virtual content.
In a 10th aspect, the HMD of any one of aspects 7 – 9, n in response
to the user performing the confirmation , the re processor is programmed to mute
the display or cease displaying the virtual content.
In an 11th aspect, the HMD of any one of aspects 1 – 10, wherein the
environmental sensor comprises at least one of: a user sensor configured to e data
associated with the user of the HMD or an external sensor configured to measure data
associated with the environment of the user.
In a 12th aspect, the HMD of any one of aspects 1 – 11, wherein the
triggering event comprises an emergency or unsafe condition in the user’s environment.
In a 13th aspect, the HMD of any one of aspects 1 – 12, wherein the display
comprises a light field display.
In a 14th aspect, the HMD of any one of aspects 1 – 13, wherein the display
comprises: a plurality of waveguides; one or more light sources configured to direct light into
the plurality of waveguides.
In a 15th aspect, the HMD of aspect 14, wherein the one or more light
s comprise a fiber scanning projector.
In a 16th aspect, the HMD of any one of aspects 1 – 15, wherein the
environmental sensor comprises an outward-facing imaging system to image the environment
of the user; the data comprises images of the environment acquired by the outward-facing
imaging system; and to analyze the data to detect a triggering event, the hardware processor is
programmed to analyzes images of the environment of the environment via one or more of: a
neural k or a computer vision thm.
In a 17th aspect, the HMD of aspect 16, wherein the neural network
comprises a deep neural k or a convolutional neural network.
In an 18th , the HMD of any one of aspects 16 – 18, wherein the
er vision algorithm comprises one or more of: a Scale-invariant feature transform
(SIFT), a speeded up robust features (SURF), oriented FAST and rotated BRIEF (ORB), a
binary robust invariant scalable keypoints (BRISK) algorithm, a fast retina keypoint (FREAK)
algorithm, a Viola-Jones algorithm, an Eigenfaces thm, a Lucas-Kanade algorithm, a
Horn-Schunk algorithm, a hift algorithm, a visual simultaneous location and mapping
(vSLAM) algorithm, a sequential Bayesian estimator, a Kalman filter, a bundle adjustment
algorithm, an Adaptive thresholding algorithm, an Iterative t Point (ICP) algorithm, a
Semi Global Matching (SGM) algorithm, a Semi Global Block Matching (SGBM) algorithm,
a Feature Point Histogram algorithm, a t vector machine, a est neighbors
algorithm, or a Bayes model.
In a 19th aspect, the HMD of any one of aspects 1 – 18, wherein the
environmental sensor comprises an outward-facing imaging system to image the environment
of the user; the data comprises images of the environment acquired by the outward-facing
imaging system; and to analyze the data to detect a triggering event, the hardware processor is
programmed to: access a first image of the environment; access a second image of the
environment, the second image ed by the outward-facing imaging system after the first
image; compare the second image with the first image to determine occurrence of the triggering
event.
In a 20th aspect, the HMD of any one of aspects 1 – 19, wherein the
nmental sensor comprises an outward-facing imaging system to image the environment
of the user, the environment comprising a surgical site; the data comprises images of the
al site acquired by the outward-facing imaging system; and to analyze the data to detect
a triggering event, the hardware processor is programmed to: monitor a medical condition
occurring in the surgical site; detect a change in the medical ion; determine that the
change in the medical condition passes a old.
In a 21st aspect, an HMD configured to display augmented reality image
content, the HMD comprising: a display configured to present virtual content, at least a portion
of the display being transparent and ed at a location in front of a user’s eye when the
user wears the HMD such that the transparent portion transmits light from a portion of the
environment in front of the user to the user’s eye to provide a view of the portion of the
environment in front of the user, the display further configured to display l content to the
user at a plurality of depth planes; a user-actuatable ; and a hardware processor
programmed to: receive an tion that the user-actuatable button has been actuated; and in
response to the indication, mute the display of the HMD.
In a 22nd aspect, the HMD of aspect 21, wherein to mute the display of the
HMD, the hardware processor is at least programmed to: dim light output by the display; turn
off display of the virtual content; reduce a size of the virtual content; se a transparency
of the virtual content; or change a position of the virtual content as rendered by the y.
In a 23rd aspect, the HMD of aspect 21 or aspect 22, wherein the HMD
further comprises a speaker, and to mute the display of the HMD, the hardware sor is
programmed to mute the speaker.
In a 24th , the HMD of any one of aspects 21 – 23, wherein in
response to the indication, the re processor is programmed to provide an alert to the
user.
In a 25th aspect, the HMD of aspect 24, wherein the alert comprises of
visual alert rendered by the display or an audible alert provided by a speaker.
In a 26th aspect, the HMD of any one of aspects 24 – 25, wherein the alert
tes to the user at least one of: (1) that the HMD will be automatically muted in a time
period unless the user performs a cancellation action or (2) that the HMD will not be muted
unless the user performs a mation action.
In a 27th aspect, the HMD of aspect 26, wherein the cancellation action or
the confirmation action comprise at least one of: actuating the user-actuatable button, actuating
a virtual user interface element rendered by the display, actuating a user input device, or
detecting a cancellation or confirmation pose of the user.
In a 28th aspect, the HMD of any one of aspects 26 – 27, wherein in
response to the user performing the cancellation action, the hardware processor is programmed
to unmute the y or continue displaying the virtual content.
In a 29th aspect, the HMD of any one of aspects 26 – 28, wherein in
response to the user performing the confirmation action, the hardware processor is
programmed to mute the display or cease displaying the virtual content.
In a 30th aspect, the HMD of any one of aspects 21 – 29, wherein the
re processor is r programmed to: receive a second indication that the useractuatable
button has been actuated; and in response to the second indication, unmute the
display of the HMD.
In a 31st aspect, a wearable system configured to y virtual content in
a mixed reality or virtual reality environment, the wearable system comprising: a display
configured to t virtual content in a mixed reality, augmented reality, or virtual reality
environment; and a hardware processor mmed to: receive an image of the user’s
environment; analyze the image using one or more object recognizers configured to recognize
objects in the environment with e learning algorithms; detect a triggering event based
at least partly on an analysis of the image; in response to a detection of the triggering event:
mute the display in response to a determination that a old condition associated with the
triggering event is met.
In a 32nd aspect, the wearable system of aspect 31, n to mute the
display, the hardware processor is programmed to at least: dim light output by the display; turn
off the y of the virtual content; reduce a size of the virtual content; increase a
transparency of the virtual t; or change a position of the virtual content as rendered by
the display.
In a 33rd aspect, the wearable system of any one of aspects 31 – 33, wherein
the hardware processor is further programmed to: detect a termination condition of the
triggering event; and resume the display in response to a detect a termination condition.
In a 34th aspect, the wearable system of aspect 33, wherein to detect the
termination condition, the le system is programmed to: determine whether the
triggering event has terminated; or determine whether the user has left the environment where
the triggering event occurs.
In a 35th aspect, the le system of any one of aspects 31 – 34, wherein
the hardware process is r programmed to mute a speaker of the wearable system in
response to the detection of the triggering event.
In a 36th aspect, the wearable system of any one of aspect 31 – 35, wherein
in response to the triggering event, the hardware processor is further programmed to e
an indication of a presence of the triggering event, wherein the indication comprises at least
one of: a focus indicator associated with an element in the environment that is at least partly
responsible for the triggering event; or an alert message, wherein the alert e indicates
to the user at least one of: (1) that the HMD will be automatically muted in a time period unless
the user performs a cancellation action or (2) that the HMD will not be muted unless the user
performs a mation action.
In a 37th aspect, the wearable system of aspect 36, wherein the threshold
condition associated with the ring event comprises a duration of time within which the
cancellation action is not ed.
In a 38th aspect, the wearable system of aspect 36 or 37, wherein the
cancellation action or the confirmation action comprise at least one of: actuating a reality
button, actuating a virtual user interface element rendered by the display, actuating a user input
device, or detecting a cancellation or confirmation pose of the user.
In a 39th aspect, the wearable system of any one of aspects 31 – 38, wherein
the triggering event comprises an emergency or unsafe ion in the user’s environment.
In a 40th aspect, the wearable system of any one of s 31 – 39, wherein
the machine learning algorithms comprises a deep neural network or a convolutional neural
network.
In a 41st aspect, a method for displaying virtual content in a mixed reality
or virtual reality environment, the method comprising: receiving an image of a user’s
environment; analyzing the image using one or more object izers ured to
recognize objects in the environment; detecting a triggering event based at least partly on an
analysis of the image; in se to a detection of the triggering event: muting virtual content
in response to a determination that a threshold condition associated with the triggering event
is met. The method can be med under control of a hardware processor. The hardware
processor may be disposed in an augmented reality display device.
In a 42nd aspect, the method of aspect 41, wherein muting the virtual
content comprises at least one of: blocking the virtual content from being rendered; disabling
interactions with the virtual content; turning off y of the virtual content; reducing a size
of the virtual content; increasing a transparency of the virtual content; or changing a position
of the virtual content as rendered by the display.
In a 43rd aspect, the method of any one of aspects 41 – 42, r
comprising: detecting a termination condition of the triggering event; and ng the display
in response to a detection of a termination condition.
In a 44th , the method of aspect 43, wherein to detect the termination
ion, the wearable system is programmed to: ining whether the triggering event
has ated; or determining whether the user has left the environment where the triggering
event occurs.
In a 45th aspect, the method of any one of aspects 41 – 44, wherein
analyzing the image comprises recognizing objects in the user’s environment; and determining
the triggering event comprises determining a location of the user based at least partly on the
recognized .
In a 46th aspect, the method of aspect 45, wherein the triggering event
comprises a change in the location of the user or a change in a scene surrounding the user.
In a 47th aspect, the method of aspect 45 or 46, wherein in response to the
detection of the ring event, the method further ses: accessing a setting for muting
the virtual content at the location, and muting the virtual content in accordance with the setting.
In a 48th aspect, the method of any one of aspects 45 – 47, wherein
recognizing the objects in the user’s environment is performed by a neutral network.
In a 49th aspect, the method of any one of aspects 41 – 48, wherein the
old condition associated with the triggering event ses a duration of time within
which a cancellation action is not detected.
In a 50th aspect, the method of any one of aspects 41 – 49, wherein the
cancellation action comprises at least one of: actuating a reality button, ing a virtual user
interface t rendered by the display, actuating a user input device, or detecting a
cancellation or confirmation pose of the user.
Other Considerations
Each of the processes, methods, and algorithms described herein and/or
depicted in the attached figures may be embodied in, and fully or partially ted by, code
modules executed by one or more physical computing systems, hardware computer processors,
application-specific try, and/or electronic hardware configured to execute specific and
particular er instructions. For example, computing systems can include general purpose
computers (e.g., servers) programmed with specific computer instructions or special purpose
computers, special purpose circuitry, and so forth. A code module may be compiled and linked
into an able program, installed in a dynamic link library, or may be written in an
interpreted programming language. In some implementations, particular operations and
methods may be performed by circuitry that is specific to a given function.
Further, n implementations of the onality of the present
disclosure are sufficiently atically, computationally, or technically complex that
application-specific hardware or one or more physical computing s (utilizing appropriate
specialized executable instructions) may be necessary to perform the functionality, for
example, due to the volume or complexity of the calculations ed or to provide results
substantially in real-time. For example, animations or video may include many frames, with
each frame having millions of pixels, and ically programmed computer hardware is
necessary to process the video data to provide a desired image processing task or application
in a commercially reasonable amount of time.
Code modules or any type of data may be stored on any type of nontransitory
computer-readable medium, such as physical computer storage including hard
drives, solid state memory, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), optical
disc, le or non-volatile storage, combinations of the same and/or the like. The methods
and modules (or data) may also be transmitted as ted data signals (e.g., as part of a carrier
wave or other analog or digital propagated signal) on a variety of computer-readable
transmission mediums, including wireless-based and wired/cable-based s, and may
take a variety of forms (e.g., as part of a single or multiplexed analog , or as multiple
discrete digital packets or frames). The results of the disclosed processes or process steps may
be stored, persistently or otherwise, in any type of non-transitory, tangible er storage or
may be communicated via a computer-readable ission medium.
Any processes, blocks, states, steps, or functionalities in flow diagrams
described herein and/or depicted in the attached figures should be understood as potentially
representing code modules, segments, or portions of code which include one or more
executable instructions for implementing specific functions (e.g., logical or etical) or
steps in the process. The various processes, blocks, states, steps, or functionalities can be
combined, rearranged, added to, deleted from, modified, or otherwise changed from the
illustrative examples provided herein. In some embodiments, additional or different
computing systems or code modules may perform some or all of the onalities described
herein. The methods and ses bed herein are also not limited to any particular
sequence, and the blocks, steps, or states relating thereto can be performed in other sequences
that are appropriate, for example, in serial, in parallel, or in some other manner. Tasks or
events may be added to or removed from the sed example embodiments. Moreover, the
separation of various system components in the implementations described herein is for
illustrative purposes and should not be understood as requiring such separation in all
implementations. It should be understood that the described program components, methods,
and systems can generally be integrated er in a single er product or packaged into
multiple computer products. Many implementation ions are le.
The processes, methods, and systems may be implemented in a network (or
distributed) computing environment. Network environments include enterprise-wide
computer networks, intranets, local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN),
personal area networks (PAN), cloud computing networks, crowd-sourced computing
networks, the Internet, and the World Wide Web. The network may be a wired or a wireless
network or any other type of ication network.
The systems and methods of the disclosure each have several innovative
aspects, no single one of which is solely responsible or required for the desirable attributes
disclosed herein. The various features and processes described above may be used
independently of one another, or may be ed in various ways. All possible ations
and subcombinations are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure. Various
modifications to the implementations described in this disclosure may be readily apparent to
those skilled in the art, and the c principles defined herein may be applied to other
implementations without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. Thus, the claims
are not intended to be limited to the entations shown herein, but are to be accorded the
widest scope consistent with this disclosure, the principles and the novel features disclosed
herein.
Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of
separate implementations also can be ented in combination in a single implementation.
Conversely, various es that are described in the context of a single implementation also
can be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable subcombination.
Moreover, gh features may be described above as acting in certain ations and
even lly claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some
cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a
subcombination or variation of a subcombination. No single feature or group of features is
necessary or ensable to each and every embodiment.
Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, “can,” “could,”
“might,” “may,” “e.g.,” and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise
understood within the context as used, is lly ed to convey that certain
embodiments e, while other ments do not include, certain features, elements
and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features,
elements and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or
more embodiments necessarily e logic for deciding, with or without author input or
prompting, whether these features, elements and/or steps are included or are to be performed
in any particular embodiment. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and the like
are synonymous and are used inclusively, in an open-ended fashion, and do not exclude
additional elements, features, acts, operations, and so forth. Also, the term “or” is used in its
inclusive sense (and not in its exclusive sense) so that when used, for example, to connect a
list of elements, the term “or” means one, some, or all of the elements in the list. In addition,
the articles “a,” “an,” and “the” as used in this application and the appended claims are to be
construed to mean “one or more” or “at least one” unless specified otherwise.
As used herein, a phrase referring to “at least one of” a list of items refers
to any combination of those items, including single members. As an example, “at least one of:
A, B, or C” is intended to cover: A, B, C, A and B, A and C, B and C, and A, B, and C.
Conjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y and Z,” unless ically stated
otherwise, is otherwise understood with the context as used in general to convey that an item,
term, etc. may be at least one of X, Y or Z. Thus, such conjunctive language is not generally
intended to imply that certain ments require at least one of X, at least one of Y and at
least one of Z to each be present.
Similarly, while operations may be depicted in the drawings in a ular
order, it is to be recognized that such operations need not be performed in the particular order
shown or in sequential order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve
desirable results. r, the drawings may schematically depict one more e processes
in the form of a flowchart. However, other operations that are not ed can be incorporated
in the example methods and processes that are schematically illustrated. For example, one or
more onal operations can be performed before, after, simultaneously, or between any of
the rated operations. Additionally, the ions may be rearranged or red in other
implementations. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel sing may be
advantageous. Moreover, the separation of various system components in the implementations
described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all implementations,
and it should be understood that the described program components and systems can generally
be integrated together in a single re product or packaged into multiple software products.
Additionally, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. In some
cases, the actions d in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve
desirable results.
The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information
derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an
acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that the prior publication (or
information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in
the field of endeavour to which this specification relates.
Claims (20)
1. A wearable system configured to display l content in a mixed reality or l reality environment, the wearable system comprising: a display configured to present virtual content in a mixed reality, augmented reality, or virtual reality nment; and a hardware processor mmed to: receive images of an environment of a user; cause to be rendered by the display a plurality of virtual content items associated with the environment of the user; analyze the image using one or more object recognizers configured to recognize s in the environment with machine learning algorithms; detect a triggering event based at least partly on an is of the image; and in response to a detection of the triggering event: access content blocking rules associated with the environment, wherein the content blocking rules comprise a blacklist indicating virtual t items that are available for muting; determine, based on the content blocking rules associated with the environment, one or more of the plurality of virtual content items that are available for muting in the environment; and mute the determined one or more virtual content.
2. The wearable system of claim 1, wherein the content ng rules are stored in a storage device in which, for each of a plurality of environments, a corresponding set of content ng rules are stored.
3. The wearable system of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein to mute the display, the hardware processor is programmed to at least: dim light output by the display; turn off the display of the virtual content; reduce a size of the l content; increase a transparency of the virtual content; or change a position of the virtual content as rendered by the display.
4. The wearable system of any one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein the hardware processor is further mmed to: detect a termination condition of the triggering event; and discontinue muting the ined one or more virtual content items in response to a detect a termination condition.
5. The wearable system of claim 4, wherein to detect the termination condition, the wearable system is programmed to: determine whether the triggering event has terminated; or determine whether the user has left the environment where the triggering event occurs.
6. The wearable system of any one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein the hardware process is further programmed to mute a speaker of the wearable system in response to the detection of the triggering event.
7. The le system of any one of the claims 1 to 6, wherein in response to the triggering event, the hardware processor is further programmed to provide an indication of a presence of the triggering event, wherein the indication comprises at least one of: a focus indicator associated with an element in the environment that is at least partly responsible for the triggering event; or an alert message, wherein the alert message indicates to the user at least one of: (1) that the wearable system will be automatically muted in a time period unless the user ms a lation action or (2) that the wearable system will not be muted unless the user performs a confirmation action.
8. The wearable system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further programed to mute the determined one or more virtual content in response to a ination that a threshold condition associated with the triggering event is met, and wherein the threshold ion comprises a duration of time within which the lation action is not detected.
9. The wearable system of any one of the claims 1 to 8, wherein the triggering event comprises an emergency or unsafe condition in the nment.
10. The wearable system of claim 9, n the environment of the user comprises a surgical site and the emergency or unsafe condition ses a medical condition occurring in the surgical site.
11. The wearable system of claim 9, wherein the environment of the user is an industrial working site and the emergency or unsafe condition comprises a condition near the industrial working site.
12. The le system of any one of the claims 1 to 9, wherein the wherein the environment of the user is an educational environment and the ring event comprises a distance between the user from a student being less than a threshold ce.
13. The wearable system of claim 9, wherein the environment of the user is a shopping environment and the emergency or unsafe condition comprises a distance of the user from a physical item being less than a threshold distance.
14. The le system of claim 9, wherein the virtual content is a video game and the emergency or unsafe condition comprises a physiological condition of the user.
15. The wearable system of any one of the claims 1 to 14, wherein virtual content items that are available for muting are further determined based on potential perceptual confusion to the user associated with the respective virtual content items.
16. The wearable system of any one of the claims 1 to 15, wherein the blocking rules comprise a whitelist indicating l content items that are not available for muting.
17. A method for displaying virtual content in a mixed reality or virtual reality environment, the method comprising: under control of a hardware sor: receiving an image of an nment of a user; analyzing the image using one or more object recognizers configured to recognize s in the environment; detecting a triggering event based at least partly on an is of the image; in response to a detection of the triggering event: accessing content blocking rules associated with the environment, wherein the content blocking rules comprise a blacklist indicating virtual content items that are available for muting; determining, based on the content blocking rules associated with the environment, one or more of the plurality of virtual content items that are available for muting in the environment; and muting the determined one or more virtual content items.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein muting the virtual content comprises at least one of: blocking the virtual content from being ed; disabling interactions with the virtual content; turning off display of the virtual content; reducing a size of the virtual t; increasing a transparency of the l content; or changing a position of the virtual content as rendered by the display.
19. The method of claim 17 or claim 18, wherein analyzing the image comprises izing objects in the environment and determining the triggering event based at least partly on the ized objects.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the determined one or more virtual content items include at least one virtual content item that is not associated with the recognized objects that are at least partly responsible for ining the triggering event. CT OF THE DISCLOSURE A wearable system configured to display virtual content in a mixed reality or virtual reality environment, the wearable system comprising a display configured to present virtual content in a mixed reality, augmented y, or virtual y environment and a hardware processor programmed to receive images of an environment of a user, cause to be rendered by the display a plurality of virtual content items associated with the environment of the user, analyze the image using one or more object recognizers configured to recognize objects in the nment with machine learning algorithms, detect a triggering event based at least partly on an analysis of the image and in response to a detection of the ring event, access content blocking rules associated with the environment, wherein the content blocking rules comprise a blacklist indicating virtual content items that are available for muting, determine, based on the t blocking rules associated with the environment, one or more of the plurality of virtual content items that are available for muting in the environment and mute the determined one or more virtual content.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US62/440,099 | 2016-12-29 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
NZ794186A true NZ794186A (en) | 2022-11-25 |
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