JPH07303608A - Device for measuring eyeball movement - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to readily and simultaneously analyze eyeball movements of both right and left eyes. CONSTITUTION:Both LED's 4, 5 for photographing right and left eyes 1, 2 are simultaneously lighted, and the movements of both right and left eyes are analyzed by a CPU 13, starting from the moment of lighting, to generate waveforms. The waveforms of the movements of both right and left eyes are memorized by 1, 2 RAM's 14, 15 respectively. Also, the memorized waveforms are read out from the RAM's 14, 15 respectively, by coinciding the starting points, and displayed by superposing on the image plane of a display portion 17.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is an eye movement measuring method for photographing the movements of the left and right eyes and measuring the respective differences of the movement components, that is, the magnitude of the movement, the speed, and the length of time of movement. Regarding the method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Observation (examination) of eye movement is very important in dizziness diagnosis. By observing eye movements,
It is possible to determine whether dizziness is caused by a life-threatening central disease or a non-life-threatening peripheral disease. Conventionally, eye movements have been observed by the inspector with the naked eye only, or with both eyes simultaneously.

However, it is very difficult for the examiner to visually observe the two eyes of the subject, and there is a problem that the viewing timing is slightly different between the left eye and the right eye even if both eyes are viewed at the same time. . Moreover, the two eyes do not move exactly the same, and further, there is a possibility that an accurate diagnosis cannot be made because observation cannot be performed quantitatively with the naked eye.

As a method for solving the above problems and observing the eye movement quantitatively, conventionally, the movements of the left and right eyes are respectively photographed and recorded, and the images are reproduced at the same timing to obtain the eye movement component. The method of image analysis of was considered.

[0005]

However, according to the conventional eye movement measuring method as described above, in order to reproduce the images of the left and right eyes at the same timing, the time factor is not recorded simultaneously in the recording. However, there was a problem that the operation could not be synchronized and the operation would be complicated.

The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and it is possible to easily reproduce the photographing and recording of the left and right eyes at the same timing, and to analyze the eye movement at the same time. The purpose is to provide a method for measuring movement.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an eye movement measuring method for photographing movements of the left and right eyes and measuring a component of the movements. At the same time, the LED as the lighting means for shooting is turned on, and the shot image is recorded on the VTR as the recording means.
VT as a reproduction means
The pupils are recognized while being reproduced by R, the movements of the left and right eyes are analyzed by the CPU as the analysis means with the lighting time of the LEDs as the analysis start time, and the analysis result by the CPU is stored in the RAM as the storage means. And the R
It is characterized in that the analysis results stored in the AM are respectively superimposed as waveforms and displayed on a display unit as a display means.

[0008]

According to the above method, when the video image is reproduced by the VTR, the video images for both the left and right eyes start to appear at the time when the LEDs are turned on at the same time. Changes in the movements of both eyes can be compared and analyzed.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the eye movement measuring method of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an example of a measuring apparatus used in one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the goggles 3 attached to the left and right eyes 1 and 2 are provided with CCDs 4 and 5 respectively facing the left and right eyes 1 and 2. Further, the goggles 3 have two LEDs 6, 7 for illuminating the eyes 1, 2 respectively.
Are provided and are turned on or off at the same time by the power supply 8 and the switch 9.

The CCDs 4 and 5 are photographing systems 10 respectively.
Are connected to the VTR (left) 11 and the VTR (right) 12 via the, and the VTRs 11 and 12 are connected to the CPU 13. The CPU 13 has a RAM (left) 14 and RA for storing the images captured by the VTRs 11 and 12, respectively.
The M (right) 15, the ROM 16, and the display unit 17 are connected to each other, and the switch 9 is opened and closed by the CPU 13.

Next, the eye movement measuring method according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flow chart shown in FIG. Step S1
At the VTRs 11 and 12 through the photographing system 10.
To start. Next, in step S2, the switch 9 is turned on by a signal from the CPU 13, the LEDs 6 and 7 in the goggles 3 are simultaneously turned on, and both eyes 1 and 2 are illuminated.
Simultaneously with lighting, photographing by the VTRs 11 and 12 is started in step S3, and photographing is finished in step S4. After the photographing is completed, the video image of the left eye 1 is reproduced by the VTR 11 in step S5, and the CPU is reproduced in step S6
The image of the left eye 1 reproduced by 13 is analyzed, A / D-converted or frequency-converted to generate a waveform corresponding to the eye movement. Then, in step S7, the generated waveform is stored in the RAM 14.

At the same time, in step S8, the VTR 12
The image of the right eye 2 is reproduced by, and in step S9,
The image of the right eye 2 reproduced by the CPU 13 is analyzed and a waveform corresponding to the eye movement is generated. And step S10
At, the generated waveform is stored in the RAM 15. Next, in step S11, the waveforms stored in the RAMs 14 and 15 are matched with each other at their starting points, and the ROM 16
Is read out and is displayed by being superimposed on the screen of the display unit 17.

By generating the above waveforms in the left-right direction, the up-down direction, and the turning direction of the eyeballs 1 and 2, for example, a display as shown in FIG. 3 is obtained. In FIG. 3, the white circle is the left eye and the black circle is the right eye.

According to the present embodiment, when the video is reproduced by the VTRs 11 and 12, the images of the left and right eyes 1 and 2 are LED.
Since images 6 and 7 start to be displayed after they are turned on at the same time, it is possible to accurately understand the frame at which the images of both eyes 1 and 2 have started to be captured, and it is possible to analyze temporal changes in the motions of both eyes 1 and 2.

Further, since the components of the movements of the left and right eyes 1 and 2 can be quantitatively measured, it is possible to reliably measure the amplitude, tilt and other differences of the nystagmus component of the left and right eyes 1 and 2. Diagnosis of dizziness became possible.

In the above embodiment, the case where the movements of the eyes 1 and 2 in the left-right direction, the up-down direction and the turning direction are measured has been described. However, the same is true when the movements of one or two of the three directions are measured. The effect of is obtained.

[0018]

As described above, according to the eye movement measuring method of the present invention, the illumination means for photographing the movements of the left and right eyes are turned on at the same time. Can be accurately understood, and temporal changes in the movements of both eyes can be quantitatively and easily compared and analyzed. Also,
Since the components of the movements of the left and right eyes can be quantitatively measured, reliable dizziness diagnosis can be performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an example of a measuring apparatus used in an embodiment of the eye movement measuring method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a measurement procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of waveforms displayed on the display unit of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2 both eyes 4,5 L
ED (illuminating means) 11,12 VTR (recording and reproducing means) 13 CP
U (analysis means) 14, 15 RAM (storage means) 17 Display unit (display means)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An eye movement measuring method for photographing the movements of the left and right eyes and measuring the component of the movements. An image photographed by simultaneously turning on lighting means for photographing the movements of the left and right eyes respectively. Is recorded in the recording means, the pupil is recognized while the recorded image is reproduced by the reproducing means,
The movements of the left and right eyes are analyzed by the analysis means with the lighting time of the illumination means as the analysis start time, the analysis results by the analysis means are stored in the storage means, and the analysis results stored in the storage means are respectively analyzed. A method for measuring eye movements, which is displayed on a display means in a superimposed manner as a waveform.