Measurement of Interpupillary Distance for Binocular Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs)

ABSTRACT: Toyon Research Corporation proposes to develop a standalone, passive stereo camera imaging system capable of rapidly and accurately measuring interpupillary distance (IPD), and outputting the user"s IPD and the correct IPD setting for a Helmet-Mounted Display (HMD). The proposed product will be compact, lightweight, low-power, and easy to use, enabling a single user with no additional or specialized training to implement; the user may look into the proposed product and push a single button to automatically measure the user"s IPD and display the correct setting without any user responsibility. At the heart of the proposed technical solution to the IPD measurement problem are advanced image processing algorithms capable of pupil detection, as well as high-accuracy measurement of surfaces in 3D physical coordinates, based on calibrated stereo imaging. The hardware prototype developed in Phase II will be a standalone version of the Phase I prototype, and will provide real-time IPD measurement using a combination of central processing unit and graphics processing unit hardware. Integrated performance demonstration and accuracy evaluation are also proposed. The architecture developed for the prototype will be designed with the goal of full integration into an HMD system as a potential Phase III development. BENEFIT: The successful completion of this effort will result in a new capability to rapidly, accurately, and automatically measure IPD distances for adjustment of HMD stereoscopic imagery. There is the possibility of direct transition of this technology into Air Force and other DoD HMD applications, including the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program and simulated flight trainers. The technology could also be transitioned into use in the larger market of civilian aircraft flight training. There are many other similar applications in vehicle simulation training to which the developed measurement device could be applied with minimal additional non-recurring engineering (NRE) cost, including automotive or tank training simulators. There are a plethora of other fields where stereoscopic helmet displays can be utilized for simulation training or augmented reality purposes, such as remote or robotic surgery or UAV/UGV remote piloting. Medical applications could also benefit from more advanced 3D surface modeling and measurement algorithms, as well as the possibility of using stereoscopic displays for surgical training or utilization in remote medicine applications. Measuring IPD is a standard optometric technique for fitting glasses for those in need of corrective eyewear, and one goal of this Phase II effort is to begin to transition the developed prototype into that market as a standalone device at competitive pricing. Adaptation to some of these new applications might require considerably more development, but the potential return on the investment is substantial.