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

ABSTRACT: Toyon Research Corporation proposes to develop a passive stereo camera imaging system capable of being integrated into a helmet-mounted display (HMD), rapidly and accurately measuring interpupillary distance (IPD), and allowing actuation of the HMD interaxial distance for accurate stereoscopic imaging and individual customization to allow dynamic vergence correction. 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 don the HMD and the proposed product will automatically adjust to the user"s IPD without any user responsibility. At the heart of the proposed technical solution to the IPD measurement problem are advanced image processing algorithms capable of feature detection for pupil localization, as well as high-accuracy measurement of surfaces in 3D physical coordinates, based on calibrated stereo-imaging. In Phase I, Toyon proposes algorithm development and implementation, test and evaluation, and system design and analysis to demonstrate feasibility of the technical solution to the IPD measurement problem, as well as design of human factors experimentation to demonstrate solution effectiveness. In planned Phase II efforts, the real-time, compact, lightweight HMD-mounted prototype would be built for human factors experimentation to demonstrate accuracy, fitting time, and user comfort. BENEFIT: The successful completion of this effort will result in a new capability to rapidly, accurately, and automatically measure IPDs 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) helmet 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 this solution could potentially be transitioned 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.