When we say Augmented Reality, the first thing that comes to mind is AR Emojis or other similar application wherein a virtual object is placed in the real world. However, AR can have a number of other significant applications, and it looks like Apple is working on an important AR feature to help users with partial blindness see better.
Many types of visual impairment result in partial blindness or obstruction in a person’s field of vision. These people can develop floaters or blind spots which obstructs a part of their vision. There are also people who have weakened vision due to diseases such as diabetes. Apple’s new AR patent filed at USPTO is aimed at helping such people with visual impairment by warping images in their field of view.
Typically, if you have a floater or blind spot, you won’t be able to see a small portion in your field of view. Apple’s patent reveals that it can use a camera or an image sensor to capture the image in the person field of view. It then determines the obstructed portion in their line of sight and warps images in order to give a complete picture to the user. The amount of warp will depend upon the person’s visual impairment. For example, if a user has weakened vision, the device can enlarge the image in his or her field of view to give a better view of the real world. Further, the patent mentions eye-tracking which will ensure that the warping technology remains relevant even when the user looks around.
In the patent, Apple has used a device like a smartphone to show how this technology works. However, it can also be applied to other devices like smart glasses which the Cupertino giant is said to be working on. So, this tech could be incorporated inside Apple’s rumored AR Glasses when it makes it to the market sometime in the next couple of years.
UP NEXT: Official Samsung Galaxy Note10 renders shows us what to expect
