AR glasses for better spatial orientation

Researchers at the University of Konstanz looked into a special pair of glasses that could improve spatial orientation and prevent falls.

Many people are injured by falls every year, especially older people. According to the Technologie-Lizenz-Büro (TLB) GmbH from Karlsruhe, one cause could be the increasing deterioration of sensory information in old age, which also worsens orientation in space and thus balance. Researchers at the University of Konstanz are currently developing a special glasseswhich fades in visual clues. This is intended to improve visual orientation and thus balance.

Visual clues via AR

The aim of the superimposed clues is to provide the wearer with information on the horizontal and vertical - helpful when it is dark, someone is looking at a white wall or, for example, when standing by a bus that is about to drive away.

According to the TLB, the risk of falls increases, especially among people over 65 years of age, and the risk of serious injury also increases due to age. There are already various approaches to fall prevention, but so far no visual stimuli. This is exactly where the two scientists Lorenz Assländer and Stephan Streuber from the University of Konstanz came in.

The inventors developed augmented reality (AR) glasses that can be used to superimpose visual cues. The patterns can consist of different geometric shapes (such as lines, squares, dot patterns) and represent different depth information. The optical clues are superimposed on the edge of the field of view so as not to restrict the field of view unnecessarily. During movements, these optical patterns remain fixed in the scene and do not move with the head.

The invention has already been filed for patent (EP and US pending). Technologie-Lizenz-Büro (TLB) GmbH supports the scientists and the University of Konstanz in patenting and marketing the current development. The technology is to be further developed and marketed in a start-up. The goal is to equip AR glasses with the orientation information via an app and make them available.

Source: eyebizz / tlb