Perfect Alignment: Precision Calibration for Augmented Reality Experiences

Introduction

The world of augmented reality (AR) has gained tremendous momentum, with applications spanning across industries such as gaming, entertainment, healthcare, and design. In these AR environments, the seamless integration of virtual objects into the real world is crucial for creating an immersive and realistic experience. However, one of the key challenges lies in accurately aligning virtual objects with their real-world counterparts, which can make or break the success of an AR experience. Our patented calibration techniques offer a solution to this issue, ensuring precise alignment between real and virtual objects in augmented reality environments.

Overcoming Alignment Issues in AR

In many current AR systems, inconsistencies in the alignment between real-world and virtual objects can lead to a disjointed or disrupted experience. For instance, in an AR training simulation, if a virtual tool doesn’t align perfectly with its real-world counterpart, the training experience loses its value and precision. The same holds true in industries like gaming and entertainment, where a misaligned virtual object can diminish the immersive experience that AR is designed to deliver.

Poor alignment not only hampers user satisfaction but can also result in inaccurate data interpretation, especially in fields like healthcare, where AR is being used for surgical simulations or patient diagnostics. Precise calibration is critical to providing the real-world accuracy that industries increasingly expect from AR solutions.

A Cutting-Edge Calibration Solution

Our patented calibration techniques are designed to address these alignment issues head-on, offering a powerful method to achieve real-time, precise calibration between virtual objects and their real-world counterparts. This technology enables AR systems to dynamically adjust and fine-tune the alignment, ensuring that virtual objects appear seamlessly integrated into the physical environment.

Whether it’s an AR app for furniture design, where virtual models need to fit perfectly into a real room, or a complex manufacturing process requiring real-time precision with virtual overlays, our calibration techniques ensure that the AR experience remains accurate and reliable.

What Makes This Technology Stand Out

Unmatched Precision: Achieving pixel-perfect alignment between real and virtual objects enhances user satisfaction and improves the overall functionality of AR applications.
Dynamic Calibration: Our techniques allow for real-time calibration, continuously adjusting and maintaining alignment as the user interacts with the environment.
Versatile Applications: This technology is highly adaptable, making it applicable to various industries including gaming, manufacturing, healthcare, and education.
Enhanced User Experience: Accurate calibration leads to more immersive and reliable AR experiences, whether for entertainment or professional use.

Why License This Technology

Licensing this patented calibration technique offers your company a cutting-edge tool to elevate AR experiences by addressing one of the most critical challenges in the field—alignment accuracy. With applications across multiple industries, this technology has the potential to enhance everything from AR gaming to industrial design, ensuring that virtual objects behave precisely as intended in the real world.

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Abstract
Claims

A method for aligning a real-world object with a virtual object includes capturing images, video, or both of the real-world object from a first viewpoint and from a second viewpoint. The first and second viewpoints are different. The method also includes simultaneously superimposing the virtual object at least partially over the real-world object from the first viewpoint in a first augmented reality (AR) display and from the second viewpoint in a second AR display based at least in part on the images, video, or both. The method also includes adjusting a position of the real-world object to at least partially align the real-world object with the virtual object from the first viewpoint in the first AR display and from the second viewpoint in the second AR display.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for aligning a real-world object with a virtual object, the method comprising:

capturing images, video, or both of the real-world object from a first viewpoint and from a second viewpoint, wherein the first and second viewpoints are different;

simultaneously superimposing the virtual object at least partially over the real-world object from the first viewpoint in a first augmented reality (AR) display and from the second viewpoint in a second AR display based at least in part on the images, video, or both, wherein the real-world object and the virtual object are substantially aligned in the first AR display and not aligned in the second AR display; and

adjusting a position of the real-world object to at least partially align the real-world object with the virtual object from the first viewpoint in the first AR display and from the second viewpoint in the second AR display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second AR displays are simultaneously viewable through a head-mounted display (HMD).

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the images, video, or both of the real-world object are captured simultaneously from the first viewpoint by a first camera and from the second viewpoint by a second camera.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first camera is mounted on the HMD, and wherein the second camera is not mounted on the HMD.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the images, video, or both of the real-world object are captured from the first viewpoint and the second viewpoint by a single camera that is moved to two different locations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual object that is superimposed at least partially over the real-world object is in a previously-saved position, and wherein adjusting the position of the real-world object at least partially aligns the real-world object with the virtual object in the previously-saved position.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first AR display comprises a first reflective AR display that simulates a mirror-like view of the real-world object and the virtual object from the first viewpoint.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second AR display comprises a second reflective AR display that simulates a mirror-like view of the real-world object and the virtual object from the second viewpoint.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the real-world object comprises a surgical device, wherein the virtual object comprises a virtual surgical device and wherein the method further comprises performing a surgical procedure with the surgical device after the surgical device is at least partially aligned with the virtual surgical device.

10. A method for aligning a real-world object with a virtual object, the method comprising:

capturing a first set of images, video, or both of the real-world object from a first viewpoint and from a second viewpoint, wherein the first set is captured at a first time, and wherein the first and second viewpoints are different;

generating the virtual object based at least in part on the first set;

capturing a second set of images, video, or both of the real-world object from the first viewpoint and from the second viewpoint, wherein the second set is captured at a second time, and wherein the second time is after the first time;

displaying the real-world object from the first viewpoint in a first augmented reality (AR) display and from the second viewpoint in a second AR display based at least in part on the second set;

superimposing the virtual object at least partially over the real-world object from the first viewpoint in the first AR display and from the second viewpoint in the second AR display based at least in part on the first set and the second set, wherein the real-world object and the virtual object are substantially aligned in the first AR display and not aligned in the second AR display; and

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the real-world object is displayed, and the virtual object is superimposed, in the first and second AR displays simultaneously.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second AR displays are viewable through a head-mounted display (HMD).

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first and second AR displays comprise reflective AR displays that simulate mirror-like views of the real-world object and the virtual object, and wherein the first and second AR displays are not in the same plane.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein simulating the mirror-like views comprises constructing a reversed frustum based at least in part on the first set, the second set, or both.

15. A system for aligning a real-world object with a virtual object, the system comprising:

a first camera configured to capture a first set of images, video, or both of the real-world object at a first time and a second set of images, video, or both of the real-world object at a second time, wherein the first time is before the second time, and wherein the first and second sets are from a first viewpoint;

a second camera configured to capture a third set of images, video, or both of the real-world object at the first time and a fourth set of images, video, or both of the real-world object at the second time, wherein the third and fourth sets are from a second viewpoint, and wherein the first and second viewpoints are different;

a viewing device configured to:

display the virtual object from the first viewpoint in a first augmented reality (AR) display and from the second viewpoint in a second AR display based at least in part on the first set and the third set; and

display the real-world object from the first viewpoint in the first AR display and from the second viewpoint in the second AR display based at least in part on the second set and the fourth set, wherein the real-world object and the virtual object are substantially aligned in the first AR display and not aligned in the second AR display; and

a computing system configured to receive a user input in response to the virtual object and the real-world object in the first and second AR displays and to adjust a position of the real-world object to at least partially align the real-world object with the virtual object from the first viewpoint in the first AR display and from the second viewpoint in the second AR display.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the virtual object is at least partially superimposed over the real-world object in the first and second AR displays.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the viewing device comprises a head-mounted display (HMD) that is configured to simultaneously display the virtual object and the real-world object from the first viewpoint tin the first AR display and from the second viewpoint in the second AR display.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the real-world object comprises a surgical arm, wherein the virtual object comprises a virtual surgical arm.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the first and second viewpoints are oriented at an angle with respect to one another, and wherein the first and second AR displays are oriented at the angle with respect to one another.

Title

Calibration techniques for aligning real-world objects to virtual objects in an augmented reality environment

Inventor(s)

Nassir Navab, Javad Fotouhi

Assignee(s)

Johns Hopkins University

Patent #

11367226

Patent Date

June 21, 2022