Patent Application
20250082197
This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0120225 filed on Sep. 11, 2023 and Korean Patent Application No. 10-2023-0120229 filed on Sep. 11, 2023, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.
The present disclosure relates to an AR optical system capable of precisely measuring ocular dyskinesia by improving the quality of photographed images, and an AR apparatus including the same.
The content described in this section simply provides background information for this embodiment and does not constitute the related art.
Ocular dyskinesia is a general term for diseases in which the gaze directions of both eyes are inconsistent, and it occurs due to various reasons such as dysfunction of extraocular muscles, brain lesions, cranial nerve abnormalities, visual dysfunction (decreased visual acuity, reduced convergence, hyperopia, etc.), thyroid disease, myasthenia gravis, or congenital abnormalities.
When ocular dyskinesia occurs in an adult, diplopia in which objects appear double occurs to cause great difficulties in living. In particular, in the case of central diplopia, it is the standard for determining level 6 visual impairment. If ocular movement abnormalities occur in children, the vision of one eye is not developed well, which may result in amblyopia, a decrease in binocular vision that prevents both eyes from being used at the same time, or a decrease in stereoscopic vision. Therefore, when ocular dyskinesia occurs, it is desirable to diagnose it early and treat diplopia, binocular vision abnormalities, and the like (based on surgical or non-surgical treatment).
According to data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, it was understood that the number of patients with ocular dyskinesia in Korea was 147,000 in 2010 and has continued to increase, exceeding 180,000 in 2019. In addition, it was shown in 2019 that medical expenses incurred due to ocular dyskinesia exceeded KRW 40.9 billion. It is estimated that the incidence of ocular dyskinesia has increased in children due to decreased vision and increased incidence of refractive errors. In the case of adults, as cerebral ischemia or cerebral infarction increases due to metabolic disease, etc., it is estimated that ocular dyskinesia caused by cranial nerve abnormalities have increased.
Conventionally, the diagnosis of patients with ocular dyskinesia has been mainly made through measurement of the ocular deviation angle. To measure an ocular deviation angle, the patient is asked to look at a target 6 meters or 33 centimeters away, and the re-fixation movement of the eyes is checked by slowly covering both eyes alternately. After that, the measurement of the ocular deviation angle is performed in such a manner of positioning a prism that refracts light in accordance with the direction of eye deviation, covering both eyes alternately, and finding the prism diopter in which the re-fixation movement is eliminated. This method has a disadvantage in that the test results vary greatly depending on the examiner's skill level, as the examiner should directly observe the patient's eye movements and find the moment when the re-fixation movement of the eyes disappears.
Accordingly, the use of virtual reality (VR) devices as medical devices for screening ocular dyskinesia is being considered. It is determined whether an examinee has ocular dyskinesia by tracking eyeball movements using a VR device. However, since the VR device has a structure in which the imaging optical system is disposed in front of the eyes, there is the inconvenience of having to have a closed environment. In addition, since the camera for tracking the eyeballs in the VR device is structurally bound to be disposed below the left and right eyeballs, the lower side image of the eyeball is used to track eyeball movements. Accordingly, a problem arises in which the VR device's examination results (results of tracking the examinee's eyeball movements) become inaccurate.
One embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to providing an AR optical system capable of precisely measuring ocular dyskinesia by tracking eyeball movements of an examinee relatively accurately and an AR apparatus including the same.
Further, one embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to providing an AR optical system for measurement of ocular dyskinesia with improved quality of photographed images by resolving the problem of uneven brightness and darkness occurring in the images due to structural problems, and an AR apparatus including the same.
Further, one embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to providing an AR optical system for measuring ocular dyskinesia that minimizes the occurrence of noise that inevitably occurs during the measurement process depending on structural characteristics, and an AR apparatus including the same.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an augmented reality apparatus for examining an examinee's ocular dyskinesia, the augmented reality apparatus including an image output unit that outputs light corresponding to an augmented reality image, a camera photographing the examinee's eyeball by outputting light to the examinee's eyeball and receiving light reflected from the examinee's eyeball, a beam splitter which reflects or transmits light in the visible wavelength band output from the image output unit or entering the examinee's eyeball from the outside, and causes light in the near-infrared wavelength band output from the camera to enter the pupil of the examinee, a dummy optical system which is disposed between the camera and the beam splitter, light sources which are disposed on a surface of the dummy optical system facing the camera to irradiate light toward the beam splitter, a control unit which controls the operation of the image output unit and the camera, and a power supply unit which supplies power so that each configuration in the augmented reality apparatus is capable of being operated.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the beam splitter includes a first surface which is disposed in a direction facing the camera and the examinee's eyeball, and reflects light output from the camera to the examinee's eyeball, and a second surface which is disposed in a direction facing the image output unit and the examinee's eyeball, and allows a portion of each of light output from the image output unit and light of the real world entering from the outside to enter the examinee's eyeball.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the light sources irradiate light toward the first surface.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the light sources irradiate light in the near-infrared wavelength band.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the camera outputs or receives light in the near-infrared wavelength band.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an augmented reality apparatus for examining an examinee's ocular dyskinesia, the augmented reality apparatus including an image output unit that outputs light corresponding to an augmented reality image, a camera photographing the examinee's eyeball by outputting light to the examinee's eyeball and receiving light reflected from the examinee's eyeball, a beam splitter which reflects or transmits light in the visible wavelength band output from the image output unit or entering the examinee's eyeball from the outside, and causes light in the near-infrared wavelength band output from the camera to enter the pupil of the examinee, a dummy optical system which is disposed between the camera and the beam splitter, light sources which are disposed on a surface facing the examinee's eyeball of the beam splitter to irradiate light toward the beam splitter, a control unit which controls the operation of the image output unit and the camera, and a power supply unit which supplies power so that each configuration in the augmented reality apparatus is capable of being operated.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the augmented reality apparatus further includes a second dummy optical system disposed on a side surface of the beam splitter opposite to where the dummy optical system is disposed.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the dummy optical system and the second dummy optical system increase the angular range for examining the examinee's ocular dyskinesia.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an augmented reality apparatus for examining an examinee's ocular dyskinesia, the augmented reality apparatus including an image output unit that outputs light corresponding to an augmented reality image, a camera photographing the examinee's eyeball by outputting light to the examinee's eyeball and receiving light reflected from the examinee's eyeball, a beam splitter which reflects or transmits light in the visible wavelength band output from the image output unit or entering the examinee's eyeball from the outside, and causes light in the near-infrared wavelength band output from the camera to enter the pupil of the examinee, a dummy optical system which is disposed between the camera and the beam splitter, light sources which are disposed on a surface of the dummy optical system facing the camera and disposed biased in a preset direction, and irradiate light toward the beam splitter, a control unit which controls the operation of the image output unit and the camera, and a power supply unit which supplies power so that each configuration in the augmented reality apparatus is capable of being operated.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the beam splitter includes a first surface which is disposed in a direction facing the camera and the examinee's eyeball, and reflects light output from the camera to the examinee's eyeball, and a second surface which is disposed in a direction facing the image output unit and the examinee's eyeball, and allows a portion of each of light output from the image output unit and light of the real world entering from the outside to enter the examinee's eyeball.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the light source irradiates light toward the first surface.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the light source irradiates light in the near-infrared wavelength band.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the camera outputs or receives light in the near-infrared wavelength band.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an augmented reality apparatus for examining an examinee's ocular dyskinesia, the augmented reality apparatus including an image output unit that outputs light corresponding to an augmented reality image, a camera photographing the examinee's eyeball by outputting light to the examinee's eyeball and receiving light reflected from the examinee's eyeball, a beam splitter which reflects or transmits light in the visible wavelength band output from the image output unit or entering the examinee's eyeball from the outside, and causes light in the near-infrared wavelength band output from the camera to enter the pupil of the examinee, a dummy optical system which is disposed between the camera and the beam splitter, light sources which are disposed on a surface of the beam splitter facing the examinee's eyeball and disposed biased in a preset direction, and irradiate light toward the beam splitter, a control unit which controls the operation of the image output unit and the camera, and a power supply unit which supplies power so that each configuration in the augmented reality apparatus is capable of being operated.
As described above, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is an advantage in that ocular dyskinesia can be accurately measured by relatively accurately tracking the examinee's eyeball movements.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is an advantage in that the quality of photographed images is improved by solving a problem of uneven brightness and darkness occurring in images due to structural problems.
Further, according to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is an advantage in that the accuracy of measurement results can be improved by minimizing the occurrence of noise that inevitably occurs during the measurement process depending on structural characteristics.
in which an examinee performs an examination using an AR apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.
Since the present disclosure can make various changes and have various embodiments, specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail. However, this is not intended to limit the present disclosure to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include all changes, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present disclosure. While describing each drawing, similar reference numerals are used for similar components.
Terms such as first, second, A, and B may be used in describing various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. The above terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, a first component may be named a second component, and similarly, the second component may also be named a first component without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The term “and/or” includes a combination of a plurality of related described items or any one of the plurality of related described items.
When a component is mentioned to be “linked” or “connected” to other component, it may be directly linked to or connected to the other component, but it should be understood that another component may be present in the middle thereof. Meanwhile, when it is mentioned that a component is “directly linked” or “directly connected” to other component, it should be understood that another component is not present in the middle thereof.
The terms used in this application are only used to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this application, terms such as “include” or “have” should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition possibility of features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains.
Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with the meaning in the context of the related technology, and unless explicitly defined in this application, should not be interpreted in an ideal or excessively formal sense.
Additionally, each configuration, process, operation, method, or the like included in each embodiment of the present disclosure may be shared within the scope of not being technically contradictory to each other.
Referring to
The AR apparatus 100 provides augmented reality (AR) images to an examinee and examines the examinee for ocular dyskinesia. The AR apparatus 100 can clearly photograph without error how the examinee's eyeball moves when the AR images are provided by photographing the examinee's eyeball from the front.
Additionally, unintended dark portions may occur in the images photographed depending on the characteristics of the optical configuration included in the optical system. During the process in which the apparatus tracks the pupil's movements, a problem in which dark portions are misrecognized as the pupil may be caused. The AR apparatus 100 minimized the problem in which dark portions are misrecognized as the pupil by reducing the occurrence of dark portions in the photographed images.
The image output unit 110 outputs light corresponding to the augmented reality image. The image output unit 110 receives an augmented reality image generated from the outside and outputs light corresponding thereto. At this time, the image output unit 110 outputs light in the visible light wavelength band.
The camera 120 photographs the examinee's eyeball. The camera 120 photographs the examinee's eyeball by outputting light in the near-infrared wavelength band to the examinee's eyeball and receiving light (in the near-infrared wavelength band) reflected from the examinee's eyeball. At this time, light output from the camera 120 passes through the optical system 130 and can enter/reflect into the center of the examinee's eyeball, thereby allowing the camera 120 to accurately photograph the examinee's eyeball from the front.
The optical system 130 causes light output from the image output unit 110 and light output from the camera 120 to enter the examinee's eyeball, respectively. The optical system 130 allows the examinee to view the augmented reality image by transmitting light output from the image output unit 110 to the examinee. The optical system 130 allows the examinee to recognize the augmented reality image and/or the target for examination by allowing light of the real world together with the augmented reality image to be transmitted to the examinee from the outside. In particular, since the optical system 130 can confirm the target to the examinee in a fairly wide angular range (viewing angle) depending on its structural characteristics, it can improve the accuracy of the examination results. Meanwhile, the optical system 130 similarly causes light output from the camera 120 to enter the examinee's eyeball, and causes light reflected from the examinee's eyeball to advance back to the camera 120. Accordingly, the camera 120 can be allowed to photograph the examinee's eyeball movements.
As described above, the optical system 130 makes each of light output from the image output unit 110 and light output from the camera 120 enter the examinee's eyeball so that there is a possibility that noise may also occur at other portion than the examinee's eyeball when the camera 120 takes pictures of the examinee's eyeball. The optical system 130 may structurally minimize the size of noise occurring in an image photographed by the camera 120. The optical system 130 minimizes inconvenience caused by noise by structurally minimizing the size of noise occurring in the image.
Additionally, the optical system 130 structurally improves the amount of light entering the examinee's eyeball, thereby minimizing shades in the photographed image of the examinee's eyeball. In particular, the pupil recognition rate may be improved by improving the brightness of portions that appear relatively dark in the image according to the structural characteristics of the optical system 130. A more specific description of the optical system 130 will be described later with reference to
The control unit 140 controls the operations of the image output unit 110 and the camera 120. The image photographed by the camera 120 is exported to the outside as it is and may be used to diagnose the examinee's ocular dyskinesia. Alternatively, the control unit 140 may diagnose the examinee's ocular dyskinesia based on the image photographed by the camera 120.
The power supply unit 150 supplies power to respective configurations 110 to 140 to enable each configuration to operate.
Referring to
The image output unit 110 is disposed vertically above the beam splitter 230 (arranged forward in the eyeball's viewing direction) and outputs an augmented reality image toward the beam splitter 230. As described above, the image output unit 110 outputs an augmented reality image having a visible light wavelength band.
The lens units 210 and 220 concentrate light output from the image output unit 110 to the examinee's pupil. The lens units 210 and 220 are disposed on the path through which the image output unit 110 irradiates light to the beam splitter 230, and concentrate light so that it enters the examinee's pupil in the form of parallel light. Hereby, since the examinee may perceive the augmented reality image as if it is being output from an infinite position, the augmented reality image may have a screen size equivalent to a wide view angle range, and a deep depth and clear image quality characteristics. The lens units 210 and 220 may be implemented with a plurality of spherical lenses as shown in
Meanwhile, the camera 120 is disposed on the side surface (direction perpendicular to the eyeball's viewing direction) that is far from the beam splitter 230 of the dummy optical system 234 so that light for photographing toward the beam splitter 230 via the dummy optical system 234 is output. As described above, the camera 120 outputs light in the near-infrared wavelength band.
The beam splitter 230 is disposed at an intersection point of the path of light output from the image output unit 110 and the path of light output from the camera 120. The beam splitter 230 reflects or transmits light in the visible light wavelength band that is output from the image output unit 110 or enters the examinee's eyeball from the outside at the corresponding location, and reflects light in the near-infrared wavelength band output from the camera 120 to the examinee's eyeball. The beam splitter 230 includes a plurality of reflective surfaces within one overall configuration, and the respective reflective surfaces are disposed in different directions to reflect entering light in a specific wavelength band in different directions. More specific structures are shown in
Referring to
Meanwhile, referring to
However, since the beam splitter 230 includes a first surface 310 and a second surface 320 disposed in different directions, a phenomenon as shown in
Referring to
Referring again to
Meanwhile, as the beam splitter 230 has the above-described structure, the side surface portion region of the second surface 320 may occur due to noise in the image photographed by the camera 120. Even if the second surface 320 transmits most of light in the near-infrared wavelength band, a problem may occur in which some of light is reflected from the corresponding surface. This region through which light is reflected like this occurs as noise in the image. The process of generating noise is shown in
Referring to
Referring to
In order to minimize this problem, a dummy optical system 234 is disposed on the side surface of the beam splitter 230 or between the beam splitter 230 and the camera 120. The dummy optical system 234 has the effect of intentionally extending the optical distance between the beam splitter 230 and the camera 120. When the optical distance between the two 120 and 230 increases, the effect shown in
Referring to
Meanwhile, as shown in
Referring again to
The dummy optical system 234 may have a length (length in the optical axis direction formed by the camera and the beam splitter) that is two times or more the diameter of the lens in the camera 120 in order to reduce the size of noise formed in the image photographed by the camera 120. If the length of the dummy optical system 234 does not satisfy the corresponding length, the effect of reducing the size of noise in the image may deteriorate. In order to prevent this, the dummy optical system 234 may have a preset length (two times or more the diameter of the lens in the camera 120). Accordingly, the AR apparatus 100 may optimally minimize noise occurring in the photographed image.
Meanwhile, an additional dummy optical system 238 is disposed on the side surface opposite to the side surface of the beam splitter 230 where the dummy optical system 234 is disposed. As the dummy optical systems 234 and 238 are disposed on both side surfaces of the beam splitter 230, the viewing angle (the angle at which the examinee may look at the target for examination) for examining the examinee's ocular dyskinesia may significantly increase. A more specific description of this will be described later with reference to
The light source 240 is disposed on the surface of the dummy optical system 234 where the camera 120 is disposed, and irradiates light in the near-infrared wavelength band toward the beam splitter 230, more specifically, the first surface 310. Although the camera 120 photographs images in the near-infrared wavelength band, the brightness of the photographed images may be relatively dark since a sufficient amount of light is not provided. To compensate for this, the light source 240 is disposed on the aforementioned surface of the dummy optical system 234 or adjacent to the camera 120 and irradiates light in the same direction as the camera 120. That is, light irradiated from the light source 240 enters the examinee's eyeball, is reflected from the examinee's eyeball, and thus proceeds to the camera 120. Accordingly, the overall brightness of the image in the near-infrared wavelength band photographed by the camera 120 may be brightened.
Meanwhile, referring to
All configurations operate in the same manner, but the light source 240 may be disposed on the surface of the beam splitter 230 that faces the examinee's eyeball, rather than on the surface where the camera 120 of the dummy optical system 234 is disposed. Accordingly, since the light source 240 may irradiate light in the near-infrared wavelength band more directly to the examinee's eyeball, the overall brightness of the image in the near-infrared wavelength band photographed by the camera 120 may be brightened.
Referring to
At this time, the AR apparatus 100 includes dummy optical systems 234 and 238 on both side surfaces of the beam splitter 230, and thus may enable the examinee to confirm the target in a fairly wide angular range (viewing angle) as shown in
Referring to
Referring to
Referring again to
Referring to
The above description is merely an illustrative explanation of the technical idea of this embodiment, and those skilled in the art to which this embodiment pertains will be able to make various modifications and variations without departing from the essential characteristics of this embodiment. Accordingly, this embodiment is not intended to limit the technical idea of this embodiment, but rather to explain it, and the scope of the technical idea of this embodiment is not limited by such an embodiment. The scope of protection of this embodiment should be interpreted in accordance with the claims below, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the scope of rights of this embodiment.
This patent is the result of research conducted with the support of the Korea Medical Device Development Fund funded by the Government of the Republic of Korea (Ministry of Science and ICT) in 2023 (Project identification number: 1711179488, detailed project number: 00141436, Project name: Development of an AR technology-based eye movement abnormality screening medical device).
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2023-0120225 | Sep 2023 | KR | national |
| 10-2023-0120229 | Sep 2023 | KR | national |
