Natural physio-optical user interface for intraocular microdisplay

1. An intraocular micro-display (IOMD) system, comprising:

a head mounted device including:

a camera that is forward facing of a user;

a controller configured to:

acquire one or more images with the camera, wherein each image of the one or more images is acquired at a corresponding focal distance;

search the one or more images for a near-vision fiducial that includes an identifiable visual marker that is worn on or near the user;

identify a first image of the one or more images as bringing the near-vision fiducial into focus;

adjust a focal distance of the camera to an adjusted focal distance, wherein the adjusted focal distance is associated with the first image;

acquire a second image with the camera having the adjusted focal distance; and

wirelessly relay image data based on the second image to an IOMD implant for display to a retina of an eye of the user.

2. The IOMD system of claim 1 further comprising a sensor for generating gaze direction data of the eye of the user,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a gazing direction of the eye based on the gaze direction data; and

identify a sub-portion of the second image based on the gazing direction,

wherein the image data comprises the sub-portion of the second image.

3. The IOMD system of claim 2 , wherein the sub-portion is a first sub-portion,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a revised gazing direction of the eye based on the gaze direction data;

identify a second sub-portion of the second image based on the revised gazing direction; and

wirelessly relay the second sub-portion to the IOMD implant for display.

4. The IOMD system of claim 3 ,

wherein the revised gazing direction of the eye is in response to a panning or a tilting of the eye,

wherein the IOMD implant displays the second sub-portion as movement of the first sub-portion at a first location in the second image to a second location in the second image according to the panning or the tilting of the eye.

5. The IOMD system of claim 1 further comprising the IOMD implant shaped for implantation into the eye, the IOMD implant including a micro-display for projecting a regenerated image of the second image onto the retina when the IOMD implant is implanted into the eye.

6. The IOMD system of claim 1 , wherein the identifiable visual marker is worn on or near a wrist, a hand, a finger, or a thumb of the user.

7. The IOMD system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to search the first image in response to receiving user input via a user interface of the head mounted device.

8. A head mounted device for communicating with an intraocular micro-display (IOMD) implant, the head mounted device comprising:

a forward-facing camera; and

a controller configured to:

acquire one or more images with the camera, wherein each image of the one or more images is acquired at a corresponding focal distance;

search the one or more images for a near-vision fiducial that comprises an identifiable visual marker that is worn on or near a user of the head mounted device;

identify a first image of the one or more images as bringing the near-vision fiducial into focus;

adjust a focal distance of the forward-facing camera to an adjusted focal distance, wherein the adjusted focal distance is associated with the first image;

acquire a second image with the forward-facing camera having the adjusted focal distance; and

relay image data based on the second image to the IOMD implant for display to a retina of an eye of the user.

9. The head mounted device of claim 8 further comprising an eye-ward facing camera for generating gaze direction data of the eye of the user,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a gazing direction of the eye based on the gaze direction data; and

identify a sub-portion of the second image based on the gazing direction,

wherein the image data comprises the sub-portion of the second image.

10. The head mounted device of claim 9 , wherein the sub-portion is a first sub-portion,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine a revised gazing direction of the eye based on the gaze direction data;

identify a second sub-portion of the second image based on the revised gazing direction; and

wirelessly relay the second sub-portion to the IOMD implant for display.

11. The head mounted device of claim 9 , wherein the gaze direction data comprises an eye image of the eye captured by the eye-ward facing camera, wherein the controller determines the gazing direction by:

identifying an eye fiducial in the eye image, wherein the eye fiducial is disposed in or on the eye; and

determining a position of the eye fiducial within the eye image relative to a reference position.

12. The head mounted device of claim 11 , wherein the eye fiducial comprises a tattoo disposed on a cornea or an iris of the eye.

13. The head mounted device of claim 8 further comprises a user interface, wherein the controller is configured to search the first image in response to receiving user input via the user interface.

14. A method performed by at least one processor of an intraocular micro-display (IOMD) system that comprises a head mounted device and an IOMD implant, the method comprising:

receiving one or more images captured by a camera of the head mounted device that is forward facing of a user of the head mounted device, wherein each image of the one or more images is acquired at a corresponding focal distance;

searching the one or more images for a near-vision fiducial that includes an identifiable visual marker that is worn on or near the user;

adjusting a focal distance of the camera to an adjusted focal distance, wherein the adjusted focal distance is associated with one of the one or more images;

receiving a second image captured by the camera having the adjusted focal distance; and

transmitting image data based on the second image to the IOMD implant for display to a retina of an eye of the user when the IOMD implant is implanted into the eye of the user.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

determining a gazing direction of the eye based on gaze direction data of the eye of the user generated by a sensor of the head mounted device; and

identifying a sub-portion of the second image based on the gazing direction,

wherein the image data comprises the sub-portion of the second image.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

determining a revised gazing direction of the eye based on the gaze direction data;

identifying a revised sub-portion of the second image based on the revised gazing direction; and

transmitting the revised sub-portion to the IOMD implant for display.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the sensor comprises an eye-ward facing camera and the gaze direction data comprises an eye image of the eye captured by the eye-ward facing camera, wherein determining the gazing direction comprises:

identifying an eye fiducial in the eye image, wherein the eye fiducial is disposed in or on the eye; and

determining a position of the eye fiducial within the eye image relative to a reference position.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the eye fiducial comprises a tattoo disposed on a cornea or an iris of the eye.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the identifiable visual marker is worn on or near a wrist, a hand, a finger, or a thumb of the user.