Eye tracking glasses
A pair of eye tracking glasses comprising unitary components, which each include: a lens region, through which an eye of a user can look when they are wearing the glasses; and a carrier region, which is at the periphery of the first lens region. Unitary components comprise the following embedded therein: a camera; a plurality of illuminators; and electrical conductors. The glasses further comprise: a first arm that is mechanically connected to the first carrier region of the first unitary component; a second arm that is mechanically connected to the second carrier region of the second unitary component; and a control module. The control module is configured to: receive signalling from the camera of each of the unitary components via the embedded electrical conductors; and provide signalling to the plurality of illuminators of each of the unitary components via the embedded electrical conductors.
1 . A pair of eye tracking glasses comprising:
a first unitary component molded from a UV-cured material that comprises:
a first lens region, through which a first eye of a user can look when they are wearing the glasses; and
a first carrier region, which is integrally formed during molding at the periphery of the first lens region;
a second unitary component molded from a UV-cured material, which is mechanically connected to the first unitary component, wherein the second unitary component comprises:
a second lens region, through which a second eye of the user can look when they are wearing the glasses; and
a second carrier region, which is integrally formed during molding at the periphery of the second lens region;
wherein each of the first unitary component and the second unitary component has integrally embedded therein during the UV-curing and molding process:
a camera embedded in the respective carrier region;
a plurality of illuminators embedded in the respective lens region; and
electrical conductors configured to provide power and signaling connectivity to the embedded components,
wherein the electrical conductors include a transparent flexible printed circuit embedded in the respective lens region and electrically connected to the plurality of illuminators, and a periphery electrical conductor embedded in the respective carrier region and electrically connected to the camera and to the transparent flexible printed circuit;
wherein the camera, the plurality of illuminators, and the electrical conductors of each unitary component are mounted on a carrier film that is also embedded in the respective unitary component during the UV-curing and molding process to ensure alignment of the embedded components;
wherein the UV-cured material hermetically seals the embedded components to provide insulation;
wherein the UV-curing and molding process is performed at temperatures that do not damage the embedded components to ensure functionality of the embedded components post-curing;
wherein the pair of eye tracking glasses further comprises:
a first arm that is mechanically connected to the first carrier region of the first unitary component;
a second arm that is mechanically connected to the second carrier region of the second unitary component; and
a control module that is configured to:
receive signaling from the camera of each of the unitary components via the embedded electrical conductors; and
provide signaling to the plurality of illuminators of each of the unitary components via the embedded electrical conductors.
2 . The pair of eye tracking glasses of claim 1 , wherein the first unitary component and the second unitary component are provided together as a single unitary part.
3 . The pair of eye tracking glasses of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the electrical conductors are in the carrier regions of the unitary components.
4 . The pair of eye tracking glasses of claim 1 , wherein:
the first arm is mechanically connected directly to the first carrier region of the first unitary component by a first hinge;
the second arm is mechanically connected directly to the second carrier region of the second unitary component by a second hinge.
5 . The pair of eye tracking glasses of claim 4 , wherein:
the first carrier region of the first unitary component includes a first hinge mounting recess;
the second carrier region of the second unitary component includes a second hinge mounting recess;
the first hinge is provided in the first hinge mounting recess; and
the second hinge is provided in the second hinge mounting recess.
6 . The pair of eye tracking glasses of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the first and second carrier regions of the unitary components further comprise an external camera mounting recesses for mounting an external camera.
7 . The pair of eye tracking glasses of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the carrier regions of the unitary components further comprise a microphone mounting recess for mounting a microphone.
8 . The pair of eye tracking glasses of claim 1 , further comprising a display embedded in each of the lens regions of the unitary components for providing augmented reality functionality.
9 . The pair of eye tracking glasses of claim 1 , further comprising:
a holographic mirror embedded in each of the lens regions of the unitary components for providing augmented reality functionality; and
a projector configured to project images onto the holographic mirror.
10 . The pair of eye tracking glasses of claim 1 , wherein:
the lens regions of the unitary components comprise tunable liquid crystal lenses; and
the control module is configured to:
process images captured by the cameras integrally embedded during the UV-curing and molding process in the unitary components in order to determine a gaze direction of the user's eyes and/or a convergence distance; and
tune the refractive index of different regions of the tunable liquid crystal lenses based on the determined gaze direction and/or the determined convergence distance.
11 . The pair of eye tracking glasses of claim 1 , wherein:
one of the arms comprises:
the control module located therein;
an arm electrical connector; and
an arm electrical conductor embedded integrally during the UV-curing and molding process therein, which provides an electrical connection between the control module and the arm electrical connector; and
one of the unitary components comprises a unitary component electrical connector, which is: i) electrically connected to the unitary component electrical conductor that is integrally embedded during the UV-curing and molding process in the unitary component; and ii) electrically connected to the arm electrical connector; such that electrical signaling can be communicated between the control module and the camera and the plurality of illuminators that are integrally embedded during the UV-curing and molding process in the unitary component.
12 . The pair of eye tracking glasses of claim 1 , wherein the cameras integrally embedded during the UV-curing and molding process in the first and second unitary components are tilt-shift cameras.