Augmented reality device, system, and method for safety

1. An augmented reality (AR) hazard display, comprising:

a user tracker tracking a user's position in real-time;

an audio source to produce sounds and/or audio prompts for the user;

a communicator receiving real-time data indicative of a hazard from a plurality of sensors, the plurality of sensors comprising:

a gas sensor for detecting a gas and providing gas data, the gas sensor being positioned remotely from the augmented reality hazard display, the gas sensor being in a fixed geographical position; and

a weather sensor for providing wind data;

a processor configured to:

in response to the hazard, create a geo-fence indicative of virtual barriers surrounding a hazardous area of the hazard based on receiving the real-time data;

combine the user's position tracked by the user tracker and the real-time data to provide an augmented reality (AR) message when the user enters the geo-fence, wherein the augmented reality (AR) message comprises two or more of a hazard identification indicative of an extent and/or severity of the hazard, a map of an area contaminated by hazard, a direction of hazard travel, and an estimation of future hazard movement;

in response to the hazard, estimating movement of the gas based on the gas data and the wind data;

combine the user's position tracked by the user tracker and the estimated movement of the gas to provide an augmented reality (AR) message comprising visual images of a map of an area contaminated by the gas and navigational messages directing the user to a safe place; and

if the user is in a low or no visibility environment, provide the navigational messages directing the user to the safe place via the audio source; and

an interface to convey the AR messages to the user.

2. The augmented reality (AR) hazard display according to claim 1 , wherein the user tracker comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

3. The augmented reality (AR) hazard display according to claim 1 , wherein the user tracker comprises at least one camera.

4. The augmented reality (AR) hazard display according to claim 1 , wherein the user tracker comprises a wireless-network receiver.

5. The augmented reality (AR) hazard display according to claim 1 , wherein the audio sources are configured to create three-dimensional (3D) audio.

6. The augmented reality (AR) hazard display according to claim 1 , wherein the interface comprises a head mounted display (HMD).

7. The augmented reality (AR) hazard display according to claim 1 , wherein the visual images of the map show the user's position and a route to a safe place.

8. The augmented reality (AR) hazard display according to claim 1 , wherein the augmented reality (AR) message provided when the user enters the geo-fence comprises prompts to guide a user's movement.

9. An augmented reality (AR) safety system, comprising:

a hazard tracker comprising:

a gas sensor for detecting a gas and providing gas data, the gas sensor being positioned remotely from an AR hazard display; and

a weather sensor for providing wind data;

an audio source to produce sounds and/or audio prompts;

a user tracker for tracking a user's position; and

the AR hazard display communicatively coupled to the hazard tracker, the audio source, and the user tracker, the AR hazard display adapted to:

in response to detected gas:

estimate movement of the gas based on the gas data and the wind data; and

create a geo-fence indicative of virtual barriers surrounding a hazardous area based on the estimated movement of the gas;

combine the tracked user-position and estimated movement of the gas to generate AR messages;

present the AR messages to the user when the user enters the geo-fence, the AR messages comprising two or more of hazard identity indicative of an extent and/or severity of the detected gas, a map of an area contaminated by the gas, a direction of gas travel, and an estimation of future gas movement;

present visual images of a map of an area contaminated by the gas and navigational messages directing the user to a safe place based on the tracked user-position and the estimated movement of the gas; and

if the user is in a low or no visibility environment, provide the navigational messages directing the user to the safe place via the audio source.

10. The augmented reality (AR) safety system according to claim 9 , wherein the AR hazard display is a smartphone.

11. The augmented reality (AR) safety system according to claim 9 , wherein the user tracker and/or the AR hazard display is worn by the user.

12. The augmented reality (AR) safety system according to claim 9 , wherein the gas sensor detects an invisible gas.

13. The augmented reality (AR) safety system according to claim 9 , wherein the AR messages comprise graphics to help a user visualize the gas.

14. The augmented reality (AR) safety system according to claim 9 , wherein the AR messages comprise graphics to help a user visualize the direction in which the gas is moving.

15. The augmented reality (AR) safety system according to claim 9 , wherein the AR messages comprise an alert that the user is near a hazardous area or has entered into a hazardous area.

16. The augmented reality (AR) safety system according to claim 9 , wherein the AR messages comprise navigational prompts to guide a user to a safe area.

17. The augmented reality (AR) safety system according to claim 9 , wherein the user tracker comprises at least one camera.

18. A computer-implemented method for generating an augmented-reality (AR) message, the method comprising:

gathering, in real-time, wind data from a weather sensor and gas data from a gas sensor, the gas sensor being in a fixed geographical position;

gathering, in real-time, user-position data from at least one user-tracking sensor;

in response to detected gas;

estimating movement of the gas based on the gas data and the wind data;

creating a geo-fence indicative of virtual barriers surrounding a hazardous area based on the estimated movement of the gas;

generating, based on the gathered user-position data and the gas data, an AR message when the user enters the geo-fence, the AR message comprising two or more of a hazard identity indicative of an extent and/or severity of the detected gas, a map of an area contaminated by the gas, a direction of gas travel, and an estimation of future gas movement;

presenting visual images of a map of an area contaminated by the gas and navigational messages directing the user to a safe place based on the user-position data and the estimated movement of the gas; and

if the user is in a low or no visibility environment, provide the navigational messages directing the user to the safe place via an audio source.