Augmented reality device and method for detecting user's gaze
An augmented reality (AR) device for detecting a user's gaze and a method thereof are provided. The AR device includes a waveguide; a light reflector including a pattern; a support configured to fix the AR device to the user's face of the AR device; a light emitter and a light receiver installed on the support; and at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to control the light emitter to emit light toward the light reflector, identify the pattern based on the light received through the light receiver, and obtain gaze information of a user of the AR device based on the identified pattern.
1. An augmented reality (AR) device comprising:
a waveguide;
a light reflector on which a pattern is formed;
a support configured to secure the AR device to a face of a user, the support comprising a temple extending from a frame around the waveguide to be positioned on an ear of the user;
a light emitter and a light receiver installed on the support; and
at least one processor configured to:
control the light emitter to emit first light toward the light reflector on which the pattern is formed,
receive, through the light receiver, second light reflected by an eye of the user and reflected by the light reflector,
identify a reflected pattern corresponding to the pattern formed on the light reflector from the second light,
identify a degree of bias of the temple with respect to the frame by comparing the identified reflected pattern with a pattern identified from a light received by the light receiver before the temple is biased,
obtain gaze information of a user of the AR device based on the identified reflected pattern, and
perform calibration on the gaze information based on the degree of bias of the temple with respect to the frame,
wherein the first light emitted toward the light reflector is reflected by the light reflector and directed toward the eye of the user, and
wherein the second light received by the light receiver comprises light from the first light directed toward the eye of the user being reflected by the eye of the user, reflected back by the light reflector, and directed toward the light receiver.
2. The AR device of claim 1 , wherein the light reflector is formed on the waveguide.
3. The AR device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
generate a mapping function for calculating a position of a gaze point of the user based on the degree of bias of the support with respect to the frame, and
based on the mapping function and the degree of bias of the support with respect to the frame, obtain the gaze information of the user.
4. The AR device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, based on the second light received by the light receiver, obtain a position of one or more feature points corresponding to the eye of the user.
5. The AR device of claim 4 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to input the position of the one or more feature points corresponding to the eye of the user and the degree of bias of the support with respect to the frame into the mapping function and calculate the position of the gaze point of the user.
6. The AR device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
display a target point at a specific position on the waveguide in order to calibrate the mapping function,
receive third light reflected by the eye of the user looking at the displayed target point through the light receiver, and
calibrate the mapping function based on the third light reflected by the eye of the user looking at the displayed target point.
7. The AR device of claim 6 , wherein, for calibration of the mapping function, the at least one processor is further configured to:
based on the third light reflected by the eye of the user looking at the displayed target point, identify the reflected pattern of the light reflector,
based on the identified reflected pattern, identify the degree of bias of the support, and
based on the third light reflected by the eye of the user looking at the displayed target point, obtain a position of one or more feature points corresponding to the eye of the user looking at the displayed target point.
8. The AR device of claim 7 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
input the degree of bias of the temple and the position of the one or more feature points into the mapping function, and
calibrate the mapping function so that a position value of the target point is output from the mapping function.
9. The AR device of claim 1 , wherein the light reflector is coated on the waveguide.
10. The AR device of claim 1 , wherein the light reflector comprises at least one of silver, gold, or copper.
11. The AR device of claim 1 , wherein the pattern formed on the light reflector comprises one of a dot pattern, a line pattern, a grid pattern, or a 2D marker.
12. A method, performed by an augmented reality (AR) device, of detecting a gaze of a user, the method comprising:
emitting, by a light emitter installed in a support of the AR device, first light toward a light reflector on which a pattern is formed, the first light emitted by the light emitter being directed toward an eye of a user wearing the AR device, the support comprising a temple extending from a frame around a waveguide to be positioned on an ear of the user;
receiving, by a light receiver installed on the support configured to secure the AR device to a face of the user, second light reflected by the eye of the user and reflected by the light reflector;
identifying a reflected pattern corresponding to the pattern formed on the light reflector from the second light;
identifying a degree of bias of the temple with respect to the frame by comparing the identified reflected pattern with a pattern identified from a light received by the light receiver before the temple is biased;
obtaining gaze information of the user based on the identified pattern; and
calibrating the gaze information based on the degree of bias of the temple with respect to the frame,
wherein the second light received by the light receiver comprises light from the first light directed toward the eye of the user being reflected by the eye of the user, reflected back by the light reflector, and directed toward the light receiver.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising generating a mapping function for calculating a position of a gaze point of the user based on the degree of bias of the support with respect to the frame,
wherein the calibrating of the gaze information comprises calculating the position of the gaze point of the user based on the mapping function and the degree of bias of the support with respect to the frame.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising, based on the second light received by the light receiver, obtaining a position of one or more feature points corresponding to the eye of the user,
wherein the calibrating of the gaze information comprises inputting the position of the one or more feature points corresponding to the eye of the user and the degree of bias of the support with respect to the frame into the mapping function and calculating the position of the gaze point of the user.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method of claim 11 on a computer.