Toward a see-through camera via AR lightguide.

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Computer Vision
• Augmented Reality Hardware

Background:

• Cameras are fundamental for augmented reality (AR) content generation but integrating them with transparent displays presents significant challenges.
• Previous see-through camera designs have faced limitations in achieving high resolution and seamless integration with AR displays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce LightguideCam, a compact and flexible see-through camera system designed for AR applications.
• To address challenges in measurement artifacts and computational complexity associated with see-through imaging.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel see-through camera, LightguideCam, utilizing an AR lightguide.
• Implementation of a compressive sensing algorithm based on an equivalent imaging model to minimize computational load and calibration needs.

Main Results:

• Validation of the LightguideCam design using a commercial AR lightguide.
• Demonstration of a 23.1° field of view and 0.1° angular resolution in the prototype.
• Successful integration as a plug-and-play imaging component for AR head-mounted displays.

Conclusions:

• LightguideCam offers a promising solution for integrating see-through cameras into AR systems.
• Potential applications include eye-gaze tracking, perspective photography, and enhanced human-computer interaction devices.
• The system's compact and flexible nature makes it suitable for next-generation AR head-mounted displays and mobile devices.