Florida Patent of the Month – August 2022
VR Rehab, Inc., an R&D company focused on the technologies needed to improve military safety and effectiveness, has recently patented their design for instant situational awareness in their virtual reality (VR) systems.
Their technologies have been used both in augmented reality (AR) or VR training and in real life application. The use of computer-generated imagery can create a sensory experience, immersing the individual in a simulated environment, or be used to enhance our knowledge in the real world. For instance, overlaying or inserting real-time drone imagery into the visual field without blocking what’s right in front of you.
VR Rehab’s situational awareness system uses this technology to overlay information so that individuals can be more informed. With the use of enhanced Human Computer Interfaces (HCI), human situational awareness can be increased. Their system links drone footage of target areas with the AR view to create and overlay conformal rings. These rings can be projected onto maps or any relevant surface to see, at a glance, if an object is inside or outside the target area.
Other attempts at using AR ground targets with safety rings have been insufficient in terms of clarity. Looking at the imagery does not make it easy to judge if a target object is within or outside the ring. This is because the rings are often projected onto flat surfaces where the depth of the conformal ring becomes obscured. VR Rehab’s improved design adds additional blue force tracker information so that the user can rapidly determine an object’s proximity to the safety ring. This tracker information can come from drone imagery and is converted into usable AR information. With an improved understanding of the proximity and location of specific targets or objects allows any individual to better prepare themselves. Innovations such as this are the culmination of 20 years of experience in combining visual simulation, robotics and VR technologies.
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