Why you won't see hard augmented reality any time soon (opens in new tab)

(blogs.valvesoftware.com)

35 pointsbmunro13y ago8 comments

8 comments

I have a question I haven't seen answered anywhere: How does these glasses work with focus? When I'm looking (and focusing) 5 meters away, how can I see an object overlaid there? Surely, I'd have to focus on the glasses, 3 cm from my eye, no?

How do they fix that?

teraflop13y ago

You can use lenses or mirrors to change the apparent focal distance of an object. Google's implementation is rumored to use holographic optical elements instead, probably for compactness: http://www.google.com/patents/US3940204

StavrosK13y ago

Ah, very interesting, thank you.

sageikosa13y ago

At a guess, it would track iris dilation to determine your focus depth.

CognitiveLens13y ago

Iris dilation is primarily a response to light levels, not focus depth. Focus comes from stretching the lens behind the iris, which is possible to sense externally, but much more difficult.

StavrosK13y ago

I'm not really sure it's active, but still, the question of how you get something on a surface to become visible when you focus meters beyond that surface remains.

jwhite13y ago

Duplicate: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4273724

PaulHoule13y ago

I can't wait until "AR and driving" is like "texting and driving"

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

8 comments

StavrosK13y ago

How do they fix that?

teraflop13y ago

StavrosK13y ago

Ah, very interesting, thank you.

sageikosa13y ago

At a guess, it would track iris dilation to determine your focus depth.

CognitiveLens13y ago

Iris dilation is primarily a response to light levels, not focus depth. Focus comes from stretching the lens behind the iris, which is possible to sense externally, but much more difficult.

StavrosK13y ago

I'm not really sure it's active, but still, the question of how you get something on a surface to become visible when you focus meters beyond that surface remains.

jwhite13y ago

Duplicate: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4273724

PaulHoule13y ago

I can't wait until "AR and driving" is like "texting and driving"

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse