Interactive system for vision assessment and correction

Abstract

Systems and methods for assessing vision and correcting vision problems are provided. A head-mountable virtual reality display controlled via a computing device can be worn by a user to display virtual reality images to the user. The images can be displayed as part of an interactive and engaging activity that can be used to determine a value of a certain parameter of the user's eyes. The activity can also be intended as a treatment procedure during which user's eyes are trained to perceive objects having certain properties that unassisted eyes of the user are normally not able to perceive. User input is acquired to determine user's perception of the displayed virtual reality images. The computing device can be a smartphone configured to perform the vision tests or treatment under control of a remote computing device operated by a trained clinician.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A computing apparatus configured for one or more of vision assessment or vision correction, the computing apparatus configured to communicate with a head-mountable display device, the head-mountable display device configured to render one or more virtual images, the computing apparatus comprising:
 at least one data processor; and   at least one computer-readable storage medium storing a plurality of computer-executable instructions;   wherein the plurality of computer-executable instructions are configured to, when executed by the at least one data processor, cause the computing apparatus to perform a plurality of steps comprising:
 causing display, on the head-mountable display device, of a virtual object having an observable property; 
 receiving data indicative of a user input with respect to the virtual object; 
 causing tracking of one or more movements of a user to generate tracking data; 
 based at least on one or more of the user input or the tracking data, determining whether a target value is reached, the target value indicative of user perception of the observable property; 
 causing modifying, based on determining that the target value has not been reached, of the observable property of the virtual object; 
 causing display, on the head-mountable display device, of the virtual object having the modified observable property; and 
 iteratively performing the plurality of steps until the target value is reached. 
   
     
     
         31 . The computing apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the head-mountable display device is configured to display of the virtual object to the user wearing the head-mountable display device during an eye condition assessment or correction activity. 
     
     
         32 . The computing apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the user input with respect to the virtual object comprises input acquired from the user during the eye condition assessment or correction activity via at least one user input device in data communication with the computing apparatus. 
     
     
         33 . The computing apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the causing tracking of the one or more movements of the user to generate tracking data comprises causing tracking of one or more head movements of the user. 
     
     
         34 . The computing apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the causing tracking of one or more head movements of the user comprises causing head tracking technology associated with the head-mountable display device to generate data related to one or more of positioning, rotation, or tilt of a user's head during an eye condition assessment or correction activity, the head tracking technology comprising at least one head tracking sensor. 
     
     
         35 . The computing apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the causing tracking of the one or more movements of the user to generate tracking data comprises causing tracking of one or more movements of at least one eye of the user. 
     
     
         36 . The computing apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the causing tracking of one or more movements of at least one eye of the user comprises causing eye tracking technology associated with the head-mountable display device to generate data related to one or more of object tracking, directionality, or fixation of the at least one eye of the user, the eye tracking technology comprising at least one eye tracking sensor. 
     
     
         37 . The computing apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the determining whether the target value is reached comprises calculating, based at least on the user input, a value for a parameter associated with the user perception of the observable property. 
     
     
         38 . The computing apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein the value for the parameter comprises at least one of an angle of binocular disparity, a ratio in contrast between a foreground and a background of the virtual object, an angular size of the virtual object, a position of the virtual object in a field of view, a brightness of the virtual object, a depth of the virtual object, a length of time of visibility of the virtual object, or a speed of the virtual object. 
     
     
         39 . The computing apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein causing modifying of the observable property of the virtual object comprises:
 calculating, based at least on one or more of the tracking data or the user input, a modification factor; and   generating, based at least on the modification factor, data for display of the virtual object having the modified observable property.   
     
     
         40 . The computing apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the causing modifying of the observable property of the virtual object further comprises incrementally adjusting the modification factor as the plurality of steps are iteratively performed. 
     
     
         41 . A computing apparatus configured for one or more of vision assessment or vision correction, the computing apparatus configured to communicate with a head-mountable display device, the head-mountable display device configured to render one or more virtual images, the computing apparatus comprising:
 at least one data processor; and   at least one computer-readable storage medium storing a plurality of computer-executable instructions;   wherein the plurality of computer-executable instructions are configured to, when executed by the at least one data processor, cause the computing apparatus to perform steps comprising:
 causing display, on the head-mountable display device, of at least one virtual object having at least one property, the head-mountable display device configured to display the at least one virtual object to a user wearing the head-mountable display device during an eye condition assessment or correction activity; 
 receiving data indicative of a user input with respect to the at least one virtual object, the user input generated based on input acquired from the user during the eye condition assessment or correction activity; 
 causing tracking of movements of one or more of a head of the user or at least one eye of the user during the eye condition assessment or correction activity to generate tracking data; 
 determining, based at least on one or more of the data indicative of the user input or the tracking data, whether a target value associated with at least one assessment or correction parameter has been reached, wherein the target value of the at least one assessment or correction parameter is indicative of a perception of the at least one property of the at least one virtual object by the user; 
 based on determining that the target value has not been reached, causing modifying of the at least one virtual object, the causing modifying comprising:
 determining, based at least on one or more of the user input or the tracking data, a modification factor for the at least one property of the at least one virtual object; and 
 causing display, on the head-mountable display device, of the at least one virtual object having the at least one property modified according to the modification factor; 
 
   wherein the causing display of the at least one virtual object, the receiving the data indicative of user input, the causing tracking, the determining whether the target value has been reached, and the causing modifying of the at least one virtual object are iteratively performed until the target value is reached.   
     
     
         42 . The computing apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the causing tracking of movements of the head of the user comprises causing head tracking technology associated with the head-mountable display device to generate data related to one or more of positioning, rotation, or tilt of a user's head during an eye condition assessment or correction activity, the head tracking technology comprising at least one head tracking sensor. 
     
     
         43 . The computing apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the causing tracking of movements of at least one eye of the user comprises causing eye tracking technology associated with the head-mountable display device to generate data related to one or more of object tracking, directionality, or fixation of the at least one eye of the user, the eye tracking technology comprising at least one eye tracking sensor 
     
     
         44 . The computing apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the value for the at least one assessment or correction parameter comprises at least one of an angle of binocular disparity, a ratio in contrast between a foreground and a background of the virtual object, an angular size of the virtual object, a position of the virtual object in a field of view, a brightness of the virtual object, a depth of the virtual object, a length of time of visibility of the virtual object, or a speed of the virtual object. 
     
     
         45 . The computing apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the causing modifying of the at least one property of the at least one virtual object further comprises incrementally adjusting the modification factor as the plurality of steps are iteratively performed. 
     
     
         46 . The computing apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the causing modifying of the at least one property of the at least one virtual object further comprises randomly adjusting the modification factor as the plurality of steps are iteratively performed. 
     
     
         47 . A method for performing one or more of vision assessment or vision correction, the method comprising:
 displaying, on a head-mountable display device worn on a head of a user, at least one virtual object having at least one observable property, the head-mountable display device in data communication with a computing apparatus;   collecting, at the computing apparatus, data indicative of a user input with respect to the at least one virtual object;   tracking, via tracking technology associated with the head-mountable display device, movements of one or more of a head of the user or at least one eye of the user during the eye condition assessment or correction activity to generate tracking data via the computing apparatus;   automatically determining, via the computing apparatus and based at least on one or more of the data indicative of the user input or the tracking data, whether a target value associated with at least one assessment or correction parameter has been reached, wherein the target value of the at least one assessment or correction parameter is indicative of a perception of the at least one property of the at least one virtual object by the user;   automatically modifying, via the computing apparatus and based on determining that the target value has not been reached, the at least one property of the at least one virtual object;   displaying, on the head-mountable display device worn on the head of the user, the at least one virtual object having the modified at least one property; and   iteratively performing the plurality of steps until the target value is reached.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the performing the one or more of vision assessment or vision correction comprises an individual user session, and the iteratively performing the plurality of steps until the target value is reached is performed within the individual user session. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the performing the one or more of vision assessment or vision correction comprises a plurality of user sessions, and the iteratively performing the plurality of steps until the target value is reached is performed over the plurality of user sessions.