Audio-based feedback for head-mountable device

Abstract

A head-mountable device can include multiple microphones for directional audio detection. The head-mountable device can also include a speaker for audio output and/or a display for visual output. The head-mountable device can be configured to provide visual outputs based on audio inputs by displaying an indicator on a display based on a location of a source of a sound. The head-mountable device can be configured to audio outputs based on audio inputs by modifying an audio output of the speaker based on a detected sound and a target characteristic. Such characteristics can be based on a direction of a gaze of the user, as detected by an eye sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A head-mountable device comprising:
 multiple microphones configured to detect a sound and a location of an object producing the sound;   an eye sensor configured to detect a direction of an eye gaze;   a speaker configured to provide an audio output; and   a controller configured to perform operations comprising:
 determining whether the location of the object is in the direction of the eye gaze; and 
 when the location of the object is in the direction of the eye gaze, amplifying the sound with the audio output of the speaker. 
   
     
     
         2 . The head-mountable device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to, when the location of the object is not in the direction of the eye gaze, reduce a volume of the sound with the audio output of the speaker. 
     
     
         3 . The head-mountable device of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple microphones are further configured to detect an additional sound, wherein the controller is further configured to, when a location of a source of the additional sound is not in the direction of the eye gaze, filter the additional sound. 
     
     
         4 . The head-mountable device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a camera configured to capture an image; and   a display configured to output a view based on the image captured by the camera, wherein the object is a physical object captured within the image.   
     
     
         5 . The head-mountable device of  claim 1 , wherein the multiple microphones are configured to detect the location of the object by determining which one of the microphones is most closely directed toward the object. 
     
     
         6 . A head-mountable device comprising:
 a display configured to output a view including an object;   an eye sensor configured to detect a direction of an eye gaze with respect to the view;   a speaker; and   a controller configured to perform operations comprising:
 determining whether the object in the view is in the direction of the eye gaze; and 
 when the object is in the direction of the eye gaze, providing an audio output, with the speaker, corresponding to the object. 
   
     
     
         7 . The head-mountable device of  claim 6 , further comprising a camera configured to capture an image, the display is further configured to output the view based on the image captured by the camera, and the object is a physical object captured within the image. 
     
     
         8 . The head-mountable device of  claim 6 , further comprising multiple microphones configured to detect a sound produced by the object and a location of the object, wherein providing the audio output corresponding to the object comprises amplifying the sound produced by the object. 
     
     
         9 . The head-mountable device of  claim 8 , wherein the multiple microphones are configured to detect the location of the object by determining which one of the microphones is most closely directed toward the object. 
     
     
         10 . The head-mountable device of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to, when the location of the object is not in the direction of the eye gaze, reduce a volume of the sound with the audio output of the speaker. 
     
     
         11 . The head-mountable device of  claim 8 , wherein the multiple microphones are further configured to detect an additional sound, wherein the controller is further configured to, when a location of a source of the additional sound is not in the direction of the eye gaze, filter the additional sound. 
     
     
         12 . The head-mountable device of  claim 6 , wherein the object is a virtual object. 
     
     
         13 . A head-mountable device comprising:
 a camera configured to capture an image;   a display configured to output a view based on the image captured by the camera;   an eye sensor configured to detect a direction of an eye gaze;   a speaker; and   a controller configured to perform operations comprising:
 outputting, with the display, an indicator corresponding to an object; 
 determining whether the object is in the direction of the eye gaze; and 
 when the object is on the display and in the direction of the eye gaze, providing an audio output, with the speaker, corresponding to the object. 
   
     
     
         14 . The head-mountable device of  claim 13 , wherein the object is a physical object captured within a field-of-view of the camera. 
     
     
         15 . The head-mountable device of  claim 13 , wherein, when the object is within the view output by the display, the indicator is displayed at a portion of the display corresponding to the object. 
     
     
         16 . The head-mountable device of  claim 13 , wherein, when the object is located outside the view output by the display, the indicator is displayed at an edge of the display corresponding to a direction of a location of the object relative to a center of the display. 
     
     
         17 . The head-mountable device of  claim 13 , wherein the indicator corresponds to a characteristic of the object. 
     
     
         18 . The head-mountable device of  claim 13 , further comprising multiple microphones configured to detect a sound produced by the object and a location of the object, wherein providing the audio output corresponding to the object comprises amplifying the sound produced by the object. 
     
     
         19 . The head-mountable device of  claim 18 , wherein the multiple microphones are configured to detect the location of the object by determining which one of the microphones is most closely directed toward the object. 
     
     
         20 . The head-mountable device of  claim 13 , wherein the object is a virtual object.