14 DAY TRIAL // Everyone knows that Microsoft is secretly working on wearable tech, but the company has until now managed to keep all details away from our ears and eyes, so only limited information is available at this point.
But a new patent that Microsoft has recently filed at the USPTO reveals a technology that helps wearable display device calibration, which appears to be developed for augmented reality devices.
As Microsoft News is reporting today, Microsoft is looking into ways to calibrate a wearable display device, which could be just another sign that the company is looking to step into this side of the market as well.
Information included in the patent reveals that such a technology would help provide clearer images to the wearer, so it could end up being installed on a smart glass device similar to Google’s.
Here’s the information that Microsoft has included in patent documentation:
“A challenge to the implementation of wearable display devices, such as a head-mounted display (HMD), for augmented reality is maintaining the alignment of the two, independent left display lens system and right display lens system of a wearable display device.
For binocular viewing systems, such as a wearable display device (e.g., glasses or a head-mounted display), the left and right display lens systems generate independent images of the same view. If the left and right display lens systems are not properly aligned so that the left and right images are projected directly one over the other, then the user’s view will appear blurry.
This is particularly noticeable for a vertical misalignment of the images, whereas a person’s eyes can adjust to correct for a minor horizontal misalignment of the images. A conventional approach is to utilize a bulky and cumbersome opto-mechanical alignment system.”
Microsoft is obviously one of the large tech companies that are looking to benefit from the growing demand in the wearable tech industry, but Google is already one step ahead with its Glass project. Apple, in its turn, is also developing a smartwatch, which could be launched sometime this year.
Microsoft too is trying to launch a smartwatch, with some people close to the matter indicating that the Softies are aiming for a device that would work not only with Windows devices, but also with gadgets running iOS and Android. The smartwatch would serve a wide array of purposes, coming with heartbeat monitors, notifications, GPS tracker, and many other options.
Of course, this is an unexplored business sector for Microsoft, so it remains to be seen whether the products that the company is working on right now have what it takes to steal the lion’s share when they come out.