The patent starts of by saying that most existing eye-tracking systems in AR glasses work by using cameras to track eye movement. But to get accurate eye-tracking in real time, this means the camera will have to transmit images of the eye at a high frequency to the smartwear’s processor. This then creates a lot of heat, and consumes a lot of power, leading to a shorter battery life.
What Apple suggests as a solution with its patent is to use light reflections instead. In place of cameras, the patent suggests using multiple light sources that will shine light to the wearer’s eyes. Rather than having the AR glasses process image after image at a rapid rate, it will instead read the data off the light reflected off the eye. It’s an interesting solution to the problem, to be sure. And it’s certainly one that will work well with the modular AR glasses a previous patent suggested. But as with all patents, there’s no telling when such a product will end up in the market. Or if it will even be made, for that matter. (Source: WIPO)
