Apple granted patent for the EyeSight feature in the upcoming Vision Pro

The upcoming Apple Vision Pro will sport a feature called EyeSight that, in Apple’s words, “helps users stay connected with those around them.” Now Apple has been granted a patent (US 11861255 B1) for the feature.

When a person approaches someone wearing Vision Pro, the device feels transparent — letting the user see them while also displaying the user’s eyes. When a user is immersed in an environment or using an app, EyeSight gives visual cues to others about what the user is focused on.

Here’s Apple’s description of EyeSight: “When a person approaches someone wearing Vision Pro, the device feels transparent — letting the user see them while also displaying the user’s eyes. When a user is immersed in an environment or using an app, EyeSight gives visual cues to others about what the user is focused on.”

As for the Vision Pro itself, it’s expected to go on sale later this month or in early January for US$3,499 (and higher). And it’s anticipated to only be available in limited quantities at first.

About the patent 

In the patent Apple notes that due to the immersive nature of the augmented, virtual, and mixed-reality environments of head-mounted displays (HMDs) such as the Vision Pro,, wearers can become completely immersed in the virtualized experience. These factors can reduce the wearer’s awareness of and engagement with the real-world environment, and reduce the ability of external observers to interact and engage with the wearer. Apple wants to overcome this with the Vision Pro.

Summary of the patent

Here’s Apple’s summary of the patent: “Wearable head-mounted displays, such as virtual reality systems, present immersive experiences and environments to a wearer. However, the head-mounted displays, as well as the immersive environments that they produce, limit the wearer’s ability to interact with outside observers. For example, a wearer may not be able to see outside observers, and outside observers may not have any insight to what the wearer is experiencing or where the wearer’s attention is directed. Accordingly, a wearable electronic device may include an outward-facing display configured to display information to outside observers, such as images of the wearer’s face or images that represent or indicate the state of the wearer and/or the head mounted display.”

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