Atr Auditory and Visual Perception Research Laboratories

Sony Corporation

Hiroshi Yoshimatsu

Mitsuho Yamada

Kenya Uomori

Mitsuru Fujii

Norihito Nakano

Ryo Fukatsu

Jiro Miyazawa

Naohiko Takahata

Keiichi Ueno

Shinji Murakami

Hitoshi Hongo

Hironobu Narui

Shoji Hirata

Yoshifumi Mori

Masafumi Ozawa

An apparatus for receiving image information is provided, having a plurality of imaging devices following an object with a simple mechanism and providing realistic three-dimensional image display with less fatigue of a viewer. A controller specifies an object of imaging based on images captured by first and second cameras and controls a pan-and-tilt to allow a field of view of the first camera to track the object. The controller performs pattern matching using the images captured by the two cameras and controls another pan-and-tilt to allow a field of view of the second camera to follow the object of the first camera.

Matched field-of-view stereographic imaging apparatus

In an apparatus for examining gaze shift in depth direction, light emitting diodes B and E, or D and C are lit at a plurality of positions with different distance in depth direction from the subject, and eye movement of the subject at that time is detected by an eye movement detecting portion. The signal of detection is processed in a signal processing circuit and is applied to a calculating portion. The calculating portion determines whether or not there is a disorder in gaze shift in depth direction of the subject by using any or all of latency in eye movement, time constant, amplitude, change in convergence angle, number of occurrence of saccade, and asymmetry of left and right eye movements, in response to the detected output of the eye movement.

Apparatus for examining gaze shift in depth direction

A target is presented on a board for calculation, eye movement of a subject while he is gazing at the target is detected by an eye movement detecting portion, the output of which is converted into a digital signal in a signal processing circuit and it is applied to a calculating portion. The calculating portion calculates small involuntary movement data in response to the input digital signal to find a value of a fractal dimension and time dependence of the fractal dimension to determine a disease related to brain function, and the output of determination is provided from an output portion such as a printer.

Apparatus for detecting small involuntary movement

When eye movement of a subject is detected by an eye movement detecting portion and head movement of the subject is detected by a head movement detecting portion, a line-of-sight calculating portion calculates the line-of-sight according to the detected outputs therefrom. A portion for generating an image to be presented generates an image as a task and presents the image to a task presenting portion. When a fixation point of the line-of-sight of the subject is determined by a fixation point determining portion, a mask image generated by a masking image generating portion is inserted to the task image by an image synthesizing portion, and it is presented at the task presenting portion. A portion for determining degree of advance of dementia determines degree of advance and possibility of Alzheimer's disease based on the particular movement of the line-of-sight of the subject at that time and on the percentage of correct answer to a prescribed task.

Apparatus for medical diagnosis utilizing masking of fixation point

In a medical diagnostic apparatus utilizing line-of-sight detection, targets are successively presented from different angles to the subject by a target presenting apparatus, eye movement of the subject while the subject is gazing at the target is detected by an eye movement detecting portion, the head movement of the subject is detected by a head movement detecting portion, and in response to the detection outputs, the spatial movement of the line-of-sight, rotation velocity component and translational velocity component of the head movement as well as the velocity component of the eye movement are calculated by a calculating portion, and the results are output to an output portion.

Medical diagnostic apparatus utilizing line-of-sight detection

In the medical diagnostic apparatus employing line-of-sight detection, eye movement and head movement of a subject are detected by eye movement detecting portion and head movement detecting portion, respectively, and images of the field of view of the subject are picked up by a TV camera. A calculating portion calculates a locus of the line-of-sight, a locus of the eye movement, the locus of the head movement, and vectors of spatial movement of the line-of-sight in response to the detected eye movement and the head movement. An image processing portion reduces the picked up image, a superimposer superimposes the images of the loci, the vector images and the images of the reduced field of view on each other, and the resulting images are displayed on a CRT display.

Flicks in one or both of eyes are measured by a sensor (1) employing a limbus reflection method. An output of the sensor is applied to and digitized by an A/D converter (2). The digitized output is applied to a computer (3). The computer calculates flicks data of eyeballs, then calculates fractal dimension simultaneously or individually in a time-elapsed manner or for a definite time period, and quantifies characteristics of the eyeball control systems from the value of the fractal dimension or the time dependence of the fractal dimension.

Analysis method of eyeball control system

A semiconductor laser comprises a semiconductor substrate provided in its major surface with a strip mesa, and a laminated structure constructed by sequentially forming, through the epitaxial deposition of semiconductor materials on the major surface of the semiconductor substrate, at least a first semiconductor layer serving as a first conduction type cladding layer, a second semiconductor layer serving as an active layer, a third semiconductor layer serving as a second conduction type cladding layer, and a fourth semiconductor layer serving as a light absorbing or current blocking layer by utilizing the crystallographic principle and the characteristics of the steps formed by the strip mesa so that faults are formed in the laminated structure so as to extend along the direction of extension of the opposite longitudinal side surfaces of the strip mesa. The second semiconductor layer is split by the faults so that a portion of the second semiconductor layer between the faults in a portion of the laminated structure extending on the strip mesa forms a strip active layer. The semiconductor layers are formed sequentially by a continuous metal organic chemical vapor deposition process at a growth rate not higher than about 4 .ANG./sec.

Semiconductor laser

An optical pick-up apparatus comprises a light beam generating source, an objective lens for causing a light beam from the light beam generating source to impinge upon a record medium and receiving a reflected light beam from the record medium, a composite prism constituted by a glass prism element, a crystal prism element and a multi-layer of dielectric material provided between the glass and crystal prism elements, which are bonded together, and so disposed that the light beam from the beam generating source and the reflected light beam from the objective lens enter into the glass prism element through respective different optical paths, the light beam from the beam generating source is directed to the objective lens after passing through the glass prism element and at least two light beams obtained based on the reflected light beam from the objective lens emerge from the crystal prism element, and a photodetecting unit for detecting separately the light beams emerging from the crystal prism element of the composite prism.

Optical pick-up apparatus which utilizes plural prisms

An optical pick-up apparatus comprises a light beam generating source, an objective lens for causing a light beam from the light beam generating source to impinge upon a record medium and receiving a reflected light beam from the record medium, a beam splitter for separating the reflected light beam from the light beam impinging upon the record medium, an analyzer constituted by first and second prisms each made of rock crystal and bonded together for producing at least three light beams based on the reflected light beam, and a photodetecting unit for detecting the light beams emerging from the analyzer. The analyzer is so disposed that the reflected light beam from the beam splitter enters into the first prism to reach the second prism, an optical axis of the first prism resides in a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the reflected light beam entering into the first prism and is inclined at a predetermined angle in relation to a plane of polarization of the reflected light beam entering into the first prism, and an optical axis of the second prism resides in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the reflected light beam entering into the first prism and is inclined at a predetermined angle in relation to the optical axis of the first prism.

Growing community of inventors

Kyoto, Japan

Hiroshi Yoshimatsu