Minolta Company, Ltd.

Taro Maeda

Susumu Tachi

Masahiko Inami

Naoki Kawakami

Yasuyuki Yanagida

Shinsuke Suzuki

A projector is disposed at a position that is optically conjugated to a position of eyes of an observer. The projector projects an image to a screen that has retroreflection function so as to provide information of virtual space to the observer. If a real object such as a tactile sense provision device that is to be shielded by the virtual space exists, a part or the whole of the real object is optically hidden from the projection of the projector by a shielding member having retroreflection function, for example, by placing a shielding screen on which a retroreflection material is coated, or by coating the retroreflection material.

Method and device for providing information

A pair of projectors are arranged for projecting an image. These projectors are disposed in optically conjugate relationship with the observer's eyes respectively. An image of an object to be viewed by the observer is projected from the projectors and is allowed to appear on a screen, the shape of which corresponds to that of the object.

Method of and apparatus for displaying an image

A camera is arranged at a conjugate position to eyes of the observer. A distance from the observer to a pixel in the real space image located at the same position as a pixel in the virtual space image is determined according to the real space image picked up by the camera. A virtual space image is generated based on virtual space information stored beforehand. Then, the distance of the real space image is compared with that of the virtual space image, and one of the pixels more near the observer is selected for the display. This processing is performed on each pixel, and the real space image and the virtual space image are integrated as an image to be displayed for the observer at the same time.

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Tokyo, Japan

Taro Maeda