Visual Field Augmentation
2nd Generation Device - Virtual Vision Sport - Testing
Until I have a clear dataset to substantiate the Field Compression theory, the option of additional hardware is closed (Still no new low LUX micro colour camera). But by using the hardware I have, some additional experiences can be documented. The issue identified with the VFA1 concerning the wandering Vertical Blanking pulse that caused a wide black band to slowly roll down the screen is easily rectified by plugging directly into the PC's Video stream.
A VGA to NTSC scan converter offers the ability to plug directly into any VGA based system, and have the display be a direct feed. As a roaming technician, the only drawback would be to perform detailed configuration at a users desk would preclude the collaborative experience of showing the user any relevant issues. And the inconvenience of having to disconnect the user's monitor and plug in the scan converter.
These issues are easily addressed in a networked environment by any number of software programs such as PC-Anywhere, Net-Meeting or web based ASP models that work within the TCP/IP protocol.
A feature of the ATI All-in-wonder video cards is Video In and Out in addition to the TV tuner. The Video In port is what I've used for years capturing images. But I've never used the Video Out, which is essentially a Scan Converter, and one that works over a range of resolutions and colour depths.
The image to the right is as close a representation of the VV Sport display as I can approximate. Based on the assumption that you, the reader, are viewing this page on a CRT based display set to 800 X 600 resolution. The Icons are all recognizable, though the only text that's readable is the word "Start" in the lower left.
This was a disappointment and a triumph simultaneously, in that I expected far better resolution from the display, but seemed successful, in that I gained some confidence in the Field Compression Theory. The #1 issue for me is "Cursor Acquisition", or the ability to locate and track the movement of the cursor. The cursor appeared to be fully visible and easily tracked across the entire range of movement across the virtual screen.
Given my career in the information technology field, ease and speed of using a graphical environment is essential. With a narrow field of vision, I spend more and more time "homing" the cursor to the upper left corner and then tracking it's movement from that predictable location.
This is becoming a frustrating experience, as I've had the good fortune to have worked in this field since 1982, and have used Windows since I got a beta release of Ver. 1. (distributed on five 5 1/4" disks). And now I'm finding that end users are either grabbing the mouse and flailing about on the screen in an effort to accelerate the repair or config, or are mindlessly pointing to the icon I should be clicking on (while I'm trying to figure out where the cursor is, though I know where I need to go). In either scenario the user typically has little to no windows experience, and borders on the edge of being assigned to an assassination list (which is growing daily).
This is a Word document that I created with the VV Sport display to try and determine the resolution requirements for readable text.
Again this image is extremely accurate to the VV Sport display in that the test lines were increased in size to the point of being clearly readable.
The fate of the VV sport is sealed with the graphical evidence found here as a sub-optimal display medium. It would be impractical to reduce an end users resolution to 640X480 and increase all text to 36 point all in an effort to resolve a problem that may require less effort than that expended to adjust the display properties.
Putting aside the mundane activities required to eak out an existence, and turning to more serious matters such as Entertainment, I opted to capture a frame of MS Flight Simulator.
And again everything is recognizable, but there is a substantial lack of detail required to effectively navigate and operate the controls or read the displays.
The VV Sports claim to offer a display that approximates a 52" Screen viewed from 6ft away may be true, but the lack of resolution detracts from the experience.
On a positive note though, it is a lot of fun to use the large display especially with the additional image data all hitting active retinal cells.
The diagram's
to the left are some simplifications of the info from Prof. Mann's book "Intelligent
Image Processing", which I just received.
The information is more detailed than what I'd gathered from the U of Toronto Web Pages. Using the basic principles I've read so far I will arrange a simple test platform that can be used to determine FOV (Field of View) for various cameras and assess optical distortion or linearity over the range of telephoto to wide angle.
At this point I haven't investigated the impact of lens, just the basics of how light rays are manipulated relative to an aperture opening and the human retina and/or CCD element.
In closing this section, the VV Sport hasn't lived up to expectations and the B/W mini-cam will graduate onto the VFA3. The resolution is significantly better than a Camera Viewfinder, but inadequate for text from a computer, even at it's lowest resolution setting. New display technologies to investigate are OLED, or SVGA LCD via PC control. Anyone with experience with either or an other alternative please feel free to contact me.
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