Apple is always looking for ways to make the Vision Pro more comfortable. A newly granted patent hints at future versions of the spatial computer that could be ordered with custom fittings.
About the patent
The patent, dubbed “Custom Assemblies for Head-Mountable Devices,” relates generally to head-mountable devices, and, more particularly, to custom assemblies for head-mountable devices, such as eyeglasses. (The latter hints that Apple’s rumored smart glasses could also be ordered with custom fittings if/when it arrives.)
In the patent Apple notes that many of the functions performed by a head-mountable device such as the Vision Pro are optimally experienced when the components are in their most preferred position and orientation with respect to a user wearing the head-mountable device. For example, the head-mountable device can include a display element that visually outputs display-based information toward the eyes of the user.
The position and orientation of the display elements relative to the eyes depends, at least in part, on how the head-mountable device is positioned on the face of the user. Due to variations in facial features across different users, a given head-mountable device may require a particular arrangement to accommodate an individual user.
For example, different users can have different facial features (e.g., face plane slope, forehead size, eye location, nose geometry, ear geometry, etc.). Accordingly, different users may perceive the displayed information differently unless a preferred arrangement is provided. Similarly, different users may perceive the audio output differently due to variations in ear (tragion) and nose anchoring points.
Apple says that it can be expensive to offer a broad range of head-mountable devices with many variations of size and shape between each. It can also be expensive to provide to each user a head-mountable device that is entirely customized. It can be desirable to provide to each individual user a head-mountable device that has a custom arrangement of parts to fit the user’s features based on a limited number of base designs.
Apple’s patent involves a head-mountable device with custom parts that are assembled onto core components to provide custom fit capabilities when assembled together. By detecting head features of a user, a custom assembly for a head-mountable device can be determined to achieve a preferred fit.
The custom assembly can be based on a predetermined base design and augmentations that will allow the user to operate the elements of the base design while also enjoying a preferred fit. For example, a core component holding certain components (e.g., electric components) in fixed relative positions can be augmented with an enclosure and/or fitting components to accommodate the head features of a given user.
Summary of the patent
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: “A head-mountable device can include custom components that are assembled onto core components to provide custom fit capabilities when assembled together. By detecting head features of a user, a custom assembly for a head-mountable device can be determined to achieve a preferred fit.
“The custom assembly can be based on a predetermined base design and augmentations that will allow the user to operate the elements of the base design while also enjoying a preferred fit. For example, a core component holding certain components (e.g., electric components) in fixed relative positions can be augmented with an enclosure and/or fitting components to accommodate the head features of a given user.”
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