Meta has filed a patent for a feature that closely resembles Apple Vision Pro‘s EyeSight, Patently Apple reports.
EyeSight is designed to reduce social isolation in VR by making the user’s eyes visible to others on an external display. Meta’s patent, titled “Embedded Sensors in Immersive Reality Headset to Enable Social Presence,” suggests that the company is considering this kind of functionality for its own devices.
EyeSight uses a scan of the user’s face to create a virtual image of their eyes on an external display, thereby maintaining a semblance of eye contact and interaction with others in the real world. Apple says that EyeSight “reveals your eyes on the front of your Apple Vision Pro, and lets those nearby know when you’re using apps or are fully immersed in an experience.”
Meta’s approach involves a method for updating a user’s avatar in real-time using facial expressions detected by sensors embedded in the headset. These sensors capture signals indicative of facial muscle movements, which are then interpreted using a machine learning algorithm to determine the user’s facial expression. The system adjusts the user’s avatar accordingly and integrates it into an immersive reality application.
The headset in this embodiment includes various sensors, such as ECG (electrocardiogram), EEG (electroencephalogram), and PPG (photoplethysmogram), which not only track facial movements but also monitor the user’s cardiovascular health. The integration of health-related functionalities distinguishes Meta’s approach from Apple’s EyeSight, which primarily focuses on displaying a virtual image of the user’s eyes to maintain a connection with the real world.
Meta’s decision to file the patent seemingly indicates its recognition of the value in Apple’s EyeSight feature, despite the mixed reviews it has received. While some critics have found the feature unnecessary and predict it could be dropped in future models, its introduction highlights a broader industry trend towards enhancing social presence when using headset devices.
Popular Stories
iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Use Same Rear Chassis as iPhone 16
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker “Fixed Focus Digital,” the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is “exactly the same” as the standard model in Apple’s upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to…
iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as “Ice Universe,” clarifying several important aspects of next year’s devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the “Plus” iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 “Slim” model as an even more high-end option sitting…
iPhone 16 Series Is Just Two Months Away: Everything We Know
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year’s lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring …
Apple TV+ Curbs Costs After Expensive Projects Fail to Capture Viewers
Apple is scaling back its Hollywood spending after investing over $20 billion in original programming with limited success, Bloomberg reports. This shift comes after the streaming service, which launched in 2019, struggled to capture a significant share of the market, accounting for only 0.2% of TV viewership in the U.S., compared to Netflix’s 8%. Despite heavy investment, critical acclaim,…
Microsoft Blames European Commission for Major Worldwide Outage
Last Friday, a major CrowdStrike outage impacted PCs running Microsoft Windows, causing worldwide issues affecting airlines, retailers, banks, hospitals, rail networks, and more. Computers were stuck in continuous recovery loops, rendering them unusable. The failure was caused by an update to the CrowdStrike Falcon antivirus software that auto-installed on Windows 10 PCs, but Mac and Linux…