This chapter discloses the operational principles of the EyeTap reality mediator, both in its idealized form and as practical embodiments of the invention. The inner workings of the reality mediator, in particular, its optical arrangement, are described. | Intelligent Image Processing. Steve Mann Copyright 2002 John Wiley Sons Inc. ISBNs 0-471-40637-6 Hardback 0-471-22163-5 Electronic 3 THE EYETAP PRINCIPLE EFFECTIVELY LOCATING THE CAMERA INSIDE THE EYE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO WEARABLE CAMERA SYSTEMS This chapter discloses the operational principles of the EyeTap reality mediator both in its idealized form and as practical embodiments of the invention. The inner workings of the reality mediator in particular its optical arrangement are described. A PERSONAL IMAGING SYSTEM FOR LIFELONG VIDEO CAPTURE A device that measures and resynthesizes light that would otherwise pass through the lens of an eye of a user is described. The device diverts at least a portion of eyeward-bound light into a measurement system that measures how much light would have entered the eye in the absence of the device. In one embodiment the device uses a focus control to reconstruct light in a depth plane that moves to follow subject matter of interest. In another embodiment the device reconstructs light in a wide range of depth planes in some cases having infinite or nearinfinite depth of field. The device has at least one mode of operation in which it reconstructs these rays of light under the control of a portable computational system. Additionally the device has other modes of operation in which it can by program control cause the user to experience an altered visual perception of reality. The device is useful as a visual communications system for electronic newsgathering or to assist the visually challenged. THE EYETAP PRINCIPLE The EyeTap reality mediator is characterized by three components a lightspace analysis system a lightspace modification system and a lightspace synthesis system. 64 THE EYETAP PRINCIPLE 65 To understand how the reality mediator works consider the first of these three components namely the device called a lightspace analyzer Fig. . The lightspace analyzer absorbs and quantifies incoming light. Typically but .
