Abstract: In exemplary implementations of this invention, an aberrometer is used to measure the refractive condition of any eye. An artificial light source emits light that travels to a light sensor. Along the way, the light enters and then exits the eye, passes through or is reflected from one or more spatial light modulators (SLMs), and passes through an objective lens-system. The SLMs modify a bokeh effect of the imaging system (which is only visible when the system is out-of-focus), creating a blurred version of the SLM patterns. The light sensor then captures one or more out-of-focus images. If there are refractive aberrations in the eye, these aberrations cause the SLM patterns captured in the images to be distorted. By analyzing differences between the distorted captured patterns and the undistorted SLM patterns, refractive aberrations of the eye can be computed and an eyewear measurement generated.

Abstract: In illustrative implementations of this invention, a lensometer includes a small aperture camera for capturing an image of light that travels from a display surface, through a subject lens and to the camera. One or more computers are programmed to perform calculations that take the image as an input and that compute, for each respective region in a set of regions of the subject lens, a refractive attribute of the respective region.

Abstract: A refractive measurement tool measures refractive aberrations of the human eye. The tool includes a variable lens system. One or more refractive attributes of the variable lens system—such as spherical power, cylindrical power, cylindrical axis, prism or base—are adjustable. The user holds the tool up to his or her eyes, and looks through the tool at a near or far scene. Iterative vision tests are performed, in which refractive properties of the variable lens system are changed from iteration to iteration.

Abstract: In illustrative implementations of this invention, a lensometer includes a small aperture camera for capturing an image of light that travels from a display surface, through a subject lens and to the camera. One or more computers are programmed to perform calculations that take the image as an input and that compute, for each respective region in a set of regions of the subject lens, a refractive attribute of the respective region.

Abstract: In exemplary implementations of this invention, a bi-ocular apparatus presents visual stimuli to one eye of a human subject in order to relax that eye, while measuring refractive aberration of the subject's other eye. Alternately, a monocular device presents stimuli to relax an eye while testing the same eye. The apparatus induces eye relaxation by displaying virtual objects at varying apparent distances from the subject. For example, the apparatus may do so by (i) changing distance between a backlit film and a lens; (ii) using extra lenses; (iii) using an adaptive lens that changes power; (v) selecting distinct positions in a progressive or multi-focal length lens; (vi) selecting distinct optical depths by fiber optical illumination; (vii) displaying a 3D virtual image at any given apparent depth; or (viii) display both a warped version of the real world and a test image at the same time.

Abstract: In illustrative implementations of this invention, a human user mechanically moves one or more moveable parts in a handheld controller, and thereby optically controls a mobile computing device. In illustrative implementations, the optical control is implemented as follows: A camera onboard the mobile computing device captures images. The images show the motion of the moveable parts in the handheld controller. A camera onboard the mobile computing device analyzes these images to detect the motion, maps the motion to a control signal, and outputs a control signal that controls a feature or operation of the mobile computing device.

Abstract: In exemplary implementations of this invention, a bi-ocular apparatus presents visual stimuli to one eye of a human subject in order to relax that eye, while measuring refractive aberration of the subject's other eye. Alternately, a monocular device presents stimuli to relax an eye while testing the same eye. The apparatus induces eye relaxation by displaying virtual objects at varying apparent distances from the subject. For example, the apparatus may do so by (i) changing distance between a backlit film and a lens; (ii) using extra lenses; (iii) using an adaptive lens that changes power; (v) selecting distinct positions in a progressive or multi-focal length lens; (vi) selecting distinct optical depths by fiber optical illumination; (vii) displaying a 3D virtual image at any given apparent depth; or (viii) display both a warped version of the real world and a test image at the same time.

Abstract: In exemplary implementations of this invention, an aberrometer is used to measure the refractive condition of any eye. An artificial light source emits light that travels to a light sensor. Along the way, the light enters and then exits the eye, passes through or is reflected from one or more spatial light modulators (SLMs), and passes through an objective lens-system. The SLMs modify a bokeh effect of the imaging system (which is only visible when the system is out-of-focus), creating a blurred version of the SLM patterns. The light sensor then captures one or more out-of-focus images. If there are refractive aberrations in the eye, these aberrations cause the SLM patterns captured in the images to be distorted. By analyzing differences between the distorted captured patterns and the undistorted SLM patterns, refractive aberrations of the eye can be computed and an eyewear measurement generated.

Abstract: In exemplary implementations, this invention is a tool for subjective assessment of the visual acuity of a human eye. A microlens or pinhole array is placed over a high-resolution display. The eye is brought very near to the device. Patterns are displayed on the screen under some of the lenslets or pinholes. Using interactive software, a user causes the patterns that the eye sees to appear to be aligned. The software allows the user to move the apparent position of the patterns. This apparent motion is achieved by pre-warping the position and angle of the ray-bundles exiting the lenslet display. As the user aligns the apparent position of the patterns, the amount of pre-warping varies. The amount of pre-warping required in order for the user to see what appears to be a single, aligned pattern indicates the lens aberration of the eye.

Abstract: In exemplary implementations of this invention, cataracts in the human eye are assessed and mapped by measuring the perceptual impact of forward scattering on the foveal region. The same method can be used to measure scattering/blocking media inside lenses of a camera. Close-range anisotropic displays create collimated beams of light to scan through sub-apertures, scattering light as it strikes a cataract. User feedback is accepted and analyzed, to generate maps for opacity, attenuation, contrast and sub-aperture point-spread functions (PSFs). Optionally, the PSF data is used to reconstruct the individual's cataract-affected view.

Abstract: In exemplary implementations, this invention is a tool for subjective assessment of the visual acuity of a human eye. A microlens or pinhole array is placed over a high-resolution display. The eye is brought very near to the device. Patterns are displayed on the screen under some of the lenslets or pinholes. Using interactive software, a user causes the patterns that the eye sees to appear to be aligned. The software allows the user to move the apparent position of the patterns. This apparent motion is achieved by pre-warping the position and angle of the ray-bundles exiting the lenslet display. As the user aligns the apparent position of the patterns, the amount of pre-warping varies. The amount of pre-warping required in order for the user to see what appears to be a single, aligned pattern indicates the lens aberration of the eye.

Abstract: In exemplary implementations of this invention, cataracts in the human eye are assessed and mapped by measuring the perceptual impact of forward scattering on the foveal region. The same method can be used to measure scattering/blocking media inside lenses of a camera. Close-range anisotropic displays create collimated beams of light to scan through sub-apertures, scattering light as it strikes a cataract. User feedback is accepted and analyzed, to generate maps for opacity, attenuation, contrast and sub-aperture point-spread functions (PSFs). Optionally, the PSF data is used to reconstruct the individual's cataract-affected view.