Augmented Reality Solution for Color Vision Deficiency
Color vision deficiency (CVD) covers the span of color blindness disorders where people can be color blind to one color, multiple colors, or all colors. Commonly, those with CVD can see color but have difficulty distinguishing between colors. CVD occurs as a result of abnormalities in the three types of cones in the retina. Each cone senses different wavelengths of light that correspond to the colors that humans can see. Depending on which specific cone is missing or malfunctioning, a person can acquire the corresponding variant of CVD: protanopia, deuteranopia, or tritanopia.
About one in 12 men and one in 200 women in the world are affected by one of these forms of CVD. CVD interferes with daily life tasks that people with regular vision usually do with ease. For example, children with CVD may have trouble distinguishing between the right colored crayons to use on their art projects. Likewise, adults can have difficulty picking ripe fruit, differentiating between traffic lights, or, even, getting hired for select occupations.
At the moment, there are no permanent solutions to CVD; there are only lenses that require meticulous adaptation and special outdoor lighting conditions to function properly as well as cell phone applications that can aid with color distinguishment. However, these solutions can be inefficient or impractical for long-term aid in daily life. As a result, scientists from the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli and the University of Naples have been developing an augmented reality device to improve daily life for those with CVD.
The device consists of a camera mounted on a head display that manipulates the real world by capturing it through a video feed. The processor inside the device then runs the image through algorithms that adjust the colors to display it to the user through a liquid crystal display (LCD). Because subjects with CVD have a narrower color spectrum than normal individuals, the algorithms remap the colors in the image so that it is easier for subjects to distinguish the colors. The researchers even created an algorithm for the three main types of CVD: the researchers associated each color with their wavelengths then calculated the difference between the wavelength of the colors perceived by the patient versus the actual colors. This difference was compensated onto the original values so that the colors would be saturated in a way that would enable subjects to discriminate the colors unlike normal conditions.
The researchers tested the device on 24 patients with CVD at the Referral Centre for Inherited Retinal Diseases of the Academic Hospital of the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli. To test its efficacy, the subjects took the Ishihara test, which is often used for occupational screening, with and without the device. The two scores were compared, and all but one subject showed improvement on the test scores. Furthermore, 50% of the subjects were able to pass the Ishihara test. With further development, this augmented reality device can assist those who struggle to see color normally.
About one in 12 men and one in 200 women in the world are affected by one of these forms of CVD. CVD interferes with daily life tasks that people with regular vision usually do with ease. For example, children with CVD may have trouble distinguishing between the right colored crayons to use on their art projects. Likewise, adults can have difficulty picking ripe fruit, differentiating between traffic lights, or, even, getting hired for select occupations.
At the moment, there are no permanent solutions to CVD; there are only lenses that require meticulous adaptation and special outdoor lighting conditions to function properly as well as cell phone applications that can aid with color distinguishment. However, these solutions can be inefficient or impractical for long-term aid in daily life. As a result, scientists from the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli and the University of Naples have been developing an augmented reality device to improve daily life for those with CVD.
The device consists of a camera mounted on a head display that manipulates the real world by capturing it through a video feed. The processor inside the device then runs the image through algorithms that adjust the colors to display it to the user through a liquid crystal display (LCD). Because subjects with CVD have a narrower color spectrum than normal individuals, the algorithms remap the colors in the image so that it is easier for subjects to distinguish the colors. The researchers even created an algorithm for the three main types of CVD: the researchers associated each color with their wavelengths then calculated the difference between the wavelength of the colors perceived by the patient versus the actual colors. This difference was compensated onto the original values so that the colors would be saturated in a way that would enable subjects to discriminate the colors unlike normal conditions.
The researchers tested the device on 24 patients with CVD at the Referral Centre for Inherited Retinal Diseases of the Academic Hospital of the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli. To test its efficacy, the subjects took the Ishihara test, which is often used for occupational screening, with and without the device. The two scores were compared, and all but one subject showed improvement on the test scores. Furthermore, 50% of the subjects were able to pass the Ishihara test. With further development, this augmented reality device can assist those who struggle to see color normally.
The Ishihara Test is comprised of plates depicting circles made of multicolored dots patterned to show a number. The plates above simulate how individuals with different CVD would see the number two.
With this prototype alone, subjects were able to increase their ability to distinguish colors significantly. As new designs are being created, researchers are looking to refine the device with higher resolution cameras, faster response rates, and more lightweight designs that will make it more convenient to someday be used by all people diagnosed with CVD.
Featured Image Source: Pexels
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