US-12622581-B2 - Device and method for evaluating a performance of a visual equipment

US12622581B2US 12622581 B2US12622581 B2US 12622581B2US-12622581-B2

Abstract

A device for evaluating the performance of visual equipment for a wearer. The device includes at least one input adapted to obtain virtual tests to be performed with the equipment, each test including at least one scenario combined with at least one virtual model of the wearer, defining how a visual task including a sequence of fixation points is to be carried out by the model in an environment defined by a description of shapes and positions of elements to be viewed by the model, at least one processor configured for selecting at least one test, based on at least one personalized real or simulated wearer activity profile representing usage of the equipment by the wearer, and evaluating the performance of the equipment with which the selected test is performed by the model by computing for one or more fixation points at least one performance criterion generated for the task.

Inventors

Guillaume TATUR
Laurent Calixte
Sébastien FRICKER
Bénédicte Deldalle
Gildas Marin

Assignees

ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20220113
Priority Date: 20210212

Claims (15)

1 . A device for evaluating a performance of a visual equipment intended for a wearer, wherein said device comprises: at least one input adapted to obtain a plurality of virtual tests to be performed with said visual equipment, each virtual test of said plurality of virtual tests comprising at least one scenario combined with at least one virtual model of said wearer, said scenario defining how a predetermined visual task comprising a sequence of fixation points is to be carried out by said at least one virtual model in an environment defined by a description of shapes and positions of elements to be viewed by said at least one virtual model of said wearer; at least one processor configured for: selecting at least one virtual test among said plurality of virtual tests, based on at least one personalized real or simulated wearer activity profile representing usage of said visual equipment by said wearer; evaluating said performance of said visual equipment with which said selected at least one virtual test is performed by said at least one virtual model of said wearer, by computing for at least one of said fixation points at least one predetermined performance criterion generated for said predetermined visual task.
2 . The device according to claim 1 , said wearer being a given individual, wherein said at least one virtual model of said wearer comprises a virtual model of said given individual.
3 . The device according to claim 1 , said wearer pertaining to a group of wearers defined by general characteristics, individual characteristics of each wearer of said group being unknown, wherein said at least one virtual model of said wearer comprises a plurality of virtual models of wearers that is representative of said group of wearers.
4 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein said personalized wearer activity profile comprises different weights assigned to said at least one scenario and/or to said at least one predetermined performance criterion depending on the relevance of said at least one scenario and/or of said at least one criterion for said wearer in said usage of said visual equipment.
5 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein said virtual model of said wearer comprises a virtual model of at least one eye of said wearer, a virtual model of the head of said wearer and a virtual model of the torso of said wearer.
6 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein said predetermined performance criterion comprises at least one of visual acuity criteria, distortion criteria and visual behavior criteria evaluating the head and eyes coordination.
7 . The device according to claim 6 , wherein said at least one predetermined performance criterion involves either monocular or binocular vision.
8 . The device according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one scenario comprises at least a first scenario for which said predetermined visual task is a far vision task and said at least one predetermined performance criterion is visual acuity, a second scenario for which said predetermined visual task is an intermediate vision task and said at least one predetermined performance criterion is visual acuity, a third scenario for which said predetermined visual task is a near vision task and said at least one predetermined performance criterion is visual acuity, and a fourth scenario for which said at least one predetermined performance criterion is a distortion criterion.
9 . A method for evaluating a performance of a visual equipment intended for a wearer, wherein said method comprises: obtaining at least one virtual model of said wearer; obtaining a plurality of virtual tests to be performed with said visual equipment, each virtual test of said plurality of virtual tests comprising at least one scenario combined with said at least one virtual model of said wearer, said scenario defining how a predetermined visual task comprising a sequence of fixation points is to be carried out by said at least one virtual model in an environment defined by a description of shapes and positions of elements to be viewed by said at least one virtual model of said wearer; selecting by at least one processor at least one virtual test among said plurality of virtual tests, based on at least one personalized real or simulated wearer activity profile representing usage of said visual equipment by said wearer; evaluating by said at least one processor said performance of said visual equipment with which said selected at least one virtual test is performed by said at least one virtual model of said wearer, by computing for at least one of said fixation points at least one predetermined performance criterion generated for said predetermined visual task.
10 . The method according to claim 9 , said wearer being a given individual, wherein said at least one virtual model of said wearer comprises a virtual model of said given individual.
11 . The method according to claim 9 , said wearer pertaining to a group of wearers defined by general characteristics, individual characteristics of each wearer of said group being unknown, wherein said at least one virtual model of said wearer comprises a plurality of virtual models of wearers that is representative of said group of wearers.
12 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein said personalized wearer activity profile comprises different weights assigned to said at least one scenario and/or to said at least one predetermined performance criterion depending on the relevance of said at least one scenario and/or of said at least one criterion for said wearer in said usage of said visual equipment.
13 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein said virtual model of said wearer comprises a virtual model of at least one eye of said wearer, a virtual model of the head of said wearer and a virtual model of the torso of said wearer.
14 . A computer program product for evaluating a performance of a visual equipment intended for a wearer, wherein it comprises one or more sequences of instructions that are accessible to a processor and that, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to: obtain at least one virtual model of said wearer; obtain a plurality of virtual tests to be performed with said visual equipment, each virtual test of said plurality of virtual tests comprising at least one scenario combined with said at least one virtual model of said wearer, said scenario defining how a predetermined visual task comprising a sequence of fixation points is to be carried out by said at least one virtual model in an environment defined by a description of shapes and positions of elements to be viewed by said at least one virtual model of said wearer; select at least one virtual test among said plurality of virtual tests, based on at least one personalized real or simulated wearer activity profile representing usage of said visual equipment by said wearer; evaluate said performance of said visual equipment with which said selected at least one virtual test is performed by said at least one virtual model of said wearer, by computing for at least one of said fixation points at least one predetermined performance criterion generated for said predetermined visual task.
15 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein it stores one or more sequences of instructions that are accessible to a processor and that, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to: obtain at least one virtual model of said wearer; obtain a plurality of virtual tests to be performed with said visual equipment, each virtual test of said plurality of virtual tests comprising at least one scenario combined with said at least one virtual model of said wearer, said scenario defining how a predetermined visual task comprising a sequence of fixation points is to be carried out by said at least one virtual model in an environment defined by a description of shapes and positions of elements to be viewed by said at least one virtual model of said wearer; select at least one virtual test among said plurality of virtual tests, based on at least one personalized real or simulated wearer activity profile representing usage of said visual equipment by said wearer; evaluate said performance of said visual equipment with which said selected at least one virtual test is performed by said at least one virtual model of said wearer, by computing for at least one of said fixation points at least one predetermined performance criterion generated for said predetermined visual task.

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to a device and method for evaluating a performance of a visual equipment intended for a wearer of that visual equipment. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE Nowadays, the performance of a piece of visual equipment such as an ophthalmic lens or a solar lens may be evaluated by using a number of criteria, among which sharpness of vision, distortions, or other criteria for example related to binocular vision. In this respect, eyeglasses simulation methods are known, in which the customer can try and subjectively evaluate equipment in a virtual environment through a virtual reality device. Such an eyeglasses wearing simulation method and device is disclosed by document EP-A-2 749 207. However, no objective evaluation of the performance of visual equipment is carried out. Besides, the evaluation of the performance of a piece of visual equipment through simulations is a non-trivial issue. Optical characteristics are not fully representative of the performance of a piece of visual equipment as perceived by the wearer. Indeed, a wearer will use the piece of visual equipment in various situations and environments, experiencing functional characteristics of the equipment such as field width and sharpness in the different vision zones, geometrical and optical flow distortion, comfort area as well as internal state considerations such as efforts related to posture and to binocular vision. Human wearer tests are another known solution for evaluating the performance of a piece of visual equipment. In particular, in certain types of wearer tests, known as “in-lab tests”, human wearers are asked to carry out specific tasks while wearing the piece of visual equipment to be evaluated, such as reading, walking, performing a precision task, etc. This implies lengthy testing processes that do not necessarily take into account the specificity of the wearer's visual habits or the specific way in which each wearer uses visual equipment. More generally, the above known solutions do not make it possible to obtain an overall estimate of the performance of visual equipment. Document WO 2020/193436 A1 discloses a device and method for evaluating a performance of a piece of visual equipment intended for a human wearer to carry out a visual task. The described device and method involve a virtual “avatar” that is a virtual model of the human wearer, in addition to virtual models of the visual task and of the scene where the virtual, simulated visual task is to be carried out. This makes it possible to apply the performance evaluation to a given wearer population i.e. groups of wearers considered to have similar characteristics. Thus, that solution avoids the burden of repeating tests on various individuals. However, although such evaluation is made in a potentially efficient and economic manner for groups of wearers thanks to the “avatar”, it does not take account of the very specific habits of each individual wearer. Namely, a given individual, although having comparable characteristics to other individuals of a defined group of wearers, may nevertheless wear and use the piece of visual equipment differently from other individuals in the same group of wearers. For example, a given individual may wish to use the piece of visual equipment for other visual tasks than the one for which the performance has been evaluated and those other visual tasks will not necessarily be the same as for the other individuals of the same group of wearers. In addition, the other visual tasks will possibly be carried out in environments differing from the one for which the performance has been evaluated, with different distances to objects of the scene, different lighting, far vision instead of near vision, etc. Furthermore, instead of having a single choice i.e. the piece of visual equipment for which the evaluated performance is considered to be the “best”, each individual may wish to select his/her preferred piece of visual equipment depending on his/her own personal criteria, among a pre-selection of various propositions and recommendations made by an ECP (Eye Care Professional), either in a shop, or online. Thus, there is a need for further customizing the piece of visual equipment to each given individual, in order to provide for each individual, rather than a “ready-to-wear” piece of visual equipment, the possibility of wearing “made-to-measure” visual equipment, taking account of both the individual per se and the individual's visual task habits and intended uses of such visual equipment, thanks to an overall personalized evaluation of the visual equipment performance for that individual. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE An object of the disclosure is to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art. To that end, the disclosure provides a device for evaluating a performance of a visual equipment intended for a wearer, wherein the device comprises: at least one input adapted to obtain a plurality of vi