Next-Generation Pencil Patent by Apple

Apple just recently filed a patent at the US Patent & Trademark Office for a next-gen Apple Pencil with built-in optical sensors that don’t just capture colors, they capture textures too. A complicated array of tech built into the Apple Pencil’s nib would help turn it into more than just a stylus. Instead of being merely a note-keeping and art-creating device, the Pencil would also now help gather inspiration, letting you build your own bank of hues and textures to use in your projects as reference material.

The way the new Apple Pencil works is theoretically simple – as per the patent drawings, a light sensor and a light emitter sit within the stylus tip. The emitter and sensor work together to help sample colors and textures as you tap the Pencil on any surface. The way it works is no different from your mouse, which uses a light emitter and optical sensor to track movement. The only key difference is that the Pencil does that while also being able to function as a stylus for your iPad.

More information:

https://www.yankodesign.com/2022/12/30/apple-patents-next-gen-apple-pencil-with-an-optical-sensor-that-can-pick-colors-and-textures-from-real-life/amp/

Disney AR Patent Without Headsets

Disney has taken one step closer to creating a virtual metaverse at Disneyland that would allow the entertainment giant to simulate a digital world with animated characters in a real-world theme park attraction. The Walt Disney Company was granted a patent on Dec. 28 by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a Virtual World Simulator that enables multiple users to experience a 3D virtual world from multiple vantage points without any glasses, goggles or digital devices. Disney’s patent takes digital simulation one step beyond VR and AR with the newly dubbed virtual world.

Disney’s Virtual World Simulator creates a realistic and highly immersive 3D virtual experience without requiring the user to wear an AR headset or use an AR-enabled smartphone, according to the patent. Disney’s patented Virtual World Simulator would create 3D imagery using multiple projectors capable of generating a high rate of images per second. The Virtual World Simulator would use a SLAM technique to continuously track the ever-changing point of view of a visitor moving through a real-world venue like a theme park attraction.

More information:

https://www.mercurynews.com/2022/01/04/disney-patents-ar-without-headsets-for-theme-park-rides/

Drinking In VR

Drinking in VR can be a little tricky. In most cases, you’ll need to put down the controllers and then lift your headset off your eyes, or just enough to peek under your headset, to bring the cup to your mouth. Using a straw simplifies the process, though you still need to put down your controllers or reach awkwardly outside your play space to reach your beverage.

According to a recently filed patent, Bogie Inc. proposed a new system that would allow a user to take drink without having to put down both of their controllers. The patent shows a device that looks a lot like a Quest VR controller, but with a built-in holder attached to the inner part of the controller that could support any type of beverage that comes in a bottle or can.

More information:

https://vrscout.com/news/this-bizarre-controller-would-make-drinking-in-vr-easier/