March 29, 2024 – Recent disclosures from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) reveal that Apple has secured two patents related to its Vision Pro technology, enabling users to create artwork in virtual environments without the need for physical writing implements like the Apple Pencil.
The first patent, titled “Input System for Head-Mounted Device Based on Stylus,” hints at Apple’s exploration of using a stylus for interaction within virtual worlds. While the Apple Pencil serves as a natural input device, this patent outlines a new device equipped with a light emitter, possibly infrared, allowing the head-mounted display to track the device’s position and orientation for drawing purposes.
The second patent, named “Techniques for Drawing in Computer-Generated Reality Environments,” involves tracking the user’s hand. By simply mimicking the action of holding a pen, users can grasp a virtual pen within the AR environment and proceed to draw on a virtual canvas.
Illustrative patent diagrams show examples of how this technology could be used, such as drawing a hat on a person in a real-world scene or sketching birds in the sky, all made possible through the Vision Pro head-mounted display. These patents suggest exciting new possibilities for creative expression and interaction in augmented reality.
