Researchers at MIT have created an augmented reality headset dubbed X-AR that enables users to see objects concealed within a box or beneath a pile. According to a press release from MIT, the headset, known as X-AR, combines computer vision with wireless sensors to detect a specific item that is hidden from view automatically.
When multiple identical things are present in one location, the gadget can help e-commerce warehouse staff quickly locate items hidden in boxes or cluttered shelves by recognizing the precise item for an order.
According to the MIT release, it may also be used in a factory to assist workers in finding the right components to assemble a product.
It employs radio frequency signals, which can travel through objects like cardboard boxes, plastic containers, or wooden dividers to discover things concealed and marked with RFID tags, reflecting signals sent by an RF antenna.
The item, which appears as a transparent sphere in the augmented reality (AR) interface, is located, and the headset directs the user as they walk toward it.
The RFID tag follows the object as the user picks it up. The item in the user’s hand can be located using X-AR, which can track the RFID tag’s movements and the hand-tracking capabilities of the headset. According to MIT, the tag is then examined to see if it is transmitting the appropriate RF signals to confirm that the object is the proper one.
In an atmosphere resembling a warehouse, the researchers tested the apparatus. They discovered that the headset could locate hidden objects on average to a distance of 9.8 cm. According to the researchers’ estimates, it could verify that users picked up the right object with 96% accuracy.
