New Meta Patent Blatantly Mimics Apple's EyeSight Feature

Meta has filed a patent for a feature that closely resembles Apple Vision Pro's EyeSight, Patently Apple reports.

visionos eyesight
EyeSight is designed to reduce social isolation in VR by making the user's eyes visible to others on an external display. Meta's patent, titled "Embedded Sensors in Immersive Reality Headset to Enable Social Presence," suggests that the company is considering this kind of functionality for its own devices.

EyeSight uses a scan of the user's face to create a virtual image of their eyes on an external display, thereby maintaining a semblance of eye contact and interaction with others in the real world. Apple says that EyeSight "reveals your eyes on the front of your ‌Apple Vision Pro‌, and lets those nearby know when you're using apps or are fully immersed in an experience."

Meta's approach involves a method for updating a user's avatar in real-time using facial expressions detected by sensors embedded in the headset. These sensors capture signals indicative of facial muscle movements, which are then interpreted using a machine learning algorithm to determine the user's facial expression. The system adjusts the user's avatar accordingly and integrates it into an immersive reality application.

The headset in this embodiment includes various sensors, such as ECG (electrocardiogram), EEG (electroencephalogram), and PPG (photoplethysmogram), which not only track facial movements but also monitor the user's cardiovascular health. The integration of health-related functionalities distinguishes Meta's approach from Apple's EyeSight, which primarily focuses on displaying a virtual image of the user's eyes to maintain a connection with the real world.

Meta's decision to file the patent seemingly indicates its recognition of the value in Apple's EyeSight feature, despite the mixed reviews it has received. While some critics have found the feature unnecessary and predict it could be dropped in future models, its introduction highlights a broader industry trend towards enhancing social presence when using headset devices.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.4 With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
iOS 19 Mock WWDC25 Feature

iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

Monday March 31, 2025 5:28 pm PDT by
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Monday March 31, 2025 11:27 am PDT by
Apple today released new firmware updates for all AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models. The new firmware is version 7E93, up from the 7B21 firmware that was installed on the AirPods Pro 2 and the 7B20 firmware available on the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC. It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in the new firmware, but we'll update this article should we find ...
top stories 2025 03 29

Top Stories: WWDC 2025 Announced, iPhone 17 Pro and iOS 19 Rumors, and More

Saturday March 29, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent. A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
iOS 19 visionOS UI Elements

Apple Codename Provides Clue About iOS 19's Rumored New Design

Sunday March 30, 2025 6:40 am PDT by
Multiple sources have claimed that iOS 19 will introduce a new design with more translucent buttons, menus, notification banners, and more, and there is now another clue that points towards this glass-like appearance. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said the new design project is codenamed "Solarium" internally. A solarium is a room with glass walls that allow in plenty of sunlight, so this...
macOS Sequoia Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.4 With Mail Categorization and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:04 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.4, the fourth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched in September. macOS Sequoia 15.4 comes two months after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.3. Mac users can download the ‌‌macOS Sequoia‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run macOS 15. With...
Magic Mouse Green

What to Expect From the Magic Mouse 3

Saturday March 29, 2025 10:15 am PDT by
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect. The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design. It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information. Relocated Charging Port While the Magic Mouse switched from...

Top Rated Comments

coffeemilktea Avatar
9 months ago
And to think, it would have been cheaper, more effective, more enjoyable, AND they could avoid patent lawsuits if they just slapped some googly eyes on the front! :p



Attachment Image
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarmWinterHat Avatar
9 months ago
Great... Taking the absolute creepiest feature on the AVP and running with it.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
arkitect Avatar
9 months ago
Well, good luck with that!
If Apple couldn't pull it off I doubt Meta can.

Seeing EyeSight in real life is even odder than seeing images of it.

The person's eyes just do not seem to be "in the right place". They kind of hang sleepily in some mid distance.

It is weird AF.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
epox999 Avatar
9 months ago
For them to have wasted R&D dollars on this feature which serves no purpose, and raises the price of the product is so dumb. Predicting this will be the first thing dropped if they ever make a V.2 of this product
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
machpost Avatar
9 months ago

Seeing EyeSight in real life is even odder than seeing images of it.

The person's eyes just do not seem to be "in the right place". They kind of hang sleepily in some mid distance.

It is weird AF.
Exactly! It's incredibly weird and creepy in real life, and I figure that most people who don't think so haven't actually seen it with their own eyes yet. Even the pictures of it look weird.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Hopefully Smarter Avatar
9 months ago
They could sell alternate eyes as accessories, just like watch bands.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)