Method and apparatus for calibrating augmented reality headsets

An augmented reality (AR) headset calibration system including a camera, a display screen, a stationary testing base, one or more processors coupled to memory, the memory loaded with computer program instructions that, when executed on the one or more processors, implement actions comprising:

• providing a calibration image to the display screen and that is viewable through a reflector of the AR headset;
• providing an inverse of the calibration image to a display of the AR headset, such that the inverse calibration image is reflected from the reflector and observed by the camera while the camera is simultaneously observing the calibration image,
• wherein the camera observes the inverse calibration image projected onto the reflector of the AR headset;
• creating a distortion mapping transform, such that a projection position of the inverse calibration image provided to the display of the AR headset, as observed by the camera, cancels out an acceptable portion of the calibration image as observed through the reflector by the camera;
• and
• providing the distortion mapping transform for implementation by the AR headset.

A method of contemporaneously updating a distortion mapping transform implemented by an augmented reality (AR) headset, the method comprising:

• for a display frame of an AR experience:
• performing eye tracking to identify a location of at least one of a user's eyes with respect to at least one of a reflector and a display of the AR headset;
• updating the distortion mapping transform to compensate for a change in the identified location of the at least one of the user's eyes with respect to one of the reflector and the display of the AR headset;
• and
• implementing the updated distortion mapping transform in a subsequent display frame of the AR experience.