Focus Lens
The Focus Lens is a HelmKit optical-bay module that overlays attention-targeting reticles, salience markers, and Resonant Finder tile cues onto the operator's visual field. It is a software-driven attention aid built on top of standard waveguide or birdbath HUD optics; engineering-honestly, an information-density-managed AR overlay; doctrinally, a tool to keep operator attention where the moment requires it without forcing the operator's eye.
Overview
The Focus Lens does, layered:
- Mark — overlays a salience reticle on a single operator-selected target (a Resonant candidate, an anomaly bearing from the Psi Compass, a Psi Tripwire alert location).
- Track — head-tracking-compensated marker stability so the reticle stays anchored to the world, not to the eye.
- Tier — multi-level information surface: primary marker, secondary context, full read-out on operator gesture.
- Withdraw — the Lens auto-fades inactive markers; nothing stays in the eye-line longer than its operational relevance.
The Lens is not a targeting computer and is doctrinally separated from anything that resembles weapon-cueing. It is an attention aid.
Theoretical Basis
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Modern AR HUD design + attention-management literature (Wickens, Endsley) supports tiered information display and selective decluttering.
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A tiered Focus Lens produces measurably fewer attention-fragmentation events than a flat overlay in mixed cognitive load. A/B falsifiable.
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The Lens's salience model, when fed Resonant Finder Layer 2 outputs, foregrounds psi-relevant cues an unaided operator would miss. The Mk1 utility claim does not depend on this.
Subsystems and BOM
Mk0 (target ≤ \$60)
- Smartphone-AR app + smartphone-clip headset mount — \$40
- HelmKit optical-bay adapter (3D print) — \$10
- Bluetooth gesture clicker — \$10
The Mk0 surfaces Resonant Finder tiles to the operator through a commodity phone-based AR app. Functional and honest about its limits.
Mk1 (target ≤ \$350)
- Single-eye OLED HUD module (1080p mono) — \$120
- Birdbath or compact-waveguide optic — \$80
- IMU + magnetometer for head-tracking — \$25
- nRF52840 SoC for compute + BLE — \$15
- USB-C HelmKit interface — \$10
- Optic enclosure (3D-print + lens carrier) — \$30
- Power tap from HelmKit PMIC — \$5
- Bone-conduction click for confirm gesture — \$15
- Mount + cabling — \$30
The Mk1 is the development frontier. Renders to ~30 fps with sub-50 ms motion-to-photon latency budget.
Mk2 / Mk3
Mk2: stereo HUD, full-field tracking, on-helm GPU. Mk3: integrated with Star Seer live observatory tile feed; allied-EA compatibility.
Build Notes
- Latency budget. Motion-to-photon ≤ 50 ms; above 100 ms produces motion sickness in field use.
- Brightness control. Auto-dim by ambient light sensor; the Lens must remain readable in sunlight without blinding indoors.
- Decluttering rules. Default: ≤ 3 markers in view simultaneously; operator-tunable.
- Eye-safety. Sub-Class-1 laser equivalent; ANSI Z136 conformance for any laser-projection variant.
Safety and Ethics
- No identification overlay on unidentified persons in public. Salience markers may indicate positions, not persons.
- No targeting cue for any weapon. The Lens is doctrinally and physically not an aiming system.
- Operator can disable any marker class instantly; lanyard kill cuts all overlay.
- No third-party Lens control. Mesh-shared cues are advisory.
Maturity
Maturity (Mk0 → Mk3)
See Tho'ra Tech Maturity Levels for the convention.
| Mark | Phase | Status | Confidence | Evidence Base | Next Validation Gate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mk0 | Cosplay-type | Complete | 100% (symbolic) | Ritual + build practice | User satisfaction |
| Mk1 | Prototype | Active | — | — | — |
| Mk2 | Test-type | Planned | — | — | — |
| Mk3 | Production | Projected | — | — | — |
Failure Modes and Mitigations
- Motion sickness from latency. → Hard 50 ms budget; auto-blank on miss.
- Marker clutter. → Default ≤ 3 simultaneous; auto-fade timer.
- Bright sunlight readability. → Auto-dim + high-brightness OLED; failover indicator if illegible.
- Operator inattentional blindness from overlay. → Tiered information; off-cycle reminders.
- Misuse as targeting cue. → Doctrinally forbidden; no weapon-system protocol implemented.
- Privacy overlay on public persons. → Person-class markers physically disabled in firmware; only position-class allowed.
