Adaptive Streaming of VR Content for User Comfort Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems fail to proactively address user discomfort during consumption of virtual reality and extended reality content, often requiring users to take breaks or continue consuming content despite discomfort, which can exacerbate nausea and cybersickness.

Innovation Solution

Systems determine user discomfort levels and analyze content discomfort ratings to select versions of content items that align with desired comfort levels, using biomarker measurements, user inputs, and historical data to adjust content delivery in real-time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of moving object

If users continue consuming immersive content to maintain engagement, then content consumption duration increases, but user discomfort and nausea levels increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent consumption durationVSAvoiduser discomfort and nausea

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of user comfort levels using biomarkers before content consumption begins, and continuously monitors during consumption. When discomfort thresholds are detected, the system proactively switches to alternative content versions or pauses consumption before severe nausea occurs, rather than waiting for user-initiated breaks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback loops by monitoring biomarkers (heart rate, pupil dilation, skin conductance) in real-time during content consumption. Based on this feedback, the system dynamically adjusts content selection, switching between immersive and non-immersive content versions to maintain user comfort while optimizing engagement duration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Object-affected harmful factors

If users take frequent breaks to alleviate discomfort, then user comfort improves, but productivity and engagement are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser comfortVSAvoidcontent consumption efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides self-service by automatically detecting discomfort levels through biomarker monitoring and autonomously making content selection decisions. When discomfort is detected, the system independently switches to alternative content versions without requiring user intervention or explicit break requests, thereby maintaining comfort while minimizing disruption to consumption flow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system prepares multiple content versions (immersive and non-immersive) in advance and selects appropriate versions based on real-time comfort assessment. This preliminary preparation allows seamless transitions between content types without requiring users to stop consumption entirely, thus maintaining productivity while ensuring comfort.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If the system monitors user comfort continuously, then discomfort detection accuracy improves, but system complexity and resource consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediscomfort detection accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses universal biomarker sensors that can detect multiple discomfort indicators (heart rate, pupil dilation, skin conductance, head movement) through a single integrated monitoring framework. This multi-functional approach improves detection accuracy without proportionally increasing system complexity, as the same sensor infrastructure serves multiple assessment purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the number and type of biomarkers monitored based on detected discomfort levels and content type. During high-risk situations (e.g., motion sickness prone content), the system increases monitoring intensity and uses additional sensors. During low-risk periods, the system reduces monitoring frequency, thereby balancing detection accuracy with system resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20250324108A1Systems and methods for configuring adaptive streaming of content items based on user comfort levels

Publication Date: 2025.10.16 ADEIA GUIDES INC

AI summary

Systems and methods are described for configuring adaptive streaming of content items (e.g., extended reality experiences, or any videos, including 360° videos), and selecting a version of the content item based on desired content comfort rating(s) which may be determined based on monitoring discomfort trends of a user. A determination is made of whether the discomfort trend exceeds a threshold, and if so, a version of the same content item that is rated for the desired discomfort rating is used, where the selected version is more comfortable for the user than the originally scheduled content item. Alternatively, the user's actual discomfort is measured during consumption of content item and used to select a version of the content that is more comfortable. In a live setting, specific enhancement of the content item can be selected, such as view from a specific camera, an angle of the camera, zoomed in/out image, etc.