Eye Tracking Hides VR Scene Changes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional virtual reality systems face challenges in dynamically modifying virtual scenes within a user's field of view without being noticed, as users may observe changes that detract from a realistic experience, especially with larger field of view headsets offering less space for dynamic staging.

Innovation Solution

The use of eye-tracking data to determine focal regions and calculate probabilities of detection, allowing for covert modifications or changes to virtual scenes outside the user's foveal, parafoveal, and perifoveal regions, utilizing attention tracking and change activation components to ensure changes are made when the user is unlikely to notice them.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If virtual scene modifications are made within the user's field of view, then dynamic staging capability is improved, but the likelihood of user detection increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedynamic staging capabilityVSAvoiduser detection likelihood

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts scene modifications based on real-time eye-tracking data, changing the timing and location of modifications according to the user's actual gaze patterns. This allows the system to make scene changes within the field of view while adapting to user attention patterns to minimize detection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses eye-tracking sensors to continuously monitor user gaze and provides feedback to the scene modification system. This feedback loop allows the system to detect when the user is looking at specific regions and adjust or cancel modifications in those areas, preventing user detection while maintaining dynamic staging capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If eye-tracking sensors and processing systems are added, then covert scene modification capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecovert scene modification capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The eye-tracking system serves multiple functions: it tracks user gaze for covert modification timing, determines focal regions for scene changes, and provides data for probability calculations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, managing complexity while enabling covert scene modification capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the user's own eye movements as the control signal for scene modifications. The eye-tracking data directly drives the timing and location of modifications without requiring additional complex control interfaces or manual input systems, simplifying the overall control architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS10976816B2Using eye tracking to hide virtual reality scene changes in plain sight

Publication Date: 2021.04.13 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

Various embodiments are provided herein for modifying a virtual scene based on eye-tracking. A computing device coupled to a HMD can provide a virtual scene for display on the HMD. The computing device can receive sensor data from a set of eye-tracking sensors coupled to the HMD. Based on the received sensor data, the computing device can determine a set of focal regions of the displayed virtual scene, including a perifoveal region of the displayed virtual scene. A portion of the virtual scene can then be modified based, in part, on a determination that the portion is outside of the determined perifoveal region.