HMD Display Fading for VR Collision Avoidance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users of mixed reality head-mounted display (HMD) devices can bump into or trip over physical objects while immersed in virtual reality environments due to the obscuration of the real world by virtual objects, as existing systems fail to effectively dim or fade out virtual content when approaching real-world objects.

Innovation Solution

An HMD device with see-through display and depth sensing capabilities dynamically adjusts the display by dimming or fading virtual content when a user is within a threshold distance of real-world objects, using surface reconstruction data and volumetric user representations to vary threshold distances based on the user's height, whether standing or seated.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If virtual reality content is displayed with high opacity to provide immersive experience, then user immersion is improved, but user safety deteriorates due to inability to see real-world objects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser immersionVSAvoidcollision risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the virtual content opacity dynamic rather than static. The see-through display system automatically adjusts the opacity level based on the detected distance between the user and real-world objects. When objects are detected within a threshold distance, the system reduces opacity to enhance visibility and prevent collisions. When objects are beyond the threshold, the system increases opacity to provide full immersive experience. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by adapting the immersion level to real-time safety requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If a fixed threshold distance is used for dimming virtual content, then system complexity is reduced, but adaptability deteriorates because it cannot account for different user positions (standing vs. seated)

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethreshold determinationVSAvoiduser position adaptation

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the threshold distance parameter based on detected user height. The system uses depth sensing data to determine whether the user is standing or seated, and automatically adjusts the threshold distance parameter accordingly. When the user is detected as standing (greater height), a larger threshold distance is applied. When the user is detected as seated (smaller height), a smaller threshold distance is applied. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the system versatile to different user positions while maintaining relatively simple implementation through automated parameter adjustment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3172649B1Anti-trip when immersed in a virtual reality environment

Publication Date: 2019.10.02 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

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AI summary

An HMD device with a see-through display and depth sensing capability is configured to selectively dim or fade out a display of a virtual reality environment to enable a user to see the real world without obstruction by the virtual world when a distance between the user and a real world object is determined to be less than a threshold distance. The current height of the user's head (i.e., the distance from head to ground) may be utilized when performing the dimming/fading so that different threshold distances can be used depending on whether the user is standing or seated.