Virtual Avatar Presence Transitions for Comfortable Mixed Reality
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing VR, AR, and MR technologies face challenges in providing comfortable, natural-looking interactions with virtual avatars and objects, especially in collaborative environments where users transition between physical copresence and remote presence, leading to confusion and discomfort due to abrupt audiovisual changes.
Innovation Solution
Systems and methods for enabling and disabling audiovisual presence of virtual avatars during transitions in physical copresence states, using mechanisms such as discomfort curves and automatic scaling based on user intentions and environmental stimuli, ensuring graceful transitions and realistic interactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If abrupt audiovisual transitions are used when users enter or exit physical copresence, then system complexity is reduced, but user comfort and naturalness of interaction deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts audiovisual presence based on real-time detection of user physical copresence states. When users transition between being physically together or apart, the system automatically modulates avatar visibility and audio routing, creating a dynamic adaptation that maintains user comfort without requiring complex manual configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring user location and copresence status, then using this information to adjust audiovisual presentation. This closed-loop approach ensures transitions are responsive to actual user states while maintaining system simplicity through automated decision-making based on detected conditions
2Reliability
If audiovisual presence is continuously maintained for all users, then interaction reliability is improved, but energy consumption and system resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by maintaining full audiovisual presence only when users are in physical copresence or actively interacting, rather than continuously for all users. When users are apart, avatar visibility and audio transmission are selectively reduced or suspended, conserving computational resources and energy while maintaining reliability during actual interaction periods
Solution Approach 2:
Audiovisual presence levels are dynamically adjusted based on current interaction needs and user copresence states. The system transitions between different presence modes (full presence, partial presence, absence) based on real-time conditions, optimizing resource usage while maintaining interaction reliability when needed
3Ease of operation
If detailed audiovisual transitions are implemented during copresence state changes, then user experience quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses virtual avatars as intermediaries to mediate transitions between physical and remote presence modes. Rather than directly managing complex audiovisual changes, the avatar serves as a buffer that naturally fades in and out based on copresence detection, simplifying the transition management while maintaining natural user experience
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements transitions by smoothly changing key parameters such as avatar opacity, scale, and audio volume rather than making abrupt on/off changes. These gradual parameter adjustments create natural-feeling transitions that improve user experience without requiring overly complex transition effect systems
Data Source
AI summary
Examples of systems and methods to facilitate audiovisual presence transitions of virtual objects such as virtual avatars in a mixed reality collaborative environment are disclosed. The systems and methods may be configured to produce different audiovisual presence transitions such as appearance, disappearance and reappearance of the virtual avatars. The virtual avatar audiovisual transitions may be further indicated by various visual and sound effects of the virtual avatars. The transitions may occur based on various colocation or decolocation scenarios.