Spatial Audio Attenuation for VR Hazard Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
In virtual reality (VR) systems, users may encounter hazards from real-world objects not reflected in the captured content, leading to potential injuries during the consumption phase, as they may not be aware of their surroundings due to the immersive nature of the experience.
Innovation Solution
A method is implemented to detect the user's spatial position and modify audio signals by attenuating sounds from audio sources in the direction of movement towards objects, creating an 'auditory black hole' to direct the user's attention away from potential hazards, with the option to generate alerts when closer to objects, using positioning tags and object maps to define safe and restricted zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If spatial audio is provided to enhance immersion in virtual reality, then the immersive experience is improved, but user awareness of real-world hazards deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by detecting user movement towards real-world objects and preemptively attenuating audio signals from virtual sources in those directions. This creates an 'auditory black hole' effect that warns users before they collide with hazards, counteracting the immersive effect that would otherwise cause hazard unawareness.
2Reliability
If audio signals are attenuated to warn users of hazards, then user safety is improved, but the spatial audio experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by selectively attenuating audio signals only in specific directions where hazards are detected, rather than uniformly reducing all audio. The attenuation is localized to the directional sector containing the hazard, preserving the spatial audio experience in safe directions while providing safety warnings where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies dynamics by continuously monitoring user position and dynamically adjusting audio attenuation in real-time. The attenuation parameters change based on user movement towards or away from hazards, creating a dynamic audio environment that adapts to the user's spatial relationship with real-world objects.
3Measurement precision
If continuous monitoring of user position is implemented, then hazard detection accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies periodic action by monitoring user position at discrete time intervals rather than continuously. Position updates are triggered by movement events or at scheduled intervals, allowing the system to maintain adequate hazard detection accuracy while reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus is disclosed, comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured with the processor to cause the apparatus to perform the following steps. In a first step, the spatial position of a user in a real world space is detected. In another step, one or more audio signals are provided to the user representing audio from spatially-distributed audio sources in a virtual space. In another step, responsive to detecting movement of the user's spatial position from within a first zone to within a second zone within the real world space, the audio signals for selected ones of the audio sources are modified based on their spatial position in the virtual space.