Virtual Boundary Definition for Immersive VR Safety
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Users wearing head-mounted display (HMD) devices for virtual or augmented reality may lose awareness of their real-world environment, leading to potential collisions with obstacles due to the immersive nature of these systems, which do not effectively account for real-world obstacles.
Innovation Solution
A method that allows users to define a virtual boundary in their real-world environment using a head-mounted display system, which involves receiving baseline elevation data, monitoring the user's device orientation and elevation, and displaying a virtual boundary to prevent collisions with physical objects, while also correcting lens-induced distortions in the captured view.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users wear HMD devices for immersive virtual or augmented reality experiences, then the immersion and engagement with virtual environment is improved, but the user's awareness of real-world environment deteriorates leading to potential collisions with obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of external cameras and processing devices that capture real-world environment data and present it to the user through the HMD. This intermediary layer allows the user to maintain awareness of real-world obstacles while remaining immersed in the virtual environment, effectively mediating between the two conflicting requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the visual information presented to the user by separating virtual environment content from real-world environment content. The HMD displays virtual scenes while simultaneously overlaying or alternating with real-world camera feeds, allowing the user to selectively attend to either virtual or real-world information as needed.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the HMD displays virtual scenes based on head position and orientation, then the virtual environment immersion is improved, but the user's ability to see real-world obstacles deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary capture of real-world environment data using external cameras before the user needs to see it. The captured images are processed and made ready for display, so when the user looks in a particular direction or needs real-world awareness, the information is already prepared and can be immediately presented without disrupting the virtual environment experience.
Solution Approach 2:
The system periodically updates the real-world camera feeds and overlays them with virtual environment content at controlled intervals. This periodic presentation of real-world information allows the user to maintain virtual immersion while receiving regular updates about the real-world environment, preventing complete loss of real-world visual information.
3Reliability
If the system provides pass-through view of real-world environment, then the user's awareness of real-world obstacles is improved, but the lens-induced distortion reduces the accuracy of the view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/optical lens system that causes distortion with a computational approach. Instead of relying on physical lenses to capture and display the real-world view, the system uses multiple cameras to capture images and then applies computational algorithms to correct lens-induced distortion, substituting mechanical optics with computational image processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameters of the captured images by applying distortion correction algorithms that adjust the geometric parameters of the image data. This computational transformation corrects the lens-induced distortion by remapping the image coordinates to compensate for the optical distortion, thereby improving visual accuracy while maintaining real-world awareness.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed computer-implemented method may include receiving an indication of a baseline elevation representing a base plane of a real-world environment, receiving a request via a user device to initiate a boundary definition state, monitoring an elevation and an orientation of the user device during manipulation to generate elevation data and orientation data during the boundary definition state, and defining a virtual boundary in a virtual-world environment based on the baseline elevation, the elevation data, and the orientation data. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.