VR Object Indication for Real-Virtual Differentiation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users in VR and AR environments often experience the uncanny valley effect due to mistaking virtual objects for real objects or vice versa, leading to disorientation, discomfort, and potential physical harm.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that analyze real-time and virtual data to identify and classify objects as real or virtual, providing visual, auditory, or haptic indications to differentiate between them, reducing the uncanny valley effect.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If virtual environments are displayed with high graphical fidelity to enhance immersion, then the immersive experience is improved, but the risk of users mistaking virtual objects for real objects increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimmersive experienceVSAvoiduser disorientation and potential harm

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies visual indicators such as colored outlines, highlights, or overlays on virtual objects to differentiate them from real objects. These color changes or visual modifications allow users to distinguish virtual elements without reducing graphical fidelity, thus maintaining immersion while preventing confusion and potential harm.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If visual indicators are added to differentiate virtual and real objects, then user safety is improved, but the immersive experience is degraded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser safetyVSAvoidimmersive experience

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies indicators selectively to specific virtual objects or regions rather than uniformly across the entire field of view. This localized approach ensures that safety indicators are present where needed while preserving the immersive quality of the overall virtual environment, minimizing disruption to the user experience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Loss of information

If multiple types of indicators are provided to enhance object differentiation, then user understanding is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobject type informationVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the indication system into distinct modular components such as visual indicators, auditory signals, and haptic feedback. Each indicator type can be independently controlled and activated based on specific conditions, allowing comprehensive object differentiation while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20250356600A1Method and system for indicating real and virtual objects

Publication Date: 2025.11.20 SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC

AI summary

A method for indicating real and virtual objects during display of a virtual environment on a virtual reality, VR, headset, the method comprising: obtaining real-time data derived from monitoring a real-world environment associated with the VR headset; obtaining virtual display data representing one or more virtual objects within the virtual environment; analysing at least one of the real-time data and virtual display data to identify at least one target object in the data; classifying the object type of the at least one target object, the object type being either a real object or a virtual object; providing to the user an indication of the object type of the at least one target object, during display of a virtual environment.