XR Widget Placement Using User Context to Reduce Occlusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing XR devices face issues such as information overload, user discomfort, attention tunneling, and occlusion of real-world features due to inappropriate positioning of virtual content, particularly in continuous or extended use scenarios.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of dynamic virtual content placement techniques, including orientation-guided, world-aligned, and object-aware placement, which utilize sensor data to determine user context and select optimal widget locations based on activity, environment, and real-world objects to minimize distractions and occlusions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If virtual content is placed in prominent positions to ensure visibility, then information delivery is improved, but user discomfort and occlusion of real-world features increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different placement strategies to different virtual content elements based on their importance and type. Critical information is placed in high-visibility areas, while less important content is positioned in peripheral or less obtrusive locations. This local differentiation allows the system to optimize information delivery for essential content while minimizing discomfort and occlusion for non-essential content.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual content placement is dynamically adjusted based on real-time sensor data about user context, including head orientation, eye gaze direction, and environmental conditions. The system continuously repositions virtual widgets to maintain optimal visibility while avoiding occlusion of real-world features, adapting to changing user needs and environmental contexts during extended usage periods.
2Loss of information
If multiple virtual content widgets are displayed simultaneously to provide comprehensive information, then information completeness is improved, but information overload and attention tunneling increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments virtual content into multiple hierarchical levels and categories, organizing information by importance, relevance, and user priority. Instead of displaying all information uniformly, the system divides content into primary, secondary, and tertiary layers, presenting only the most relevant information in the user's immediate field of view while making less critical information accessible through peripheral display or on-demand retrieval.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs partial action by selectively displaying only the subset of virtual content that is most relevant to the current user context and task, rather than presenting all available information simultaneously. Based on sensor data analyzing user attention, environment, and activity state, the system filters and prioritizes content to prevent overload, presenting partial information sets that are sufficient for current needs without causing attention tunneling.
3Loss of information
If virtual content is positioned to maximize field of view coverage, then user awareness is improved, but safety implications from occluding real-world features increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system proactively identifies and avoids positioning virtual content in locations that would occlude critical real-world features before placement occurs. Using sensor data about the environment, user context, and potential hazards, the system pre-calculates safe placement zones that maintain user awareness of virtual information while preserving unobstructed views of real-world safety-critical elements such as traffic, obstacles, or important environmental features.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples described herein relate to the dynamic placement of virtual content, such as virtual content widgets, to provide an extended reality (XR) experience. An XR device accesses sensor data from one or more sensors. User context associated with a user of the XR device is determined based on the sensor data. A virtual content widget is identified for presentation to the user. A widget location is selected based on the user context. The XR device causes presentation, via a display component, of the virtual content widget at the widget location.