Active region determination for head mounted displays
Some augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications may require that an “activity region” be defined prior to their use. For example, a user performing a video conferencing application or playing a game may need to identify an appropriate space in which they may walk and gesture while wearing a Head Mounted Display without causing injury. This may be particularly important in VR applications where, e.g., the user's vision is completely obscured by the VR display, and/or the user will not see their actual environment as the user moves around. Various embodiments provide systems and methods for anticipating, defining, and applying the active region. In some embodiments, the system may represent real-world obstacles to the user in the user's field of view, e.g., outlining the contour of the problematic object to call the user's attention to the object's presence in the active region.
1. A computer system for configuring an active region around a user wearing a head mounted display (HMD), comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory comprising instructions configured to cause the at least one processor to perform a method comprising:
receiving a frame of depth data for a real-world environment;
incorporating the frame of depth data into a portion of a model of the real-world environment;
determining a floor in the model;
identifying an active region associated with the floor to a user;
determining the existence of an object in the active region based upon the floor and the frame of depth data;
excluding the object from the active region;
identifying a second object from a second frame of depth data;
determining the dimensions of the second object from a database;
excluding a portion adjacent to the second object from the active region based upon the dimensions and constraints associated with a virtual application;
detecting a user signature head movement;
determining a maximum boundary associated with the user based upon a distance from the HMD to the floor and a physical characteristic associated with the user signature head movement;
detecting a third object in the active region while a virtual application runs; and
presenting an icon to the user identifying the position of the third object relative to the user's field of view.
2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein identifying an active region associated with the floor to a user comprises presenting a visual indication to the user within the HMD.
3. The computer system of claim 2 , the method further comprising:
receiving a user input identifying a portion of the active region to exclude; and
adjusting the active region in response to the user input to exclude the portion of the active region.
4. The computer system of claim 3 , wherein receiving a user input identifying a portion of the active region to exclude comprises detecting a hand gesture by the user.
5. The computer system of claim 3 , wherein receiving a user input identifying a portion of the active region to exclude comprises receiving data from a controller moved by the user along a boundary of an obstacle.
6. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein determining the existence of an object in the active region comprises determining that the object's depth values cannot be reconciled with a previously acquired portion of the model.
7. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein determining the floor in the model comprises initializing a truncated signed distance function (TSDF) with a planar surface.
8. A computer-implemented method for configuring an active region around a user wearing a head mounted display (HMD) comprising:
receiving a frame of depth data for a real-world environment;
incorporating the frame of depth data into a portion of a model of the real-world environment;
determining a floor in the model;
identifying an active region associated with the floor to a user;
determining the existence of an object in the active region based upon the floor and the frame of depth data;
excluding the object from the active region;
identifying a second object from a second frame of depth data;
determining the dimensions of the second object from a database;
excluding a portion adjacent to the second object from the active region based upon the dimensions and constraints associated with a virtual application;
detecting a user signature head movement;
determining a maximum boundary associated with the user based upon a distance from the HMD to the floor and a physical characteristic associated with the user signature head movement;
detecting a third object in the active region while a virtual application runs; and
presenting an icon to the user identifying the position of the third object relative to the user's field of view.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein identifying an active region associated with the floor to a user comprises presenting a visual indication to the user within the HMD.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , the method further comprising:
receiving a user input identifying a portion of the active region to exclude; and
adjusting the active region in response to the user input to exclude the portion of the active region.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein receiving a user input identifying a portion of the active region to exclude comprises detecting a hand gesture by the user.
12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein receiving a user input identifying a portion of the active region to exclude comprises receiving data from a controller moved by the user along a boundary of an obstacle.
13. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein determining the existence of an object in the active region comprises determining that the object's depth values cannot be reconciled with a previously acquired portion of the model.
14. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein determining the floor in the model comprises initializing a truncated signed distance function (TSDF) with a planar surface.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions configured to cause a processor to perform a method for configuring an active region around a user wearing a head mounted display (HMD), the method comprising:
receiving a frame of depth data for a real-world environment;
incorporating the frame of depth data into a portion of a model of the real-world environment;
determining a floor in the model;
identifying an active region associated with the floor to a user;
determining the existence of an object in the active region based upon the floor and the frame of depth data;
excluding the object from the active region;
identifying a second object from a second frame of depth data;
determining the dimensions of the second object from a database;
excluding a portion adjacent to the second object from the active region based upon the dimensions and constraints associated with a virtual application;
detecting a user signature head movement;
determining a maximum boundary associated with the user based upon a distance from the HMD to the floor and a physical characteristic associated with the user signature head movement;
detecting a third object in the active region while a virtual application runs; and
presenting an icon to the user identifying the position of the third object relative to the user's field of view.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein identifying an active region associated with the floor to a user comprises presenting a visual indication to the user within the HMD.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , the method further comprising:
receiving a user input identifying a portion of the active region to exclude; and
adjusting the active region in response to the user input to exclude the portion of the active region.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein receiving a user input identifying a portion of the active region to exclude comprises detecting a hand gesture by the user.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein receiving a user input identifying a portion of the active region to exclude comprises receiving data from a controller moved by the user along a boundary of an obstacle.