Head-mountable apparatus and systems

1. A head-mountable display (HMD) for use with a processing device, the HMD comprising:

a display unit for displaying image content to the user according to an image signal; and

a directional airflow unit operable to generate a directional airflow in accordance with control data corresponding to an appropriate airflow for content to be displayed on the HMD.

2. An HMD according to claim 1 , wherein the directional airflow unit comprises one or more selected from the list consisting of:

i. one or more fans that are operated independently to produce a directional airflow; and

ii. two or more fans and the fans are of at least two different sizes.

3. An HMD according to claim 2 , wherein one or more fans are arranged as an array having a non-planar profile.

4. An HMD according to claim 2 , wherein the directional airflow unit comprises one or more closable vents positioned so as to modify the directional airflow generated by the fans.

5. An HMD according to claim 4 , wherein the directional airflow unit comprises a blanking plate for closing one or more of the vents, the blanking plate comprising one or more slots.

6. An HMD according to claim 4 , wherein the directional airflow unit comprises one or more fans connected to the central part of the directional airflow unit by air conduits.

7. An HMD according to claim 1 , wherein an appropriate airflow is described by a direction and/or a speed of airflow.

8. An HMD according to claim 1 , wherein an appropriate airflow is determined based upon in-game conditions of a game that is executed on the processing device to generate the content to be displayed by the HMD.

9. An HMD according to claim 8 , wherein the directional airflow is used to guide a user to a location in the in-game environment.

10. An HMD according to claim 1 wherein the directional airflow is selected to match a direction of ambient airflow in the real-world environment.

11. An HMD according to claim 1 , comprising heating and/or cooling elements for controlling the temperature of the directional airflow.

12. An HMD according to claim 1 , wherein the directional airflow is used to communicate a scent to a user.

13. A system for providing directional airflow with a head-mountable display device (HMD), the system comprising:

a processing device comprising:

an airflow identifier for identifying an appropriate airflow for content to be displayed on the HMD, and

a control data generator for generating control data corresponding to the appropriate airflow; and

an HMD according to claim 1 for generating a directional airflow in accordance with the control data.

14. A method for controlling airflow within a head-mountable display (HMD) that is for use with a processing device and includes a display for displaying image content to a user according to an image signal, the method comprising:

identifying an appropriate airflow for content to be displayed on the HMD;

generating control data corresponding to the appropriate airflow; and

generating a directional airflow in accordance with the control data.

15. A computer program which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the method of claim 14 .