Systems and methods for modifying a safety boundary for virtual reality systems
The disclosed computer-implemented method may include establishing a virtual boundary for a virtual-world environment in reference to a real-world environment, and determining whether the virtual boundary requires a correction. The method may include providing, in response to determining that the virtual boundary requires the correction, and alert and, in response to the alert, receiving a request from a user to modify the virtual boundary. The method may further include monitoring, in response to the request from the user, an orientation of a direction indicator to generate orientation data, and modifying the virtual boundary based on the orientation data. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.
1. A method comprising:
establishing a virtual boundary for a virtual-world environment in reference to a real- world environment;
determining whether the virtual boundary requires a correction;
in response to determining that the virtual boundary requires the correction, providing an alert;
in response to the alert, receiving a request from a user to modify the virtual boundary;
in response to the request from the user, monitoring an orientation of a direction indicator to generate orientation data, wherein the orientation data includes elevation data of an elevation of the direction indicator with respect to a reference elevation representing a plane of the real-world environment; and
modifying the virtual boundary based on the orientation data by determining an intersection between the plane and a virtual line that extends from the direction indicator at the elevation indicated by the elevation data and at the orientation indicated by the orientation data.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the virtual boundary requires a correction comprises checking the virtual boundary for an error.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the error includes at least one of an unclosed loop, a zero-area portion, or a portion that does not satisfy a minimum portion area threshold.
4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising automatically correcting the error.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alert is a visual or audible notification.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
capturing a view of the real-world environment with an imaging system of a head-mounted display system, the captured view having lens-induced distortion;
correcting the lens-induced distortion in the captured view to produce a compensated view of the real-world environment;
superimposing the virtual boundary on the compensated view of the real-world environment; and
displaying the compensated view of the real-world environment in a display of the head-mounted display system.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein providing the alert comprises displaying the virtual boundary in a warning color when the virtual boundary requires a correction.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the virtual boundary is displayed as a filled-in shape defined by the virtual boundary.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the virtual boundary includes adding portions to or subtracting portions from the virtual boundary.
10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processing system, cause the processing system to perform operations comprising:
establishing a virtual boundary for a virtual-world environment in reference to a real- world environment;
determining whether the virtual boundary requires a correction;
in response to determining that the virtual boundary requires the correction, providing an alert;
in response to the alert, receiving a request from a user to modify the virtual boundary;
in response to the request from the user, monitoring an orientation of a direction indicator to generate orientation data, wherein the orientation data includes elevation data of an elevation of the direction indicator with respect to a reference elevation representing a plane of the real-world environment; and
modifying the virtual boundary based on the orientation data by determining an intersection between the plane and a virtual line that extends from the direction indicator at the elevation indicated by the elevation data and at the orientation indicated by the orientation data.
11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein:
determining whether the virtual boundary requires a correction comprises checking the virtual boundary for an error; and
the error includes at least one of an unclosed loop, a zero-area portion, or a portion that does not satisfy a minimum portion area threshold.
12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the processing system is further configured to automatically correct the error.
13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the processing system is further configured to perform operations comprising:
capturing a view of the real-world environment with an imaging system of a head-mounted display system, the captured view having lens-induced distortion;
correcting the lens-induced distortion in the captured view to produce a compensated view of the real-world environment;
superimposing the virtual boundary on the compensated view of the real-world environment; and
displaying the compensated view of the real-world environment in a display of the head-mounted display system; and
wherein providing the alert comprises displaying the virtual boundary in a warning color when the virtual boundary requires a correction.
14. A head-mounted display system comprising:
a display secured to a user attachment system;
a direction indicator; and
a processing system configured to:
determine whether a virtual boundary for a virtual-world environment in reference to a real-world environment requires a correction;
in response to determining that the virtual boundary requires the correction, provide an alert;
in response to the alert, receive a request from a user to modify the virtual boundary;
in response to the request from the user, monitor an orientation of a direction indicator to generate orientation data; and
modify the virtual boundary based on the orientation data.
15. The head-mounted display system of claim 14 , wherein:
determining whether the virtual boundary requires a correction comprises checking the virtual boundary for an error; and
the error includes at least one of an unclosed loop, a zero-area portion, or a portion that does not satisfy a minimum portion area threshold.
16. The head-mounted display system of claim 15 , the processing system is further configured to automatically correct the error.
17. The head-mounted display system of claim 14 , further comprising an imaging system, wherein:
the processing system is further configured to:
capture a view of the real-world environment with the imaging system, the captured view having lens-induced distortion;
correct the lens-induced distortion in the captured view to produce a compensated view of the real-world environment;
superimpose the virtual boundary on the compensated view of the real-world environment; and
display the compensated view of the real-world environment in the display; and
providing the alert comprises displaying the virtual boundary in a warning color when the virtual boundary requires a correction.
18. The head-mounted display system of claim 14 , wherein:
the orientation data includes elevation data of an elevation of the direction indicator with respect to a reference elevation representing a plane of the real-world environment; and
modifying the virtual boundary comprises determining an intersection between the plane and a virtual line that extends from the direction indicator at an elevation indicated by the elevation data and at the orientation indicated by the orientation data.