Gaze-informed zoom and pan with manual speed control

1. A method for improving user interaction with a three-dimensional virtual environment, the method comprising:

presenting the three-dimensional virtual environment to a user with a head-mounted display (HMD), the virtual environment including a plurality of virtual objects;

measuring a first position of a user's gaze relative to the virtual environment;

receiving an initialization input to enter a magnification state, wherein the initialization input is a gesture of a user's hand including a movement of a pointed finger toward a palm of the hand, and wherein the magnification state allows measurement of a magnification input;

receiving the magnification input while in the magnification state, the magnification input being different from the initialization input and being a gesture of the user's hand include movement of the user's hand relative to the HMD;

changing a magnification of a user's perspective of the virtual environment including the plurality of virtual objects centered on the first position and based on the magnification input; and

exiting the magnification state.

2. The method of claim 1 , measuring the first position of the user's gaze including measuring a position of a user's eye.

3. The method of claim 1 , the magnification input being received from a gesture recognition device, and the initialization input being received from the same gesture recognition device.

4. The method of claim 1 , the magnification input being received from a gesture recognition device including a depth camera.

5. The method of claim 1 , the initialization input being received from a gesture recognition device including a depth camera.

6. The method of claim 1 , receiving the magnification input being continuous while changing the magnification of the virtual environment.

7. The method of claim 1 , measuring the first position of the user's gaze including measuring a position of a user's head.

8. The method of claim 1 , the initialization input being a discrete input that toggles the magnification state and wherein exiting the magnification state includes receiving a termination input to toggle out of the magnification state.

9. A method for improving user interaction with a three-dimensional virtual environment, the method comprising:

presenting the three-dimensional virtual environment to a user with a head-mounted display (HMD), the virtual environment including a plurality of virtual objects;

measuring a first position of a user's gaze relative to the virtual environment;

receiving an initialization input to enter a magnification state, wherein the initialization input is a gesture of a user's hand including a movement of a pointed finger toward a palm of the hand, and wherein the magnification state allows measurement of a magnification input;

receiving the magnification input while in the magnification state, the magnification input being different from the initialization input and being a gesture of the user's hand include movement of the user's hand relative to the HMD;

changing a magnification of a user's perspective of the virtual environment centered on the first position and based on the magnification input;

measuring a second position of the user's gaze relative to at least one element of the virtual environment; and

panning the user's perspective of the virtual environment relative to a user position based on the second position; and

exiting the magnification state upon ceasing to receive the initialization input.

10. The method of claim 9 , the at least one element of the virtual environment being the first position.

11. The method of claim 9 , panning the virtual environment at a speed based on a distance from the second position to the at least one element of the virtual environment.

12. The method of claim 9 , the at least one element being a guidance frame in the virtual environment.

13. The method of claim 9 , the at least one element being a perimeter of a field of view of the virtual environment.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising fixing the magnification of the virtual environment during panning.

15. A system for presenting visual information to a user, the system comprising:

a head-mounted display, the head-mounted display including:

a near-eye display,

a gaze-tracking device,

a processor in communication with the near-eye display and gaze-tracking device, and

a hardware storage medium in communication with the processor, the hardware storage medium having instructions thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

measure a first position of a user's gaze relative with the gaze-tracking device to a three-dimensional virtual environment presented on the near-eye display,

receive an initialization input to enter a magnification state, wherein the initialization input is a gesture of a user's hand including a movement of a pointed finger toward a palm of the hand, and wherein the magnification state allows measurement of a magnification input,

receive the magnification input while in the magnification state, the magnification input being different from the initialization input and being a gesture of the user's hand include movement of the user's hand relative to the HMD, and

change a magnification of a user's perspective of the virtual environment centered on the first position and based on the magnification input.

16. The system of claim 15 , the instructions further comprising causing the processor to:

measure a second position of the user's gaze relative to at least one element of the virtual environment; and

pan the virtual environment relative to a user position based on the second position.

17. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a waveguide in communication with the display device, where the virtual environment is presented on the waveguide.

18. The system of claim 15 , the gaze-tracking device including a plurality of cameras to track a user's eyes.

19. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a gesture recognition device configured to provide the magnification input.

20. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a touch-sensing device configured to provide the magnification input.