Virtual reality system obtaining movement command from real-world physical user

Abstract

A method comprises displaying in virtual reality a computer-generated scene; obtaining a movement command from a real-world physical movement of a user, the movement command corresponding to a movement of a virtual body; and adjusting the movement of the virtual body in dependence on an effect of gravity in the computer-generated scene and/or in dependence on the presence of at least one object within the computer-generated scene that inhibits the movement of the virtual body, wherein the adjusting of the movement is such that the adjusted movement of the virtual body does not correspond with the real-world physical movement of the user.

1 . A method comprising:
 displaying in virtual reality a computer-generated scene;   obtaining a movement command from a real-world physical movement of a user, the movement command corresponding to a movement of a virtual body; and   adjusting the movement of the virtual body in dependence on an effect of gravity in the computer-generated scene and/or in dependence on the presence of at least one object within the computer-generated scene that inhibits the movement of the virtual body,   wherein the adjusting of the movement is such that the adjusted movement of the virtual body does not correspond with the real-world physical movement of the user.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the movement of the virtual body comprises a movement from a first viewing position to a second viewing position. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the first viewing position is at a greater height in the scene than the second viewing position, and the adjusting of the movement of the virtual body comprises adjusting the movement of the virtual body to represent falling under gravity. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the adjusting of the movement of the virtual body comprises adjusting the movement of the virtual body to represent a constraint on the virtual body due to the presence of the at least one object, the constraint preventing movement of the virtual body to the second viewing position. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the movement of the virtual body is in dependence on a movement of a virtual head and/or a movement of at least one virtual hand. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the real-world physical movement of the user comprises a movement of the user's head. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the obtaining of the real-world physical movement is via a user input device, the user input device comprising at least one of a body suit, a tracking device, a camera, body recognition software. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , comprising adjusting movement of a virtual head in dependence on the movement of the virtual body. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein adjusting the movement of the virtual head in dependence on the movement of the virtual body comprises at least one of reducing the movement of the virtual head, changing a trajectory of the virtual head, changing an angle of the virtual head. 
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 8 , comprising preventing the virtual head from moving into a position that is impossible in real life. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 8 , comprising preventing the virtual head from moving by an object that interacts with the virtual body but does not interact directly with the virtual head. 
     
     
         12 . A computer program product comprising computer readable instructions that are executable by a processor to perform a method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus comprising at least one display screen, at least one user input device and at least one processor configured to:
 display in virtual reality on the at least one display screen a computer-generated scene;   obtain a movement command from a real-world physical movement of a user, the movement command corresponding to a movement of a virtual body; and   adjust the movement of the virtual body in dependence on an effect of gravity in the computer-generated scene and/or in dependence on the presence of at least one object within the computer-generated scene that inhibits the movement of the virtual body,   wherein the adjusting of the movement is such that the adjusted movement of the virtual body does not correspond with the real-world physical movement of the user.