Using saccadic eye movements to improve redirected walking

An apparatus comprising:

• a redirection monitor, implemented at least partly in one or more of configurable logic or fixed-functionality logic hardware, to identify a change in virtual camera orientation that will increase a virtual walkable space associated with a rendered environment in a head mounted display system, wherein the change in virtual camera orientation is to introduce a curvature into an initial scene rendering of the rendered environment, that includes a destination, to generate a second scene rendering, further wherein the curvature is in a curvature direction;
• an eye monitor, implemented at least partly in one or more of configurable logic or fixed-functionality logic hardware, to detect a saccadic movement state with respect to a wearer of the head mounted display system, wherein the eye monitor is to detect a saccadic eye movement during the saccadic movement state;
• and
• an orientation adjuster, implemented at least partly in one or more of configurable logic or fixed-functionality logic hardware, communicatively coupled to the redirection monitor and the eye monitor, the orientation adjuster to:
• when the saccadic movement state is present and the saccadic eye movement moves at least partly in the curvature direction, conduct the change in virtual camera orientation so that the second scene rendering is to be presented such that as the wearer moves toward the destination along the curvature, the wearer perceives that the wearer is moving along a straight path to the destination, and
• when the saccadic movement state is present and the saccadic eye movement moves at least partly opposite to the curvature direction, avoid the change in virtual camera orientation so that a third scene rendering is to be presented, wherein the third scene rendering includes unchanged content of the initial scene rendering to avoid introduction of the curvature.

A method comprising:

• identifying a change in virtual camera orientation that will increase a virtual walkable space associated with a rendered environment in a head mounted display system, wherein the change in virtual camera orientation is to introduce a curvature into an initial scene rendering of the rendered environment, that includes a destination, to generate a second scene rendering, further wherein the curvature is in a curvature direction;
• detecting a saccadic movement state with respect to a wearer of the head mounted display system;
• detecting a saccadic eye movement during the saccadic movement state;
• when the saccadic movement state is present and the saccadic eye movement moves at least partly in the curvature direction, conducting the change in virtual camera orientation so that the second scene rendering is presented such that as the wearer moves toward the destination along the curvature, the wearer perceives that the wearer is moving along a straight path to the destination;
• and
• when the saccadic movement state is present and the saccadic eye movement moves at least partly opposite to the curvature direction, avoiding the change in virtual camera orientation so that a third scene rendering is presented, wherein the third scene rendering includes unchanged content of the initial scene rendering to avoid introduction of the curvature.

At least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions, which when executed by a processor of a head mounted display system, cause the head mounted display system to:

• identify a change in virtual camera orientation that will increase a virtual walkable space associated with a rendered environment in the head mounted display system, wherein the change in virtual camera orientation is to introduce a curvature into an initial scene rendering of the rendered environment, that includes a destination, to generate a second scene rendering, further wherein the curvature is in a curvature direction;
• detect a saccadic movement state with respect to a wearer of the head mounted display system;
• detect a saccadic eye movement during the saccadic movement state;
• when the saccadic movement state is present and the saccadic eye movement moves at least partly in the curvature direction, conduct the change in virtual camera orientation so that the second scene rendering is to be presented such that as the wearer moves toward the destination along the curvature, the wearer perceives that the wearer is moving along a straight path to the destination;
• and
• when the saccadic movement state is present and the saccadic eye movement moves at least partly opposite to the curvature direction, avoid the change in virtual camera orientation so that a third scene rendering is to be presented, wherein the third scene rendering includes unchanged content of the initial scene rendering to avoid introduction of the curvature.