Gaze-informed zoom and pan with manual speed control

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.

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.