Directional Audio Viewport for the Sight Impaired in Virtual Worlds
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsBrian J. Cragun, Zachary A. Garbow, Christopher A. Peterson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide techniques for presenting a virtual world to sight-impaired users. In one embodiment, the user may indicate an area of focus within the virtual world. The user may then be provided with audio descriptions of objects or avatars included within the area of focus. The descriptions may be provided at varying levels of detail, enabling the user to “zoom in” on particular items of interest. Further, the user may select an audio description to navigate an avatar to the location of the corresponding object.
Claims21
A computer-implemented method, comprising:
- presenting a user with a selection viewport in a user interface, wherein the selection viewport represents a partial view of a virtual environment from a perspective of an avatar present at a first location within the virtual environment, and wherein the virtual environment comprises a plurality of elements;
- receiving a user interaction with the user interface;
- based on the user interaction, determining an audio viewport, wherein the audio viewport is a portion of the selection viewport from which the user can select elements for which audio descriptions are desired;
- identifying one or more elements included in the audio viewport;
- determining at least one element, of the one or more elements, that satisfies one or more predefined user preferences for elements to be described;
- and
- providing the user with audio descriptions of the determined at least one element.
A computer-readable storage medium including a program, which when executed on a processor performs an operation, the operation comprising:
- presenting a user with a selection viewport in a user interface, wherein the selection viewport represents a partial view of a virtual environment from a perspective of an avatar present at a first location within the virtual environment, and wherein the virtual environment comprises a plurality of elements;
- receiving a user interaction with the user interface;
- based on the user interaction, determining an audio viewport, wherein the audio viewport is a portion of the selection viewport from which the user can select elements for which audio descriptions are desired;
- identifying one or more elements included in the audio viewport;
- determining at least one element, of the one or more elements, that satisfies one or more predefined user preferences for elements to be described;
- and
- providing the user with audio descriptions of the determined at least one element.
A system, comprising:
- a database;
- a processor;
- and
- a memory containing a program, which when executed by the processor is configured to perform an operation, the operation comprising:
- presenting a user with a selection viewport in a user interface, wherein the selection viewport represents a partial view of a virtual environment from a perspective of an avatar present at a first location within the virtual environment, and wherein the virtual environment comprises a plurality of elements;
- receiving a user interaction with the user interface;
- based on the user interaction, determining an audio viewport, wherein the audio viewport is a portion of the selection viewport from which the user can select elements for which audio descriptions are desired;
- identifying one or more elements included in the audio viewport;
- determining at least one element, of the one or more elements, that satisfies one or more predefined user preferences for elements to be described;
- and
- providing the user with audio descriptions of the determined at least one element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.