Method and apparatus for an adaptive video-aware streaming architecture with cloud-based prediction and elastic rate control

A streaming virtual reality data system, comprising:

• a virtual reality data backend having a plurality of geographically distributed server computers;
• a plurality of virtual reality devices connected to the virtual reality data backend, each virtual reality device having a head mounted display that generates a set of prediction data about movement of the head mounted display, each virtual reality device connecting to a particular server computer of the virtual reality data backend so that a round-trip time for virtual reality data between the virtual reality device and the particular server computer is less than a prediction time;
• and
• each server computer having a prediction engine that generates a set of characteristics for each virtual reality device coupled to the virtual reality data backend and predicts a field of view for each virtual reality device based in part on the set of generated characteristics.