Abstract: A head mountable display (HMD) is provided that has a head motion detection function and one or more operations that depend upon detected head motion. Detected head motion is stored as motion data in memory. The way in which detected head motion is applied to a current operation depends upon the stored motion data. In one embodiment, the HMD includes a gaze detector configured to detect eye orientation of a user of the user so as to detect image regions at which the user is looking, and a detector configured to detect item data indicative of items represented by the detected image regions.

Abstract: A head mountable display (HMD) includes a camera operable to capture images of a peripheral and/or control device in use by a wearer of the HMD. A detector of the HMD is configured to detect occlusions in a captured image of the peripheral and/or control device. And an image renderer of the HMD is configured to render a virtual version of the peripheral and/or control device for display to the HMD wearer and to render a representation of a user's hand at a position of a detected occlusion.

Abstract: A head-mountable display system comprises a head mountable display having a frame to be mounted onto an observer's head, the frame defining one or two eye display positions which, in use, are positioned for viewing by the observer. The frame comprises one or more shutters for obscuring the observer's view of the surrounding real environment and a display element mounted with respect to each of the eye display positions. The display element provides a virtual image of a video display of a video signal from a video signal source to the observer. An object detector detects the presence of an object within a detection range of the observer's head. And a controller controls operation of the head mountable display so as to allow the observer to view at least a portion of the surrounding real environment in response to detection of the presence of an object within the detection range.

Abstract: A method of augmenting a first stereoscopic image, comprising a pair of images, is provided. The method includes generating a disparity map from the pair of images of the first stereoscopic image. The disparity map is indicative of distances in the first stereoscopic image. The method further includes generating a virtual three-dimensional model responsive to the distances indicated by the disparity map, modeling an interaction of a virtual object with that three dimensional model, and outputting, for display, an image corresponding to the first stereoscopic image that comprises a visible effect of the interaction of the virtual object with the three dimensional model.

Abstract: A head mountable display (HMD) system comprises an eye position detector comprising one or more cameras configured to detect the position of each of the HMD user's eyes; a dominant eye detector configured to detect a dominant eye of the HMD user; and an image generator configured to generate images for display by the HMD in dependence upon the HMD user's eye positions, the image generator being configured to apply a greater weight to the detected position of the dominant eye than to the detected position of the non-dominant eye.

Abstract: An audio system comprises a headset comprising a pair of earpieces positionable with respect to the user's ears so that, in use, the user is inhibited from hearing sounds from the user's environment, at least one of the earpieces having a transducer for reproducing sounds from an input audio signal; a microphone for generating a captured audio signal representing captured sounds from the user's environment; a detector for detecting the presence of any of a set of one or more characteristic sounds in the captured audio signal; and a controller operable to transmit sounds from the user's environment to the user in response to a detection that one or more of the set of characteristic sounds is present in the captured audio signal.

Abstract: A head mountable display (HMD) system comprises an eye position detector comprising one or more cameras configured to detect the position of each of the HMD user's eyes; a dominant eye detector configured to detect a dominant eye of the HMD user; and an image generator configured to generate images for display by the HMD in dependence upon the HMD user's eye positions, the image generator being configured to apply a greater weight to the detected position of the dominant eye than to the detected position of the non-dominant eye.

Abstract: A head-mountable display device includes a head-mountable frame defining an eye display position which, in use, is positioned in front of an eye of the user. The device also includes a reflective element mounted with respect to the eye display position and comprising a reflective surface which, in use, is visible to the user's eye. The device further includes a mobile device holder configured to hold a mobile device at a location and orientation on the frame. The reflective surface is configured to reflect light incident thereupon to form a reflected image. The location and orientation in which the mobile device is held relative to a location and orientation of the reflective surface are such that light arriving from the mobile device screen held in the holder is reflected by the surface so that a reflected image of at least a portion of the screen is visible to the user.

Abstract: A head-mountable display comprises a frame configured to be mounted on a user's head. The frame defines left and right-hand eye display positions that are positioned in front of the respective eyes of the user. A left-hand display element is mounted with respect to the left-hand eye display position, and is operable to provide an image from a left-hand video signal to the user's left eye. A right-hand display element mounted with respect to the right-hand eye display position, and is operable to provide an image from a right-hand video signal to the user's right eye. At least one light emitting element is positioned on a right-hand periphery of the left-hand display element and at least one light emitting element is positioned on a left-hand periphery of the right-hand display element. A controller controls light emitted by the light emitting elements dependent upon the video signals to reduce luning.

Abstract: A head mountable display (HMD) comprises an infrared light source operable to illuminate foreground objects but not background objects greater than a threshold distance from the HMD; one or more cameras operable to capture infrared illuminated images and visible light illuminated images; and an image processor operable to detect, from the infrared illuminated images, foreground objects in the visible light illuminated images.

Abstract: A head mountable display (HMD) system comprises an eye position detector comprising one or more cameras configured to detect the position of each of the HMD user's eyes; a dominant eye detector configured to detect a dominant eye of the HMD user; and an image generator configured to generate images for display by the HMD in dependence upon the HMD user's eye positions, the image generator being configured to apply a greater weight to the detected position of the dominant eye than to the detected position of the non-dominant eye.

Abstract: A head mountable display (HMD) system in which the size and/or distance from the viewer of a virtual screen for display of video material depends upon one or more of the following: whether the video material is in a 2-D or a 3-D format; the image resolution of the video material; the compression quality and/or data rate of the video material; the aspect ratio of the video material; the origin of the video material; and metadata associated with the video material.

Abstract: A head mountable display (HMD) is operable to detect the HMD's overall motion relative to its current orientation, and to display extra image material so that the extra image material moves in the same general direction as real objects would be seen by the user to move if the user were not wearing the HMD.

Abstract: A head mountable display (HMD) system in which images are generated for display to the user comprises an eyes-shut detector configured to detect a user's eye or eyes being shut; and an image generator configured to generate images for display by the HMD, the image generator being configured to carry out actions in response, at least in part, to a detection of whether the HMD wearer has one or both eyes shut for at least a first predetermined period, the image generator executing different respective actions in dependence upon: (i) a detection that the user's eyes are shut for at least the first predetermined period but less than a second predetermined period, the second predetermined period being longer than the first predetermined period; and (ii) a detection that the user's eyes are shut for at least the second predetermined period.

Abstract: A head-mountable display (HMD) comprises a frame for mounting on a user's head, a camera mounted on the frame for capturing a view of the user's eyes, a motion detector for detecting motion of the HMD and for generating a motion signal representing a movement of the HMD with respect to time, and a controller. The controller estimates a distance between the user's eyes by capturing a relative separation of the user's eyes from an image of the user's eyes captured by the camera at a start position. The controller processes a motion period of the motion signal, and estimates a displacement of the user's eyes with respect to the frame. The HMD can adjust a relative position at which a first image is displayed to one eye and position at which a second image is displayed to the other eye for an improved viewing experience.

Abstract: A method of rendering an image based upon a first stereoscopic image comprising a pair of images is provided. The method includes generating a virtual three-dimensional model of the scene depicted in the first stereoscopic image responsive to distances derived from the first stereoscopic image, detecting one or more free edges in the three dimensional model, and generating one or more textures for the virtual three-dimensional model from at least one of the pair of images of the first stereoscopic image. The method also includes applying at least one texture to a respective part of the three dimensional model, and rendering the virtual three dimensional model from a different viewpoint to that of the first stereoscopic image. Rendering the virtual three dimensional model comprises modifying a transparency of rendered pixels of an applied texture as a function of the pixel's distance from that free edge.

Abstract: A method of image reconstruction is provided. The method includes capturing a stereoscopic pair of images of a scene, generating a disparity map for the pair of images, and defining a series of value ranges corresponding to disparity with each value range in the series having an end point corresponding to a greater disparity than an end point of preceding value ranges in the series. For each value range in the series, and progressing in order through the series from the first value range in the series, the method includes selecting points in the disparity map falling within the respective value range and generating a mesh responsive to those selected points. The method also includes subsequently merging the series of generated meshes to form a 3D model of the scene.

Abstract: A method of real-time video playback is provided. The method includes receiving video image data, receiving supplementary data relating to at least one step of a process of rendering a 3D model of a scene depicted in a current frame of the video image data, and obtaining texture information from the video image data. The method also includes selecting at least a first viewpoint for rendering the 3D model of the scene, and rendering the 3D model of the scene depicted in the current frame of the video image data at the first selected viewpoint using the obtained textures.

Abstract: A method of augmenting a first stereoscopic image, comprising a pair of images, is provided. The method includes generating a disparity map from the pair of images of the first stereoscopic image. The disparity map is indicative of distances in the first stereoscopic image. The method further includes generating a virtual three-dimensional model responsive to the distances indicated by the disparity map, modeling an interaction of a virtual object with that three dimensional model, and outputting, for display, an image corresponding to the first stereoscopic image that comprises a visible effect of the interaction of the virtual object with the three dimensional model.

Abstract: A head-mountable display device comprises a frame to be mounted onto a user's head. The frame defines an eye display position which is positioned in front of a user's eye. A reflective element is mounted with respect to the eye display position and comprises a reflective surface which is visible to the eye of the user. A mobile device holder is configured to hold a mobile device on the frame. The reflective surface is configured to reflect light incident upon the reflective surface, forming a reflected image. The location and orientation in which the mobile device is held relative to a location and orientation of the reflective surface are such that light arriving from a screen of the mobile device held in the mobile device holder is reflected by the reflective surface so that a reflected image of at least part of the screen is visible to the user.