Abstract: A method of improving accessibility for the user operation of a first application on a computer includes the steps of taking one or more measurements of a current user's interaction with an application on the computer, comparing the one or more measurements with expectations derived from measurements from a first corpus of users, characterising one or more needs of the current user based upon the comparison, and modifying at least a first property of the first application responsive to the characterised need or needs.

Abstract: An apparatus, for assisting at least a first user in communicating with one or more other users via a network, includes: a storage unit configured to store: phrase data corresponding to one or more phrases, where each phrase comprises one or more words, tag data corresponding to one or more tags, where each tag comprises at least part of one word, and first association data corresponding to one or more associations between one or more of the phrases and one or more of the tags; an input unit configured to receive one or more audio signals from the at least first user; a recognition unit configured to recognise one or more spoken words included within the received audio signals; an evaluation unit configured to evaluate whether a given recognised spoken word corresponds to a given tag; and if so, a transmission unit configured to transmit one or more of the phrases associated with the given tag to one or more of the other users.

Abstract: A visual perception assistance apparatus includes a rendering unit configured to render, for display, a virtual environment, the virtual environment comprising one or more virtual elements; a selection unit configured to select one or more of the virtual elements; and an adapting unit configured to, for a given selected virtual element, adapt one or more aspects associated with an appearance of the given selected virtual element in dependence upon a distance between the given selected virtual element and a predetermined location within the virtual environment.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes circuitry configured to: receive an image of a user in an environment; detect an object in the image; perform one of a plurality of user-selectable processes associated with the object, each of the plurality of user-selectable processes being associated with hiding a visual characteristic of the object in the image; and after the one of the plurality of user-selectable processes has been performed, transmit data representing the image.

Abstract: A method of executing a multiplayer video game includes: connecting a game client to a game server via a communication network; for each player, executing an instance of a game on the game server to generate a game environment; synchronizing game data between multiple instances of the game to link the generated game environments; transmitting user inputs to the game server to initiate interactive gameplay; for each player, generating a video stream of the linked game environment from the player's perspective; and mixing the video streams for individual players into split screen view during a split screen mode.

Abstract: A game selection system includes an emotion processor configured to obtain a current emotional state of a user; a descriptor processor configured to obtain one or more emotion descriptors associated with one or more games; an evaluation processor configured to predict an emotion outcome for the user for the or each game, based upon the user's current emotional state and the one or more emotion descriptors of the respective games; and a selection processor configured to select one or more games in response to whether their respective emotion outcomes meet at least a first predetermined criterion.

Abstract: A game selection system includes: an emotion processor configured to obtain a current emotional state of a user; a descriptor processor configured to obtain one or more emotion descriptors associated with one or more games; an evaluation processor configured to predict an emotion outcome for the user for the or each game, based upon the user's current emotional state and the one or more emotion descriptors of the respective games; and a selection processor configured to select one or more games in response to whether their respective emotion outcomes meet at least a first predetermined criterion.

Abstract: A processing device includes: a first receiving unit configured to receive one or more inputs for a video game console from a handheld video game controller using a first communication protocol; and a first transmitting unit configured to transmit the one or more inputs to the video game console using a second communication protocol, where communication using the second communication protocol has a longer range than communication using the first communication protocol.

Abstract: An input system comprising: a first input device comprising a display and one or more sensors, wherein the first input device is configured to generate one or more inputs of a first type; a second input device comprising an attachment unit for removably attaching the first input device to the second input device, wherein the second input device is configured to generate one or more inputs of a second type; and a processing device configured to receive the one or more inputs of the first type and the one or more inputs of the second type.

Abstract: A system for presenting content to a user of a processing device during a journey, the system comprising a journey identification unit operable to identify one or more characteristics of the journey, a content determination unit operable to select and/or modify content in dependence upon the identified characteristics, and a content presentation unit operable to present the selected and/or modified content to the user of the processing device during the journey.

Abstract: A system for determining a route for a user of a processing device during the presentation of content to the user, the system comprising a content identification unit operable to identify one or more characteristics of the content, a route determination unit operable to determine a route for a journey in dependence upon the identified characteristics, the start location of the journey, and the destination of the journey, and a content presentation unit operable to present content to the user of the processing device during the journey, the journey being undertaken in accordance with the determined route.

Abstract: A method of head-mounted display including: generating a virtual environment for display in a first person view to a user wearing a head-mounted display, measuring a head displacement pattern of the user when they are performing a predetermined locomotive action in real life, and when the predetermined locomotive action is performed within the generated virtual environment, applying a head displacement pattern to a virtual first person viewpoint of the generated virtual environment presented to the user, the applied head displacement pattern being based upon the measured head displacement pattern, whether the user is performing the predetermined locomotive action in real life or not.

Abstract: A content processing system for modifying the brightness of one or more image frames of content, the system comprising a content analysis unit operable to identify brightness information for each of two or more image frames within the content, a variation detection unit operable to detect a variation in the brightness of at least two image frames within the content, and a brightness modification unit operable to modify the brightness of one or more image frames in dependence upon the detected brightness variation so as to reduce the variation in brightness between frames of the content.

Abstract: A content processing system for modifying the brightness of one or more image frames of content, the system comprising a content analysis unit operable to identify brightness information for each of two or more image frames within the content, a variation detection unit operable to detect a variation in the brightness of at least two image frames within the content, and a brightness modification unit operable to modify the brightness of one or more image frames in dependence upon the detected brightness variation so as to reduce the variation in brightness between frames of the content.

Abstract: A communication system, comprising at least one mobile handheld telephone handset adapted to communicate with a telephone network handling system. The handset comprises means to produce first signals dependent thereupon, means to produce a voice transmission signal and means to transmit the voice transmission signal. The handset also comprises first processing means to carry out a speech recognition process to produce initial feature analysis parameter coefficients data dependent thereupon. The first processing step preserves predetermined information. The handset further comprises means to produce a data transmission. The telephone network handling system comprises means to receive the voice signal, means to forward the voice signal, and means to receive and process the data transmission signal. The telephone handling system also comprises means to carry out the remote second processing step in a speech recognition process on the regenerated data.

Abstract: A communication system comprising at least one mobile handheld telephone handset adapted to communicate via a wireless telephony medium with a telephone network handling system.The handset comprises input devices to receive input from a user and produce signals dependent thereupon, an onboard processor to adapt speech input to produce a voice transmission signal as part of a telephone conversation with a third party; and an antenna to transmit the voice transmission signal via the wireless telephony medium.The telephone network handling system comprises a receiver to receive the voice transmission signal, and means to forward the voice signal to a third party.

Abstract: A kinetic energy storage system utilizes a flywheel with a motor generator to store energy. A flywheel rotor is located in an elongate housing which forms at least part of a rigid framework. In use on a vehicle, the framework provides a chassis for the vehicle and the vehicle may be powered from the flywheel. The flywheel rotates at high speed in a vacuum and the motor generator could be an inverted switched reluctance motor generator optionally providing a magnetic bearing function.