Abstract: A method of user availability estimation includes recording a timing of a plurality of first user sessions during in which the first user performs one or more tasks of a predetermined type, estimating a timing of a subsequent session of the first user based upon the recorded timings of the plurality of first user sessions, for the subsequent session of the first user, ordering for completion by the first user one or more tasks of the predetermined type, having respective durations, that fit within the estimated timing of the subsequent session.

Abstract: An affective gaming system includes: an administrator unit configured to host a session of a video game; a receiving unit configured to receive biometric data associated with a first user of a plurality of users participating in the session of a video game; a first generating unit configured to generate, based on at least part of the biometric data, current emotion data associated with the first user; a second generating unit configured to generate, based at least in part on the current emotion data associated with the first user, target emotion data associated with the first user; and a modifying unit configured to modify, responsive to the difference between the target emotion data associated with the first user and the current emotion data associated with the first user, one or more aspects of the video game that are specific to the first user.

Abstract: An affective gaming system includes: an administrator unit configured to host a session of a video game; a receiving unit configured to receive biometric data associated with two or more users participating in the session of a video game; a first generating unit configured to generate, based on at least part of the biometric data, current emotion data associated with each of the two or more users; a selecting unit configured to select a first user based on at least part of the current emotion data; a second generating unit configured to generate, based at least in part on the current emotion data that is associated with a second user, target emotion data associated with the first user; and a modifying unit configured to modify, responsive to the difference between the target emotion data and the current emotion data that is associated with the first user, one or more aspects of the video game that are specific to the first user.

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: A harassment detection apparatus includes: an executing unit configured to execute a session of a shared environment; an input unit configured to receive biometric data, the biometric data being associated with a plurality of users participating in the executed session of the shared environment; a generating unit configured to generate, based on at least a part of the biometric data, emotion data associated with the plurality of users, the emotion data comprising a valence value and/or an arousal value associated with each of the plurality of users; a detection unit configured to detect, responsive to at least a first part of the emotion data satisfying one or more of a first set of criteria, one or more first users associated with the at least first part of the emotion data; and a modifying unit configured to modify, responsive to the detection of the one or more first users, one or more aspects of the shared environment.

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 game selection system for matching a current user to a subsequent game session includes one or more conventional videogame controllers operable to provide data to the game selection system, one or more correlators trained to receive as a first input at least a subset of data from the one or more conventional videogame controllers, and generate as a final output data relating to the likelihood of the user quitting a game session, and a modification processor configured to modify a parameter related to matching the current user to a subsequent game session in response to the final output data.

Abstract: Data processing apparatus includes data communication circuitry to communicate data, by wireless radio frequency communication, with a set of one or more external devices, the data communication circuitry being configured to detect a corresponding wireless signal strength of a data communication from each of the set of external devices; a data processor to detect a respective estimated separation of each of the set of external devices from the apparatus in dependence upon the respective detected wireless signal strengths; and an image processor to detect, in images captured by a camera, an image of an external device having image properties consistent with the estimated separation of a given one of the set of external devices from the apparatus and to associate the external device detected in the images captured by the camera with data communications between the apparatus and the given one of the set of external devices.

Abstract: A content generation system including an image generation unit operable to generate one or more images of a virtual environment for display at a first display device, and an image transmission unit operable to transmit generated images of the virtual environment to each of the first display device and the second display device, where the or each image displayed at one of the first display device and the second display device is a subset of the or each image displayed at the other of the first display device and the second display device, and where the viewpoint of the display device displaying a subset of the or each image is operable to modify the displayed field of view independently of the field of view displayed at the other display device.

Abstract: A game selection system for matching a current user to a subsequent game session includes one or more conventional videogame controllers operable to provide data to the game selection system, one or more correlators trained to receive as a first input at least a subset of data from the one or more conventional videogame controllers, and generate as a final output data relating to the likelihood of the user quitting a game session, and a modification processor configured to modify a parameter related to matching the current user to a subsequent game session in response to the final output data.

Abstract: Data processing apparatus includes data communication circuitry to communicate data, by wireless radio frequency communication, with a set of one or more external devices, the data communication circuitry being configured to detect a corresponding wireless signal strength of a data communication from each of the set of external devices; a data processor to detect a respective estimated separation of each of the set of external devices from the apparatus in dependence upon the respective detected wireless signal strengths; and an image processor to detect, in images captured by a camera, an image of an external device having image properties consistent with the estimated separation of a given one of the set of external devices from the apparatus and to associate the external device detected in the images captured by the camera with data communications between the apparatus and the given one of the set of external devices.

Abstract: A content generation system including an image generation unit operable to generate one or more images of a virtual environment for display at a first display device, and an image transmission unit operable to transmit generated images of the virtual environment to each of the first display device and the second display device, where the or each image displayed at one of the first display device and the second display device is a subset of the or each image displayed at the other of the first display device and the second display device, and where the viewpoint of the display device displaying a subset of the or each image is operable to modify the displayed field of view independently of the field of view displayed at the other display device.

Abstract: A light source identification system, the system comprising a light source imaging device and a processing device, the light source imaging device comprising a light sensor operable to image at least a portion of an environment in which the light source imaging device is present, wherein the environment comprises one or more light sources, and a transmitter operable to transmit image data, and the processing device comprising a processor that is operable, in a calibration mode, to identify light sources from received image data and locate them within the environment.

Abstract: A light source identification system, the system comprising a light source imaging device and a processing device, the light source imaging device comprising a light sensor operable to image at least a portion of an environment in which the light source imaging device is present, wherein the environment comprises one or more light sources, and a transmitter operable to transmit image data, and the processing device comprising a processor that is operable, in a calibration mode, to identify light sources from received image data and locate them within the environment.