Abstract: The present invention provides a gaming platform and method, such as a mobile game and method, for crowd-sourcing one or more items of interest. One aspect is a gaming platform and method for crowd-sourcing one or more items of interest by matching a visual representation to a prompt using a mobile or electronic device. Queries are displayed to a player and an image representative of the query is acquired. A time period for the image to score is allocated. Points may be awarded to the player. Crowd-sourced items may be analyzed to determine public bias, perception and misconception.

Abstract: The tools include components which are images produced by the system (103) that creates the virtual environment in response to inputs specifying the tool's location and the point of view of the tool's user. One class of the tools includes transparent components (121, 123); the image component of the tool is produced at a location in the virtual environment determined by the transparent component's location and the point of view of the tool's user. Tools in this class include a transparent pad (121) and a transparent stylus (123). The transparent pad (121) has an image component that may be used as a palette, as a magic lens, and as a device for selecting and transporting components of the virtual environment or even a portion of the virtual environment itself.

Abstract: Apparatus that uses a large transflective mirror to extend a virtual reality system such as a virtual table that employs a projection plane to produce the virtual reality. The transflexive mirror is positioned relative to the projection plane such that the plane of the mirror intersects the projection plane and the angle of the mirror relative to the projection plane is such that the user of the system who looks at the mirror sees the projection plane reflected in the mirror. The virtual reality system is responsive to the position of the mirror and the direction in which a user is looking and produces separate virtual realities on the projection plane: one when the user is looking at the mirror and another when the user is looking at the projection plane. The virtual reality that the user sees when looking at the mirror may or may not be coherent with the virtual reality that the user sees when looking at the projection plane.

Abstract: Tecniques that employ a virtual reality system that includes a projection plane to make virtual showcases. Where a real showcase has glass, the virtual showcase has half-silvered mirrors (402) that reflect the projection plane (403) when the mirror is viewed by a person. The virtual reality system receives input from a tracker (407) that tracks the position of the person's head and produces an object space on the projection plane such that when the object is reflected in the portion of the mirrors that are visible from the person's point of view, the reflection is an image space and appears as the person would expect it to appear from the person's point of view. In producing the object space, the virtual reality system takes into account the user's point of view, the portion of the reflective surface that the person can see from that point of view, and the effect of the position and form the mirror on the reflection of the object space.

Abstract: Apparatus that uses a large transflective mirror to extend a virtual reality system such as a virtual table that employs a projection plane to produce the virtual reality. The transflexive mirror is positioned relative to the projection plane such that the plane of the mirror intersects the projection plane and the angle of the mirror relative to the projection plane is such that the user of the system who looks at the mirror sees the projection plane reflected in the mirror. The virtual reality system is responsive to the position of the mirror and the direction in which a user is looking and produces separate virtual realities on the projection plane: one when the user is looking at the mirror and another when the user is looking at the projection plane The virtual reality that the user sees when looking at the mirror may or may not be coherent with the virtual reality that the user sees when looking at the projection plane.