Abstract: A method of compressing an impulse response set, the impulse response set comprising a plurality of impulse responses. The method comprises identifying at least one common impulse response element in the plurality of impulse responses, each common impulse response element being present in at least some of the plurality of impulse responses. The or each common impulse response element is removed from each of the impulse responses identified as comprising that common impulse response element, thereby generating a corresponding set of compressed impulse responses. Then, the compressed impulse responses, the identified common impulse response elements and, for each identified common impulse response element, mapping data representing a mapping of that common impulse response element to the compressed impulse responses from which it was removed, are stored.

Abstract: A method of memory management for a video game, the method comprising the steps of: loading a first asset into a memory; determining a likelihood of a respective other asset from a plurality of other assets being used within a predetermined period of time from the first asset being loaded into the memory; identifying one or more of the other assets in dependence upon the determined likelihood of a respective other asset; and preloading the one or more identified assets into the memory in response to the first asset being loaded into the memory.

Abstract: A method of generating a compound collider for a given object, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a mesh of the given object, the mesh comprising at least one concave portion; and generating a compound collider representative of at least the concave portion of the mesh, in which the step of generating comprises: inputting the mesh to a machine learning model trained to generate a respective compound collider based on an input mesh comprising at least one concave portion, and using the trained machine learning model to generate the compound collider representative of at least the concave portion of the mesh.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of training a deep learning model for use in synthesis of a head-related transfer function, HRTF, is disclosed. The method comprises: providing a training dataset comprising a plurality of timbre features, each timbre feature comprising an HRTF measurement of a subject at a particular measurement angle, where the HRTF measurement has been processed to remove localisation perception features of the HRTF; training an autoencoder model, that is conditioned using the measurement angle, to encode the input timbre feature into a latent vector space and reconstruct the input timbre feature from the latent vector space, thereby learning a latent vector space that encodes timbre information independent of the measurement angle, such that the latent vector space is usable to synthesise a timbre component of an HRTF. The method allows for generating a personalised timbre component of an HRTF to provide better personalisation of an HRTF, thereby providing improved binaural audio.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of synthesising an HRTF is disclosed. The method comprising: providing the HRTF of a subject measured at a particular measurement angle; processing the HRTF to remove localisation perception features of the HRTF, where the processing comprises: removing spectral notches from the measured HRTF, the resulting processed HRTF referred to as the HRTF?; and calculating a subject's HRTF timbre by subtracting a baseline HRTF at the measurement angle from the subject's HRTF, the baseline HRTF comprising a generalised response component such that the HR TF timbre comprises subject-specific variations in the HRTF. The method further comprises using the HRTF timbre to synthesise an HRTF. The method allows for generating a personalised timbre component of an HRTF to provide better personalisation of an HRTF, thereby providing improved binaural audio.

Abstract: A system includes a head-mountable display (HMD) configured to receive one or more signals via a wired connection with an external device, processing circuitry to generate an output indicative of at least one of a predicted disconnect event and a detected disconnect event for the wired connection, and control circuitry to instruct one or more operations to be performed by the HMD in response to the generated output.

Abstract: A system for determining an input modifier for an input to a computer based on data sets from multiple users, including a correlation unit configured to: receive data sets from multiple users, each data set relating to display output data including a current location and a target location for a user, and corresponding user input data responsive to the display output data; and determine an input modifier based on the data sets, relating a distance between the current location and the target location for a user, to a time taken for the user to move from the current location to the target location.

Abstract: A system includes one or more sensors to detect one or more properties for a current user wearing a head-mountable display (HMD), control circuitry to select a user profile from a plurality of stored user profiles in dependence upon one or more of the detected properties, where each stored user profile is associated with a respective user and includes data indicative of one or more reference properties for the respective user, where the selected user profile includes data indicative of at least one reference property that is substantially the same as at least one of the one or more of the detected properties, and processing circuitry to generate at least one of audio and video content for output by the HMD in dependence upon the selected user profile and in response to the selection of the user profile.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a computer-implemented method for generating reverb on an audio signal in a video game environment during gameplay. The method comprises receiving data from a virtual camera arranged in the video game environment during gameplay. The method also comprises processing the virtual camera data to determine one or more features of the video game environment that influence the reverb on an audio signal within the video game environment. The method further comprises generating reverb on an audio signal based on the one or more features of the video game environment.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of generating a sound effect, comprising: obtaining a plurality of sounds; determining a common effect characteristic of the plurality of obtained sounds; obtaining a base sound; and generating the sound effect by applying the common effect characteristic to the base sound.

Abstract: The invention provides a computer-implemented method of reducing latency in a cloud gaming system, the cloud gaming system comprising a local user device and a connected remote server, the method comprising: receiving a user input at the user device, wherein the user input initiates a gameplay event, the gameplay event comprising a visual output and one or both of an audio output and a haptic output, each to be outputted locally at the local user device; processing graphical data remotely at a processing unit of the server to provide the visual output of the gameplay event; and processing one or both of audio data and haptic data locally at a processing unit of the user device to provide the one or both of the audio output and the haptic output of the gameplay event respectively.

Abstract: A haptic feedback system includes: a wearable device comprising one or more enveloped regions filled with a non-Newtonian fluid; and one or more force providers configured to provide, to at least one of the enveloped regions, a force that modifies a viscosity of the non-Newtonian fluid to change a resistance to deformation of the wearable device in at least one direction.

Abstract: The invention provides a computer-implemented method of determining and generating diegetic audio originating from a virtual event in a virtual gaming environment, the virtual gaming environment comprising a user avatar and a virtual fluid medium, and the virtual event comprising a first virtual object moving in the virtual fluid medium, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining bulk properties and the virtual domain of the virtual fluid medium; obtaining physical properties and kinematic properties of a first virtual object moving in the virtual domain of the virtual fluid medium; obtaining a physics model based on the bulk properties, the virtual domain, the physical properties, and the kinematic properties; obtaining outputs from the physics model; determining the diegetic audio originating from the virtual event based on the outputs from the physics model; and generating the diegetic audio originating from the virtual event.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes executing an initial version of computer game software, the executing step including rendering computer game video images for display; displaying the video images using a head mountable display (HMD); detecting user operation of one or more user controls to perform colour grading adjustments; applying the colour grading adjustments to the video images rendered by the rendering step; and generating colour grading data to be associated with a revised version of the computer game software; in which the executing step and the applying step are performed by different respective data processing apparatus.

Abstract: An information processing method, of generating corrected audio content in which a portion of first audio content has been corrected, comprises acquiring first audio content from an audio receiving device, identifying a target portion of the first audio content having a predetermined characteristic, selecting correction processing to be performed on the target portion of the first audio content in accordance with the predetermined characteristic of the target portion, and generating corrected audio content in which the target portion of the first audio content has been corrected by performing the selected correction processing on the target portion of the first audio content.

Abstract: A gaze tracking system comprising one or more cameras operable to capture one or more images of a side view of one or both of a user's eyes, a cornea identification unit operable to identify the location and size of a cornea in one or more of the captured images, a gaze detection unit operable to determine a direction of the user's gaze in dependence upon the identified location of the cornea in the one or more captured images.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes: receiving circuitry to receive game state information and associated user data for a plurality of previous interactive sessions of an interactive gaming application, the plurality of previous interactive sessions associated with a plurality of users, wherein for each previous interactive session, the user data is indicative of one or more properties for a given user during the previous interactive session and the game state information is indicative of one or more in-game properties during the previous interactive session; analysis circuitry to: generate user emotion data indicative of one or more user emotion categories in dependence upon the user data for the plurality of previous interactive sessions; detect a correspondence between a set of one or more in-game properties and a given user emotion category for at least a threshold number of interactive sessions; and generate a notification element comprising notification data indicative of the set of one or more in-game

Abstract: A user input method includes the steps of inputting real events arising from a user acting as a spectator of content, analysing the real events to estimate user sentiment, and modifying an aspect of computer-controlled character behaviour in response to estimated user sentiment.

Abstract: A system for evaluating content, the system comprising a data obtaining unit configured to obtain data relating to one or more properties of the content, a processing unit configured to determine an expected contribution of one or more of the properties to a cognitive load for a user, an evaluation unit configured to determine an expected cognitive load associated with the content in dependence upon the expected contributions, and an image generation unit operable to generate an image for display in dependence upon the determined expected cognitive load.

Abstract: A system for generating a personalised Head-Related Transfer Function, HRTF, for a user, the system comprising: a sound source at a first position; a user device comprising: a left microphone arranged to be at a left ear of the user, when the user device is worn; a right microphone arranged to be at a right ear of the user, when the user device is worn; and a controller configured to: prompt the user to move to series of different second positions; control the sound source to emit a predetermined sound signal when the user is at each second position; obtain a detected sound signal from each of the left and right microphones when the user is at each second position; generate a personalised HRTF based on the predetermined sound signal and the detected sound signal for each microphone and each second position.