Methods and apparatus provide for acquiring, from a plurality of sensors attached to a plurality of body parts of a target person, at least information regarding movement acceleration and posture angular velocity of each of body parts to which the sensors are attached, and estimating, on the basis of the acquired information regarding the movement acceleration and posture angular velocity, the movement velocity in a predetermined coordinate system of each of the body parts to which the sensors are attached. Subsequently, on the basis of the information regarding the estimated movement velocity of each of the body parts, the methods and apparatus provide for estimating the positions of predetermined body parts of the target person.

Methods and apparatus provide for acquiring, from a plurality of sensors attached to a plurality of body parts of a target person, at least information regarding movement acceleration and posture angular velocity of each of body parts to which the sensors are attached, and estimating, on the basis of the acquired information regarding the movement acceleration and posture angular velocity, the movement velocity in a predetermined coordinate system of each of the body parts to which the sensors are attached. Subsequently, on the basis of the information regarding the estimated movement velocity of each of the body parts, the methods and apparatus provide for estimating the positions of predetermined body parts of the target person.

The present invention is configured so that a player and a third party other than the player can enjoy a game. A server 4 comprises a game execution unit 51, a behavior information acquisition unit 53, and a reflection unit 54. The game execution unit 51 executes a game in which an object is caused to act in accordance with the movements of a player P. The behavior information acquisition unit 53 acquires behavior information pertaining to the behavior of a third party related to the game other than the player P. The reflection unit 54 generates changes that affect the game, including the object, on the basis of the behavior information.

A virtual reality training system according to an aspect of the invention may include a floor system having a base of a particular length and width, an object member configured to be detachably installed on the floor system, an input unit configured to assign a first position, which corresponds to the position of an object within a virtual reality space having a length and width smaller than or equal to the length and width of the base of the floor system, and a mapping unit configured to compute and output a second position, for installing the object member on the floor system, computed as a position on the floor system corresponding to the first position within the virtual reality space.

The present invention provides systems for and methods of playing a video game that includes providing a game character having a virtual appearance characteristic, receiving an input signal indicative of a user exercise performance level, and altering the virtual appearance characteristic in response to receiving the input signal. Numerous other aspects are disclosed.

The present invention provides systems for and methods of playing a video game that includes providing a game character having a virtual appearance characteristic, receiving an input signal indicative of a user exercise performance level, and altering the virtual appearance characteristic in response to receiving the input signal. Numerous other aspects are disclosed.

Systems and methods for indicating that a boundary is crossed during execution of a video game are described. One of the methods includes generating, by a camera, a field-of-view, the field-of-view encompassing a plurality of boundaries that define a volume. The method further includes capturing, by the camera, one or more images of a head-mounted display (HMD) within the field-of-view. The method includes identifying, by a processor, a position of the HMD in a real-world environment from the one or more images. The method includes determining, by the processor, whether the HMD at the position has crossed one of the boundaries. The method includes generating one or more video frames including a guard rail upon determining that the HMD has crossed the one of the boundaries and sending the one or more video frames to the HMD for display.

Systems and methods for indicating that a boundary is crossed during execution of a video game are described. One of the methods includes generating, by a camera, a field-of-view, the field-of-view encompassing a plurality of boundaries that define a volume. The method further includes capturing, by the camera, one or more images of a head-mounted display (HMD) within the field-of-view. The method includes identifying, by a processor, a position of the HMD in a real-world environment from the one or more images. The method includes determining, by the processor, whether the HMD at the position has crossed one of the boundaries. The method includes generating one or more video frames including a guard rail upon determining that the HMD has crossed the one of the boundaries and sending the one or more video frames to the HMD for display.

Methods and systems for providing access to virtual scenes of an interactive application include receiving a selection of the interactive application. In response to the selection, a virtual scene of the application is provided. Interactivity of the user detected in the virtual scene is processed to identify predicted interaction with visual options in the virtual scene. The processing continues till a threshold of actions indicative of imminent selection of one of the visual options is reached. A second virtual scene associated with the visual option that was identified to be imminently selected, is pre-loaded, based on achieving the threshold. The second virtual scene is executed using the pre-loaded content, when the visual option associated with the second virtual scene is selected, so as to enable full rendering of the second virtual scene for user interaction.

Methods and systems for providing access to virtual scenes of an interactive application include receiving a selection of the interactive application. In response to the selection, a virtual scene of the application is provided. Interactivity of the user detected in the virtual scene is processed to identify predicted interaction with visual options in the virtual scene. The processing continues till a threshold of actions indicative of imminent selection of one of the visual options is reached. A second virtual scene associated with the visual option that was identified to be imminently selected, is pre-loaded, based on achieving the threshold. The second virtual scene is executed using the pre-loaded content, when the visual option associated with the second virtual scene is selected, so as to enable full rendering of the second virtual scene for user interaction.