A gaming controller can include a housing; a plurality of input components; a processor; a wired or wireless interface communicatively couplable with a headset; a wired or wireless interface communicatively couplable with a gaming console, the gaming console communicatively couplable with an audiovisual system; an audio headset detection circuit that detects if a headset is coupled with the gaming controller; a transmitter that transmits an audio control signal causing the audio of the audiovisual system to be adjusted if the audio headset detection circuit detects (automatically or on command) that no audio headset is coupled with the gaming controller; and a transmitter that transmits an audio control signal causing the audio of the headset to be adjusted if the audio headset detection circuit detects (automatically or on command) that an audio headset is coupled with the gaming controller.

Video games can be improved upon by combining traditional gameplay mechanics (e.g., a player's use of a controller) and live-action combat elements that may be measured and scored. For example, a player may fire projectiles at a target when prompted by a game, may have to dodge projectiles fired at the player as part of the game, may have to traverse the room to touch or move an object, and/or may have to strike a dummy or other object as instructed by the game. Such live-action combat aspects may be incorporated into a video game having otherwise traditional gameplay mechanics.

Techniques are described for using information from tracking position of a display device to control display of image data. The display device may, for example, be a head-mounted display (HMD) device used for virtual reality (VR) and/or augmented reality (AR) display of images showing part of a simulated environment around a user wearing the HMD device, and the tracking including determining a position of the HMD device in an actual physical environment (e.g., location and/or orientation in 3D space). Operations of the HMD device or other display device and of an associated image rendering system that provides images for display is improved by determining and using information about a latency or other delay between acquiring tracking data for the device and displaying corresponding images on the device, including to initiate a safe mode operation of the device if the determined delay is too large.

A controller for use in interfacing with a virtual reality system is provided. The controller having a body with a proximate end and a distal end, and the distal end is opposite the proximate end. A handgrip portion of the body is disposed at the proximate end of the body. An extension portion of the body is coupled at the distal end of the body. The extension portion has a loop shape. A plurality of lights is disposed on surfaces of the extension portion, such that lights illuminate on an inside of the loop shape and on an outside of the loop shape.

A virtual reality apparatus includes a head mountable display (HMD); a detector to detect a deviation of a current orientation of the HMD from a base orientation of the HMD; and a generator to generate content for presentation to the wearer of the HMD to prompt the wearer of the HMD to turn his head so as to change the orientation of the HMD towards the base orientation.

A game that dispenses water onto a user is described, as well as methods of play and apparatuses for same. In some embodiments, water is dispensed from headgear after receiving a wireless transmission from a transmitter located on a gun, console or other device.

Personalized HRTFs for each of plural computer game participants are convolved with functions representing the acoustics of a physical room in which each participant is located or representing the acoustics of a virtual space in the game environment. Head-tracking of each participant may be employed as the game is played and the HRTFs established accordingly. As the game progresses, the location of each player's character within the virtual game space with respect to the other players is tracked and audio adjusted accordingly. If desired, audio can be down-mixed from, e.g., 5.1 audio and then up-rendered for each player by the game console or by the players' local game interface, e.g., a computer game head-worn visor assembly.

A system for combining live action and virtual images in real time into a final composite image as viewed by a user through a head mounted display, and which uses a self-contained tracking sensor to enable large groups of users to use the system simultaneously and in complex walled environments, and a color keying based algorithm to determine display of real or virtual imagery to the user.

A gaming controller can include a housing; a plurality of input components; a processor; a wired or wireless interface communicatively couplable with a headset; a wired or wireless interface communicatively couplable with a gaming console, the gaming console communicatively couplable with an audiovisual system; an audio headset detection circuit that detects if a headset is coupled with the gaming controller; a transmitter that transmits an audio control signal causing the audio of the audiovisual system to be adjusted if the audio headset detection circuit detects (automatically or on command) that no audio headset is coupled with the gaming controller; and a transmitter that transmits an audio control signal causing the audio of the headset to be adjusted if the audio headset detection circuit detects (automatically or on command) that an audio headset is coupled with the gaming controller.

Techniques are described for using information from tracking position of a display device to control display of image data. The display device may, for example, be a head-mounted display (HMD) device used for virtual reality (VR) and/or augmented reality (AR) display of images showing part of a simulated environment around a user wearing the HMD device, and the tracking including determining a position of the HMD device in an actual physical environment (e.g., location and/or orientation in 3D space). Operations of the HMD device or other display device and of an associated image rendering system that provides images for display is improved by determining and using information about a latency or other delay between acquiring tracking data for the device and displaying corresponding images on the device, including to initiate a safe mode operation of the device if the determined delay is too large.