Room-scale is a design paradigm for

virtual reality Virtual reality (VR) is a Simulation, simulated experience that employs 3D near-eye displays and pose tracking to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment (particularly video gam ...

(VR) experiences which allows users to freely walk around a play area, with their real-life motion reflected in the VR environment. Using 360 degree

tracking Tracking may refer to: Science and technology Computing * Tracking, in computer graphics, in match moving (insertion of graphics into footage) * Tracking, composing music with music tracker software * Eye tracking, measuring the position of ...

equipment such as infrared sensors, the VR system monitors the user's movement in all directions, and translates this into the virtual world in real-time. This allows the player to perform tasks, such as walking across a room and picking up a key from a table, using natural movements. In contrast, a stationary VR experience might have the player navigate across the room using a joystick or other input device, which may cause

motion sickness Motion sickness occurs due to a difference between actual and expected motion. Symptoms commonly include nausea, vomiting, cold sweat, headache, dizziness, tiredness, loss of appetite, and increased salivation. Complications may rarely include ...

. The

HTC Vive HTC Vive is a line of Virtual reality, virtual and mixed reality Virtual reality headset, headsets produced by HTC, HTC Corporation. The brand currently encompasses headsets designed for use with Personal computer, personal computers as well a ...

virtual-reality system incorporates room-scale tracking in its core design, using two infrared tracking stations located in opposite corners of the room to monitor the movement of the player. Its SteamVR tracking technology is developed by Valve and allows areas up to 10 m x 10 m. The

Oculus Rift Oculus Rift is a discontinued line of virtual reality headsets, virtual reality headsets developed and manufactured by Oculus VR, a virtual reality company founded by Palmer Luckey that is widely credited with reviving the virtual reality indust ...

VR system was introduced primarily for front facing 180 degree experiences. However, Oculus now supports two sensor diagonal placement roomscale or users can purchase a third sensor to enable more robust room-scale tracking,

Criticism

Room-scale experiences require a large amount of empty space for the player to walk around without the risk of bumping into real-life obstacles. In a typical home, this can require an entire room to be dedicated solely to room-scale VR, which may not be practical in a small home or apartment. Since the amount of space available in a room-scale setup will vary from location to location, developers cannot assume a fixed play space, and users' experiences may vary depending on the amount of space they have available.

References

{{Mixed reality Virtual reality