Bringing real objects, spaces, actions, and interactions into social VR

Abstract

We present a novel multiuser virtual reality (VR) system where the physical world is used as a template for the placement of walls, furniture, and objects in the virtual world so as to create a correspondence in scale, spatial layout, and object placement between the two spaces. Through this association between the real and virtual world, users are able to walk freely while wearing a head-mounted device, avoid obstacles like walls and furniture, interact with each other and with objects just like they would in real life, bringing us closer to the realization of realistic collaborative virtual environments. Preliminary deployment during our lab's semi-annual open house shows that the system has potential to offer a high degree of presence in VR.