Virtual reality apparatus

Abstract

Provided is a virtual reality (VR) device, system and framework for generating VR continuum experience choreographed to a physical procedure incorporating at least one procedural action associated with a physical sensation and potentially inducing an anxiety or pain response. The VR continuum experience can modify perceptions of pain and anxiety associated with the procedure. The virtual reality device is configured to allow device control via a device user interface accessible to an operator other than the wearer (i.e. a medical practitioner), to allow the operator to control device calibration and virtual reality (VR) experience start while the apparatus is worn by the wearer, and to provide one or more VR experiences each associated with a physical procedure.

1 . A virtual reality (VR) experience generation system comprising:
 a medical procedure library storing one or more sequences of procedural actions for one or more medical procedures, wherein one or more procedural actions are associated with a physical sensation and potentially inducing an anxiety or pain response;   a VR transposition resource library storing for each procedural action associated with a physical sensation and potentially inducing an anxiety or pain response, defined characteristics of a VR transposition to modify perception for the action of any one or more of pain, anxiety or presence, and a plurality of VR experience components for each defined VR transposition wherein the VR experience component fulfils the characteristics of the defined VR transposition in the context of one or more VR experience themes to, for the physical sensation, provide a creative scenario which characterises the physical sensation in an alternative way, to thereby transpose the perception of the physical sensation to something less painful or intimidating; and   a VR experience compiler configured to compile a VR experience for a medical procedure by retrieving from the medical procedure library a sequence of procedural actions for the medical procedure, wherein at least one procedural action potentially induces a pain response, select from the VR transposition resource library a VR experience component for each defined VR transposition using a common VR experience theme and compiling the selected VR experience components into a VR experience based on the action sequence for the procedure.   
     
     
         2 . A virtual reality (VR) experience generation system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the VR experience is an experience on a VR continuum, the VR continuum including mixed reality or augmented reality (AR) allowing some real world perception and interaction well as total immersion VR. 
     
     
         3 . A virtual reality continuum (VR) experience framework for generating a VR continuum experience choreographed to a physical procedure incorporating one or more procedural actions associated with a physical sensation and potentially inducing an anxiety or pain response, wherein at least one procedural action potentially induces a pain response, the framework comprising:
 an order of execution of the procedural actions; and   for each of the procedural actions defining characteristics of a VR transposition to modify perception for the action of any one or more of pain, anxiety or presence.   
     
     
         4 . A virtual reality continuum (VR) experience framework as claimed in  claim 3  wherein each VR transposition is defined based on the requirements of the procedure for presence and aspects of the action inducing physical sensation, and target direction for modification in one or more of presence, anxiety and pain perception. 
     
     
         5 . A virtual reality continuum (VR) experience framework as claimed in  claim 3  wherein a VR transposition is characterised by reframing aspects of the physical interaction in a manner which is not inconsistent with the physical sensation induced by the action and encourages altered perception of the physical sensation. 
     
     
         6 . A virtual reality continuum (VR) experience framework as claimed in  claim 3  wherein a VR transposition is characterised by mimicking duration and attributes of the physical sensation for choosing a representation in a VR context using an interaction which is typically associated with less pain or anxiety than the actual physical action. 
     
     
         7 . A virtual reality continuum (VR) experience framework as claimed in  claim 6  wherein a VR experience is generated by selecting, from a library of VR experience components of a common theme, for each defined VR transposition a VR experience component fulfilling the characteristics of the defined VR transposition and compiling the selected VR experience components into a VR experience based on the action sequence for the procedure. 
     
     
         8 . A virtual reality continuum (VR) experience as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the VR continuum includes mixed reality or augmented reality (AR) allowing some real world perception and interaction well as total immersion VR. 
     
     
         19 . A method of generating a virtual reality continuum (VR) experience choreographed to a physical procedure incorporating one or more procedural actions being associated with a physical sensation and potentially inducing an anxiety or pain response, wherein at least one procedural action potentially induces a pain response, the method comprising the steps of:
 determining an order of execution of the procedural actions;   for each of the procedural actions defining characteristics of a VR transposition to modify perception for the action of any one or more of pain, anxiety or presence;   obtaining a VR experience component for each defined VR transposition using a common VR experience theme, wherein the VR experience components fulfils the characteristics of the defined VR transposition; and   compiling the selected VR experience components into a VR experience based on the order of execution of the procedural actions for the procedure.   
     
     
         20 . A method as claimed in  claim 19  wherein obtaining a VR experience component comprises selecting the VR experience component from a VR transposition resource library. 
     
     
         21 . A method as claimed in  claim 19  wherein obtaining a VR experience component comprises creating a VR experience component based on the characteristics of the defined VR transposition. 
     
     
         22 . A method as claimed in  claim 19  wherein the VR experience is an experience on a VR continuum, the VR continuum including mixed reality or augmented reality (AR) allowing some real world perception and interaction well as total immersion VR.