A method and system for virtual reality imaging is presented. The method includes placing a user in a known environment; acquiring a video image from a perspective such that a field of view of the video camera simulates the user’s line of sight; tracking the user’s location, rotation and line of sight; filtering the video image to remove video data associated with the known environment without effecting video data associated with the user; overlaying the video image after filtering onto a virtual image with respect to the user’s location to generate a composite image; and displaying the composite image in real time at a head mounted display. The system includes a head mounted display; a video camera disposed at the head mounted display such that a field of view of the video camera simulates a line of sight of a user when wearing the head mounted display, wherein a video image is obtained for the field of view; a tracking device configured to track the location, rotation, and line of sight of a user; and a processor configured to filter the video image to remove video data associated with a known environment without effecting video data associated with the user and to overlay the video image after it is filtered onto a virtual image with respect to the user’s location to generate a composite image which is displayed by the head mounted display in real time.

Application number: 12/117,076
Publication number:US 2008/0246693 A1
Filing date: May 8, 2008