Future Apple Vision Pros could use an Apple Pencil to manipulate virtual objects as evidenced by a newly granted patent for “Object Manipulations With A Pointing Device.”
About the patent
Extended reality (XR) environments provide two-dimensional and/or three-dimensional environments where at least some objects displayed for a user’s viewing are generated by a computer. In some uses, a user may create or modify extended reality environments, such as by editing, generating, or otherwise manipulating extended reality objects using a content generation environment, such as a graphics editor or graphics editing interface. Apple says that editors that allow for intuitive editing of computer-generated objects are desirable.
Apple’s patents involves selecting and manipulating virtual objects in a content generation environment using a pointing device (e.g., an Apple Pencil). In some embodiments, the orientation of the pointing device in physical space determines the virtual object that is selected for input.
In some embodiments, a selection input is received via the pointing device while the pointing device is pointed at a respective virtual object and depending on the type of selection input, either a first type of manipulation or a second type of manipulation is performed on the respective virtual object. And in other embodiments, the respective virtual object changes visual characteristics based on whether the pointing device is pointed at the virtual object or whether the virtual object has been selected for input.
Summary of the patent
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: “An extended reality environment includes one or more virtual objects. A virtual object can be selected for manipulation by orienting a pointing device towards the virtual object and performing a selection input. In some embodiments, if the selection input is a first type of selection gesture received at the pointing device, the virtual object is selected for movement operations. In some embodiments, if the selection input is a second type of selection gesture received at the pointing device, the virtual object is selected for rotation operations.
“While the virtual object is selected for movement or rotation operations, the virtual object moves or rotates in accordance with the movement or rotation of the user’s hand, respectively. In some embodiments, the virtual object has a first visual characteristic when the pointing device is pointing towards the virtual object and has a second visual characteristic when the virtual object is selected.”
About the Vision Pro
Demos of the Apple Vision Pro at Apple Stores in the U.S. can be reserved on Apple.com. To reserve a free Vision Pro demo online, go here, then follow the steps to book an appointment at your local Apple Store.
Pricing for the Vision Pro starts at US$3,499 with 256GB of storage. ZEISS Optical Inserts are available: $99 for reading lens and $149 for prescription lens.
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