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NEWS
Another VR breakthrough as Disney researchers integrate moving physical objects and virtual worlds
POSTED 29 Mar 2017 . BY Alice Davis
Disney Research laboratories show combining virtual and physical dynamic interactions in VR is feasible Credit: Disney Research
It might look like a man simply catching a tennis ball, but a new video from Disney Research shows much more than that.

Disney’s researchers have developed a way for users to be able to accurately catch a physical ball while they are immersed in a VR environment, opening up a world of possibilities for the integration of real-world moving objects and virtual experiences.

The experiment involved a virtual ball that tracked the projected trajectory of the real ball, and a target catching location for the user, which also shows the user from which direction the ball is arriving. Inside the Oculus headset, the user can see a simple background, the virtual ball, and his virtual “hands”. The scene is kept minimalistic in order to achieve an up to 150fps frame rate and reduce latency as much as possible.

In the lab’s pilot study, the ball was thrown 140 times and caught 132 times.



“In this work, we explore haptic sensations in virtual reality promoting the idea of users interacting with dynamic physical objects,” says the Disney Research paper, Catching a Ball in Virtual Reality.

If problems of latency, depth perception, frame rates and tracking precision can be overcome, the paper says this could be the first step towards “more complicated dynamic object interactions which can be used to further immerse users in virtual environments”.

“Thus, combining virtual and physical dynamic interactions to enrich virtual reality experiences is feasible,” it says.
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News   Products   Magazine   Subscribe
NEWS
Another VR breakthrough as Disney researchers integrate moving physical objects and virtual worlds
POSTED 29 Mar 2017 . BY Alice Davis
Disney Research laboratories show combining virtual and physical dynamic interactions in VR is feasible Credit: Disney Research
It might look like a man simply catching a tennis ball, but a new video from Disney Research shows much more than that.

Disney’s researchers have developed a way for users to be able to accurately catch a physical ball while they are immersed in a VR environment, opening up a world of possibilities for the integration of real-world moving objects and virtual experiences.

The experiment involved a virtual ball that tracked the projected trajectory of the real ball, and a target catching location for the user, which also shows the user from which direction the ball is arriving. Inside the Oculus headset, the user can see a simple background, the virtual ball, and his virtual “hands”. The scene is kept minimalistic in order to achieve an up to 150fps frame rate and reduce latency as much as possible.

In the lab’s pilot study, the ball was thrown 140 times and caught 132 times.



“In this work, we explore haptic sensations in virtual reality promoting the idea of users interacting with dynamic physical objects,” says the Disney Research paper, Catching a Ball in Virtual Reality.

If problems of latency, depth perception, frame rates and tracking precision can be overcome, the paper says this could be the first step towards “more complicated dynamic object interactions which can be used to further immerse users in virtual environments”.

“Thus, combining virtual and physical dynamic interactions to enrich virtual reality experiences is feasible,” it says.
RELATED STORIES
Disney Research uses magnetic fields to create ubiquitous wireless charging system


Disney’s research arm has revealed plans to use Quasistatic Cavity Resonance (QSCR) to enable purpose-built structures to generate special magnetic fields able to charge electronic devices wirelessly.
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KX Chelsea invests £15 million to upgrade its wellness offering
Premium London health club, KX Chelsea, will imminently unveil its most significant redevelopment since its launch in 2002 to create an integrated wellness model combining training, recovery and relaxation.
Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth offers ocean-themed yoga for Global Wellness Day
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ADVERTISE . CONTACT US

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Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385

©Cybertrek 2026

ABOUT LEISURE MEDIA
LEISURE MEDIA MAGAZINES
LEISURE MEDIA HANDBOOKS
LEISURE MEDIA WEBSITES
LEISURE MEDIA PRODUCT SEARCH
PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS
FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS