Transparent Mask: Face-Capturing Head-Mounted Display with IR Pass Filters

Head-mounted displays (HMDs) are key elements of portable virtual reality (VR); they provide highly immersive experiences with a simple setup. One problem is that normal HMDs hide the user's face. This paper proposes a novel HMD that uses infrared (IR) pass filters and a single IR camera to permit face-capture. Since the HMD enclosure consists of IR pass filters, which transmit infrared light but block visible light, the IR camera can capture the user's face while the user is immersed in the virtual space. We implement a prototype and confirm that the proposed HMD can capture the user's face while showing VR images. This paper discusses the unique characteristics and possible applications of the proposed method.