Exploring Dynamic Real-World Obstacle Integration in VR Using Consumer Headset Sensors

Virtual Reality (VR) offers highly immersive experiences but often isolates users from their physical surroundings, leading to safety concerns. Conventional boundary systems such as Meta's Guardian or Valve's Chaperone provide static perimeters that fail to account for dynamically appearing obstacles during VR sessions. This paper explores the feasibility of dynamically integrating real-world obstacles directly into the virtual scene using the built-in RGB and depth sensors of the Meta Quest 3 headset. We present an implementation that dynamically integrates real-world obstacles in the play area to improve situational awareness without relying on external sensors or hardware modifications. A user study evaluates how this integration affects users' sense of presence, involvement, and perceived safety compared to the Guardian system. Results suggest that while involvement may slightly decrease due to visual inconsistencies, spatial presence and general presence remain statistically equivalent. These findings highlight the potential and current limitations of leveraging consumer-grade VR hardware for dynamic real-world integration in virtual environments.