Spherical tactile feedback device, driving method and virtual reality system
Through the design of a spherical tactile feedback device, using a microprocessor unit and motion capture technology, multi-dimensional tactile feedback between users and virtual objects in a virtual reality system is achieved, solving the problem of insufficient three-dimensional relationship perception in existing technologies and enhancing the user's interactive experience.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511159714.1
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-08-19
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-16
- Estimated Expiration
- 2045-08-19
AI Technical Summary
In existing virtual reality systems, it is difficult for users to intuitively feel the three-dimensional relationships and physical properties of virtual objects, which affects the virtual reality experience.
A spherical tactile feedback device was designed, which includes a spherical shell, an actuator, a curved sliding unit and a fixed bracket. The microprocessor unit and the motion capture unit are used to track the user's hand position in real time, and the deformable surface of the spherical shell is driven to perform multi-directional dynamic deformation to provide multi-dimensional tactile feedback.
It realizes the improvement of three-dimensional relationship perception and interactive experience through two-hand interaction in the virtual reality system, and enhances the user's immersion and tactile feedback effect.
Smart Images

Figure CN120653124A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of virtual reality technology, and in particular to a spherical tactile feedback device, a driving method and a virtual reality system. Background Art
[0002] With the development of virtual reality (VR) technology and haptic feedback devices, more and more research is focusing on how to provide users with a more realistic immersive experience in VR. As an important component of this, haptic feedback technology aims to enhance the user's interactive experience through tactile feedback, especially in VR.
[0003] Due to its unique shape and multi-directional feedback capabilities, spherical tactile feedback devices can provide a wider range of tactile feedback, presenting changes in multiple directions. In theory, this can enhance the user's interaction with virtual objects in a virtual reality system. Specifically, by simulating the force feedback of holding or squeezing a spherical virtual object, it provides VR users with a multi-layered tactile experience, from surface texture to dynamic resistance. However, current tactile feedback devices mostly use one-handed interaction. Due to the lack of relative position and distance reference in one-handed interaction, users cannot intuitively perceive subtle dynamic changes in the distance and shape of virtual objects, making it difficult to judge the three-dimensional relationships and physical properties of virtual objects. This limits spatial perception and affects the user's VR experience.
[0004] Therefore, the existing technology still needs to be improved and developed. Summary of the Invention
[0005] In view of the above-mentioned deficiencies in the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a spherical tactile feedback device and a virtual reality system to solve the problem that the interaction of existing virtual reality systems is difficult to display the three-dimensional relationship and physical characteristics of virtual objects, thereby affecting the virtual reality experience.
[0006] The technical solutions of the present invention are as follows: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a spherical tactile feedback device for tactile feedback of a virtual reality system, comprising: a spherical housing, at least one actuator, at least one curved sliding unit, and a fixed bracket; wherein, The spherical housing includes a plurality of deformable surfaces for tactile interaction; The curved sliding unit is radially arranged in the accommodating space inside the spherical shell, the moving end of the curved sliding unit is connected to the inner surface of the spherical shell, and the curved sliding unit is used to control the deformation of the surface of the spherical shell; The actuator is connected to the fixed end of the curved sliding unit, and is used to provide kinetic energy to the moving end of the curved sliding unit; The fixed bracket is located at the center of the spherical shell and is used to place the actuator. The fixed bracket is fixedly connected to the fixed end of the curved sliding unit. The curved sliding unit is electrically connected to the actuator.
[0007] According to a further configuration of the present invention, the spherical shell is divided into x longitude shells according to longitude, wherein x is greater than or equal to 3.
[0008] According to a further configuration of the present invention, the longitude shell is divided into y latitude shells according to latitude, wherein y is greater than or equal to 2.
[0009] According to a further configuration of the present invention, the curved sliding unit comprises: a fixed arm, a linear guide rail, a lead screw, and a slider assembly; wherein, The fixed arm includes a first bottom end, a first side wall, and a second side wall arranged along the length direction, the first bottom end being provided with a sedimentation groove; the first side wall being provided at an end of the first bottom end in the length direction close to the actuator, the first side wall being fixedly connected to the fixed bracket, a screw hole being provided on the first side wall, and the screw hole and the through hole of the fixed bracket being coincident in position; the second side wall being provided at an end of the first bottom end away from the actuator, and abutting against the spherical housing; The linear guide rail is arranged in the sedimentation tank along the length direction of the fixed arm; One end of the screw rod is connected to the actuator, and the other end of the screw rod is rotatably connected to the second side wall through the through hole of the fixing bracket and the screw rod hole, and the screw rod and the rotating axis of the actuator are arranged collinearly; The slider assembly is provided with a transmission hole, and the slider assembly is sleeved on the screw rod through the transmission hole; the side of the slider assembly close to the first bottom end is slidably connected to the linear guide rail, and when the screw rod rotates, the slider assembly slides along the direction of the linear guide rail.
[0010] A further arrangement of the present invention further comprises a turntable and a base; The turntable is electrically connected to the actuator and connected to the fixed bracket, and is used to drive the fixed bracket to rotate in the circumferential direction; The top of the base is rotatably connected to the turntable, and is used to fix and support the turntable to rotate freely.
[0011] In a second aspect, the present invention further provides a driving method for a spherical tactile feedback device, comprising: receiving deformation parameters and decomposing the deformation parameters into a plurality of discrete points; the deformation parameters are used to describe the deformation state of the virtual object in the virtual reality space, and the discrete points are target positions to which the deformable surface corresponding to the spherical tactile feedback device needs to be displaced; Collecting the current position information of the actuator, and calculating the actuator control instruction based on the current position information and the target position; driving the actuator according to an actuator control instruction, thereby driving the deformable surface of the spherical shell to move to a target position; Update the actuator's current position cache.
[0012] In a further configuration of the present invention, the step of collecting the current position information of the actuator and calculating the actuator control instruction based on the current position information and the target position includes: Collect the current position information and target position of the actuator; Using a motion interpolation algorithm on the current position information and the target position, the motion trajectory of the curved sliding unit is calculated to obtain a smooth acceleration and deceleration curve; The actuator control instruction is obtained according to the acceleration and deceleration smooth curve.
[0013] In a third aspect, the present invention further provides a virtual reality system, comprising the spherical tactile feedback device described above and a microprocessor unit; wherein a serial communication interface of the microprocessor unit is connected to a host computer for receiving deformation parameters, wherein the deformation parameters are used to describe the deformation state of a virtual object in a virtual reality space, and the microprocessor unit obtains actuator control instructions based on the deformation parameters; The spherical tactile feedback device is connected to the microprocessor unit and is used to receive the actuator control instruction and control the actuator according to the actuator control instruction to drive the deformable surface to move to the corresponding target position.
[0014] In a further arrangement of the present invention, the virtual reality system further comprises a head mounted display unit and a motion capture unit; The motion capture unit is used to track the movement of the user in space and track the position of the user's hand in real time; the motion capture unit includes: a first spatial positioning tracking structure and a second spatial positioning tracking structure, the first spatial positioning tracking structure and the second spatial positioning tracking structure are used to track the position coordinate information of the user's hand in space and send the position coordinate information of the hand to the host computer; at the same time, the spherical tactile feedback device has a feedback device positioning structure; the motion capture unit tracks the position coordinate information of the feedback device positioning structure in space and sends the position coordinate information of the feedback device positioning structure to the host computer; The hand position coordinate information is used to simulate the user's hand position in the virtual reality space, and the feedback device positioning structure position coordinate information is used to simulate the position of the virtual object in the virtual reality space; receiving the hand position coordinate information and the feedback device positioning structure position coordinate information transmitted by the first and second space positioning tracking structures, calculating the relative position of the user's hand position and the spherical tactile feedback device, and constructing a model of the virtual object and the virtual hand in the virtual reality space; The head-mounted display unit is used to collect image information of the virtual reality space and display it to the user.
[0015] In a further configuration of the present invention, the microprocessor unit is configured to predict touch intention by analyzing the user's hand motion trajectory in real time, and drive the spherical housing to move radially to a target position corresponding to a virtual object in the virtual reality world; The spherical tactile feedback device also has a turntable deflection angle positioning structure, which is used to locate the deflection angle of the turntable. The spherical tactile feedback device is based on an intelligent predictive control algorithm. It predicts the touch intention by real-time analysis of the user's hand movement trajectory, drives the turntable to drive the spherical shell to move circumferentially to the target position corresponding to the virtual object in the virtual reality world.
[0016] The present invention provides a spherical tactile feedback device, a driving method, and a virtual reality system. The spherical tactile feedback device is used for tactile feedback in a virtual reality system and comprises: a spherical shell, at least one actuator, at least one curved sliding unit, and a fixed bracket. The spherical shell comprises a plurality of deformable surfaces for tactile interaction. The curved sliding unit is radially arranged in a receiving space inside the spherical shell, a moving end of the curved sliding unit is connected to the inner surface of the spherical shell, and the curved sliding unit is used to control the deformation of the surface of the spherical shell. The actuator is connected to the fixed end of the curved sliding unit, and the actuator is used to provide kinetic energy to the moving end of the curved sliding unit. The fixed bracket is located at the center of the spherical shell and is used to accommodate the actuator. The fixed bracket is fixedly connected to the fixed end of the curved sliding unit, and the curved sliding unit and the actuator are electrically connected. The present invention provides tactile feedback through the volume change of the spherical shell of the spherical tactile feedback device, realizes multi-directional dynamic deformation, and can perform perceptual exploration from multiple angles and dimensions. It is suitable for virtual reality tactile perception under two-handed interaction, and enhances the three-dimensional relationship perception and interactive experience in virtual reality. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary personnel in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without paying any creative work.
[0018] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the spherical tactile feedback device in the present invention.
[0019] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the structure inside the spherical shell of the spherical tactile feedback device of the present invention.
[0020] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of the curved surface sliding unit in the present invention.
[0021] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the virtual reality system of the present invention.
[0022] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the working process of the virtual reality system in some preferred embodiments of the present invention.
[0023] Figure 6 It is a flowchart of a driving method of a spherical tactile feedback device in some preferred embodiments of the present invention.
[0024] Figure 7 It is a flowchart of a driving method of a spherical tactile feedback device in a further implementation manner of some preferred embodiments of the present invention.
[0025] Figure 8 It is a structural schematic diagram of the curved sliding unit in some preferred embodiments of the present invention.
[0026] Figure 9 It is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the deformable surface and the curved sliding unit in some preferred embodiments of the present invention.
[0027] Figure 10 It is a structural schematic diagram of the spherical shell in some preferred embodiments of the present invention.
[0028] Figure 11 It is a schematic diagram of a virtual reality system in a further implementation of some preferred embodiments of the present invention.
[0029] The marks in the accompanying drawings are: 1. spherical tactile feedback device; 11. spherical shell; 110. longitude shell; 1101. latitude shell; 111. deformable surface; 112. transmission arm; 12. actuator; 13. curved sliding unit; 131. fixed arm; 1311. first bottom end; 1312. first side wall; 1313. second side wall; 1314. screw hole; 132. linear guide; 133. screw; 134. slider assembly; 14. fixed bracket; 15. turntable; 16. base; 2. microprocessor unit; 21. microcontroller chip; 22. stepper motor drive module; 3. host computer; 4. head-mounted display unit; 5. motion capture unit; 51. first spatial positioning and tracking structure; 52. second spatial positioning and tracking structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] The present invention provides a spherical tactile feedback device, a driving method, and a virtual reality system. To clarify the objectives, technical solutions, and effects of the present invention, the present invention is further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.
[0031] In the embodiments and patent claims, unless otherwise specified herein, the words "a," "an," "the," and "the" may include plural forms. If the embodiments of the present invention include descriptions of "first," "second," etc., such descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature specified as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features.
[0032] It should be further understood that the term "comprising" as used in the description of the present invention refers to the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and / or groups thereof. It should be understood that when we refer to an element as being "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or there can be intermediate elements. In addition, "connected" or "coupled" as used herein can include wireless connections or wireless couplings. The term "and / or" as used herein includes all or any units and all combinations of one or more associated listed items.
[0033] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that, unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art in the art to which the present invention belongs. It should also be understood that terms such as those defined in common dictionaries should be understood to have meanings consistent with their meanings in the context of the prior art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless specifically defined as herein.
[0034] In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but they must be based on the fact that ordinary technicians in this field can implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is mutually contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.
[0035] Virtual reality technology is a three-dimensional environment generated by computer simulation, which allows users to immerse themselves in a completely virtual world and interact with it. More and more research is focusing on how to provide users in virtual reality with a more realistic immersive experience. Virtual reality technology, combined with tactile feedback devices, can provide users with tactile feedback while providing them with vision and hearing, allowing users to gain a more sensory experience. As an important component, tactile feedback technology aims to enhance the user's interactive experience through tactile feedback. The inventors have found that current tactile feedback devices are mostly focused on one-handed interaction or the use of handheld controllers. For example, in the medical field, one-handed interactive instruments are used to simulate surgical operations, or remote control operations in space, deep sea, and other spaces are simulated. This makes it less than satisfactory when simulating multi-tasking and complex environment interactions, and it is difficult to give full play to the advantages of the synergy of both hands.
[0036] Spherical tactile feedback devices have attracted increasing interest from researchers due to their unique shape and multi-directional feedback capabilities. Spherical devices can provide a wider range of tactile feedback, varying in multiple directions, theoretically enhancing the user's interaction with virtual objects. However, while some spherical devices have explored their interactivity and operability, much research remains focused on the design of spherical robots, with a lack of research on bimanual interaction, particularly how to improve the accuracy and experience of tactile feedback through bimanual interaction in virtual reality.
[0037] Among the existing related technologies, static surface displays and dynamic surface displays are two common types of technologies. Static surfaces maintain a fixed shape or surface and are suitable for simple tactile feedback scenarios, but their interactivity is poor and it is difficult to provide a dynamically changing tactile experience. In contrast, dynamic surface displays can change their shape in real time according to the needs of the virtual environment, thereby providing richer tactile feedback. However, most existing dynamic surface systems are mainly designed for one-handed interaction, which limits the potential for two-handed interaction. Although some studies have attempted to use dynamic surface technology in virtual reality to enhance immersion, they usually focus more on one-handed interaction, especially for the dominant hand, and do not fully consider the enhanced effect of two-handed interaction on the tactile experience and the impact of two-handed interaction on human tactile perception.
[0038] To solve the above technical problems in the prior art, please refer to Figure 4 The present invention provides a virtual reality system, which includes a microprocessor unit 2 and a spherical tactile feedback device 1; the serial communication interface of the microprocessor unit 2 is connected to a host computer for receiving deformation parameters, which are used to describe the deformation state of a virtual object in a virtual reality space, and the microprocessor unit 2 obtains an actuator control instruction based on the deformation parameters; the spherical tactile feedback device 1 is connected to the microprocessor unit 2 for receiving the actuator control instruction and controlling the actuator 12 according to the actuator control instruction to drive the deformable surface to move to the corresponding target position. Furthermore, the virtual reality system may also include a host computer 3. The host computer 3 communicates data with the microprocessor unit 2 to construct a virtual reality space and provide users with virtual object interaction in the virtual reality space. Specifically, a virtual reality space can be built using the Unity engine, and the virtual reality space has models of virtual objects and virtual hands. The virtual object is a virtual object with an approximately spherical shape in the virtual reality space, and the virtual hand is a model used to indicate the position of the user's hand in the virtual reality space. When the virtual object collides with the virtual hand, the virtual object in the virtual reality space exhibits different states and different degrees of deformation according to different collision modes, and at the same time generates deformation parameters corresponding to the deformation.
[0039] For details, please refer to Figure 4The microcontroller unit includes a microcontroller chip 21 and a stepper motor driver module 22. The microcontroller chip 21 is connected to the host computer 3 and is used to receive deformation parameters related to the deformation of the virtual object in the virtual reality screen of the host computer 3 and convert them into drive instructions for controlling the spherical tactile feedback device 1, thereby mapping the shape change of the virtual object to the shape change of the spherical tactile feedback device 1 in the real space. One end of the stepper motor driver module 22 is connected to the microcontroller chip 21, and the other end is connected to the spherical tactile feedback device 1, and is used to convert the drive instructions into actuator control instructions. Specifically, the model of the microcontroller chip 21 is ESP32-S3. When high-frequency data transmission is not required, the performance of ESP32-S3 is sufficient to meet the task requirements. However, if more efficient data processing capabilities are required, the microcontroller chip 21 can also use a higher-performance embedded controller, such as the STM32 series or the Raspberry Pi series. The microcontroller unit is connected to the virtual reality space via serial communication, and the other end of the microcontroller unit is connected to a stepper motor driver module, which can be a DRV8428. This allows for coordinated multi-motor control based on the deformation parameters of virtual objects in the virtual reality space.
[0040] Please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The present invention provides a spherical tactile feedback device 1 for tactile feedback of a virtual reality system, comprising: a spherical shell 11, at least one actuator 12, at least one curved sliding unit 13 and a fixed bracket 14; wherein the spherical shell 11 includes a plurality of deformable surfaces for tactile interaction; the curved sliding unit 13 is radially arranged in the accommodating space inside the spherical shell 11, the moving end of the curved sliding unit 13 is connected to the inner surface of the spherical shell 11, and the curved sliding unit 13 is used to control the deformation of the surface of the spherical shell 11; the actuator 12 is connected to the fixed end of the curved sliding unit 13, and the actuator 12 is used to provide kinetic energy to the moving end of the curved sliding unit 13; the fixed bracket 14 is located at the center of the spherical shell 11, and is used to accommodate the actuator 12, the fixed bracket 14 is fixedly connected to the fixed end of the curved sliding unit 13, and the curved sliding unit 13 and the actuator 12 are electrically connected.
[0041] Specifically, the spherical tactile feedback device 1 is used to provide tactile feedback when a user interacts with a spherical virtual object in a virtual reality space. When the spherical tactile feedback device 1 is in operation, the spherical virtual object is mapped as a virtual object to the position of the spherical housing 11 of the spherical tactile feedback device 1 in various directions. When the actuator 12 and the curved sliding unit 13 are in operation, they slide back and forth along the radial direction of the sphere, driving the surface of the spherical housing 11 at corresponding positions to move radially, thereby achieving expansion and contraction of the corresponding curved positions of the spherical housing 11. The spherical housing 11 can also utilize other deformable surfaces, such as cubes, cylinders, or other geometric polyhedrons, and provide tactile feedback in different directions through specific design combinations. In some preferred embodiments of the present invention, a transmission arm perpendicular to the curved surface is disposed within the deformable surface of the spherical housing 11. One end of the transmission arm is fixedly connected to the deformable surface, and the other end of the transmission arm is fixedly connected to the curved sliding unit 13. When the curved sliding unit 13 moves, the transmission arm drives the deformable surface to move.
[0042] Furthermore, the spherical housing 11 is divided into x longitudinal housings 110 according to longitude, where x is greater than or equal to 3. The longitudinal housings 110 are arranged around the fixed bracket 14 along the latitudinal circumference. In this preferred embodiment, the number of deformable surfaces is the total number of longitudinal housings 110. The longitudinal housings 110 are spherical curved surfaces with arc-shaped cross-sections along the longitudinal circumference. The surface areas of the longitudinal housings 110 can be the same or different, and the longitudinal housings 110 can form a complete spherical housing. It should be noted that the housing is used to implement dynamic deformation. The number of longitudinal housings 110 can be increased as needed to increase deformation accuracy, allowing the spherical tactile feedback device to deform into more complex shapes. These shapes are formed by the protrusions or depressions formed by the radial position changes of the longitudinal housings 110 in each direction, thereby providing a subtle tactile experience during the user's two-handed interaction.
[0043] For further information, please refer to Figure 10The longitudinal housing 110 includes a first longitudinal housing, a second longitudinal housing, a third longitudinal housing, and a fourth longitudinal housing. The first, second, third, and fourth longitudinal housings are arranged around the fixed bracket 14 along the latitudinal circumference direction to form a nearly spherical housing. In this preferred embodiment, the spherical housing is composed of four longitudinal housings 110, that is, four deformable surfaces. The inner surface of each longitudinal housing 110 is respectively connected to the curved sliding unit 13. Specifically, the curved sliding unit 13 moves along the radial direction of the spherical housing. The projections of the curved sliding units 13 of the first, second, third, and fourth longitudinal housings on the equatorial plane of the spherical housing 11 are perpendicular to each other, allowing each longitudinal housing 110 to change in four directions in the horizontal direction.
[0044] Furthermore, the longitudinal housing 110 is divided into y latitudinal housings 1101 according to latitude, where y is greater than or equal to 2. The latitudinal housings 1101 are arranged on the fixed bracket 14 along the longitudinal circumference. In a further implementation of this preferred embodiment, different areas of the longitudinal housing 110 are divided into different latitudinal housings 1101, each of which is located at different latitudes of the spherical housing 11. The number of deformable surfaces is then the total number of all latitudinal housings 1101 in each longitudinal housing 110.
[0045] For example, please refer to Figure 10 , the longitude shell 110 includes: a first latitude shell, a second latitude shell and a third latitude shell. Specifically, the first latitude shell, the second latitude shell and the third latitude shell correspond one-to-one to the internal curved sliding unit 13, and the curved sliding unit 13 is divided into three layers from top to bottom at different latitudes, namely, an upper layer, a middle layer and a lower layer, to achieve multi-angle deformation in the vertical direction of the spherical shell 11. It should be noted that the shell is used to achieve a dynamic deformation function, and the number of the latitude shells 1101 and the longitude shells 110 can be increased as needed, thereby increasing the deformation accuracy, so that the spherical tactile feedback device can be deformed to obtain a more complex shape, providing a subtle touch feeling for the user's two-hand interaction process. It should be noted that the number of latitude shells 1101 divided by different longitude shells 110 can be the same or different. At the same time, the latitude of the latitude housing 1101 is used to express the latitude position of the center of the corresponding latitude housing 1101 on the spherical housing 11, that is, the connection point between the curved sliding unit and the latitude housing 1101 and / or the connection point between the transmission arm and the deformable surface are at different latitudes of the spherical housing 11. Specifically, any longitude housing 110 is divided into y latitude housings 1101 in sequence from the north pole to the south pole of the spherical housing 11, so that the user can touch the spherical tactile feedback device 1 from different angles to achieve two-handed interaction.
[0046] Please refer to Figures 1 to 3 、 Figure 8 and Figure 9 , Figure 3 The left picture is a front view of the curved sliding unit 13. Figure 3 The right figure is a side view of the curved sliding unit 13, which includes: a fixed arm 131, a linear guide rail 132, a screw rod 133, and a slider assembly 134; wherein the fixed arm 131 is Figure 3 As shown in the shaded portion in the right figure. The fixed arm 131 includes a first bottom end 1311, a first side wall 1312, and a second side wall 1313 arranged along the length direction. The first bottom end 1311 is provided with a sedimentation trough; the first side wall 1312 is provided at the end of the first bottom end 1311 in the length direction close to the actuator 12, the first side wall 1312 is fixedly connected to the fixed bracket 14, a screw hole 1314 is provided on the first side wall 1312, and the screw hole 1314 coincides with the through hole position of the fixed bracket 14; the second side wall 1313 is provided at the end of the first bottom end 1311 away from the actuator 12, and abuts against the spherical shell 11; the linear guide 132 is provided along the fixed The length direction of the arm 131 is set in the sedimentation trough; one end of the screw rod 133 is connected to the actuator 12, and the other end of the screw rod 133 is rotatably connected to the second side wall 1313 through the through hole of the fixed bracket 14 and the screw rod hole 1314, and the rotating axis of the screw rod 133 and the actuator 12 is arranged colinearly; the slider assembly 134 is provided with a transmission hole, and the curved sliding unit 13 is sleeved on the screw rod 133 through the transmission hole. At the same time, the slider assembly 134 is slidably connected to the linear guide rail 132 on the side close to the first bottom end 1311. When the screw rod 133 rotates, the slider assembly 134 slides along the direction of the linear guide rail 132.
[0047] Specifically, see Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 9The actuator 12 uses a stepper motor, which controls the deformation of the spherical housing 11 and can precisely control the amplitude and speed of the deformation by adjusting the motor's speed and step size. If higher precision or lower noise is required, the actuator 12 can be replaced with a servo motor. Each actuator 12 is evenly distributed on the fixed bracket 14 of the spherical device. Based on the preset step angle and mechanical transmission ratio, it converts digital instructions into precise pulse signals, thereby ensuring the deformation accuracy and real-time responsiveness of the device. When the rotor driving the actuator 12 drives the screw 133 to rotate, the transmission hole of the slider assembly 134 converts the rotational motion of the motor and screw 133 into reciprocating motion of the slider assembly 134 relative to the linear guide 132. Specifically, the transmission hole of the slider assembly 134 contains a ball bearing structure located between the external threads of the screw 133. When the screw 133 rotates, the ball bearing rotates relative to the screw 133, thereby converting the axial rotation of the screw 133 into motion of the slider assembly 134 along the linear guide 132. Slider assembly 134 is fixedly connected to the transmission arm within the deformable surface. As slider assembly 134 slides along linear guide 132, it drives the transmission arm in corresponding motion, thereby synchronously moving the corresponding deformable surface 111, achieving precise transmission from actuator 12 to deformable surface 111. The direction of movement of slider assembly 134 is determined by the thread direction of screw 133 and the rotation direction of actuator 12's rotor. How screw 133 and slider assembly 134 convert rotational motion into linear motion is conventional in the art and will not be further elaborated herein. The control system uses a precise algorithm to calculate the motion trajectory and force of each actuator 12, thereby providing tactile feedback for a variety of virtual objects.
[0048] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a limit switch (not shown in the figure) can also be set on the first side wall 1312. The limit switch is electrically connected to the actuator 12 or the microprocessor unit 2. When the slider assembly 134 retracts to abut against the first side wall 1312, the potential switch is triggered. At this time, the actuator 12 stops working, and the microprocessor unit 2 records the position of the actuator 12 at this time as the starting position, so that the position of the actuator 12 can be automatically reset to zero, reducing the displacement error of the actuator 12 and the curved sliding unit 13 during use.
[0049] In further implementations of some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the spherical tactile feedback device 1 of the present invention further includes a turntable 15 and a base 16; the turntable 15 is electrically connected to the actuator 12 and to the fixed bracket 14, and is used to drive the fixed bracket 14 to rotate circumferentially; the top of the base 16 is rotatably connected to the turntable 15, and is used to stabilize and support the free rotation of the turntable 15. The base 16 is used to support the turntable 15 and the upper spherical shell 11, making it convenient for the user to contact the spherical shell 11 from multiple dimensions. The turntable 15 and the fixed bracket 14 can be fixedly connected or detachably connected, facilitating the removal and installation of the spherical tactile feedback device 1. The microprocessor 2 can be disposed in the base 16 of the spherical tactile feedback device 1, electrically connected to the actuator in the fixed bracket 14, or can be disposed in other locations such as the fixed bracket 14. At the same time, in another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the turntable 15 can also be rotatably connected to the fixed bracket 14 and detachably connected to the base 16, so that when the bracket is not installed, the turntable 15 is electrically connected to the actuator 12 in the fixed bracket 14, and the spherical tactile feedback device 1 can be set on any plane through the turntable 15. By controlling the actuator 12, the turntable 15 is driven to drive the spherical shell to move circumferentially.
[0050] For further information, please refer to Figure 11 In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the virtual reality system based on the spherical tactile feedback device 1 further includes a head-mounted display unit 4 and a motion capture unit 5; the motion capture unit 5 is used to track the movement of the user in space and track the position of the user's hand in real time; the motion capture unit 5 includes: a first spatial positioning tracking structure 51 and a second spatial positioning tracking structure 52, the first spatial positioning tracking structure 51 and the second spatial positioning tracking structure 52 are used to track the position coordinate information of the user's hand in space and send the position coordinate information of the hand to the host computer 3; at the same time, the spherical tactile feedback device 1 has a feedback device positioning structure; the motion capture unit 5 tracks the position of the feedback device positioning structure in space The position coordinate information of the hand is received by the host computer 3, and the position coordinate information of the feedback device positioning structure is sent to the host computer 3; the position coordinate information of the hand is used to simulate the user's hand position in the virtual reality space, and the position coordinate information of the feedback device positioning structure is used to simulate the position of the virtual object in the virtual reality space; the position coordinate information of the hand and the position coordinate information of the feedback device positioning structure transmitted by the first space positioning tracking structure 51 and the second space positioning tracking structure 52 are received, and the relative position of the user's hand position and the spherical tactile feedback device 1 is calculated, and a model of the virtual object and the virtual hand is constructed in the virtual reality space; the head-mounted display unit 4 is used to collect image information of the virtual reality space and display it to the user.
[0051] Specifically, the motion capture system of the present invention employs an external design. The first spatial positioning tracking structure 51 and the second spatial positioning tracking structure 52 can utilize motion capture devices such as trackers (custom trackers). Trackers can track the position of objects in the real world by binding to them. By wearing the trackers on the user's hands, the spatial position and posture of the hands can be tracked in real time. It should be noted that the first spatial positioning tracking structure 51 and the second spatial positioning tracking structure 52 can be used to locate and map the positions of the left and right hands in virtual reality space, respectively, or a larger number of spatial positioning tracking structures can be used to enable the user to perform more complex hand movements in virtual reality space. The first spatial positioning tracking structure 51 and the second spatial positioning tracking structure 52 can be located on the user's arm, wrist, or palm surface, for example. As long as they can directly or indirectly obtain and track the position coordinate information of the user's hand in space, the first spatial positioning tracking structure 51 and the second spatial positioning tracking structure 52 can be located anywhere on the user's body surface, and the present invention is not limited thereto. This data is transmitted to the main control system (ESP32-S3) through Unity and coordinated with the tactile feedback module of the spherical tactile feedback device 1 to ensure that the surface deformation of the virtual object matches the actual touch position of the user in space.
[0052] The spherical tactile feedback device 1 of the present invention enables natural interaction between the user and the virtual environment through tactile feedback. The specific interaction method is: the user wears a Tracker, and the system tracks the hand position in real time. When the virtual hand collides with the virtual object, the spherical tactile feedback device 1 drives the surface displacement through the internal motor to provide corresponding tactile feedback. The design of the present invention is not only suitable for the interaction in the above-mentioned virtual reality, but can also be extended to multiple fields such as education, entertainment, and remote collaboration. For example, in educational applications, the spherical tactile feedback device 1 can be used to enhance students' perception of geometry; in entertainment applications, it can simulate the interaction between a virtual spherical pet and the user; in remote collaboration, it can be used to improve operational efficiency and accuracy through tactile feedback.
[0053] Furthermore, in further implementations of some preferred embodiments of the present invention, the microprocessor unit 2 is configured to predict touch intent by real-time analysis of the user's hand motion trajectory and drive the spherical housing 11 to radially displace to a target position corresponding to a virtual object in the virtual reality world. The spherical tactile feedback device 1 further includes a turntable deflection angle positioning structure for determining the deflection angle of the turntable 15. Based on an intelligent predictive control algorithm, the spherical tactile feedback device 1 predicts touch intent by real-time analysis of the user's hand motion trajectory and drives the turntable 15, thereby causing the spherical housing 11 to circumferentially displace to a target position corresponding to a virtual object in the virtual reality world. Specifically, the intelligent predictive control algorithm is stored in the microcontroller chip 21 of the microprocessor unit 2. The algorithm predicts touch intent by real-time analysis of the user's hand motion trajectory and drives the turntable 15 to cause the spherical housing 11 to circumferentially displace to a target position corresponding to a virtual object in the virtual reality world. The motion capture unit 5 collects the user's hand motion trajectory, as well as other parameter information such as the user's hand spatial position and posture. Combined with pre-stored hand motion history, a hand motion trajectory prediction model is established to predict the user's hand motion trajectory at the target location. This allows the device to drive the turntable 15 to rotate to a specified position when the user attempts to interact with a virtual object located in the gap portion of the spherical tactile feedback device 1, thereby providing the user with better tactile feedback.
[0054] It should be noted that the spherical shell 11 is divided into a plurality of longitudinal shells 110 along the longitudinal direction, wherein the sum of the central angles corresponding to the arcs of the longitudinal shells 110 on the equatorial plane of the spherical shell 11 can be equal to 360° or less than 360°. When the sum of the central angles of the longitudinal shells 110 is less than 360°, there is a gap between the longitudinal shells 110 of the spherical shell 11. At this time, the actuator 12 of the turntable 15 drives the upper spherical shell 11 to rotate to fill this gap. Therefore, when the user's hand touches the position where the gap originally existed, the spherical tactile feedback device 1 rotates in any direction until the hand lands on the position with the longitudinal shells 110, so that the user will not touch the gap between the longitudinal shells 110 during interaction, thereby reducing the cost of printing the spherical shell 11. On the other hand, if many motors are closely arranged together in the spherical shell and the motors work continuously for a long time, the motor temperature may be too high. By setting gaps between the longitude shells 110 for heat dissipation and protection of the motors, heat dissipation can be achieved to a certain extent.
[0055] The present invention illustrates the relationship between the spherical tactile feedback device 1 and the virtual reality system through the working processes of the spherical tactile feedback device 1 and the virtual reality system.
[0056] The core of the spherical tactile feedback device 1 described in the present invention is a spherical shell 11, which is composed of multiple curved surfaces and is used to map the shape changes of virtual objects in the virtual reality space. The position of each curved surface is controlled by a built-in actuator 12 to achieve dynamic surface rendering, and the motion range of each curved surface can be precisely adjusted by the control system, which can present different shapes in the virtual environment and provide multi-directional tactile feedback. In order to achieve dynamic deformation, the spherical tactile feedback device 1 is equipped with multiple stepper motors. Each stepper motor drives a slider assembly 134 connected to the curved surface through a set of linear guides 132. The motion range of each motor can be precisely adjusted to ensure the deformation accuracy and real-time response capability of the device. The control system calculates the motion trajectory and force of each actuator 12 through a precise algorithm. At the same time, the spherical tactile feedback device 1 described in the present invention uses ESP32-S3 as the main control unit. The control system communicates with the stepper motor driver module DRV8428 through a custom PCB. The system structure diagram is shown in the figure. Figure 2 As shown in the figure, the ESP32-S3 communicates serially with the VR application, which can be built using the Unity engine, ensuring real-time synchronization between the virtual object's shape changes and tactile feedback. To improve control precision, a Tracker motion capture device and a paired motion capture system are used to track the user's hand position and align it with the spherical tactile feedback device 1, enabling precise two-handed interaction.
[0057] Specifically, based on the same inventive concept, please refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 The present invention also provides a driving method for a spherical tactile feedback device, which comprises: S100: Receive deformation parameters and decompose the deformation parameters into a plurality of discrete points; the deformation parameters are used to describe the deformation state of the virtual object in the virtual reality space, and the discrete points are target positions to which the deformable surface corresponding to the spherical tactile feedback device needs to be displaced; Specifically, a mapping exists between the virtual object in the virtual reality space and the position of the spherical tactile feedback device. The deformation parameters of the virtual object come from the VR application of the host computer. The deformation parameters are the shape parameters of the target deformation state. The deformation parameters are decomposed into a number of discrete points, each of which corresponds to a deformable surface on the spherical shell, that is, a local curved surface of the spherical shell. At the same time, each point corresponds to an actuator 12, and each actuator 12 corresponds to a driving slider on the spherical surface. The displacement of the actuator 12 corresponds to the height of the local deformation of the deformable surface at that position. Therefore, the linear displacement of the actuator at the corresponding discrete point can be obtained based on the deformation parameters. The target shape of the virtual object in the virtual reality space is composed of the displacement values of each point, that is, the linear displacement ΔL of the deformable surface, forming the three-dimensional shape of the entire spherical shell.
[0058] S200, collecting the current position information of the actuator, and calculating the actuator control instruction based on the current position information and the target position; In a virtual reality space, based on the geometry of the virtual object and the user's interaction, the shape of the virtual object can be changed according to the user's interaction method. It should be noted that in a virtual reality space, the deformation of the virtual object under different stress states is simulated by an algorithm to make it show physical properties close to those in the real space, thereby making the virtual reality space more realistic. This is a well-known prior art in the field and will not be described in detail in this application. Based on the deformation of the virtual object under different stress states, the linear displacement ΔL of the virtual surface at each driving point is calculated. i The linear displacement of each driving point is stored in the array L in array form. . The displacement at each driving point is the linear displacement output by the actuator 12 controlling the corresponding position in the spherical tactile feedback device 1 after mapping. That is, the array L stores the linear displacement of each actuator 12. For example, ΔL1 is the linear displacement of the first actuator 12 under deformation, ΔL2 is the linear displacement of the second actuator 12 under deformation, and so on. The maximum value of i is determined by the total number of actuators 12 in the spherical tactile feedback device 1; the array is encapsulated into JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) format and sent to the spherical tactile feedback device through the serial port, and the spherical tactile feedback device converts the linear displacement into the number of steps of the corresponding actuator 12.
[0059] The number of steps of a single actuator 12 is n i The linear displacement ΔL at the corresponding position on the virtual object i The calculation formula between is: ; Where θ is the actuator pitch angle, p is the lead of the screw, i is the reduction ratio. The calculated n i That is, the number of steps required for the actuator 12 to move to the corresponding position. For example, the actuator step angle θ is 1.8°, the screw lead p is designed to be 2mm, the actuator 12 has no reduction mechanism, and the reduction ratio i is 1. Then the linear displacement ΔL i The number of steps n of the actuator 12 when the distance is 1 cm i is 1000, so that the linear displacement of the actuator 12 can be precisely adjusted by controlling the number of rotation steps.
[0060] S300, driving the actuator according to the actuator control instruction, thereby driving the deformable surface of the spherical shell to move to a target position; Specifically, the microprocessor runs the serial port detection program, waits for the JSON string to be sent, and after receiving the complete JSON data, calls the JSON parsing library to parse the displacement data and restore it into an array L containing the linear displacement parameters of each position of the virtual object. The current actuator position n_current_i is obtained. The current actuator position n_current_i is the number of steps since the actuator 12 last completed movement.
[0061] For each actuator, calculate the step difference based on the current actuator position n_current_i: Δn i =n i -n_current_i, and use the calculation result to determine whether the movement direction of the actuator 12 is forward or reverse.
[0062] A hardware timer or PWM interface outputs a corresponding pulse signal to the DRV8428 actuator. Each pulse drives actuator 12 to rotate one step. The number of steps executed at different positions can then be used to determine the actuator's rotation angle and the displacement distance of the curved sliding unit. Furthermore, the pulse frequency can be used to control the movement speed, ensuring smooth control of the curved sliding unit and its attached deformable surface, enabling synchronized movement with virtual objects in virtual reality.
[0063] S400: Update the current position cache of the actuator.
[0064] After the movement is completed, the internal actuator current position cache is updated, and the current actuator position n_current_i in the memory is assigned based on the actuator position. The actuator driving method in the turntable 15 is similar to the driving method of the corresponding actuator of the curved sliding unit described above, and the actuator control instructions are also obtained by calculating the step difference. This application will not repeat it here.
[0065] For example, to avoid excessive current peaks caused by simultaneous starting of stepper motors, the microprocessor unit in the present application can implement motion queue management through software and drive some motors in time periods.
[0066] In a further configuration of the present invention, the step of collecting the current position information of the actuator and calculating the actuator control instruction based on the current position information and the target position includes: S210, collecting the current position information and target position of the actuator; S220, using a motion interpolation algorithm on the current position information and the target position to calculate the motion trajectory of the curved sliding unit to obtain a smooth acceleration and deceleration curve; S230: Obtain the actuator control instruction according to the acceleration / deceleration smooth curve.
[0067] Among them, the current position information and target position information of the actuator can be used in this application to plan the motion trajectory through the motion interpolation algorithm to achieve a smooth acceleration and deceleration curve of the actuator, reduce speed mutations during deformation, and enhance the user's tactile experience. Furthermore, by combining the real-time feedback of hand data from the Tracker, the target deformation parameters can be adjusted to achieve a dynamic response of the surface morphology. The model of the microprocessor unit can be ESP32-S3, which is a high-performance microcontroller unit (MCU) chip designed for artificial intelligence and Internet of Things (AIoT) applications. It has a wide range of applications in smart homes, wearable devices, industrial Internet of Things and other fields.
[0068] Please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 The following uses the ESP32-S3 microprocessor as an example to illustrate the workflow of the spherical tactile feedback device in a virtual reality system.
[0069] Specifically, a user activates a VR environment, a mapping relationship is established between a microprocessor located at the spherical tactile feedback device and a virtual object in the virtual reality space of the host computer, and surface deformation of the virtual object and a corresponding position of the spherical tactile feedback device trigger deformation.
[0070] Unity then calculates the deformation of the virtual object. When the user interacts with the virtual object in the virtual reality space, Unity calculates the deformation of the virtual object in the constructed virtual reality space and obtains the deformation parameters of each position of the virtual object.
[0071] The data is converted into JSON and sent to the ESP32-S3. Specifically, Unity uses serial port JSON communication to implement structured displacement or deformation parameter transmission, converting the deformation parameters into JSON format and sending them to the microprocessor unit ESP32-S3 through the serial port.
[0072] The ESP32-S3 parses the JSON data and calculates the motor steps. The microprocessor runs a serial port detection program, waiting for the JSON string sent by Unity on the host computer. After receiving the complete JSON data, it parses the displacement data into an array and calculates the target number of motor steps based on the step angle and lead screw pitch. Specifically, if the actuator is a stepper motor, the motor step count is the number of pulses in the electrical pulse signal used to control the stepper motor's rotation angle. The calculation method for the motor step count is consistent with the actuator step count method described above and will not be repeated here.
[0073] The ESP32-S3 drives the stepper motors to perform displacement. The microprocessor, or ESP32-S3, outputs the motor step count to each stepper motor. This motor step count corresponds to the number of pulses in the electrical pulse signal used to control the stepper motor's rotation angle. The stepper motor then converts the pulse count of the electrical pulse signal into a corresponding angular or linear displacement.
[0074] A stepper motor drives the spherical housing to deform, providing tactile feedback. Timing pulses drive the stepper motor's precise displacement, which translates into sliding movement of the slider assembly in the curved sliding unit. This in turn drives the corresponding position of the spherical housing, providing tactile feedback to the user.
[0075] Tracker tracks hand position in real time and optimizes feedback. Furthermore, using Tracker hand tracking data to track hand position in real time, the positioning and timing of tactile feedback are further optimized, achieving dynamic alignment between virtual and physical space and enhancing the immersiveness of two-handed interaction.
[0076] The user perceives tactile feedback, completing the interaction. At this point, the user's hands touch the deformable surface of the spherical tactile feedback device 1, receiving corresponding tactile feedback, and the tactile feedback interaction at that moment is complete. If the user continues to interact with virtual objects in the virtual reality space, the spherical tactile feedback device and the virtual reality system will continue to calculate and map the virtual object deformation at the next moment, providing the user with continuous tactile feedback. If the user stops interacting, the spherical tactile feedback device 1 stops working.
[0077] In summary, the present invention discloses a spherical tactile feedback device, a driving method, and a virtual reality system, which have the following beneficial effects: By expanding the device's volume through internal structure and multiple actuators, dynamic deformation for two-handed interaction is achieved. This design not only overcomes the limitations of traditional one-handed interaction devices, but also, through its unique spherical structure, enables the device to provide more natural and intuitive two-handed tactile feedback, thereby enhancing the interactive experience in virtual reality spaces.
[0078] Through multiple internally integrated adjustable actuators, the spherical device's shell can dynamically expand and rotate, providing users with multi-directional tactile feedback. This design is primarily used in virtual reality spaces, aiming to enhance the realism and immersion of virtual object interactions by simulating bimanual collaborative operations. The goal is to explore the perceptual threshold of bimanual interaction through the use of this device.
[0079] Through the unique spherical structure and the combination of two-handed interaction, traditional tactile feedback devices are mostly limited to single-handed interaction and fail to fully utilize the natural synergy between the two hands. However, the spherical tactile feedback device of the present invention can provide better tactile feedback through symmetrical or asymmetrical operation of both hands, significantly improving the user's interaction efficiency and the ability to recognize the shape of virtual objects, and enhancing the efficiency of task execution in virtual reality space.
[0080] By leveraging dynamic deformation and multi-directional tactile feedback, the user's sense of immersion and participation in the virtual environment is greatly enhanced. Furthermore, the present invention boasts a simple design structure and intuitive operation, promising promising applications, particularly in virtual reality gaming, education, and remote collaboration.
[0081] It should be understood that the application of the present invention is not limited to the above examples. For those skilled in the art, improvements or changes can be made based on the above description. All these improvements and changes should fall within the scope of protection of the claims attached to the present invention.
Claims
1. A spherical tactile feedback device for tactile feedback in a virtual reality system, characterized in that: include: A spherical housing, at least one actuator, at least one curved sliding unit and a fixed bracket; wherein, The spherical housing includes a plurality of deformable surfaces for tactile interaction; The curved sliding unit is radially arranged in the accommodating space inside the spherical shell, the moving end of the curved sliding unit is connected to the inner surface of the spherical shell, and the curved sliding unit is used to control the deformation of the surface of the spherical shell; The actuator is connected to the fixed end of the curved sliding unit, and is used to provide kinetic energy to the moving end of the curved sliding unit; The fixed bracket is located at the center of the spherical shell and is used to place the actuator. The fixed bracket is fixedly connected to the fixed end of the curved sliding unit. The curved sliding unit is electrically connected to the actuator.
2. The spherical tactile feedback device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The spherical shell is divided into x longitude shells according to longitude, wherein x is greater than or equal to 3.
3. The spherical tactile feedback device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The longitude shell is divided into y latitude shells according to latitude, where y is greater than or equal to 2.
4. The spherical tactile feedback device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The curved surface sliding unit includes: a fixed arm, a linear guide rail, a lead screw and a slider assembly; wherein, The fixed arm includes a first bottom end, a first side wall, and a second side wall arranged along the length direction; the first side wall is arranged at an end of the first bottom end close to the actuator in the length direction, the first side wall is fixedly connected to the fixed bracket, a screw hole is provided on the first side wall, and the screw hole and the through hole of the fixed bracket are coincident in position; the second side wall is arranged at an end of the first bottom end away from the actuator; The linear guide rail is arranged in the first bottom end along the length direction of the fixed arm; One end of the screw rod is connected to the actuator, and the other end of the screw rod is rotatably connected to the second side wall through the through hole of the fixing bracket and the screw rod hole, and the screw rod and the rotating axis of the actuator are arranged collinearly; The slider assembly is provided with a transmission hole, and the slider assembly is sleeved on the screw rod through the transmission hole; the side of the slider assembly close to the first bottom end is slidably connected to the linear guide rail, and when the screw rod rotates, the slider assembly slides along the direction of the linear guide rail.
5. The spherical tactile feedback device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also includes a turntable and pedestal; The turntable is electrically connected to the actuator and connected to the fixed bracket, and is used to drive the fixed bracket to rotate in the circumferential direction; The top of the base is rotatably connected to the turntable, and is used to fix and support the turntable to rotate freely.
6. A method for driving a spherical tactile feedback device, for driving the spherical tactile feedback device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: include: receiving a deformation parameter and decomposing the deformation parameter into a plurality of discrete points; The deformation parameters are used to describe the deformation state of the virtual object in the virtual reality space, and the discrete points are target positions to which the deformable surface corresponding to the spherical tactile feedback device needs to be displaced; Collecting the current position information of the actuator, and calculating the actuator control instruction based on the current position information and the target position; driving the actuator according to an actuator control instruction, thereby driving the deformable surface of the spherical shell to move to a target position; Update the actuator's current position cache.
7. The driving method of the spherical tactile feedback device according to claim 6, wherein: The step of collecting the current position information of the actuator and calculating the actuator control instruction according to the current position information and the target position includes: Collect the current position information and target position of the actuator; Using a motion interpolation algorithm on the current position information and the target position, the motion trajectory of the curved sliding unit is calculated to obtain a smooth acceleration and deceleration curve; The actuator control instruction is obtained according to the acceleration and deceleration smooth curve.
8. A virtual reality system, characterized in that: The virtual reality system comprises a spherical tactile feedback device and a microprocessor unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5; wherein, The serial communication interface of the microprocessor unit is connected to the host computer and is used to receive deformation parameters, wherein the deformation parameters are used to describe the deformation state of the virtual object in the virtual reality space, and the microprocessor unit obtains the actuator control instruction according to the deformation parameters; The spherical tactile feedback device is connected to the microprocessor unit and is used to receive the actuator control instruction and control the actuator according to the actuator control instruction to drive the deformable surface to move to the corresponding target position.
9. The virtual reality system according to claim 8, characterized in that It also includes a head-mounted display unit and a motion capture unit; The motion capture unit is used to track the movement of the user in space and track the position of the user's hand in real time; the motion capture unit includes: a first spatial positioning tracking structure and a second spatial positioning tracking structure, the first spatial positioning tracking structure and the second spatial positioning tracking structure are used to track the position coordinate information of the user's hand in space and send the position coordinate information of the hand to the host computer; the spherical tactile feedback device has a feedback device positioning structure; the motion capture unit tracks the position coordinate information of the feedback device positioning structure in space and sends the position coordinate information of the feedback device positioning structure to the host computer; The hand position coordinate information is used to simulate the user's hand position in the virtual reality space, and the feedback device positioning structure position coordinate information is used to simulate the position of the virtual object in the virtual reality space; receiving the hand position coordinate information and the feedback device positioning structure position coordinate information transmitted by the first and second space positioning tracking structures, calculating the relative position of the user's hand position and the spherical tactile feedback device, and constructing a model of the virtual object and the virtual hand in the virtual reality space; The head-mounted display unit is used to collect image information of the virtual reality space and display it to the user.
10. The virtual reality system according to claim 9, wherein: The microprocessor unit is further configured to predict touch intention by analyzing the user's hand motion trajectory in real time, and drive the spherical housing to move radially to a target position corresponding to a virtual object in the virtual reality world; The spherical tactile feedback device also has a turntable deflection angle positioning structure, which is used to locate the deflection angle of the turntable. The spherical tactile feedback device is based on an intelligent predictive control algorithm. It predicts the touch intention by real-time analysis of the user's hand movement trajectory, drives the turntable to drive the spherical shell to move circumferentially to the target position corresponding to the virtual object in the virtual reality world.
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