A spherical haptic feedback device, driving method, and virtual reality system

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of virtual reality, and especially relates to a spherical haptic feedback device, a driving method and a virtual reality system, the spherical haptic feedback device is used for virtual reality operation feedback, and comprises a spherical shell, at least one actuator, at least one curved surface sliding unit and a fixed support; the spherical shell comprises a plurality of deformable surfaces used for haptic interaction; the curved surface sliding unit is arranged in a containing space inside the spherical shell in a radial direction, and is used for controlling the deformation of the outer surface of the spherical shell; the actuator is used for providing kinetic energy for a movement end of the curved surface sliding unit; the fixed support is located at a spherical center position of the spherical shell, the fixed support is located at the spherical center position of the spherical shell, and is used for arranging the actuator, the present application provides haptic feedback through the volume change of the spherical haptic feedback device, realizes multidimensional dynamic deformation, and improves the three-dimensional relationship perception experience and interactive experience of a user in a virtual reality space.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of virtual reality technology, and more particularly to a spherical haptic feedback device, a driving method, and a virtual reality system. Background Technology

[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 and immersive experience in virtual reality. Haptic feedback technology, as an important component of this, aims to enhance the user's interactive experience through haptic feedback, especially in virtual reality.

[0003] Spherical haptic feedback devices, due to their unique shape and multi-directional feedback capabilities, can provide a wider range of haptic feedback, exhibiting changes in multiple directions. Theoretically, this can enhance the user's interactive experience with virtual objects in a virtual reality system. Specifically, by simulating the force feedback of holding or squeezing a spherical virtual object, it provides virtual reality users with a multi-layered haptic experience, from surface texture to dynamic resistance. However, most current haptic feedback devices are designed for single-handed interaction. Because single-handed interaction lacks relative position and distance references, 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 virtual reality experience.

[0004] Therefore, existing technologies still need to be improved and developed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide a spherical haptic 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, thus affecting the virtual reality experience.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a spherical haptic feedback device for haptic feedback in a virtual reality system, comprising: a spherical shell, at least one actuator, at least one curved sliding unit, and a fixed support; wherein...

[0008] The spherical shell includes several deformable surfaces for tactile interaction;

[0009] The curved sliding unit is radially disposed 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. The curved sliding unit is used to control the deformation of the surface of the spherical shell.

[0010] 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;

[0011] The fixed bracket is located at the center of the spherical shell and is used to house 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.

[0012] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the spherical outer shell is divided into x longitude shells, wherein x is greater than or equal to 3.

[0013] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the longitude shell is divided into y latitude shells, wherein y is greater than or equal to 2.

[0014] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the curved sliding unit includes: a fixed arm, a linear guide rail, a lead screw, and a slider assembly; wherein,

[0015] The fixed arm includes a first bottom end, a first side wall, and a second side wall arranged along its length. A settling groove is provided on the first bottom end. The first side wall is located at the end of the first bottom end that is close to the actuator along its length. The first side wall is fixedly connected to the fixed bracket. A lead screw hole is provided on the first side wall, and the position of the lead screw hole coincides with the through hole of the fixed bracket. The second side wall is located at the end of the first bottom end that is away from the actuator and abuts against the spherical shell.

[0016] The linear guide rail is arranged in the settling tank along the length direction of the fixed arm;

[0017] One end of the lead screw is connected to the actuator, and the other end of the lead screw is rotatably connected to the second sidewall through the through hole and lead screw hole of the fixed bracket. The shafts of the lead screw and the actuator are arranged collinearly.

[0018] The slider assembly is provided with a transmission hole, and the slider assembly is sleeved on the lead screw through the transmission hole; the side of the slider assembly near the first bottom end is slidably connected to the linear guide rail, and when the lead screw rotates, the slider assembly slides along the direction of the linear guide rail.

[0019] A further embodiment of the present invention includes a turntable and a base;

[0020] The turntable is electrically connected to the actuator and to the fixed bracket, and is used to drive the fixed bracket to rotate circumferentially;

[0021] The top of the base is rotatably connected to the turntable, which is used to fix and support the turntable to rotate freely.

[0022] Secondly, the present invention also provides a driving method for a spherical haptic feedback device, comprising:

[0023] The deformation parameters are received and decomposed into several discrete points; the deformation parameters are used to describe the deformation state of virtual objects in virtual reality space, and the discrete points are the target positions to which the deformable surface corresponding to the spherical haptic feedback device needs to be displaced.

[0024] Collect the current position information of the actuator, and calculate the actuator control command based on the current position information and the target position;

[0025] The actuator is driven according to the actuator control command, thereby driving the deformable surface of the spherical shell to displace to the target position;

[0026] Update the executor's current position cache.

[0027] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the step of acquiring the current position information of the actuator and calculating the actuator control command based on the current position information and the target position includes:

[0028] Collect the current position information of the actuator and the target position;

[0029] 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 / deceleration curve;

[0030] The actuator control command is obtained based on the acceleration / deceleration smoothing curve.

[0031] Thirdly, the present invention also provides a virtual reality system, the virtual reality system including the spherical haptic feedback device and the microprocessor unit as described above; wherein, the serial communication interface of the microprocessor unit is connected to a host computer for receiving deformation parameters, the deformation parameters being used to describe the deformation state of virtual objects in the virtual reality space, and the microprocessor unit obtaining actuator control commands based on the deformation parameters;

[0032] The spherical tactile feedback device is connected to the microprocessor unit and is used to receive the actuator control command and control the actuator according to the actuator control command to drive the deformable surface to the corresponding target position.

[0033] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the virtual reality system also includes a head-mounted display unit and a motion capture unit;

[0034] The motion capture unit is used to track the user's movement in space and track the user's hand position in real time. The motion capture unit includes a first spatial positioning and tracking structure and a second spatial positioning and tracking structure. The first and second spatial positioning and tracking structures are used to track the position coordinates of the user's hand in space and send the position coordinates of the hand to the host computer. At the same time, the spherical haptic feedback device has a feedback device positioning structure. The motion capture unit tracks the position coordinates of the feedback device positioning structure in space and sends the position coordinates of the feedback device positioning structure to the host computer.

[0035] The hand position coordinate information 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 system receives the hand position coordinate information and the feedback device positioning structure position coordinate information transmitted by the first spatial positioning tracking structure and the second spatial positioning tracking structure, calculates the relative position of the user's hand and the spherical haptic feedback device, and constructs models of virtual objects and virtual hands in the virtual reality space;

[0036] The head-mounted display unit is used to collect image information from the virtual reality space and display it to the user.

[0037] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the microprocessor unit is used to predict the touch intention by analyzing the user's hand movement trajectory in real time, and drive the spherical shell to move radially to the target position corresponding to the virtual object in the virtual reality world;

[0038] The spherical haptic feedback device also has a turntable deflection angle positioning structure, which is used to locate the deflection angle of the turntable. The spherical haptic feedback device is based on an intelligent predictive control algorithm, which predicts the touch intention by analyzing the user's hand movement trajectory in real time, and drives the turntable to move the spherical shell along the circumferential direction to the target position corresponding to the virtual object in the virtual reality world.

[0039] This invention provides a spherical haptic feedback device, a driving method, and a virtual reality system. The spherical haptic feedback device, used for haptic feedback in a virtual reality system, includes: a spherical shell, at least one actuator, at least one curved sliding unit, and a fixed support. The spherical shell includes a plurality of deformable surfaces for haptic interaction. The curved sliding unit is radially disposed within an accommodating space inside the spherical shell, and its moving end is connected to the inner surface of the spherical shell. The curved sliding unit controls the deformation of the surface of the spherical shell. The actuator is connected to the fixed end of the curved sliding unit and provides kinetic energy to the moving end of the curved sliding unit. The fixed support is located at the center of the spherical shell and is used to house the actuator. The fixed support is fixedly connected to the fixed end of the curved sliding unit, and the curved sliding unit and the actuator are electrically connected. This invention provides tactile feedback through the volume change of the spherical shell of the spherical tactile feedback device, realizing multi-directional dynamic deformation, enabling perception and exploration from multiple angles and dimensions. It is suitable for virtual reality tactile perception under two-handed interaction, enhancing the perception of three-dimensional relationships and interactive experience in virtual reality. Attached Figure Description

[0040] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0041] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the spherical tactile feedback device in this invention.

[0042] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the spherical shell of the spherical tactile feedback device in this invention.

[0043] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the curved surface sliding unit in this invention.

[0044] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the virtual reality system in this invention.

[0045] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the workflow of a virtual reality system in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating a driving method for a spherical haptic feedback device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 7This is a flowchart illustrating a driving method for a spherical haptic feedback device in a further embodiment of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the curved sliding unit in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the installation structure of the deformable surface and curved sliding unit in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the spherical shell structure in a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of a virtual reality system in a further embodiment of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] The following are the labels in the attached diagram: 1. Spherical haptic 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. Lead screw hole; 132. Linear guide rail; 133. Lead 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 Implementation

[0053] This invention provides a spherical haptic feedback device, a driving method, and a virtual reality system. To make the objectives, technical solutions, and effects of this invention clearer and more explicit, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0054] In the implementation methods and claims, unless otherwise specified in the text, the terms "a," "an," "the," and "the" may also include plural forms. If the embodiments of the present invention involve descriptions of "first," "second," etc., such descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features.

[0055] It should be further understood that the term "comprising" as used in this specification means 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 say an element is "connected" or "coupled" to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or there may be intermediate elements. Furthermore, "connected" or "coupled" as used herein can include wireless connections or wireless coupling. The term "and / or" as used herein includes all or any unit and all combinations of one or more associated listed items.

[0056] It will be understood by those skilled in the art that, unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. It should also be understood that terms such as those defined in general dictionaries should be understood to have the same meaning as in the context of the prior art, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless specifically defined as herein.

[0057] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only if they are feasible for those skilled in the art. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0058] Virtual reality (VR) technology is a computer-simulated 3D environment that allows users to immerse themselves in and interact with a completely virtual world. Increasing research focuses on providing users with a more realistic and immersive experience in VR. VR technology, combined with haptic feedback devices, can provide users with haptic feedback alongside visual and auditory experiences, enabling a more multi-sensory experience. Haptic feedback technology, as a key component, aims to enhance the user's interactive experience through haptic feedback. The inventors have found that current haptic feedback devices mostly focus on single-handed interaction or handheld controllers, such as simulating surgical procedures with single-handed instruments in the medical field, or remote control simulations in space or the deep sea. This makes their performance less than satisfactory when simulating multi-tasking and complex environmental interactions, failing to fully utilize the advantages of hand-eye coordination.

[0059] Spherical haptic feedback devices have gradually attracted researchers' interest due to their unique shape and multi-directional feedback capabilities. Spherical devices can provide a wider range of haptic feedback, varying in multiple directions, theoretically enhancing the user's interactive experience with virtual objects. However, although some spherical devices have explored interactivity and operability, much research remains focused on the design of spherical robots, lacking research on hand-eye coordination, especially how to improve the accuracy and immersive experience of haptic feedback through hand-eye interaction in virtual reality.

[0060] Among existing technologies, static surface displays and dynamic surface displays are two common types. Static surfaces maintain a fixed shape or surface, suitable for simple haptic feedback scenarios, but they have poor interactivity and struggle to provide dynamically changing haptic experiences. In contrast, dynamic surface displays can change shape in real time according to the needs of the virtual environment, thus providing richer haptic feedback. However, most existing dynamic surface systems are primarily designed for one-handed interaction, which limits the potential for two-handed interaction. Although some research has attempted to utilize dynamic surface technology in virtual reality to enhance immersion, it typically focuses more on one-handed interaction, especially for the dominant hand, without fully considering the enhancing effect of two-handed interaction on the haptic experience and the impact of two-handed interaction on human tactile perception.

[0061] To resolve the aforementioned technical problems in the prior art, please refer to Figure 4 This invention provides a virtual reality system, comprising a microprocessor unit 2 and a spherical haptic feedback device 1. The serial communication interface of the microprocessor unit 2 is connected to a host computer for receiving deformation parameters, which describe the deformation state of virtual objects in the virtual reality space. The microprocessor unit 2 obtains actuator control commands based on the deformation parameters. The spherical haptic feedback device 1 is connected to the microprocessor unit 2 for receiving the actuator control commands and controlling the actuator 12 according to the commands to drive the deformable surface to a corresponding target position. Further, the virtual reality system may also include a host computer 3. The host computer 3 communicates with the microprocessor unit 2 to construct a virtual reality space and provide users with interaction with virtual objects within that space. Specifically, the virtual reality space can be built using the Unity engine. The virtual reality space contains models of virtual objects and virtual hands. The virtual objects are virtual objects with an approximate spherical shape in the virtual reality space, and the virtual hands are models used in the virtual reality space to indicate the position of the user's hand. When the virtual objects collide with the virtual hands, the virtual objects in the virtual reality space exhibit different states and degrees of deformation according to different collision methods, and at the same time generate deformation parameters corresponding to the deformation.

[0062] For details, please continue reading Figure 4 The microcontroller unit includes a microcontroller chip 21 and a stepper motor drive module 22. The microcontroller chip 21 is connected to a host computer 3 and is used to receive deformation parameters related to the deformation of virtual objects in the virtual reality screen from the host computer 3, and convert them into drive commands for controlling the spherical haptic feedback device 1, thereby mapping the shape changes of the virtual object onto the shape changes of the spherical haptic feedback device 1 in real space. One end of the stepper motor drive module 22 is connected to the microcontroller chip 21, and the other end is connected to the spherical haptic feedback device 1, and is used to convert the drive commands into actuator control commands. Specifically, the microcontroller chip 21 is an ESP32-S3. When high-frequency data transmission is not required, the performance of the ESP32-S3 is sufficient to meet the task requirements. However, if more efficient data processing capabilities are needed, 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 connects to the virtual reality space via serial communication, and the other end of the microcontroller unit connects to a stepper motor drive module, which can be a DRV8428. This enables multi-motor coordinated control based on the deformation parameters of virtual objects in the virtual reality space.

[0063] Please refer to the above as well. Figure 1 and Figure 2 This invention provides a spherical haptic feedback device 1 for haptic feedback in a virtual reality system, comprising: a spherical shell 11, at least one actuator 12, at least one curved sliding unit 13, and a fixed support 14; wherein, the spherical shell 11 includes a plurality of deformable surfaces for haptic interaction; the curved sliding unit 13 is radially disposed in an 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 support 14 is located at the center of the spherical shell 11 and is used to house the actuator 12, the fixed support 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.

[0064] Specifically, the spherical haptic feedback device 1 is used to provide haptic feedback when a user interacts with a spherical virtual object in a virtual reality space. When the spherical haptic feedback device 1 is working, the spherical virtual object maps the position of the virtual object to the spherical shell 11 of the spherical haptic feedback device 1 in various directions. When the actuator 12 and the curved surface sliding unit 13 are working, they slide back and forth along the radial direction of the sphere, causing the corresponding surface of the spherical shell 11 to move radially, thereby realizing the expansion and contraction of the corresponding curved surface position of the spherical shell 11. The spherical shell 11 can also be selected from other deformable surfaces, such as cubes, cylinders, or other geometric polyhedra, and provide haptic feedback in different directions through specific design combinations. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a transmission arm perpendicular to the curved surface is provided inside the deformable surface of the spherical shell 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 surface sliding unit 13. When the curved surface sliding unit 13 moves, the transmission arm drives the deformable surface to move.

[0065] Further, the spherical outer shell 11 is divided into x longitude shells 110 according to longitude, where x is greater than or equal to 3. The longitude shells 110 are arranged around the fixed bracket 14 along the latitudinal circumference direction. In this preferred embodiment, the number of deformable surfaces is the total number of longitude shells 110. The shape of each longitude shell 110 is a spherical curved surface with a circular arc cross-section along the longitude circumference direction. The surface areas of the multiple longitude shells 110 can be the same or different, and the longitude shells 110 can form a complete spherical shell. It should be noted that the shell is used to realize the dynamic deformation function. The number of longitude shells 110 can be increased as needed to increase the deformation accuracy, so that the spherical haptic feedback device can deform into more complex shapes. The shapes are formed by the radial position changes of the longitude shells 110 in each direction, resulting in protrusions or depressions, thereby providing subtle tactile sensations for the user's hand interaction process.

[0066] Further, please refer to Figure 10The longitude shell 110 includes a first longitude shell, a second longitude shell, a third longitude shell, and a fourth longitude shell. The first, second, third, and fourth longitude shells are arranged around the fixed bracket 14 along the latitudinal circumference direction, forming an approximately spherical shell. In this preferred embodiment, the spherical shell is composed of four longitude shells 110, that is, four deformable surfaces. The inner surface of each longitude shell 110 is connected to the curved sliding unit 13. Specifically, the curved sliding unit 13 moves radially along the spherical shell. The projections of the curved sliding units 13 of the first, second, third, and fourth longitude shells onto the equatorial plane of the spherical shell 11 are perpendicular to each other, so that each longitude shell 110 can change in four directions in the horizontal direction.

[0067] Further, the longitude shell 110 is divided into y latitude shells 1101, where y is greater than or equal to 2, and the latitude shells 1101 are arranged on the fixed bracket 14 along the longitude circumference direction. In a further embodiment of this preferred embodiment, different regions of the longitude shell 110 are divided into different latitude shells 1101, and the latitude shells 1101 are located at different latitudes of the spherical shell 11. Therefore, the number of deformable surfaces is the total number of all latitude shells 1101 in each longitude shell 110.

[0068] For example, please continue to 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 with the internal curved sliding unit 13. The curved sliding unit 13 is divided into three layers from top to bottom at different latitudes: an upper layer, a middle layer, and a lower layer, realizing multi-angle deformation of the spherical shell 11 in the vertical direction. It should be noted that the shell is used to realize the dynamic deformation function. The number of latitude shells 1101 and longitude shells 110 can be increased as needed, thereby increasing the deformation accuracy and enabling the spherical haptic feedback device to deform into more complex shapes, providing subtle tactile sensations for the user's 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. Meanwhile, the latitude of the latitude shell 1101 is used to describe the latitudinal position of the center of the corresponding latitude shell 1101 on the spherical shell 11, that is, the connection point between the curved sliding unit and the latitude shell 1101 and / or the connection point between the transmission arm and the deformable surface are at different latitudes of the spherical shell 11. Specifically, any longitude shell 110 is divided into y latitude shells 1101 in the direction from the North Pole to the South Pole of the spherical shell 11, allowing users to contact the spherical haptic feedback device 1 from different angles to achieve two-handed interaction.

[0069] Please refer to the above as well. Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 , Figure 3 The left figure 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 lead screw 133, and a slider assembly 134; wherein, the fixed arm 131 is... Figure 3 As shown in the shaded area 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 its length. A settling groove is provided on the first bottom end 1311. The first side wall 1312 is located at the end of the first bottom end 1311 closest to the actuator 12 along its length and is fixedly connected to the fixed bracket 14. A lead screw hole 1314 is provided on the first side wall 1312, and the position of the lead screw hole 1314 coincides with the through hole of the fixed bracket 14. The second side wall 1313 is located at the end of the first bottom end 1311 away from the actuator 12 and abuts against the spherical shell 11. The linear guide rail 132 runs along the fixed... The arm 131 is positioned along its length in the settling tank; one end of the lead screw 133 is connected to the actuator 12, and the other end of the lead screw 133 is rotatably connected to the second sidewall 1313 through the through hole of the fixed bracket 14 and the lead screw hole 1314. The axis of rotation of the lead screw 133 and the actuator 12 are collinear; the slider assembly 134 is provided with a transmission hole, and the curved sliding unit 13 is sleeved on the lead screw 133 through the transmission hole. At the same time, the side of the slider assembly 134 near the first bottom end 1311 is slidably connected to the linear guide rail 132. When the lead screw 133 rotates, the slider assembly 134 slides along the direction of the linear guide rail 132.

[0070] Specifically, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 9The actuator 12 employs a stepper motor to control the deformation of the spherical shell 11. The amplitude and speed of deformation can be precisely controlled by adjusting the motor's speed and step size. For higher precision or lower noise, a servo motor can be used instead. Each actuator 12 is evenly distributed on the fixed support 14 of the spherical device. Based on a preset step angle and mechanical transmission ratio, digital commands are converted into precise pulse signals, ensuring the deformation accuracy and real-time response capability of the device. When the rotor driving the actuator 12 rotates the lead screw 133, the transmission hole of the slider assembly 134 converts the rotational motion of the motor and lead screw 133 into the reciprocating motion of the slider assembly 134 relative to the linear guide rail 132. Specifically, the transmission hole of the slider assembly 134 contains a ball bearing structure located between the external threads of the lead screw 133. When the lead screw 133 rotates, the balls rotate relative to it, thus converting the axial rotation of the lead screw 133 into the movement of the slider assembly 134 along the linear guide rail 132. The slider assembly 134 is fixedly connected to the transmission arm inside the deformable surface. When the slider assembly 134 slides along the direction of the linear guide rail 132, it drives the transmission arm to move accordingly, thereby causing the corresponding deformable surface 111 to move synchronously, realizing precise transmission from the actuator 12 to the deformable surface 111. The direction of movement of the slider assembly 134 is determined by the thread direction of the lead screw 133 and the rotation direction of the rotor of the actuator 12. How the lead screw 133 and the slider assembly 134 convert rotational motion into linear motion is a conventional technique in the art, and will not be elaborated here. The control system calculates the motion trajectory and force of each actuator 12 through a precise algorithm, thereby providing tactile feedback for various virtual objects.

[0071] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a limit switch (not shown in the figure) may also be provided on the first sidewall 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 sidewall 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, thereby realizing that the position of the actuator 12 can be automatically zeroed, reducing the displacement error of the actuator 12 and the curved surface sliding unit 13 during use.

[0072] In a further embodiment of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the spherical haptic feedback device 1 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, facilitating user contact with the spherical shell 11 from multiple dimensions. The turntable 15 and the fixed bracket 14 can be fixedly connected or detachably connected, facilitating the disassembly and installation of the spherical haptic feedback device 1. The microprocessor unit 2 can be disposed in the base 16 of the spherical haptic feedback device 1 and electrically connected to the actuator in the fixed bracket 14, or it can be disposed in other locations such as the fixed bracket 14. Meanwhile, 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, and the turntable 15 can be driven to move the spherical shell circumferentially by controlling the actuator 12.

[0073] Further, please refer to Figure 11 In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the virtual reality system based on the spherical haptic 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 user's movement in space and track the user's hand position 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 haptic 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 system receives coordinate information and sends the position coordinate information of the feedback device positioning structure to the host computer 3; the position coordinate information of the hand is used to simulate the position of the user's hand 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; it receives the position coordinate information of the hand and the position coordinate information of the feedback device positioning structure transmitted by the first spatial positioning tracking structure 51 and the second spatial positioning tracking structure 52, calculates the relative position of the user's hand and the spherical haptic feedback device 1, and constructs models of virtual objects and virtual hands 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.

[0074] Specifically, the motion capture system of the present invention adopts an external design. The first spatial positioning and tracking structure 51 and the second spatial positioning and tracking structure 52 can be motion capture devices such as Trackers (custom trackers). Trackers can track the position of objects by binding them to objects in the real world. 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 and tracking structure 51 and the second spatial positioning and tracking structure 52 can be used to locate and map the positions of the left and right hands in virtual reality space, respectively, or more spatial positioning and tracking structures can be used to enable users to perform more complex hand movements in virtual reality space. The first spatial positioning and tracking structure 51 and the second spatial positioning and tracking structure 52 can be set on the user's arm, wrist, or palm surface, etc. As long as the position coordinate information of the user's hand in space can be directly or indirectly obtained and tracked, the first spatial positioning and tracking structure 51 and the second spatial positioning and tracking structure 52 can be located at any position on the user's body surface, and the present invention does not impose any restrictions. The data is transmitted to the main control system (ESP32-S3) via Unity and coordinated with the haptic feedback module of the spherical haptic feedback device 1 to ensure that the deformation of the virtual object surface matches the actual touch position of the user in space.

[0075] The spherical haptic feedback device 1 of this invention enables natural interaction between the user and the virtual environment through haptic feedback. Specifically, the user wears a Tracker, and the system tracks the hand's position in real time. When the virtual hand collides with a virtual object, the spherical haptic feedback device 1 drives surface displacement via an internal motor, providing corresponding haptic feedback. This invention is not only applicable to the aforementioned interaction in virtual reality but can also be extended to multiple fields such as education, entertainment, and remote collaboration. For example, in educational applications, the spherical haptic 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; and in remote collaboration, it can be used to improve operational efficiency and accuracy through haptic feedback.

[0076] Furthermore, in a further embodiment of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the microprocessor unit 2 is used to predict the touch intention by analyzing the user's hand movement trajectory in real time, and drive the spherical shell 11 to move radially to the target position corresponding to the virtual object in the virtual reality world; the spherical haptic feedback device 1 also has a turntable deflection angle positioning structure, which is used to position the deflection angle of the turntable 15. The spherical haptic feedback device 1 is based on an intelligent predictive control algorithm, which predicts the touch intention by analyzing the user's hand movement trajectory in real time, and drives the turntable 15, thereby causing the spherical shell 11 to move circumferentially to the target position corresponding to the 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, which predicts the touch intention by analyzing the user's hand movement trajectory in real time, and drives the turntable 15 to move the spherical shell 11 circumferentially to the target position corresponding to the virtual object in the virtual reality world. The motion capture unit 5 collects the user's hand movement trajectory, as well as other parameters such as the user's hand spatial position and posture. Combined with pre-stored historical hand movement trajectories, a predictive model for the hand movement trajectory is established to predict the user's hand movement trajectory at the target location. This allows the device to drive the turntable 15 to rotate to the designated position when the user attempts to interact with the virtual object at the gap of the corresponding spherical haptic feedback device 1, thereby providing the user with better haptic feedback.

[0077] It should be noted that the spherical outer shell 11 is divided into several longitude shells 110 along the longitude direction. The sum of the central angles corresponding to the arcs of each longitude shell 110 on the equatorial plane of the spherical outer shell 11 can be equal to 360° or less than 360°. When the sum of the central angles of the longitude shells 110 is less than 360°, there is a gap between the longitude shells 110 of the spherical outer shell 11. In this case, the upper spherical outer shell 11 is rotated by the actuator 12 of the drive turntable 15 to compensate for this gap. Thus, when the user's hand touches the position where the gap originally existed, the spherical haptic feedback device 1 rotates in any direction until the hand touches the position with the longitude shells 110, so that the user will not touch the gap between the longitude shells 110 during interaction, reducing the printing cost of the spherical outer shell 11. On the other hand, the motors that are closely arranged inside the spherical shell may overheat if they work continuously for a long time. By setting a gap between the longitude shells 110 for heat dissipation and motor protection, heat dissipation can be achieved to a certain extent.

[0078] This invention explains the relationship between the spherical haptic feedback device 1 and the virtual reality system through the working process of the spherical haptic feedback device 1 and the virtual reality system.

[0079] The core of the spherical haptic feedback device 1 described in this invention is a spherical shell 11, which is composed of multiple curved surfaces used to map the shape changes of virtual objects in virtual reality space. Each curved surface is controlled by a built-in actuator 12 to achieve dynamic surface rendering, and the range of motion of each curved surface can be precisely adjusted by the control system, enabling it to present different shapes in the virtual environment and provide multi-directional haptic feedback. To achieve dynamic deformation, the spherical haptic feedback device 1 is equipped with multiple stepper motors, each of which drives a slider assembly 134 connected to the curved surface through a set of linear guides 132. The range of motion 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 using a precise algorithm. Furthermore, the spherical haptic feedback device 1 uses an ESP32-S3 as the main control unit, and the control system communicates with the stepper motor drive module DRV8428 through a custom PCB. The system structure diagram is shown below. Figure 2 As shown, the ESP32-S3 communicates serially with the VR application. For example, the VR application can be built using the Unity engine to ensure real-time synchronization between the shape changes of virtual objects and haptic 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 haptic feedback device 1, thereby achieving precise two-handed interaction.

[0080] Specifically, based on the same inventive concept, please refer to [the relevant source]. Figure 6 and Figure 7 The present invention also provides a driving method for a spherical haptic feedback device, comprising:

[0081] S100. Receive deformation parameters and decompose the deformation parameters into several discrete points; the deformation parameters are used to describe the deformation state of virtual objects in virtual reality space, and the discrete points are the target positions to which the deformable surface corresponding to the spherical haptic feedback device needs to be displaced.

[0082] Specifically, there is a mapping between the positions of virtual objects in the virtual reality space and the spherical haptic feedback device. The deformation parameters of the virtual object come from the VR application on the host computer. These deformation parameters are the shape parameters of the target deformation state, and are decomposed into several discrete points. Each point corresponds to a deformable surface on the spherical shell, i.e., a certain local curved surface of the shell. Simultaneously, each point corresponds to an actuator 12, and each actuator 12 corresponds to a driving slider on the spherical surface. Its displacement corresponds to the height of the local deformation of the deformable surface at that position. Thus, 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, i.e., the linear displacement ΔL of the deformable surface, forming the three-dimensional shape of the entire spherical shell.

[0083] S200: Collect the current position information of the actuator, and calculate the actuator control command based on the current position information and the target position;

[0084] In virtual reality (VR) space, based on the geometry of virtual objects and user interaction, the shape changes of virtual objects according to the user's interaction methods can be obtained. It should be noted that simulating the deformation of virtual objects under different stress states through algorithms in VR space to make them exhibit physical properties close to those in real space, thereby making the VR space more realistic, is a well-known existing technology in the field, and will not be elaborated upon here. Based on the deformation of virtual objects under different stress states, the linear displacement ΔL of the virtual surface at each driving point is calculated. i The linear displacements of each driving point are stored in array L as an array. The displacement at each driving point is the linear displacement output by the actuator 12 controlling the corresponding position in the mapped spherical haptic feedback device 1. 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 haptic feedback device 1. The array is encapsulated in JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) format and sent to the spherical haptic feedback device via serial port. The spherical haptic feedback device converts the linear displacement into the number of steps of the corresponding actuator 12.

[0085] Among them, the number of steps n of a single actuator 12 i The linear displacement ΔL at the corresponding position on the virtual object i The calculation formula between them is:

[0086] ;

[0087] Where θ is the actuator distance angle, p is the lead screw, and i is the reduction ratio. The calculated n i This refers to the number of rotations required for actuator 12 to reach the corresponding position. For example, the actuator step angle θ is 1.8°, the lead screw p is designed to be 2mm, and the actuator 12 has no reduction mechanism; the reduction ratio i is 1. Then the linear displacement ΔL... i The number of steps n of actuator 12 when the length is 1cm i The value is 1000, thus the linear displacement of actuator 12 can be precisely adjusted by controlling the number of rotation steps.

[0088] S300: Drive the actuator according to the actuator control command, thereby driving the deformable surface of the spherical shell to the target position;

[0089] Specifically, the microprocessor unit runs a serial port detection program, waits for the JSON string to be sent, and after receiving the complete JSON data, calls a JSON parsing library to parse the displacement data and restore it into an array L containing linear displacement parameters of each position of the virtual object. The current actuator position n_current_i is then obtained, where n_current_i is the number of steps since the actuator 12 completed its last movement.

[0090] For each executor, calculate the step difference based on the current executor position n_current_i:

[0091] Δn i =n i -n_current_i, and use the calculation result to determine whether the movement direction of actuator 12 is positive or negative.

[0092] By using a hardware timer or PWM interface, corresponding pulse signals are output to the DRV8428 actuator. Each pulse drives the actuator 12 to rotate one step. Based on the number of execution steps at different positions, the rotation angle of the actuator 12 and the displacement distance of the curved sliding unit can be determined. Furthermore, the movement speed can be controlled by the pulse frequency to ensure smooth control of the curved sliding unit and the deformable surface fixedly connected to it, making it move synchronously with virtual objects in virtual reality.

[0093] S400, Update the executor's current position cache.

[0094] 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 a value according to the actuator position. The actuator driving method in the turntable 15 is similar to the driving method of the corresponding actuator of the curved surface sliding unit described above, which also obtains the actuator control command by calculating the step difference, and will not be described in detail here.

[0095] For example, to avoid excessive current peaks caused by simultaneous start-up of stepper motors, the microprocessor unit in this application can implement motion queue management through software to drive some motors in different time periods.

[0096] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the step of acquiring the current position information of the actuator and calculating the actuator control command based on the current position information and the target position includes:

[0097] S210. Collect the current position information of the actuator and the target position;

[0098] S220. Using a motion interpolation algorithm on the current position information and the target position, calculate the motion trajectory of the curved surface sliding unit to obtain an acceleration / deceleration smooth curve;

[0099] S230. Based on the acceleration / deceleration smoothing curve, the actuator control command is obtained.

[0100] The actuator's current and target positions are determined by a motion interpolation algorithm, which allows for smooth acceleration and deceleration curves, reducing sudden speed changes during deformation and enhancing the user's tactile experience. Furthermore, by combining real-time hand data from a tracker, target deformation parameters can be adjusted to achieve dynamic response of the surface morphology. The microprocessor unit can be an ESP32-S3, a high-performance microcontroller (MCU) chip designed for Artificial Intelligence & Internet of Things (AIoT) applications, widely used in smart homes, wearable devices, and industrial IoT.

[0101] Please refer to the above as well. Figure 4 and Figure 5 The following section uses the ESP32-S3 microprocessor unit as an example to explain the workflow of the spherical haptic feedback device in a virtual reality system.

[0102] Specifically, the user activates the VR environment. A mapping relationship is established between the microprocessor unit located at the spherical haptic feedback device and the virtual objects in the virtual reality space of the host computer. The surface deformation of the virtual objects triggers deformation at the corresponding position of the spherical haptic feedback device.

[0103] Subsequently, Unity calculates the deformation of the virtual objects. When a user interacts with virtual objects in the virtual reality space, Unity calculates the deformation of the virtual objects within the constructed virtual reality space and obtains the deformation parameters at various locations of the virtual objects.

[0104] The data is converted to JSON and sent to the ESP32-S3. Specifically, Unity uses serial JSON communication to transmit structured displacement or deformation parameters, converting the deformation parameters into JSON format and sending them to the microprocessor unit ESP32-S3 via serial port.

[0105] The ESP32-S3 parses JSON data and calculates the motor steps. The ESP32-S3 microprocessor runs a serial port detection program, waiting for a 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. Specifically, the actuator is a stepper motor, and the number of motor steps is the number of electrical pulses used to control the stepper motor to rotate by a corresponding angle. The calculation method for the motor steps is the same as the actuator step count calculation method described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0106] The ESP32-S3 drives the stepper motors to perform displacement. The microprocessor unit, namely the ESP32-S3, outputs the motor step count to each stepper motor. The motor step count is consistent with the number of pulses in the electrical pulse signal used to control the stepper motor to rotate at a corresponding angle. The stepper motor converts the number of pulses in the electrical pulse signal into the corresponding angular displacement or linear displacement.

[0107] A stepper motor drives the deformation of the spherical shell, providing tactile feedback. Precise displacement of the stepper motor is driven by timing pulses, which is then converted into sliding motion of the slider assembly in the curved sliding unit, thereby causing the spherical shell to move accordingly and providing tactile feedback to the user.

[0108] The tracker tracks hand position in real time to optimize feedback. Furthermore, by utilizing the tracker's hand tracking data to track hand position in real time, the positioning and timing of haptic feedback are further optimized, achieving dynamic alignment between virtual and physical spaces and enhancing the immersive experience of two-handed interaction.

[0109] The user experiences tactile feedback, completing the interaction. At this moment, the user's hands touch the deformable surface of the spherical tactile feedback device 1, receiving corresponding tactile feedback, and the tactile feedback interaction for the current 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 continue to calculate and map the deformation of the virtual objects for the next moment, providing continuous tactile feedback to the user. If the user stops interacting, the spherical tactile feedback device 1 stops working.

[0110] In summary, this invention discloses a spherical haptic feedback device, a driving method, and a virtual reality system, which have the following beneficial effects:

[0111] By expanding the device's volume through its internal structure and multiple actuators, it achieves dynamic deformation for two-handed interaction. 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 tactile feedback from both hands, thereby enhancing the interactive experience in virtual reality spaces.

[0112] Through multiple internally integrated adjustable actuators, the spherical device's shell can be dynamically expanded and rotated, providing users with multi-directional tactile feedback. This design is primarily intended for use in virtual reality spaces, aiming to enhance the realism and immersion of virtual object interaction by simulating coordinated hand movements, and to explore the perceptual threshold of hand-eye coordination through the use of this device.

[0113] Through a unique spherical structure combined with two-handed interaction, this invention addresses the limitations of traditional haptic feedback devices, which are mostly limited to single-handed interaction and fail to fully utilize the natural coordination between the two hands. The spherical haptic feedback device of this invention provides superior haptic feedback through symmetrical or asymmetrical hand movements, significantly improving user interaction efficiency and the ability to recognize the shape of virtual objects, thereby enhancing task execution efficiency in virtual reality spaces.

[0114] By leveraging dynamic deformation and multi-directional haptic feedback, the user's immersion and engagement in the virtual environment are greatly enhanced. Furthermore, the invention features a simple design and intuitive operation, demonstrating high application potential, particularly in virtual reality games, education, and remote collaboration.

[0115] It should be understood that the application of the present invention is not limited to the examples above. Those skilled in the art can make improvements or modifications based on the above description, and all such improvements and modifications should fall within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A spherical haptic feedback device for haptic feedback in a virtual reality system, characterized in that, include: The enclosure comprises a spherical shell, at least one actuator, at least one curved sliding unit, and a fixed support; wherein, The spherical shell includes several deformable surfaces for tactile interaction; The curved sliding unit is radially disposed 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. 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 house 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 curved 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 its length. The first side wall is located at the end of the first bottom end that is close to the actuator along its length. The first side wall is fixedly connected to the fixed bracket. A lead screw hole is provided on the first side wall, and the position of the lead screw hole coincides with the position of the through hole of the fixed bracket. The second side wall is located at the end of the first bottom end that is away from the actuator. The linear guide rail is disposed in the first bottom end along the length direction of the fixed arm; One end of the lead screw is connected to the actuator, and the other end of the lead screw is rotatably connected to the second sidewall through the through hole and lead screw hole of the fixed bracket. The shafts of the lead screw and the actuator are arranged collinearly. The slider assembly is provided with a transmission hole, and the slider assembly is sleeved on the lead screw through the transmission hole; the side of the slider assembly near the first bottom end is slidably connected to the linear guide rail, and when the lead screw rotates, the slider assembly slides along the direction of the linear guide rail.

2. The spherical haptic feedback device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spherical shell is divided into x longitude shells according to longitude, where x is greater than or equal to 3.

3. The spherical haptic feedback device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The longitude shell is divided into y latitude shells, where y is greater than or equal to 2.

4. The spherical haptic feedback device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes the turntable and base; The turntable is electrically connected to the actuator and to the fixed bracket, and is used to drive the fixed bracket to rotate circumferentially; The top of the base is rotatably connected to the turntable, which is used to fix and support the turntable to rotate freely.

5. A driving method for a spherical haptic feedback device, used to drive the spherical haptic feedback device as described in any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, include: The deformation parameters are received and decomposed into several discrete points; the deformation parameters are used to describe the deformation state of virtual objects in virtual reality space, and the discrete points are the target positions to which the deformable surface corresponding to the spherical haptic feedback device needs to be displaced. Collect the current position information of the actuator, and calculate the actuator control command based on the current position information and the target position; The actuator is driven according to the actuator control command, thereby driving the deformable surface of the spherical shell to displace to the target position; Update the executor's current position cache.

6. The driving method for the spherical haptic feedback device as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The steps of acquiring the current position information of the actuator and calculating the actuator control command based on the current position information and the target position include: Collect the current position information of the actuator and the target position; 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 / deceleration curve; The actuator control command is obtained based on the acceleration / deceleration smoothing curve.

7. A virtual reality system, characterized in that, The virtual reality system includes a spherical haptic feedback device and a microprocessor unit as described in any one of claims 1-4; wherein... The serial communication interface of the microprocessor unit is connected to the host computer to receive deformation parameters. The deformation parameters are used to describe the deformation state of virtual objects in the virtual reality space. The microprocessor unit obtains actuator control commands based on the deformation parameters. The spherical tactile feedback device is connected to the microprocessor unit and is used to receive the actuator control command and control the actuator according to the actuator control command to drive the deformable surface to the corresponding target position.

8. The virtual reality system according to claim 7, 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 user's movement in space and track the user's hand position in real time. The motion capture unit includes a first spatial positioning and tracking structure and a second spatial positioning and tracking structure. The first and second spatial positioning and tracking structures are used to track the position coordinates of the user's hand in space and send the position coordinates of the hand to the host computer. The spherical haptic feedback device has a feedback device positioning structure. The motion capture unit tracks the position coordinates of the feedback device positioning structure in space and sends the position coordinates 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 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 system receives the hand position coordinate information and the feedback device positioning structure position coordinate information transmitted by the first spatial positioning tracking structure and the second spatial positioning tracking structure, calculates the relative position of the user's hand and the spherical haptic feedback device, and constructs models of virtual objects and virtual hands in the virtual reality space; The head-mounted display unit is used to collect image information from the virtual reality space and display it to the user.

9. The virtual reality system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The microprocessor unit is also used to predict the touch intention by analyzing the user's hand movement trajectory in real time, and drive the spherical shell to move radially to the target position corresponding to the virtual object in the virtual reality world. The spherical haptic feedback device also has a turntable deflection angle positioning structure, which is used to locate the deflection angle of the turntable. The spherical haptic feedback device is based on an intelligent predictive control algorithm, which predicts the touch intention by analyzing the user's hand movement trajectory in real time, and drives the turntable to move the spherical shell along the circumferential direction to the target position corresponding to the virtual object in the virtual reality world.

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