Information processing system, information processing method, and information processing program

Abstract

To provide an information processing system, an information processing method and an information processing program capable of presenting a tactile sense corresponding to user's individual information.SOLUTION: According to the present invention, an information processing system includes a tactile presentation part having an operation part and at least one control part. The control part is configured to execute the steps for acquiring user information including at least one of user attribute information and biometric information, and causing the tactile presentation part to present a tactile sense to the user according to operation of the operation part of the tactile presentation part. The user information includes at least one piece of change information that changes with time, and the tactile sense presented by the tactile presentation part is configured to change at least on the basis of the change information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information processing system, an information processing method, and an information processing program. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an information processing device having a controller used in virtual reality technology. This controller is configured to apply a virtual force to a virtual object by pressing a button. The controller is also configured to change the resistance force from the virtual object based on the number of times the button is pressed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7035090 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-described information processing device, the same resistance force can be obtained when the same operation is performed, but individual information for each user, such as the strength or weakness of the user's force, is not taken into consideration. This problem must be considered not only in technologies that obtain resistance from objects, but also in devices that can provide some kind of virtual tactile sensation. The present invention has been made to solve this problem, and aims to provide an information processing system, an information processing method, and an information processing program that can present tactile sensations according to the user's individual information. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] Item 1. A tactile presentation unit having an operation unit; At least one control unit; Equipped with The control unit acquiring user information including at least one of attribute information and biometric information of the user; causing the tactile sense providing unit to provide a tactile sensation to the user in response to an operation of the operation unit of the tactile sense providing unit; configured to run The user information includes at least one piece of change information that changes over time; The tactile sensation presented by the tactile sensation presentation unit is configured to change based on at least the change information. Information processing system.

[0006] Item 2. The change information includes at least one of the user's age, weight, heart rate, blood pressure, muscle mass, body fat percentage, visceral fat level, bone density, basal metabolic rate, body age, BMI value, exercise history, and purchase history. Item 1. An information processing system according to item 1.

[0007] Item 3. The tactile sensation providing unit changes a load provided to the user among the tactile sensations based on the change information. Item 1 or 2. An information processing system.

[0008] Item 4. Further comprising a display unit, The control unit causing the tactile sensation providing unit to provide a tactile sensation based on a virtual behavior of the object displayed on the display unit; Item 4. An information processing system according to any one of items 1 to 3.

[0009] Item 5. The tactile sensation providing unit has a magnetorheological fluid device, The magnetorheological fluid device is a rotating part that rotates in accordance with the displacement of the operating part; a magnetorheological fluid; Equipped with a magnetic field is applied to the magnetorheological fluid by an input current, thereby generating rotational resistance in the rotating part; The rotational resistance is presented as at least one of the haptics. Item 5. An information processing system according to any one of items 1 to 4.

[0010] Section 6. Tactile presentation unit; At least one control unit; An information processing method in an information processing system comprising: the control unit acquiring user information including at least one of attribute information and biometric information of the user; a step of causing the control unit to cause the tactile sense provision unit to provide a tactile sense to the user in response to an operation of the tactile sense provision unit; Equipped with The user information includes at least one piece of change information that changes over time; The tactile sensation presented by the tactile sensation presentation unit is configured to change based on at least the change information. Information processing methods.

[0011] Section 7. Tactile presentation unit; At least one control unit; The control unit of the information processing system includes: acquiring user information including at least one of attribute information and biometric information of the user; causing the tactile sense providing unit to provide a tactile sensation to the user in response to an operation of the tactile sense providing unit; Execute The user information includes at least one piece of change information that changes over time; The tactile sensation presented by the tactile sensation presentation unit is configured to change based on at least the change information. Information processing program. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to present a tactile sensation according to individual information of a user. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1]1 is a schematic diagram of a tactile presentation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hardware configuration of an example of an information processing terminal. [Figure 3A] 10 is an example of an object displayed on a touch panel display. [Figure 3B] 10 is an example of an object displayed on a touch panel display. [Figure 4] 10 is an example of tactile presentation data. [Figure 5] 10 is an example of tactile presentation data. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a side view of an example of a tactile presentation device. [Figure 7] 7 is a side view showing the tactile presentation device of FIG. 6 being held by a user. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of an example of a tactile presentation device. [Figure 9] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a magnetorheological fluid device of the tactile presentation device of FIG. 6. [Figure 10] 2 is a flowchart showing a play process in the tactile presentation system of FIG. 1. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a side view of another example of a tactile presentation device. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a side view of another example of a tactile presentation device. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating another example of a tactile presentation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] An embodiment in which the information processing system of the present invention is applied to a tactile presentation system will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the tactile presentation system. As shown in Fig. 1, this tactile presentation system 1 has a biometric information acquisition device 2, an information processing terminal 3, and a tactile presentation device 4. The information processing terminal 3 is connected to the biometric information acquisition device and the tactile presentation device 4 by wire or wirelessly. This will be described in detail below.

[0015] <1. Biometric information acquisition device> The biometric information acquisition device 2 is a device that acquires biometric information of a user by measuring it. The biometric information includes the user's weight, heart rate, blood pressure (e.g., blood pressure at home while resting), muscle mass, body fat percentage, visceral fat level, bone density, basal metabolic rate, body age, BMI value, etc. Devices that acquire such biometric information are not particularly limited, but examples include a weighing scale, a blood pressure monitor, and a smart watch with a biometric information acquisition function. In addition to the above-mentioned biometric information, attribute information regarding user attributes such as gender and age can be registered in the biometric information acquisition device. Height is one type of biometric information, and can be registered in the biometric information acquisition device 2 in the same way as the attribute information.

[0016] In this embodiment, biometric information and attribute information are referred to as user information. Furthermore, information included in the user information that changes over time, such as biometric information and age, is referred to as change information. The change information is not limited to the above, but is preferably information that is updated over time or with effort, such as age and muscle mass. Each time the change information is updated, the parameter information transmitted to the tactile presentation device 4 is corrected, as will be described later, and the tactile sensation of the tactile presentation device 4 is also updated.

[0017] User information measured by the biometric information acquisition device 2 or registered user information is transmitted to the information processing terminal 3 via wired or wireless communication. For this purpose, the biometric information acquisition device is provided with an interviewer (not shown) for communication. The communication method will be described later.

[0018] <2. Information processing terminal> Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of an information processing terminal. As shown in Fig. 2, the information processing terminal 3 is configured by a computer incorporating a control unit 31, a storage unit 32, a touch panel display 33, a speaker 34, a communication interface 35, and the like. This computer can be configured as a smartphone, a tablet computer, a personal computer, a dedicated computer, or the like, but the following description will be given assuming that it is configured as a smartphone. In Fig. 2, the communication interface 35 is referred to as a "communication I / F." This is also true in Fig. 5, which will be described later.

[0019] The control unit 31 includes a CPU (processor), RAM, ROM, etc., and is configured to execute various information processes based on programs and data. The storage unit 32 is configured with an auxiliary storage device such as an HDD or SSD, and stores a program 321, play data 322, tactile presentation data 323, user information 324, correction data 325, and various data 326 for driving the information processing terminal 3, etc.

[0020] The program 321 is a program for executing a play (described later), and various processes executed in the play (described later) are performed based on this program. The play data 322 is data related to a play involving gripping a ball (described later), such as data related to objects displayed on a touch panel display, which is data necessary for the play. The tactile presentation data 323 is information for causing the tactile presentation device 4 (described later) to present a tactile sensation. The tactile presentation data 323 may be included in the play data 322 as part of the play data 322. Multiple pieces of tactile presentation data 323 are prepared for each tactile sensation to be presented. The user information 324 is, as described above, transmitted from the biometric information acquisition device. The correction data 325 is data for correcting the tactile presentation data according to the user information. The various data 326 is various data, such as data for operating the information processing terminal 3. However, the storage destination of the data is not particularly limited and can be changed as appropriate. For example, at least a portion of the data stored in the storage unit 32 can be stored in RAM or ROM.

[0021] The touch panel display 33 functions as a display device that displays the play screen described below, and also functions as an input device as needed. However, the display device and input device may be separate. The speaker 34 outputs sound during play as needed.

[0022] The communication interface 35 includes, for example, a wireless device which is an interface for a wireless LAN or the like, and a mobile communication modem device which is an interface for a mobile phone network including a communication base station or the like. The wireless device includes, for example, a wireless module such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark). This allows the information processing terminal 3 to be connected to a network such as a wireless LAN, a public network such as the Internet, or a wireless network such as a mobile phone network including a communication base station. In this embodiment, the information processing terminal 3 transmits and receives various data to and from the tactile presentation device 4 by any of the means described above. Furthermore, the information processing terminal 3 can be connected to the biometric information acquisition device 2 wirelessly or via a wired connection as described above.

[0023] Next, a description will be given of the display on the touch panel display 33. As shown in Fig. 3A, in this embodiment, a ball (object) 71 and a hand 72 for holding the ball are displayed on the touch panel display 33.

[0024] The ball 71 has a virtual internal pressure S as an initial value, and as shown in FIG. 3B , the internal pressure of the ball 71 is configured to virtually increase when the ball 71 is grasped with a hand 72 displayed on the touch panel display 33. The internal pressure increases with the movement of the hand 72 grasping the ball 71. In this embodiment, when an operation unit 102 of the tactile presentation device 4 (described later) is pressed, an animation is displayed on the touch panel display 33 showing the hand 72 grasping the ball 71. At this time, when the angle θ of the operation unit 102 is displaced by the pressing of the operation unit 102, the internal pressure of the ball 71 increases in proportion to the angle of the displacement. FIG. 4 illustrates this behavior, showing a graph illustrating the relationship between the angle of the displacement and the internal pressure of the ball 71. Note that each displacement θ varies between 0 and 90 degrees, as described later. The displacement angle θ has a minimum value of 0 degrees and a maximum value of 180 degrees.

[0025] Once the internal pressure of the ball 71 is determined in this way, the tactile sensation felt by the hand 72 in accordance with the internal pressure is presented to the tactile presentation device 4. To this end, the information processing terminal 3 transmits current parameter information to the tactile presentation device 4, and the tactile presentation device 4 inputs the received current parameter information into the magnetorheological fluid device 104. As a result, the tactile presentation device 4 presents a predetermined tactile sensation to the user. The current parameter information is, for example, parameters consisting of a current value, a frequency, and a duty ratio. As shown in FIG. 5, once the internal pressure of the ball 71 is determined, the corresponding current parameters are determined. Note that, among the current parameter information, the current value affects the hardness of the ball 71, which is the object, in terms of the tactile sensation obtained. In other words, the internal pressure of the ball 71 can be changed by varying the current value.

[0026] In this embodiment, the tactile presentation data 323 is generated based on the graphs shown in Figures 4 and 5. That is, the storage unit 32 stores a table based on Figures 4 and 5 as the tactile presentation data 323. Furthermore, such a table is stored for each object. For example, in this embodiment, a ball 71 is defined as the object, but tactile presentation data for other objects (e.g., a balloon) is also prepared. However, the graphs shown in Figures 4 and 5 are merely examples, and graphs represented by other curves such as quadratic curves or straight lines can also be used.

[0027] The above-mentioned tactile presentation data 323 is standard data, and in this embodiment, the parameter information of the current (tactile presentation data 323) transmitted to the tactile presentation device 4 is corrected based on the above-mentioned user information 324. At this time, the above-mentioned correction data 325 is used. The correction data 325 includes various correction parameters. For example, correction parameters corresponding to each age are prepared in advance, and the parameter information is corrected according to the correction parameters. For example, the parameter information is corrected so that the load felt by the tactile presentation device 4 gradually increases until the age of 20, and the parameter information is corrected so that the load gradually decreases after the age of 20.

[0028] Furthermore, as people become less sensitive to tactile sensations as they age, it may be possible to prepare correction parameters that change the frequency in addition to changing the load. Generally, a higher frequency can provide a more sensitive tactile sensation.

[0029] Correction parameters may be prepared based on multiple pieces of information included in the user information 324. For example, standard correction parameters corresponding to actual age and gender may be prepared. Then, for example, the user's muscle mass included in the biometric information may be compared with an average value, and the standard correction parameters may be corrected based on the comparison results. For example, if the muscle mass significantly exceeds the average value, the correction parameters may be corrected to increase the load. If the muscle mass is approximately the same as the average value, no correction is made.

[0030] <3. Tactile presentation device> Fig. 6 is a side view of the tactile presentation device, Fig. 7 is a side view of the tactile presentation device showing a state in which the user is operating it, and Fig. 8 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the tactile presentation device. The tactile presentation device 4 presents to the user a tactile sensation corresponding to an object displayed on the touch panel display 33 of the information processing terminal 3. As shown in Fig. 7, the tactile presentation device 4 is formed in a shape and size that can fit in the user's hand, and can be operated by the user's hand.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the tactile presentation device 4 has an operation unit 102, a casing 105, and a support shaft 109.

[0032] <3-1. Electrical configuration of the tactile presentation device> The casing 105 has an internal housing 107. The housing 107 houses the control unit 51, the memory unit 52, the rotating shaft 103, the magnetorheological fluid device 104, the displacement amount detection unit 53, the communication interface 55, and the battery unit 56. The portion of the housing 107 that houses the magnetorheological fluid device (drive unit) 104 has a shape that allows the outer periphery of the magnetorheological fluid device 104 (a case 133 described later) to fit into it.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 8 , the control unit 51 includes a CPU (processor) and is configured to execute various information processes based on programs and data. The storage unit 52 is configured with a storage device such as a RAM or a ROM, and stores a program 521, current parameter information 522, and various data 523 for driving the tactile presentation device 4, etc. For example, the program and various data can be stored in the ROM, and the current parameter information 522 can be stored in the RAM. As will be described later, the information processing terminal 3 transmits predetermined current parameter information to the tactile presentation device 4 based on the tactile presentation data 323 stored in the storage unit 32, and stores the information in the RAM. However, the destination for storing the data is not particularly limited and can be changed as appropriate. For example, an auxiliary storage device such as an SSD may be provided and the data may be stored therein.

[0034] The control unit 51 executes the program 521 to control the current input from the battery unit 56 to the magnetorheological fluid device 104, as will be described later. Specifically, the control unit 51 inputs current parameter information received from the information processing terminal 3 to the magnetorheological fluid device 104. The control unit 51 can control the rotational resistance applied to the rotation shaft 103 of the magnetorheological fluid device 104, i.e., the displacement resistance of the operation unit 102, by controlling the current input to the magnetorheological fluid device 104. The control unit 51, memory unit 52, etc. of the tactile presentation device 4 shown in FIG. 8 can be configured using a microcomputer (microcontroller).

[0035] The communication interface 55 includes, for example, a wireless device that is an interface such as a wireless LAN. The wireless device includes, for example, a wireless module such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark) or Bluetooth (registered trademark). This allows the tactile presentation device 4 to be connected to a wireless network such as a wireless LAN or a public network such as the Internet. The tactile presentation device 4 can be connected to the information processing terminal 3 via, for example, Bluetooth.

[0036] The battery unit 56 supplies current to the magnetorheological fluid device 104, the control unit 51, the storage unit 52, the displacement amount detection unit 53, and the communication interface 55. The displacement amount detection unit 53 will be described later.

[0037] <3-2. Mechanical configuration of the tactile presentation device> The outer shape of the casing 105 is formed in a roughly cylindrical shape, and as shown in Fig. 6, a support arm 113 extends outward from a part of the casing 105 (to the right in Fig. 6). The support arm 113 has the aforementioned support shaft 109 provided at its tip.

[0038] The operation unit 102 is disposed above the casing 105 and is configured to be displaced relative to the casing 105 by operation by the user. The operation unit 102 is formed in the shape of a curved plate, and one end thereof is rotatably supported on a support shaft 109. The operation unit 102 is configured to rotate around the support shaft 109 to move toward or away from the upper part of the casing 105. When the operation unit 102 is rotated by an operating force of the user, the operating force is transmitted to the rotation shaft 103 of the magnetorheological fluid device 104 via a link mechanism 110.

[0039] A placement section 106 on which a finger can be placed is provided at the bottom of the casing 105. As shown in Fig. 7, a user can hold the magnetorheological fluid device 104 by placing the index finger 125 along the operation section 102 and the thumb along the placement section 126. This allows the user to operate the operation section 102 with the index finger 125 while holding the magnetorheological fluid device 104 in their hand.

[0040] The operation unit 102 is configured to be rotatable within a predetermined range. In this embodiment, the operation unit 102 is not provided with a return spring or the like. Therefore, when using the tactile presentation device 6, it is preferable to fasten the user's index finger 125 and the operation unit 102 with, for example, a hook-and-loop fastener fastener 112, as shown in FIG. 7 . This allows the user to push the operation unit 102 into the casing 105 with their fingertip and then pull it back to its original position.

[0041] The link mechanism 110 is configured to link the rotation of the operation unit 102 about the support shaft 109 with the rotation of the rotating shaft 103. Furthermore, a one-way clutch (not shown) is interposed in the link mechanism 110. When the user pushes the operation unit 102 toward the casing 105, the one-way clutch transmits the operating force transmitted from the operation unit 102 via the link mechanism 110 to the rotating shaft 103. On the other hand, when the user pulls the operation unit 102 back from the casing 105, the one-way clutch does not transmit the operating force transmitted from the operation unit 102 via the link mechanism 110 to the rotating shaft 103.

[0042] 9 is a cross-sectional view of the magnetorheological fluid device 104. As shown in FIG. 9, the magnetorheological fluid device 104 has a rotating shaft 103 that rotates in response to the displacement of the operation unit 102. The magnetorheological fluid device 104 is configured so that a rotational resistance is generated in the rotating shaft 103 by applying a magnetic field to the magnetorheological fluid using an input current. The magnetorheological fluid device 104 applies a rotational resistance (displacement resistance) to the operation unit 102 by applying a rotational resistance to the rotating shaft 103.

[0043] The magnetorheological fluid device 104 of this embodiment applies a magnetic field to the magnetorheological fluid, the strength of which corresponds to the magnitude of the current supplied from the battery unit 56 and the control unit 51, and thereby applies a rotational resistance to the rotating shaft 103 that corresponds to the magnitude of the current. The magnetorheological fluid device 104 has a substantially cylindrical outer shape, with the rotating shaft 103 protruding from one end face. The axis of the rotating shaft 103 and the axis of the support shaft 109 are substantially parallel to each other.

[0044] A displacement amount detection unit 53 that detects the rotation angle of the rotating shaft 103 is provided around the rotating shaft 103. The displacement amount detection unit 53 can be formed by a sensor such as an encoder. This allows the displacement amount detection unit 53 to detect the amount of displacement of the operating unit 102 that is linked to the rotating shaft 103 via a link mechanism 110. The displacement amount detection unit 53 can detect any amount of displacement in accordance with changes in the rotation angle of the rotating shaft 103.

[0045] <3-3. Structure of magnetorheological fluid device> Next, we will explain an example of the internal structure of the magnetorheological fluid device 104. As shown in Fig. 9, the magnetorheological fluid device 104 has a rotating shaft 103, a disk 128, yokes 129 and 130, a coil 131, a magnetorheological fluid 132, a case 133, etc., which constitute a rotating part.

[0046] The disk 128 is an internal rotor that rotates inside the magnetorheological fluid device 104 and is made of a magnetic material. The rotating shaft 103 is connected vertically to the center of the back surface 128b of the disk 128. Therefore, the disk 128 and the rotating shaft 103 rotate together. The rotating shaft 103 is supported in a shaft hole 136 provided in the yoke 130 via a bearing 135. It is preferable that the rotating shaft 103 be made of a non-magnetic material.

[0047] The yoke is made up of a first yoke 129 and a second yoke 130. The first yoke 129 is made up of a disk-shaped member and faces the front surface 128a of the disk 128 via a small gap. The first yoke 129 is fitted into and fixed in a cylindrical case 133.

[0048] The second yoke 130 has an opposing surface 130a that faces the back surface 128b of the disk 128 via a small gap. The second yoke 130 is fitted and fixed inside a cylindrical case 133. The case 133, which is the outer periphery of the magnetorheological fluid device 104, is fixed so as not to rotate relative to the casing 105. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the case 133 is fixed to the casing 105 using an enamel set 127.

[0049] A space is formed by a recess formed in the center of first yoke 129 and a recess formed in the center of the end face of rotating shaft 103. A sphere 137 made of a non-magnetic material is housed in this space.

[0050] The coil 131 is disposed along an annular groove formed in the second yoke 130. A current is input to the coil 131 from the control unit 51.

[0051] The magnetorheological fluid 132 is sealed in the gap between the disk 128 and the first and second yokes 129 and 130. The magnetorheological fluid 132 is a liquid in which magnetic particles are dispersed in a dispersion medium. The magnetic particles may be, for example, nano-sized metal particles (metal nanoparticles). The magnetic particles are made of a magnetizable metal material. While there are no particular limitations on the metal material, soft magnetic materials are preferred. Examples of soft magnetic materials include alloys of iron, cobalt, nickel, and permalloy. The dispersion medium is not particularly limited, but hydrophobic silicone oil is an example. The amount of magnetic particles in the magnetorheological fluid may be, for example, 3 to 40 vol%. Various additives may also be added to the magnetorheological fluid to achieve various desired properties.

[0052] In the magnetorheological fluid device 104 configured as described above, when a current is applied to the coil 131, a magnetic path is formed within the disk 128, the first yoke 129, and the second yoke 130, for example, along the direction indicated by arrow P in FIG. 9 . This magnetic path penetrates the magnetorheological fluid 132 disposed in the gap between the surface 128a of the disk 128 and the first yoke 129, and the magnetorheological fluid 132 disposed in the gap between the back surface 128b of the disk 128 and the second yoke 130. As a result, the magnetorheological fluid 132 develops viscosity (shear stress) corresponding to the strength of the magnetic field, and the torque transmitted between the disk 128 and the yokes 129 and 130 increases in accordance with the strength of the magnetic field. In other words, the magnetorheological fluid device 104 applies rotational resistance to the rotating shaft 103 whose magnitude corresponds to the value of the current applied to the coil 131.

[0053] <3-4. Operation of the tactile presentation device> When using the tactile presentation device 4 having the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 7 , the user holds the tactile presentation device 4 between their fingers and pushes or pulls the operation unit 102 with their index finger 125. When pushing the operation unit 102, the operating force received by the operation unit 102 is transmitted to the magnetorheological fluid device 104 via the one-way clutch. This generates resistance to the pushing of the operation unit 102 according to the current input to the magnetorheological fluid device 104, and this resistance is presented to the user as a tactile sensation. Conversely, when pulling the operation unit 102 back, the operating force received by the operation unit 102 is not transmitted from the one-way clutch to the magnetorheological fluid device 104, so there is almost no resistance to the pulling of the operation unit 102. This allows the user to pull the operation unit 102 back with a light force.

[0054] In this embodiment, the rotation axis 103 rotates 90 degrees from when the operation unit 102 is in the initial state until the operation unit 102 is fully pressed in. Therefore, the tactile presentation data indicates a rotation angle θ ranging from 0 to 90 degrees.

[0055] <4. Play processing using tactile presentation system> Next, the play processing executed in the tactile presentation system 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

[0056] First, the user measures biometric information and registers attribute information using the biometric information acquisition device 2. Next, as shown in Fig. 10, the user information is transmitted from the biometric information acquisition device 2 to the information processing terminal 3 (step S001). This transmission may be performed by a user operation, or may be transmitted automatically by the biometric information acquisition device. For example, the user information may be transmitted periodically, or may be transmitted each time the user information stored in the biometric information acquisition device 2 is updated.

[0057] Next, the user wears the tactile presentation device 4 on his / her right hand, turns on the power of the tactile presentation device 4, and starts the program 321 on the information processing terminal 3. As a result, the information processing terminal 3 and the tactile presentation device 4 are connected to be able to communicate with each other, for example, via Bluetooth (step S101). That is, pairing is performed.

[0058] 3A, the information processing terminal 3 displays a play screen on the touch panel display 33 (step S102). That is, the screen displays the ball 71 and the hand 72. In this state, when the user presses the operation unit 102 of the tactile presentation device 4 (step S201), the tactile presentation device 4 detects the displacement θ of the operation unit 102 in real time and transmits it to the information processing terminal 3 (step S202).

[0059] The information processing terminal 3 deforms the hand 72 and the ball 71 on the touch panel display 33 in accordance with the displacement θ of the operation unit 102 transmitted from the tactile presentation device 4, as shown in FIG. 3B, so that the hand 72 grasps the ball 71 (step S103).

[0060] Furthermore, the information processing terminal 3 calculates current parameter information from the received displacement amount θ based on the tactile presentation data shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 described above, and transmits this to the tactile presentation device 4 (step S104). As a result, the tactile presentation device 4 drives the magnetorheological fluid device 104 based on the received current parameters. As a result, the user can feel a tactile sensation with his or her right hand that corresponds to the displacement amount of the operation unit 102 (step S203). At this time, the parameter information transmitted to the tactile presentation device 4 has been corrected based on the user information 324, as described above.

[0061] The above process is performed until the user stops operating the operation unit 102 of the tactile presentation device 4 (YES in step S105, YES in step S204), and during that time, the information processing terminal 3 displays, like an animation, changes in the hand 72 and the ball 71 on the touch panel display 33 in accordance with the increase and decrease in the amount of displacement θ. Furthermore, the tactile sensation presented by the tactile presentation device 4 changes in accordance with the increase and decrease in the amount of displacement θ. This allows the user to feel a continuous change in the tactile sensation in the process of pressing the operation unit 102. In other words, as the user presses the operation unit 102, the internal pressure of the ball 71 increases, and the user can feel a gradual increase in the resistance to pressing the ball 71. Note that the amount of displacement θ is not transmitted to the information processing terminal 3 while the operation of the operation unit 102 of the tactile presentation device 4 is stopped.

[0062] In the information processing terminal 3, the order of deformation of the object on the touch panel display 33 (step S103) and transmission of the current parameter information (step S104) is not particularly limited, and these operations can be performed simultaneously.

[0063] <5. Features> According to this embodiment, when obtaining a virtual tactile sensation when gripping ball 71, parameter information transmitted from information processing terminal 3 to tactile presentation device 4 is corrected based on user information, and this is transmitted to tactile presentation device 4. This makes it possible to obtain a tactile sensation that corresponds to the user's biometric information and attribute information. Therefore, for example, a user with weak strength can obtain a tactile sensation in which the load is reduced and ball 71 can be deformed with a small force. On the other hand, a user with strong strength can obtain a tactile sensation in which the load is increased and ball 71 cannot be deformed without applying a large force.

[0064] <6. Variations> Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The following modifications can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, the following modifications can also be combined as appropriate with the above-described embodiment.

[0065] (1) The attribute information in the user information 324 may be exercise history, purchase history, etc. Such history information can be acquired from the operation history of the smartphone or computer used by the user. In this case, it is possible to determine whether the user is an active person or an indoor person, and correct the parameter information accordingly. For example, if the user is an active person, the load is increased compared to if the user is an indoor person.

[0066] As described above, user information 324 can be measured and registered by the user using the biometric information acquisition device 2, or age, body type, and gender can be determined using image recognition from a camera attached to a device such as a smartphone.

[0067] In addition to obtaining the user information 324 directly from the biometric information acquisition device 2, the user information 324 may be transmitted to the information processing terminal 3 from user information previously stored outside the biometric information acquisition device 2, or may be input directly to the information processing terminal 3.

[0068] (2) In the above embodiment, the standard parameter information (tactile presentation data 323) is corrected based on the user information 324. However, it is also possible to prepare in advance tactile presentation data 323 according to the user information 324 and transmit parameter information extracted from the data to the tactile presentation device 4. This increases the capacity of the tactile presentation data 323 stored in the storage unit 32, but it is possible to transmit the parameter information to the tactile presentation device 4 without performing a correction process.

[0069] (3) In the above embodiment, the ball 71 and the hand 72 are used as objects, but the present invention is not limited to this. In other words, the objects are not particularly limited as long as they are virtually deformed in shape, displaced in position, or subjected to a change in load when operated by the tactile presentation device 4. For example, the objects displayed on the information processing terminal can be changed as appropriate so as to move the object, operate a device, or apply an impact to the object.

[0070] In addition to displaying an object on the touch panel display 33 provided in the information processing terminal 3, the object can also be displayed on another display. Also, without displaying an object, parameter information relating to an arbitrary tactile sensation can be transmitted from the information processing terminal 3 and the tactile sensation can be presented by the tactile presentation device 4.

[0071] (4) In the above embodiment, the current value was primarily used as the parameter information for the current. However, in addition to the current value, the frequency and duty ratio can also be used. Setting the frequency and duty ratio allows the current value to fluctuate at a predetermined cycle, for example, like a pulse wave. This affects the tactile characteristics of the object. Therefore, when dealing with an object whose surface tactile feel changes with changes in internal pressure, using the frequency and duty ratio as well can provide a more realistic tactile sensation.

[0072] (5) In the above embodiment, a magnetorheological fluid device 104 is used as an example of the tactile presentation device 4 to present a tactile sensation, but this is not limiting. For example, a motor can be used to present different tactile sensations by changing the load on the rotation axis using an electric current. In addition to the above-mentioned load resistance, the tactile presentation device can also present vibration, texture, or a warm / cold sensation, or a combination of these, in response to a change or movement of an object. Therefore, the above-mentioned tactile presentation data is merely an example, and the tactile presentation device 4 may be configured to present different tactile sensations. In other words, in the above embodiment, the tactile presentation data 323 indicates the relationship between the rotation angle of the operation unit 102 and the electric current, but any data that can change the tactile sensation presented in response to the operation of the tactile presentation device may be used.

[0073] (6) In the above embodiment, the tactile presentation device 4 is configured so that the user pinches the tactile presentation device 4 between two fingers and feels tactile sensations by operating the index finger, but the structure of the tactile presentation device 4 is not limited to this. That is, the tactile presentation device 4 may be configured so that the user can operate it with multiple fingers and feel tactile sensations for each finger individually. Also, the tactile presentation device 4 may be configured so that the user can feel tactile sensations by tracing the operation unit 102 with the fingers rather than by pressing the operation unit 102. That is, the tactile presentation device 4 may be configured so that the user can feel tactile sensations with the fingers or hand (palm, etc.).

[0074] For example, the tactile presentation device 40 shown in FIG. 11 includes a magnetorheological fluid device 104 and a link member 81 connected to a rotation shaft 103 of the magnetorheological fluid device 104. The magnetorheological fluid device 104 is rotatably attached to the back of the hand by a hand attachment 82. Meanwhile, the end of the link member 81 opposite the rotation shaft 103 is rotatably attached to one of the fingers by a finger attachment 83. As a result, as shown in FIG. 12, when the hand is clenched, the movement of the finger is transmitted to the rotation shaft 103 via the link member 81, causing the rotation shaft 103 to rotate. Therefore, when the hand is clenched, the tactile sensation (resistance when gripping a ball) can be felt as described above in accordance with the rotation of the rotation shaft 103. Note that although the tactile presentation device 40 is attached to one finger in the examples of FIGS. 11 and 12, it may also be attached to multiple fingers. Furthermore, when tactile presentation devices 40 are attached to multiple fingers, the amount of displacement transmitted to the information processing terminal 3 can be the sum of the amounts of displacement of the rotation axes 103 of the magnetorheological fluid devices 104 in all tactile presentation devices 40. By setting which finger on which hand and left or right hand each tactile presentation device 40 is attached, it is possible to display the hand 72 moving on a finger-by-finger basis. Furthermore, when the magnetorheological fluid device 104 corresponding to the thumb does not displace, it can be determined to be a non-gripping action, and control can be performed so that no tactile sensation (resistance) is imparted.

[0075] The tactile presentation device 40 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 can be used, for example, as a grip strength training device. In this case, the load can be adjusted based on user information as described above. Among the user information, the load can be adjusted based on, for example, blood pressure. If the blood pressure is high, the load can be set according to that value. For example, if the blood pressure is higher than a predetermined threshold, a lighter load than normal can be set to prevent the onset of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RVS) due to training. On the other hand, if the blood pressure is within a predetermined normal range, the load can be set based on a comprehensive assessment of other user information, such as age, gender, and body fat percentage, without taking the blood pressure into consideration. This type of training can be performed using not only the tactile presentation devices shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 but also the tactile presentation device shown in FIG. 6. In other words, any tactile presentation device that has an operation unit that can be operated with a finger or hand and that allows the user to feel a load when operating the operation unit can be applied.

[0076] In addition to training equipment, the tactile presentation device can be mounted on input devices such as game controllers, mice, and keyboards, and the operation unit of the tactile presentation device can be used as an input button (a button whose load can be electrically adjusted). This allows the load when operating the input button to be set based on the user information as described above.

[0077] (7) In the above embodiment, the information processing terminal 3 and the tactile presentation device 4 are communicatively connected, but this is not limiting. For example, as shown in Fig. 13, an external server 2 may be communicatively connected to the information processing terminal 3. The external server 2 may be configured by a computer that can be connected to the information processing terminal 3 via a network such as the Internet.

[0078] In this case, parameter information of the current based on the tactile presentation data 323 can also be transmitted from the external server 2 to the tactile presentation device 4 via the information processing terminal 3. Therefore, the control unit of the present invention can be included in the information processing terminal 3 as in the above embodiment, or can be included in the external server 2. Furthermore, multiple control units can be provided, and the devices in which they are located are not limited. In other words, control units can be distributed and located in two or more of the information processing terminal 3, the tactile presentation device 4, and the external server 2, and the processing for performing the above-mentioned play can be executed in a distributed manner.

[0079] (8) The present invention can be used as a virtual reality technology that uses a device such as a head-mounted display to operate a virtual object in a virtual space. That is, the above-mentioned information processing terminal can be used as a head-mounted display. In this case, the head-mounted display displays a ball and the hand of the user wearing the head-mounted display as objects. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1: Tactile presentation system (information processing system) 3: Information processing terminal 4: Tactile presentation device (tactile presentation unit) 31: Control unit 71: Ball (object) 102:Operation unit 104: Magnetorheological fluid device 321: Program 324: User information

Claims

1. a tactile presentation unit having an operation unit; At least one control unit; Equipped with The control unit acquiring user information including at least one of attribute information and biometric information of the user; causing the tactile sense providing unit to provide a tactile sensation to the user in response to an operation of the operation unit of the tactile sense providing unit; configured to run The user information includes at least one piece of change information that changes over time; The tactile sensation presented by the tactile sensation presentation unit is configured to change based on at least the change information. Information processing system.

2. The change information includes at least one of the user's age, weight, heart rate, blood pressure, muscle mass, body fat percentage, visceral fat level, bone density, basal metabolic rate, body age, BMI value, exercise history, and purchase history. The information processing system according to claim 1 .

3. the tactile sense providing unit changes a load to be provided to the user among the tactile senses based on the change information.

3. The information processing system according to claim 1.

4. Further comprising a display unit, The control unit causing the tactile sensation providing unit to provide a tactile sensation based on a virtual behavior of the object displayed on the display unit; 3. The information processing system according to claim 1.

5. the tactile sensation providing unit has a magnetorheological fluid device, The magnetorheological fluid device is a rotating part that rotates in accordance with the displacement of the operating part; a magnetorheological fluid; Equipped with a magnetic field is applied to the magnetorheological fluid by an input current, thereby generating rotational resistance in the rotating part; The rotational resistance is presented as at least one of the haptics.

3. The information processing system according to claim 1.

6. a tactile presentation unit; At least one control unit; An information processing method in an information processing system comprising: the control unit acquiring user information including at least one of attribute information and biometric information of the user; a step of causing the control unit to cause the tactile sense provision unit to provide a tactile sense to the user in response to an operation of the tactile sense provision unit; Equipped with The user information includes at least one piece of change information that changes over time; The tactile sensation presented by the tactile sensation presentation unit is configured to change based on at least the change information. Information processing methods.

7. a tactile presentation unit; At least one control unit; The control unit of the information processing system includes: acquiring user information including at least one of attribute information and biometric information of the user; causing the tactile sense providing unit to provide a tactile sensation to the user in response to an operation of the tactile sense providing unit; Execute The user information includes at least one piece of change information that changes over time; The tactile sensation presented by the tactile sensation presentation unit is configured to change based on at least the change information. Information processing program.

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