Temperature sensation presentation device, information processing system, method for controlling temperature sensation presentation device, and program
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-21
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-30
Smart Images
Figure JP2025001771_30072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Temperature Sensation Presentation Device, Information Processing System, Control Method of Temperature Sensation Presentation Device, and Program
[0001] The present invention relates to a temperature sensation presentation device that presents a sense of warmth or cold to a part of a user's body, an information processing system including the temperature sensation presentation device, a control method of the temperature sensation presentation device, and a program.
[0002] For example, in a video game or the like, for the purpose of giving the user an immersive experience, various tactile presentations and force sensation presentations may be performed on parts of the user's body such as fingers. In addition, a method of presenting a sense of warmth or cold (hereinafter collectively referred to as temperature sensation) to the user by heating or cooling a part of the user's body has also been studied.
[0003] In the technology of the above conventional example, in order to present a temperature sensation to the user, it is necessary to wear or contact a dedicated device (temperature sensation presentation device) on the part to be presented. However, for example, when it is desired to present a temperature sensation to a person's fingertip, wearing a temperature sensation presentation device on the fingertip may interfere with button operations or the like. Thus, it may be difficult to directly present a temperature sensation to a specific part of the user's body using a temperature sensation presentation device.
[0004] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and one of its objects is to provide a temperature sensation presentation device that can present a temperature sensation to the user in a less restrictive manner, an information processing system including the temperature sensation presentation device, a control method of the temperature sensation presentation device, and a program.
[0005] A temperature sensation presentation device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a heat control device that heats and / or cools an object, a pressurizer that applies pressure to the object to be heated or cooled by the heat control device, and a control circuit that, at a given timing, heats or cools a predetermined action part of the user's body by the heat control device and reduces the pressure applied to the action part by the pressurizer.
[0006] An information processing system according to one aspect of the present invention is an information processing system comprising a temperature sensation presentation device and an information processing device, wherein the temperature sensation presentation device comprises a heat control device for heating and / or cooling an object and a pressurizer for applying pressure to an object that is to be heated or cooled by the heat control device, and the information processing device comprises a determination means for determining the timing at which a pseudo-warmth or coldness should be presented to a predetermined target part of the user's body, and an instruction means for instructing the temperature sensation presentation device to heat or cool a part of the user's body other than the target part with the heat control device at the determined timing, and to reduce the pressure applied to the part of the body with the pressurizer.
[0007] A control method for a temperature sensation presentation device according to one aspect of the present invention is a control method for a temperature sensation presentation device comprising a thermal control device for heating and / or cooling an object, and a pressurizer for applying pressure to an object that is to be heated or cooled by the thermal control device, the method comprising: determining a timing for presenting a simulated sensation of warmth or coldness to a predetermined target area of the user's body; and instructing the temperature sensation presentation device to heat or cool an area of action on the user's body other than the target area using the thermal control device, and to reduce the pressure applied to the area of action by the pressurizer, at the timing determined.
[0008] A program according to one aspect of the present invention is a program for controlling a temperature sensation presentation device comprising a thermal control device for heating and / or cooling an object, and a pressurizer for applying pressure to the object to be heated or cooled by the thermal control device, the program causing a computer to perform the following steps: determining the timing at which a simulated warmth or coldness should be presented to a predetermined target area of the user's body; and instructing the temperature sensation presentation device to heat or cool a different area of the user's body from the target area using the thermal control device, and to reduce the pressure applied to the area of action by the pressurizer, at the timing determined. This program may be provided stored in a computer-readable, non-temporary information storage medium.
[0009] This is a configuration diagram showing an example of an information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a perspective view showing an example of the appearance of a temperature sensation presentation device according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing an example of how a user wears and uses the temperature sensation presentation device according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a functional block diagram showing an example of the functions realized by the information processing device in the information processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow in which the information processing device presents a pseudo-hot and cold sensation to the user using the temperature sensation presentation device. This is a timing chart explaining an example of the processing flow in which the information processing device presents a pseudo-hot and cold sensation to the user using the temperature sensation presentation device. This is a graph showing the verification results regarding the pseudo-hot sensation used by the temperature sensation presentation device according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing another example of how a user wears and uses the temperature sensation presentation device according to one embodiment of the present invention. This is a timing chart explaining another example of the processing flow in which the information processing device presents a pseudo-hot and cold sensation to the user using the temperature sensation presentation device.
[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.
[0011] Figure 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of an information processing system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the information processing system 1 is composed of a temperature sensation presentation device 10 used to present a temperature sensation to the user, an operation device 20 that receives operation input from the user, and an information processing device 100.
[0012] The information processing device 100 is, for example, a home game console, a personal computer, or a smartphone, and as shown in Figure 1, it is configured to include a control unit 101, a storage unit 102, and an interface unit 103. The information processing device 100 is also connected to the temperature sensation presentation device 10 and the operation device 20, respectively, via wired or wireless communication.
[0013] The control unit 101 includes at least one processor such as a CPU and executes programs stored in the storage unit 102 to perform various information processing. Specific examples of the processing performed by the control unit 101 in this embodiment will be described later. The storage unit 102 includes at least one memory device such as a RAM and stores the programs executed by the control unit 101 and the data processed by those programs.
[0014] The interface unit 103 is an interface for data communication between the temperature sensation presentation device 10 and the operation device 20. The control unit 101 receives operation signals indicating the content of user operations received by the operation device 20 via the interface unit 103. It also transmits control signals to the temperature sensation presentation device 10 and the operation device 20, respectively, via the interface unit 103 to control their operation.
[0015] Figure 2 shows an example of the appearance of the temperature sensation presentation device 10. As shown in the figure, the temperature sensation presentation device 10 is composed of a control circuit 11, a pressurizer 12, and a heat control device 13. In this embodiment, the user wears the temperature sensation presentation device 10 near the base of their finger (opposite the fingertip). Figure 3 shows the user making an input to the operation button 21 on the operation device 20 while wearing the temperature sensation presentation device 10.
[0016] The control circuit 11 includes a microcomputer and the like. The control circuit 11 controls the operation of the pressurizer 12 and the heat control device 13, which will be described later, in response to instructions from the information processing device 100.
[0017] The pressurizer 12 is a component for applying pressure to an object. The pressurizer 12 is used to apply pressure to a predetermined part of the user's body (hereinafter referred to as the "site of action"). In particular, in this embodiment, the pressurizer 12 applies pressure to the base of one of the user's fingers, which is the site of action, and presents a pressure sensation. Specifically, the pressurizer 12 in this embodiment is composed of an annular member that surrounds the site of action. The user attaches the temperature sensation presentation device 10 to their finger by passing one of their fingers (for example, the index finger) inside the ring formed by the pressurizer 12, so that the site of action is in contact with the inner surface of the pressurizer 12.
[0018] The pressurizer 12 provides pressure sensation by applying pressure to the user's fingers at the location where it is attached, in response to a control signal from the control circuit 11. Specifically, for example, the pressurizer 12 is configured to allow air to flow into the part that contacts the user's fingers, and by increasing the internal pressure by introducing air, it compresses the user's fingers. Furthermore, the pressurizer 12 stops applying pressure to the user's fingers in response to a control signal from the control circuit 11, releasing the user's fingers from the pressurized state. Through this control, the pressurizer 12 can achieve depressurization control, reducing the pressure applied to the area of the user's body at any desired timing.
[0019] The thermal control device 13 heats and / or cools an object by generating or absorbing heat. Specifically, the thermal control device 13 may be a heater that heats an object by including a heat-generating element that generates heat in response to an external control signal. Alternatively, it may be a cooler that cools an object by including a heat-absorbing element that absorbs heat in response to an external control signal. Furthermore, it may be a heater / cooler capable of both heating and cooling by including an element that generates and absorbs heat in response to an external control signal (e.g., a Peltier element). The thermal control device 13 is positioned adjacent to the area of action that is pressurized by the pressurizer 12 when the user is wearing the temperature sensation presentation device 10. The thermal control device 13 heats or cools the area of action of the user's body that is in contact with the pressurizer 12 by generating or absorbing heat in response to a control signal from the control circuit 11.
[0020] The following describes a method by which the temperature sensation presentation device 10 presents warmth or coldness to a specific part of the user's body. The inventors of this invention have found through their research that the following phenomenon occurs in the human body. Specifically, the pressure previously applied to a predetermined site of action on the human body is reduced, and that site of action is heated to present warmth. Furthermore, at the same time, a tactile stimulus is applied to a site different from the site of action that presents warmth (hereinafter referred to as the target site). As a result, the person has the illusion that the warmth presented to the site of action is occurring in the target site that received the tactile stimulus. While there has been research on the illusion that warmth occurs in a site different from the site where it is actually presented, the inventors of this invention have found that by combining depressurization control to the site of action with the presentation of warmth, such an illusion is more likely to occur, or can be generated in sites where such an illusion could not be generated with conventional methods. Similarly, by combining the presentation of cold sensation to the site of action, depressurization control to the site of action, and tactile stimulation to the target site, it is assumed that an effect will be created in which the cold sensation presented to the site of action is perceived as occurring in the target site that has received tactile stimulation. In the following, the warmth and cold sensations that the user perceives as being presented to the target site by such an effect will be referred to as pseudo-warmth and pseudo-cold sensations, respectively. Furthermore, pseudo-warmth and pseudo-cold sensations will be collectively referred to as pseudo-warmth and cold sensations. The inventors of this application will explain later some of the results of their verification of the effect of presenting pseudo-warmth and cold sensations using this method.
[0021] The temperature sensation presentation device 10 according to this embodiment presents a pseudo-hot or cold sensation to the user by utilizing the illusion described above. Specifically, the control circuit 11 of the temperature sensation presentation device 10 performs the following control in response to instructions from the information processing device 100. First, the pressurizer 12 pressurizes the user's work area (in this case, the base of the finger) and maintains the pressurized state of the work area. Then, at the same time that the pressurization is stopped and the user's finger is depressurized, the depressurized base of the user's finger is heated or cooled by the heat control device 13. At this time, if a predetermined tactile stimulus is applied to a part of the user's finger other than the pressurized base (for example, the fingertip area further forward than the base of the finger), the user will have the illusion that the hot or cold sensation generated by the heat control device 13 is occurring at the target area receiving the tactile stimulus. In other words, the temperature sensation presentation device 10 can present a pseudo-hot or cold sensation to a target area that is not actually being heated.
[0022] In this embodiment, vibrations presented by the operating device 20 are used as the predetermined tactile stimulus. The operating device 20 is equipped with an operating button 21, which has a built-in vibration mechanism that presents vibrations to the finger of the user operating it. The operating device 20 presents vibrations to the finger of the user operating the operating button 21 in response to instructions from the information processing device 100.
[0023] The functions realized by the information processing device 100 in this embodiment will be described below using the functional block diagram in Figure 4. As shown in the figure, the information processing device 100 is functionally configured to include a timing determination unit 111 and a pseudo-thermal sensation presentation instruction unit 112. These functions are realized by the control unit 101 executing one or more programs stored in the storage unit 102. These programs may be provided to the information processing device 100 via a communication line such as the Internet, or they may be provided stored in a computer-readable, non-temporary information storage medium such as an optical disc.
[0024] The timing determination unit 111 determines the timing at which a simulated thermal sensation should be presented to a target area of the user's body. Specifically, the timing determination unit 111 may determine the timing at which a tactile stimulus can be presented to the target area, or the timing at which a tactile stimulus is actually applied, as the timing at which a simulated thermal sensation should be presented. Alternatively, if a tactile stimulus can be presented to the target area at any time, the timing at which a simulated thermal sensation should be presented may be determined according to the content of the processing being performed by the information processing device 100. In this case, the timing determination unit 111 determines the timing at which a simulated thermal sensation should be presented based on an operation signal indicating the content of the operation input received from the operation device 20.
[0025] The pseudo-thermal sensation presentation instruction unit 112 gives instructions to the temperature sensation presentation device 10 to present pseudo-thermal sensations at the timing determined by the timing determination unit 111. Specifically, the pseudo-thermal sensation presentation instruction unit 112 instructs the temperature sensation presentation device 10 to perform depressurization control to reduce the pressure that had been applied to the site of action, and to present temperature to the site of action (i.e., heating or cooling the site of action).
[0026] Furthermore, the pseudo-thermal sensation presentation instruction unit 112 instructs the operating device 20 to present tactile stimuli to the target area. More specifically, in this embodiment, the pseudo-thermal sensation presentation instruction unit 112 instructs the operating device 20 to present vibration to the finger that operated the user's operating button 21.
[0027] Furthermore, the pseudo-thermal sensation presentation instruction unit 112 instructs the temperature sensation presentation device 10 to pre-execute pressurization control on the action site necessary for depressurization control when there is a possibility that a timing for presenting pseudo-thermal sensation will arrive later.
[0028] Here, an example of the processing flow executed by the information processing device 100 to present a simulated thermal sensation to the user's fingertips will be explained using the flowchart in Figure 5 and the timing chart in Figure 6.
[0029] To present a simulated thermal sensation to the user's fingertips, the simulated thermal sensation presentation instruction unit 112 of the information processing device 100 first instructs the temperature sensation presentation device 10 to maintain a state of applying pressure to the base of the user's finger (S1). In Figure 6, the pressurizer 12 starts applying pressure at time t1. Subsequently, the timing determination unit 111 of the information processing device 100 waits for the user to operate the operation button 21 of the operation device 20 (S2).
[0030] When the operating device 20 receives an operation signal and determines that the user has operated the operation button 21, the timing determination unit 111 decides to present a pseudo-thermal sensation at that timing. In Figure 6, it is assumed that the operation button 21 was operated at time t2. In this case, the pseudo-thermal sensation presentation instruction unit 112 instructs the temperature sensation presentation device 10 to release the pressurized state by the pressurizer 12 (controlling the pressure applied to the base of the user's finger) and to present the temperature to the base of the user's finger by the heat control device 13 (S3). Furthermore, the pseudo-thermal sensation presentation instruction unit 112 instructs the operating device 20 to provide vibration presentation by the operation button 21 (S4). In Figure 6, the instructions in S3 and S4 are executed at time t3, immediately after time t2, and accordingly, the release of the pressurized state by the pressurizer 12, the temperature presentation by the heat control device 13 (heating), and the vibration presentation by the operation button 21 are started almost simultaneously.
[0031] Based on the instructions in S3 and S4, the depressurization control and temperature presentation at the base of the finger, and the vibration presentation at the fingertip occur at roughly the same time, causing the user to perceive the warmth presented at the base of their finger as being presented at the fingertip where the vibration is being presented. This allows the information processing device 100 to present a pseudo-warmth sensation at the user's fingertip at the timing of a specific operation performed by the user during gameplay. Note that the temperature presentation by the thermal control device 13 and the vibration presentation by the operation button 21 both terminate after a certain period of time, regardless of the user's input to the operation button 21. In Figure 6, these controls terminate at time t4.
[0032] Here, we will explain one of the results of the actual verification conducted by the inventors of the present invention regarding the pseudo-thermal sensation described above. In this verification, five subjects under three different conditions were subjected to five trials each. In all three conditions, the temperature sensation presentation device 10 according to this embodiment was attached to the base of one of the subjects' fingers (the site of action), and the vibration presentation device was attached to the tip of the same finger (the target site), and heating (temperature presentation) was performed on the site of action. After each experiment, the subjects were asked to rate how much heat they felt (i.e., the degree of heat perception) at both the site of action where the actual temperature presentation was performed and the target site, using a scale of 0 (not hot) to 5 (hot).
[0033] The differences between the three condition patterns are as follows: - Condition 1: Temperature is presented to the site of action, but there is no depressurization control and no vibration is presented to the target site. - Condition 2: Temperature is presented to the site of action, but there is no depressurization control and vibration is presented to the target site. - Condition 3: Temperature is presented to the site of action, depressurization control is performed, and vibration is presented to the target site. In other words, Condition 1 is a pattern that simply presents the temperature, Condition 2 is a pattern that does not perform depressurization control for comparison, and Condition 3 is a pattern that synchronously performs temperature presentation, depressurization control and vibration presentation, which are the subject of the present invention.
[0034] Figure 7 shows the results of this verification. As shown in the figure, this verification yielded results showing that subjects tended to perceive the target area as hotter in the third condition based on the method of the present invention compared to the first and second conditions. Furthermore, in 88% of all trials under this third condition, subjects felt at least a slight heat at the target area. At the same time, in the third condition, subjects tended to perceive the actually heated work site as not being hotter than in either the first or second condition. As a result, in 60% of all trials under the third condition, subjects felt the target area as hotter or hotter than the work site. Thus, the inventors of the present invention confirmed that by combining vibration presentation to the target area with temperature presentation and depressurization control to the work site, a pseudo-thermal sensation to the target area can be presented more effectively.
[0035] It has been found that the ease with which users perceive pseudo-thermal sensations differs depending on the frequency of the vibrations presented to them. Therefore, when the operating device 20 presents vibrations to the user for the purpose of presenting pseudo-thermal sensations, it may present vibrations of a predetermined frequency. It is also possible that there are differences in the frequency of vibrations that users find easier to perceive as pseudo-thermal sensations. Therefore, it may be possible to identify and store effective frequencies for each user in advance, and when each user actually uses the temperature sensation presentation device 10, the vibrations may be presented at the frequency stored in association with that user.
[0036] To achieve this control, the information processing device 100 repeatedly instructs the temperature sensation presentation device 10 to depressurize and heat the target area while presenting vibrations to the target area at different frequencies. The user is then asked to select the frequency at which they felt the strongest pseudo-thermal sensation at the target area, and this selected frequency is recorded. Subsequently, when the user whose frequency was recorded uses the temperature sensation presentation device 100, the information processing device 100 instructs the operation device 20 to perform vibrations at the recorded frequency when presenting the pseudo-thermal sensation. This ensures that even when multiple users use the temperature sensation presentation device 10, each user receives an effective presentation of pseudo-thermal sensation.
[0037] Furthermore, it is conceivable that there may be individual differences in the optimal values for parameters such as the intensity of vibration presented to the target area, the intensity of pressure sensation presented to the action site by the pressurizer 12, and the temperature presented to the action site by the thermal control device 13, in order to present a simulated thermal sensation. Therefore, similar to the vibration frequency mentioned above, these parameters may also be adjustable for each user.
[0038] Furthermore, while the thermal control device 13 has been described so far as to perform heating or cooling of the work site at a predetermined temperature, the temperature presented by the thermal control device 13 may also be changed according to the temperature of the work site. In this case, the temperature sensation presentation device 10 is equipped with a temperature sensor on its surface, and this temperature sensor measures the surface temperature of the user's work site. Then, a predetermined difference value is added to the measured surface temperature to calculate the target temperature, and the temperature is presented to the work site at that target temperature. This makes it possible to present a temperature appropriate for the user, regardless of individual differences in the user's surface temperature.
[0039] Furthermore, the intensity of pressure sensation (pressure strength) received by the user's body at the site of action is also thought to vary from user to user, for example, due to differences in finger thickness. Specifically, even if the pressurizer 12 is controlled to apply pressure to the user's finger with the same output, it is assumed that a person with thin fingers will feel less pressure than a person with thick fingers. Therefore, the temperature sensation presentation device 10 may be equipped with sensor devices such as a camera, distance sensor, or ultrasonic sensor to measure the size and shape of the site of action, such as the thickness of the user's finger, and the strength of the pressure control by the pressurizer 12 may be changed according to the sensing results.
[0040] Alternatively, the temperature sensation presentation device 10 may be equipped with a pressure sensor for measuring the pressure applied to the surface of the user's area of action, and the strength of the pressure presented by the pressurizer 12 may be changed according to the measurement result. This allows the pressurizer 12 to provide pressure sensation to the user at the target pressure by feeding back the strength of the pressure actually applied to the user.
[0041] Alternatively, the temperature sensation presentation device 10 may be designed so that the size of the pressurizer 12 itself can be physically adjusted. Specifically, by placing an elastic material such as a spring or rubber, or a length-adjustable material such as a belt, tape, or string, on a part of the annular member that makes up the pressurizer 12, the size of the ring formed by the pressurizer 12 can be adjusted. This allows the user to adjust the strength of the pressure received by the pressurizer 12 by adjusting the size of the ring formed by the pressurizer 12 themselves, if they feel that the temperature sensation presentation device 10 is too tight or too loose and they do not feel the simulated temperature well.
[0042] Also, in the previous description, it was assumed that a tactile stimulus was presented to the finger of the user operating the operation button 21. However, the operation member that presents the tactile stimulus is not limited to the operation button 21. Specifically, the operation device 20 may include various operation members such as a touch panel and an analog stick, and these operation members may be configured to be able to present vibration. Also in this case, the information processing device 100 instructs the operation device 20 to present vibration to the finger that has performed the operation at the timing when the target operation member has received an operation, and also instructs the temperature sensation presentation device 10 to execute decompression control and temperature presentation. Thereby, it is possible to present pseudo warm and cold sensations to the user at the timing when the user operates various operation members.
[0043] Also, in the previous description, it was assumed that the operation device 20 presents vibration to the user. However, it is not limited to this, and in order to give a tactile stimulus to the target site, it may be assumed that the user wears a dedicated vibration presentation device. In this case, the information processing system 1 includes a vibration presentation device 30 having a vibration mechanism that generates vibration, and the user wears this vibration presentation device 30 on his / her fingertip or the like. This vibration presentation device 30 is communicatively connected to the information processing device 100 by wire or wirelessly, generates vibration based on an instruction from the information processing device 100, and presents a tactile stimulus by vibration to the user. According to such a configuration, although it is necessary to wear a dedicated device on the target site as well, it becomes possible to present pseudo warm and cold sensations to the user at an arbitrary timing according to the processing content executed by the information processing device 100. Also, this vibration presentation device 30 can also be used to present vibration to the target site regardless of the presentation of pseudo warm and cold sensations.
[0044] In this example, the vibration presentation device 30 may be a device that presents vibration not only to the ventral side of the user's fingertip but also to various locations such as the nail side of the user's fingertip or the first joint of the finger. By doing so, it is possible to present pseudo warm and cold sensations not only to the ventral side of the fingertip used by the user when operating the operation button 21 but also to various parts of the user's body as target sites.
[0045] Figure 8 shows an example of a user wearing the temperature sensation presentation device 10 and the vibration presentation device 30 in this example. In this figure, the user wears the temperature sensation presentation device 10 at the base of his / her finger as in FIG. 3, and wears the vibration presentation device 30 at the fingertip of the same finger. Thus, the information processing device 100 can present vibration or pseudo-thermal sensation to the user's fingertip at an arbitrary timing.
[0046] Also, when the user is holding and using the operation device 20, etc., when it is assumed that a specific part of the user's body is always in contact with a specific position of the operation device 20, the operation device 20 may present a tactile stimulus to the user by generating vibration at that specific position. Thereby, not limited to the timing when the user operates a specific operation member, the information processing device 100 can present a pseudo-thermal sensation to the user at an arbitrary timing.
[0047] Also, the tactile stimulus applied to the target part of the user to present the pseudo-thermal sensation is not limited to vibration. For example, it has been found that even when the user's fingertip simply contacts some object, a certain degree of pseudo-thermal sensation can be felt on the user's fingertip by the method described so far. Therefore, even when the operation device 20 does not include a vibration mechanism for presenting vibration, the information processing device 100 may cause the temperature sensation presentation device 10 to execute decompression control and temperature presentation at the timing when the user operates an operation member included in the operation device 20. Thereby, it can be expected that the finger of the user who has contacted the operation member feels a pseudo-thermal sensation.
[0048] Also, not only when the user contacts an operation member included in the operation device 20, but a pseudo-thermal sensation may be presented at the timing when the user contacts other objects. For example, when the information processing device 100 performs display associated with the real world by extended reality (AR) technology, etc., a pseudo-thermal sensation may be presented to the contacted part by the method as described so far when the user contacts some object.
[0049] As a concrete example, we will describe an example in which the user does not operate the control device 20, but instead touches their finger to a real-world object while wearing the temperature sensation presentation device 10. In this example, the timing determination unit 111 of the information processing device 100 tracks the position of the user's finger using a sensor device such as a camera and identifies the timing when the user's finger touches a predetermined object in the real world. It then determines that timing as the timing when a pseudo-thermal sensation should be presented. At that timing, the pseudo-thermal sensation presentation instruction unit 112 of the information processing device 100 instructs the temperature sensation presentation device 10 to perform depressurization control at the base of the user's finger and to present the temperature. As a result, the information processing device 100 can make the user's finger feel the illusion that the object is hot when the user's finger touches the real-world object.
[0050] In this case, the information processing device 100 may superimpose an image onto the object touched by the user, making it appear as if the object is hot, or an image of the user's fingertips burning and producing flames and smoke, or it may play sound effects such as the sound of an object burning. It may also use a smell presentation device to present the smell of a burning object. By combining stimuli to the user's sight, hearing, smell, etc., it is expected that the user will feel a stronger simulated sense of temperature.
[0051] In the above explanation, the information processing device 100 was instructed to perform depressurization control, temperature presentation, and tactile stimulation to the target site at the same time. However, the timing of these controls does not necessarily have to coincide and may be staggered by a predetermined time. Specifically, it is thought that there will be differences in the response speed from the time the information processing device 100 sends an instruction command until each device actually starts operating for depressurization control by the pressurizer 12, temperature presentation (heating and / or cooling) by the heat control device 13, and presentation of tactile stimulation by a vibration mechanism, etc. Generally, the operation of the pressurizer 12 and the heat control device 13 is often slower in response speed compared to tactile stimulation presentation devices such as vibration mechanisms. Furthermore, it is known that the time from when each device starts operating until the user perceives the stimulus also varies greatly depending on the type of stimulus. In particular, human temperature perception due to heating or cooling is expected to take a relatively long time from the time the corresponding device starts operating until the user perceives the stimulus, compared to tactile stimulation by depressurization control or vibration presentation. Therefore, the instruction for temperature presentation may be sent a predetermined time ahead of the instruction for depressurization control and the instruction for presentation of tactile stimulation. Furthermore, if the goal is to present a simulated thermal sensation at the moment the user touches an object with their finger, the system may monitor the user's finger movements to predict the timing of contact (i.e., the timing of tactile stimulation), and based on this prediction, send a temperature presentation instruction before the predicted contact time.
[0052] Figure 9 shows an example of a timing chart when the information processing device 100 performs such control. Here, the user is wearing a vibration presentation device 30 as illustrated in Figure 8, and vibration presentation to the user can be started at any time. In this example, it is assumed that pressurization control by the pressurizer 12 has already been started. In this example, when the timing determination unit 111 determines the timing for presenting pseudo-thermal sensation, the pseudo-thermal sensation presentation instruction unit 112 first executes a temperature presentation instruction to the thermal control device 13 (time t11). After a predetermined time (for example, 1 second) has elapsed, it issues an instruction to the vibration presentation device 30 to execute vibration presentation, and an instruction to the pressurizer 12 to execute depressurization control due to the end of pressurization control (time t12). The time difference Δt between time t11 and time t12 is determined considering the response speed of the thermal control device 13 and the perceptual characteristics of human temperature sensation. In this example, the vibration presentation and depressurization control instructions are given simultaneously at time t12, but these timings may be shifted by a predetermined time, taking into account the response characteristics of each device and the perceptual characteristics of each stimulus. This allows the user to perceive depressurization control to the site of action, temperature presentation to the site of action, and tactile stimulation to the target site at roughly the same time, even if there is a timing difference in the instructions from the information processing device 100, and is expected to make it easier to generate pseudo-thermal sensations.
[0053] Subsequently, the pseudo-thermal sensation presentation instruction unit 112 waits for a predetermined time to elapse and then issues an instruction to the thermal control device 13 to end the temperature presentation (time t13). After another predetermined time has elapsed, it issues an instruction to the vibration presentation device 30 to end the vibration presentation (time t14). Here, the time difference between time t13 and time t14 is made to match the time difference Δt between time t11 and time t12. As a result, the user can perceive that the vibration presentation and temperature presentation end at roughly the same time.
[0054] Furthermore, as mentioned above, the temperature sensation presentation device 10 may not only present a pseudo-warm sensation to a target area other than the site of action by heating the site of action on the user's body with the thermal control device 13, but may also, in addition to or instead of this, present a pseudo-cold sensation to the user by cooling the site of action on the user's body. For example, if the thermal control device 13 is a heater / cooler composed of an element capable of both heat dissipation and heat absorption, such as a Peltier element, the temperature sensation presentation device 10 may, in response to instructions from the information processing device 100, heat the site of action with the thermal control device 13 if it wants to present a pseudo-warm sensation to the user, and cool the site of action if it wants to present a pseudo-cold sensation. In this way, the temperature sensation presentation device 10 can present a pseudo-warm sensation or a pseudo-cold sensation to a target area depending on the content of the processing performed by the information processing device 100.
[0055] Furthermore, in previous examples, the area of action on the user's body where the temperature sensation presentation device 10 heats or cools was the base of the user's finger, and the target area for presenting pseudo-thermal sensation was the part of the same finger as the user's action area but closer to the tip. However, if the target area is relatively close to the action area, it may be possible to present pseudo-thermal sensation even if it is not the same finger, although there may be individual differences. Therefore, the temperature sensation presentation device 10 may be attached to a finger different from the finger on which tactile stimulation is presented, and the attached area may be used as the action area for depressurization control or temperature presentation. The temperature sensation presentation device 10 may also be attached to the back of the hand or wrist. In addition, the target area on which tactile stimulation is presented is not limited to the fingertip, but may be any part of the user's body.
[0056] Furthermore, while the above explanation has assumed that the target area is limited to a specific location, the information processing device 100 may present pseudo-thermal and cold sensations to multiple target areas at the same time. For example, if the fingertips of multiple user fingers are in contact with the operating device 20, the device can present vibrations to each fingertip while simultaneously performing depressurization control and temperature presentation to the area of action, thereby presenting pseudo-thermal and cold sensations to multiple fingertips.
[0057] As described above, according to the temperature sensation presentation device 10 and the information processing system 1 equipped with the temperature sensation presentation device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to present a simulated sense of warmth or coldness to a target area of the user's body where no actual temperature is being presented.
[0058] The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to those described above. For example, the shapes, sizes, and arrangements of the components constituting the temperature sensation presentation device 10 described above are merely illustrative and may vary as long as they do not depart from the spirit of the present invention.
[0059] The information processing functions realized by the components described herein may be implemented by any circuit or processing circuitry, including general-purpose processors, application-specific processors, integrated circuits, ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), CPUs (Central Processing Units), conventional circuits, and / or combinations thereof, configured or programmed to realize the described functions. A processor is considered a circuit or processing circuitry, including transistors and other circuits. A processor may also be a programmed processor that executes a program stored in memory.
[0060] In this specification, circuitry, unit, and means are hardware programmed to perform or execute the functions described herein. Such hardware may be any hardware disclosed herein, or any hardware known to be programmed to perform or execute the functions described herein. If such hardware is a processor that is considered a type of circuitry, then such circuitry, means, or unit is a combination of hardware and software used to operate such hardware and / or processor.
[0061] This disclosure may include the following embodiments: [Item 1] A temperature sensation presentation device comprising: a thermal control device for heating and / or cooling an object; a pressurizer for applying pressure to an object to be heated or cooled by the thermal control device; and a circuit for heating or cooling a predetermined area of action on the user's body by the thermal control device at a given timing, and reducing the pressure applied to the area of action by the pressurizer. [Item 2] The temperature sensation presentation device according to Item 1, wherein the area of action is the base of any of the user's fingers, and the circuit for reducing pressure and heating or cooling the area of action when tactile stimulation is applied to the fingertip of any of the user's fingers. [Item 3] The temperature sensation presentation device according to Item 1, wherein the pressurizer is composed of an annular member surrounding the area of action. [Item 4] A temperature sensation presentation device as described in Item 3, wherein the pressurizer is configured to adjust the size of the ring formed by the annular member. [Item 5] A temperature sensation presentation device as described in Item 1, further comprising a temperature sensor for measuring the surface temperature of the area of action, wherein the thermal control device heats and / or cools at a temperature corresponding to the measurement result of the temperature sensor. [Item 6] An information processing system comprising a temperature sensation presentation device and an information processing device, wherein the temperature sensation presentation device comprises a thermal control device for heating and / or cooling an object, and a pressurizer for applying pressure to an object that is to be heated or cooled by the thermal control device, and the information processing device comprises a circuit configured to determine the timing for presenting a pseudo-warmth or cold sensation to a predetermined target area of the user's body, and to instruct the temperature sensation presentation device to heat or cool an area of action other than the target area of the user's body with the thermal control device and to reduce the pressure applied to the area of action by the pressurizer at the determined timing.[Item 7] An information processing system according to Item 6, wherein the information processing system further includes an operating device equipped with an operating member that receives operations from a user, and the circuit determines the body part of the user operating the operating member as the target area, and the timing at which the user operates the operating member as the timing at which the pseudo-warmth or cold sensation should be presented. [Item 8] An information processing system according to Item 7, wherein the operating device is equipped with a vibration mechanism that presents vibration to the target area of the user operating the operating member, and the circuit instructs the temperature sensation presentation device to reduce pressure and heat or cool the area of action, and instructs the operating device to present vibration to the target area. [Item 9] An information processing system according to Item 6, wherein the circuit identifies the timing at which tactile stimulation is applied to the target area, and determines that timing as the timing at which the pseudo-warmth or cold sensation should be presented. [Item 10] An information processing system as described in Item 9, wherein the circuit specifies the user's finger as the target area and the timing of the user's finger contacting a real-world object as the timing of applying tactile stimulation to the target area. [Item 11] A control method for controlling a temperature sensation presentation device comprising a thermal control device for heating and / or cooling an object, and a pressurizer for applying pressure to an object to be heated or cooled by the thermal control device, wherein the control method determines the timing at which a simulated warmth or coldness should be presented to a predetermined target area of the user's body, and at the timing determined, instructs the temperature sensation presentation device to heat or cool an area of action on the user's body other than the target area using the thermal control device, and to reduce the pressure applied to the area of action by the pressurizer.
[0062] 1 Information processing system, 10 Temperature sensation presentation device, 11 Control circuit, 12 Pressurizer, 13 Thermal control device, 20 Operation device, 21 Operation button, 30 Vibration presentation device, 100 Information processing device, 101 Control unit, 102 Storage unit, 103 Interface unit, 111 Timing determination unit, 112 Pseudo-thermal sensation presentation instruction unit.
Claims
1. A temperature sensation presentation device comprising: a thermal control device for heating and / or cooling an object; a pressurizer for applying pressure to the object to be heated or cooled by the thermal control device; and a control circuit that, at a given timing, heats or cools a predetermined area of the user's body using the thermal control device and reduces the pressure applied to the area of action by the pressurizer.
2. A temperature sensation presentation device according to claim 1, wherein the operating site is the base of any of the user's fingers, and the control circuit targets the fingertip of any of the user's fingers as the target site, and when tactile stimulation is applied to the target site, it causes the operating site to be depressurized and heated or cooled.
3. A temperature sensation presenting device according to claim 1, wherein the pressurizer is composed of an annular member surrounding the area of action.
4. A temperature sensation presenting device according to claim 3, wherein the pressurizer is configured to be adjustable in size of the ring formed by the annular member.
5. A temperature sensation presentation device according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor for measuring the surface temperature of the site of action, wherein the thermal control device heats and / or cools at a temperature corresponding to the measurement result of the temperature sensor.
6. An information processing system comprising a temperature sensation presentation device and an information processing device, wherein the temperature sensation presentation device comprises a heat control device for heating and / or cooling an object, and a pressurizer for applying pressure to an object that is to be heated or cooled by the heat control device, and the information processing device comprises a determination means for determining the timing at which a simulated sensation of warmth or cold should be presented to a predetermined target area of the user's body, and an instruction means for instructing the temperature sensation presentation device to heat or cool an area of action on the user's body other than the target area with the heat control device and to reduce the pressure applied to the area of action by the pressurizer at the determined timing.
7. An information processing system according to claim 6, wherein the information processing system further includes an operating device equipped with an operating member for receiving operations from a user, and the determination means determines that the body part of the user operating the operating member is the target body part, and the timing at which the user operates the operating member is the timing at which the simulated sensation of warmth or cold should be presented.
8. An information processing system according to claim 7, wherein the operating device comprises a vibration mechanism that presents vibration to the target area of a user operating the operating member, and the instruction means instructs the temperature sensation presentation device to reduce pressure and heat or cool the area of action, and instructs the operating device to present vibration to the target area.
9. An information processing system according to claim 6, wherein the determination means identifies the timing at which a tactile stimulus is applied to the target area and determines that timing as the timing at which the pseudo-warmth or cold sensation should be presented.
10. An information processing system according to claim 9, wherein the determination means specifies the user's finger as the target area, and identifies the timing at which the user's finger comes into contact with a real-world object as the timing at which a tactile stimulus is applied to the target area.
11. A control method for controlling a temperature sensation presentation device comprising a thermal control device for heating and / or cooling an object, and a pressurizer for applying pressure to the object to be heated or cooled by the thermal control device, the method comprising: determining a timing for presenting a simulated sensation of warmth or coldness to a predetermined target area of the user's body; and instructing the temperature sensation presentation device to heat or cool an area of action on the user's body other than the target area using the thermal control device, and to reduce the pressure applied to the area of action by the pressurizer, at the timing determined.
12. A program for controlling a temperature sensation presentation device comprising a thermal control device for heating and / or cooling an object, and a pressurizer for applying pressure to the object to be heated or cooled by the thermal control device, the program for causing a computer to perform the following steps: determining the timing at which a simulated sensation of warmth or coldness should be presented to a predetermined target area of the user's body; and instructing the temperature sensation presentation device to heat or cool an area of action on the user's body other than the target area using the thermal control device, and to reduce the pressure applied to the area of action by the pressurizer, at the timing determined.