Electronic Controller With Adjustable Hand Retainer And Finger Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing video game controllers, particularly for virtual reality systems, face challenges in balancing ease of use, comfort, and functionality, often failing to accommodate diverse hand sizes and ensuring secure grip without obstructing user interaction.
Innovation Solution
A controller design featuring a hand retainer with an adjustable strap and tracking member, equipped with tracking transducers and proximity sensors, allows for secure grip and precise finger motion detection, enhancing user interaction and gameplay functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a hand retainer with resilient member is used to bias the user's palm against the handle, then secure grip is improved, but device complexity increases due to the adjustment mechanism and lockable collar portion
Solution Approach 1:
The hand retainer system employs a dynamic adjustment mechanism that allows the anchor to be repositioned peripherally around the head. The lockable collar portion enables the system to transition between fixed and adjustable states, optimizing the balance between secure grip and ease of adjustment based on user needs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the resilient member is moved towards or away from the user's purlicue via adjustment mechanism, then adaptability to different hand sizes is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to the locking and unlocking requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment mechanism allows dynamic repositioning of the resilient member along the peripheral path. The lockable collar portion provides discrete locking positions that accommodate different hand sizes while maintaining operational simplicity through a straightforward lock/unlock mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the positional parameter of the resilient member relative to the user's purlicue by moving the anchor peripherally around the head. This allows adjustment of the retainer's effective length and tension to accommodate various hand dimensions.
3Measurement precision
If tracking transducers and proximity sensors are added to detect finger motion, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller integrates multiple sensing functions (tracking transducers for position tracking and proximity sensors for finger detection) into a single unified system. These sensors serve multiple purposes including gesture recognition, grip detection, and contextual awareness, reducing overall system complexity through functional consolidation.
Data Source
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AI summary
An electronic controller includes a controller body having a head that adjoins a handle at a neck region, and that includes at least one thumb-operated control. The controller includes a hand retainer that in a closed position is configured to physically bias the users palm against an outer surface of the handle. The hand retainer includes a resilient member that biases the hand retainer towards an open position. An adjustment mechanism couples the resilient member to the head and permits the resilient member to be adjusted between a plurality of discrete positions to adjust the resilient member towards or away from the users purlicue. The adjustment mechanism may include an anchor that is movable peripherally about the head between the plurality of discrete positions and is pivotably attached to the resilient member with a two-part fastener, with a friction member interposed between the resilient member and the anchor.