AR Haptic Overlay System with Sensor-Driven Tactile Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Augmented Reality (AR) systems face challenges in providing haptic effects to users, which are essential for immersive experiences, as they lack the capability to simulate touch sensations of virtual objects in real-world environments.
Innovation Solution
A system integrating a haptic output device, a display, and sensors that track the position of a proxy object, allowing for real-time modification of visual and haptic effects based on user input and sensor data, enabling users to feel textures and interactions with virtual objects as if they were real.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If haptic output devices are integrated into AR systems, then tactile feedback capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines haptic output devices with AR display devices into an integrated system. The processor unit receives sensor data and simultaneously generates both visual effects for the display and haptic effects for the haptic output device, merging multiple functions into a unified system that provides coordinated sensory feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor unit serves multiple functions: it processes sensor data, generates visual effects, generates haptic effects, and coordinates timing between different output devices. This multi-functional approach consolidates what would otherwise require separate processing systems, managing complexity through functional integration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If real-time haptic feedback is provided based on sensor tracking, then user immersion is improved, but processing requirements and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously receives sensor data tracking user interactions and proxy object positions, processes this feedback information in real-time, and dynamically adjusts both visual and haptic effects accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables adaptive immersion while maintaining systematic processing through established feedback control patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-establishes the relationship between sensor inputs and corresponding haptic/visual output mappings. By preparing the processing framework in advance and using standardized effect generation based on sensor data categories, the system reduces real-time processing complexity while maintaining adaptive responsiveness.
3Reliability
If haptic effects are synchronized with visual effects, then realism is improved, but system coordination complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The processor unit generates visual and haptic effects simultaneously from the same sensor data input, ensuring inherent synchronization. By merging the effect generation processes into a single coordinated output stage rather than separate independent systems, the patent achieves realistic synchronization while managing coordination complexity through unified processing.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for integrating haptics overlay in augmented reality are disclosed. One illustrative system described herein includes a haptic output device. The system also includes a display configured to output a visual effect. The system also includes a sensor for tracking a position of a proxy object. The system also includes a processor configured to: determine a modified visual effect based in part on data received from the sensor, determine a haptic effect based in part on data received from the sensor, transmit a display signal associated with the modified visual effect to the display, transmit a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect to the haptic output device; and output the haptic effect using the haptic output device.