Hand Motion Control Apparatus for Virtual Character Interaction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional controller devices cannot effectively detect and interpret complex hand motions for issuing instructions to computers, especially when not worn on the user's hand, limiting their ability to provide varied user inputs.

Innovation Solution

A control apparatus and method that includes a decision section and a character control section to differentiate between first and second instruction actions, allowing the device to either match or perform actions different from the user's hand motion, using a device with sensors to track thumb, finger, and hand positions, enabling more complex interactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a glove-like device is used to detect user's hand actions, then the ability to detect hand motions is improved, but the ability to issue complicated instructions to a computer remains limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehand motion detection accuracyVSAvoidinstruction capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The hand is divided into multiple detectable segments (fingers, palm, wrist) with sensors placed at each segment to detect specific motions independently. This segmentation allows the system to detect complex hand gestures by combining information from multiple segments, enabling versatile instruction issuance while maintaining precise detection capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system transitions from detecting only hand motion trajectories to detecting multiple dimensions of hand actions including finger bending angles, palm orientation, wrist rotation, and contact forces. This multi-dimensional detection expands the instruction space beyond simple motion paths, allowing complicated instructions to be issued while preserving detection precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Device complexity

If conventional controller devices are used, then the device structure is simple, but the ability to detect and interpret complex hand motions is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontroller structureVSAvoidhand motion interpretation capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The control apparatus is designed to handle multiple types of hand motions (swiping, pinching, gripping, rotating) and translate them into various instruction types (navigation, selection, confirmation, cancellation). This multi-functionality allows the system to interpret complex hand motions without requiring separate devices for each function, achieving versatility while maintaining relatively simple device structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary processing layer that translates raw sensor data from the hand device into meaningful gesture commands. This intermediary layer interprets combinations of sensor readings to identify complex gestures, enabling sophisticated hand motion recognition without adding physical complexity to the controller hardware itself.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If hand motions alone are used for control, then the naturalness of interaction is improved, but the ability to perform precise actions is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinteraction naturalnessVSAvoidaction precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides visual feedback on the screen to confirm detected hand gestures and offers correction opportunities. When a hand motion is detected, the system displays the interpreted gesture and allows the user to confirm or adjust the intended action, ensuring precise execution while maintaining natural hand-based interaction. This feedback mechanism reconciles the trade-off between naturalness and precision.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3425481B1Control device
Publication Date: 2020.11.11 SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
  • EP3425481B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3425481B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3425481B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A control apparatus is connected to a device (20) for detecting a user's hand motion and controls a motion of a virtual character. The control apparatus decides, in accordance with a detection result of the user's hand motion by the device (20), whether the detected user's motion is a first instruction action or a second instruction action. The first instruction action achieves a match between a hand motion of the character and the user's hand motion. The second instruction action instructs an action different from the user's hand motion. When it is decided, as a result of the decision, that the detected user's hand motion is the first instruction action, the control apparatus achieves a match between the character's hand motion and the detected user's hand motion. When it is decided that the detected user's hand motion is the second instruction action, the control apparatus causes the character to perform an action different from the hand motion.