Handheld Controller Gesture Detection via Sensor Fusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Virtual reality (VR) systems face challenges in accurately depicting user interactions such as grasping, throwing, and manipulating virtual objects due to difficulties in determining the user's intentions from sensor data.
Innovation Solution
A handheld controller equipped with proximity sensors, force sensors, and accelerometers that analyze capacitance values, force values, and velocity data to identify different user gestures and determine when a user intends to pick up or release virtual objects, allowing for precise representation of these interactions on a display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If multiple sensors (proximity, force, accelerometer) are used to detect user gestures, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor types (proximity sensors, force sensors, and accelerometers) into a single integrated controller unit. This merging approach enables comprehensive gesture detection by fusing data from all sensors to accurately determine hold states and release intentions, resolving the contradiction by achieving high measurement precision through integration rather than separate devices
Solution Approach 2:
The controller is designed as a multi-functional device that performs various detection functions simultaneously - detecting proximity, measuring force, tracking acceleration, and determining gesture intentions. This universal design allows a single device to replace multiple specialized sensors, improving measurement precision while managing complexity through functional integration
2Speed
If sensor data is analyzed in real-time to determine user intentions, then responsiveness is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors and pre-processes sensor data even when no gesture is being performed, maintaining readiness to quickly determine user intentions. By keeping sensor data analysis pipelines active and prepared, the system reduces the time needed to process gestures when they occur, improving responsiveness without significant additional processing delay
Solution Approach 2:
The controller autonomously processes sensor data and determines gesture intentions without requiring external intervention or complex centralized processing. The embedded system performs real-time analysis of sensor inputs and generates gesture commands independently, minimizing processing time while maintaining high response speed
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables accurate and natural interaction with virtual objects by determining hold states and release intentions, reducing lag and improving the realism of virtual object manipulation in VR systems.
Implementation Method 1
A handheld controller may include an array of proximity sensors configured to detect proximity of fingers of a user based on capacitance values
Implementation Method 2
In addition, the controller may include one or more force sensors configured to determine an amount of force on various locations of the controller body
Implementation Method 3
The electronic system may also include an accelerometer configured to generate velocity data indicative of varying speeds of the handheld controller
Data Source
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AI summary
Techniques and devices for holding and releasing virtual objects on a display based on input received from one or more handheld controllers are described herein. In some instances, a handheld controller includes one or more sensors, such as proximity sensors, force sensors (e.g., force resisting sensors, etc.), accelerometers, and/or other types of sensors configured to receive input from a hand of a user gripping the handheld controller. Hardware, software, and/or firmware on the controller and/or on a device coupled to the controller (e.g., a game console, a server, etc.) may receive data from these sensors and generate a representation of a corresponding gesture on a display, such as a monitor, a virtual-reality system, and/or the like.