Haptic Actuator Control via Avatar Projection Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current haptic technologies face challenges in accurately rendering haptic effects in multimedia content, particularly due to mismatches between the location of haptic sources in virtual environments and the placement of haptic actuators on users, leading to a poor user experience.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for controlling a set of haptic actuators by obtaining location information of an avatar relative to a haptic effect source in a virtual environment, projecting the source onto the avatar, and determining control data for each haptic actuator based on the projection and mapping information between actuators and avatar parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If haptic actuators are placed on user body parts, then haptic feedback can be delivered to the user, but the location of haptic actuators may not match the location of haptic sources in virtual scenes, leading to poor user experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual mapping dimension by projecting 3D source locations onto a 2D unrolled avatar surface, creating a correspondence map between virtual scene coordinates and physical actuator positions. This dimensional transformation enables accurate location matching despite the fundamental difference between 3D virtual space and 2D body surface
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the user's body (avatar) in the virtual environment, which mirrors the physical body's geometry and actuator positions. This virtual avatar serves as an intermediary model that maps virtual source locations to physical actuator locations, enabling precise haptic rendering without direct physical measurement
2Measurement precision
If multiple haptic actuators are distributed on the user's body, then haptic effects can be rendered with better spatial accuracy, but the complexity of mapping and controlling each actuator increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the continuous body surface into discrete regions, each associated with specific haptic actuators. By dividing the avatar model into manageable segments and creating localized mapping relationships, the system handles complex multi-actuator control through systematic decomposition rather than monolithic processing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary mapping between virtual sources and physical actuators before haptic rendering occurs. The correspondence map is pre-established based on avatar geometry and actuator positions, enabling rapid actuator selection and control during runtime without real-time complex calculations
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided methods and apparatus of controlling a set of haptic actuators. To reach that aim, location information representative of a time and spatial-based description of position and orientation of an avatar (11) relative to a source (12) of a haptic effect in a virtual environment is obtained, the avatar (11) being associated with a user (10). A first mapping information representative of a mapping between the set of haptic actuators and a set of parts of the avatar (11) is obtained. The source (12) is projected onto the according to the location information. Control data for controlling each haptic actuator is determined according to a result of the projecting and the first mapping information.