Haptic Feedback Transcription for Game Accessibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Game applications predominantly convey information through visual graphics and audio, causing interpretation issues for users with visual impairments and hearing impairments, as they miss vital information conveyed through unperceivable or inaudible means, making it difficult for them to navigate and progress through games.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that generates haptic feedback sequences during gameplay, transcribing controller inputs and text into haptic feedback signals, allowing users to perceive game information through tactile means, using a haptic module that translates text into Morse code and sends these sequences to controller devices, enabling users to feel button choices and other game interactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If game applications convey information through visual graphics and audio, then information transmission effectiveness is improved, but accessibility for users with visual or hearing impairments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new sensory dimension (tactile/haptic) to convey game information. By translating visual and auditory cues into haptic feedback through the controller, the system adds a fourth dimension of information perception beyond the traditional visual and auditory channels, enabling users with visual or hearing impairments to access game information through touch.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller acts as an intermediary device that receives visual and auditory game information and converts it into haptic feedback. The haptic module within the controller serves as a mediator that translates different forms of information (visual graphics, audio cues) into tactile sensations, bridging the gap between standard game output and accessible input for impaired users.
2Adaptability or versatility
If haptic feedback sequences are generated to transcribe controller inputs, then accessibility for impaired users is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller device serves itself by incorporating a haptic module that generates feedback based on its own input actions. When a user presses a button or manipulates a control on the controller, the system automatically generates corresponding haptic feedback through the controller's built-in actuator, eliminating the need for external feedback mechanisms and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller is designed to perform multiple functions: it serves as both the input device for user commands and the output device for haptic feedback. By integrating the haptic module into the existing controller structure, the device becomes multi-functional, handling both control input and tactile feedback generation without requiring separate dedicated components.
3Loss of information
If text is translated into Morse code for haptic feedback, then information conveyance to hearing impaired users is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-translates text into Morse code sequences and stores them as haptic feedback patterns. By preparing the Morse code translations in advance and mapping them to specific haptic sequences, the system reduces real-time processing requirements during gameplay, as the translation work has already been completed during game development or initialization.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention introduces an in-game API wrapper to perform identification and transcription of in-game visual and audio data by way of identifiable tags. Identified tags for visual and audio data are sent to an external audio API for transcribing into Morse code. The Morse code transcribing is sent back to the in-game API wrapper for transcription into haptic feedback. Identified tags for available on-screen button selections are transcribed by the in-game API wrapper into haptic feedback.