Haptic Pixel Texture Map for Spatial Localization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current haptic feedback technologies struggle to provide spatially and orientation-dependent haptic effects in immersive content such as 360-degree videos and virtual reality, lacking the ability to accurately localize haptic sensations to specific objects or points of interest within a scene.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced that involves generating and encoding haptic effects using haptic pixels, which are associated with video pixels in a texture map, allowing for the modification of haptic data based on haptic data modifiers to synchronize haptic feedback with video content, thereby enabling localized and orientation-dependent haptic experiences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional haptic feedback is used in 360-degree videos and virtual reality, then basic tactile feedback is provided, but spatial localization and orientation-dependent haptic effects cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The video frame is divided into multiple haptic pixels, each corresponding to video pixels in the texture map. Each haptic pixel can independently define haptic effects with specific spatial coordinates, enabling precise localization of haptic feedback to different regions of the immersive content without requiring a completely complex new system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces spatial and orientation dimensions to haptic feedback by mapping haptic pixels to three-dimensional coordinates within the immersive environment. This allows haptic effects to be positioned and oriented in 3D space, providing spatial localization and orientation-dependent feedback while maintaining compatibility with existing haptic output devices through coordinate transformations.
2Adaptability or versatility
If haptic effects are provided for all objects in a scene, then comprehensive feedback is achieved, but computational resources and data processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different haptic effects are assigned to different haptic pixels based on the specific requirements of each region in the video frame. The system can selectively apply haptic modifiers to specific haptic pixels rather than uniformly processing all pixels, enabling adaptability to different content regions while reducing overall computational burden by focusing processing only where haptic feedback is needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system processes only the necessary portion of haptic data by generating haptic modifiers selectively for relevant haptic pixels. Instead of computing haptic effects for every pixel in the video frame, the system identifies and processes only those haptic pixels that correspond to objects or regions requiring haptic feedback, improving processing efficiency while maintaining comprehensive feedback where needed.
3Reliability
If haptic feedback is synchronized with video content, then user immersion is enhanced, but system complexity and synchronization requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Haptic modifiers are generated and encoded in advance during the video rendering process, creating a synchronized haptic track that mirrors the video timeline. This preliminary generation of haptic data ensures automatic synchronization with video playback without requiring complex real-time coordination systems, as both video and haptic content are prepared together during authoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces haptic modifiers as an intermediary layer between video content and haptic output devices. These modifiers act as a bridge that translates video frame information into haptic effect parameters, simplifying the integration complexity by providing a standardized intermediate representation that can be processed independently before being applied to haptic devices.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for authoring and encoding haptic effects are provided for space-dependent content, such as 360-degree videos, three-dimensional videos, or virtual or augmented reality contents. The systems and methods can generate one or more haptic layers for encoding or modifying haptic effects for the content.