Immersive System Interfacing via Hand Gesture Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing user interfaces for virtual and augmented reality environments are limited by requiring users to interact with external devices like keyboards and mice, which can be cumbersome and less effective for fully immersive experiences.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that senses hand gestures or postures within the environment and generates a user interface near the stimulus, allowing users to interact directly with the interface using hand movements, with the interface being outputted in three-dimensional space and adaptable to various conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional external input devices (keyboard, mouse, touch screen) are used to interact with virtual/augmented reality environments, then the system can maintain standard user interface control, but the user cannot fully immerse themselves in the environment and interaction becomes cumbersome
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the input functionality from external devices and relocates it directly into the virtual/augmented reality environment. Hand gestures and body postures are detected within the immersive environment itself, eliminating the need for keyboards, mice, or touch screens. The system captures raw sensor data from wearable devices and processes gestures directly in 3D space, allowing users to interact naturally with virtual objects without external mediators.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a gesture recognition system as an intermediary between the user's physical movements and the virtual environment responses. This intermediary layer translates hand gestures and body postures into meaningful commands within the virtual/augmented reality context, bridging the gap between physical action and digital interaction without requiring traditional input devices.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the user interface is generated within the three-dimensional environment near the stimulus, then immersion is enhanced, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by generating user interfaces at specific locations within the three-dimensional environment based on where gestures are detected. Instead of a single fixed interface, multiple interfaces can exist simultaneously at different positions in 3D space, each tailored to its local context and the user's interaction point. This allows the interface to adapt to the immersive environment while maintaining manageable system complexity through spatial distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional two-dimensional flat interfaces to three-dimensional spatial interfaces. User interfaces are rendered in 3D space at coordinates determined by gesture detection, adding a spatial dimension to interaction. This dimensional change enhances immersion and adaptability while the underlying system manages complexity through coordinate-based interface placement and rendering optimization.
3Extent of automation
If hand gestures and postures are used as input stimuli, then direct interaction within the environment is enabled, but the precision of gesture detection and interpretation becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining specific hand gestures and body postures that correspond to particular commands or interface actions. Rather than attempting to interpret arbitrary movements, the system is programmed with a vocabulary of predefined gestures (such as specific hand shapes, finger configurations, or body orientations) that trigger known functions. This approach enhances detection accuracy by comparing sensor data against established gesture patterns while maintaining high automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the system provides visual or haptic confirmation when a gesture is successfully detected and interpreted. This feedback loop allows users to verify that their gestures were correctly recognized, and the system can adjust its detection thresholds or provide guidance for more precise gesture execution. Feedback enhances both the precision of detection and the user's ability to control the system through gestures.
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 intuitive and immersive user interactions within virtual and augmented reality environments by allowing direct hand-based input, enhancing usability and reducing the need for external devices.
Implementation Method 1
Sensing may be performed optically
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are methods and systems for immersive system interfacing. A stimulus is defined in the form of a gesture or posture with an end-effector such as a hand. The stimulus is sensed within an environment and communicated to a processor. In response to the stimulus the processor generates a user interface, the interface being outputted near the end-effector. The stimulus may be identical for all times, all places, and all conditions in the environment. The interface may be generated and outputted in response to the stimulus for all times, places, and conditions in the environment. The apparatus includes a processor adapted to define a stimulus in the form of an end-effector gesture or posture, and to generate a user interface in response to the stimulus. A sensor is adapted to sense the stimulus, and a display is adapted to output the interface to an environment.