Kinematic Model for Hand Position Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional VR/AR/MR systems fail to accurately track the precise movements of users' hands, particularly fingers and thumbs, due to limitations in hand tracking systems, resulting in poor representation of hand movements within simulated environments.
Innovation Solution
A wearable device equipped with a sensing apparatus that utilizes a pre-calibrated kinematic model to determine spatial orientations and positions of hand movements by mapping deformation forces sensed during hand movement, employing calibration sensors and deformation sensors to generate and invert a transfer function, allowing for accurate tracking of finger positions and movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional hand tracking systems are used in VR/AR/MR headsets, then the system can provide visual and audio information to the user, but the system fails to accurately track positions of the user's fingers and thumbs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional optical/magnetic hand tracking systems with a tactile sensing system using deformable materials and force sensors. The wearable device uses deformation forces sensed in response to hand movement to determine hand positions, substituting mechanical deformation measurement for complex field-based tracking systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a deformable material as an intermediary between the user's hand and the sensors. This deformable material transfers mechanical deformation from hand movement to the force sensors, enabling indirect measurement of hand positions through force measurements rather than direct optical or magnetic tracking.
2Measurement precision
If a wearable device with deformation sensors is used to track hand movements, then precise tracking of finger positions can be achieved, but the device structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a deformable material that can be configured as a flexible shell or thin film structure. This deformable material conforms to the shape of the user's hand and transmits deformation forces to embedded sensors, providing precise tracking while maintaining a simple, wearable form factor.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable material serves multiple functions: it acts as a structural component of the wearable device, a transducer converting hand movement to measurable deformation, and a comfort layer for user wearability. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components, simplifying the overall device structure.
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 precise tracking of hand movements, including finger separations and bend angles, enhancing the representation of hand movements in virtual environments, thereby improving user interaction within VR/AR/MR systems.
Implementation Method 1
A wearable device (such as a glove or other control adapted to be worn on a portion of a body) includes a sensing apparatus that determines spatial orientations/positions of points on the wearable device based on a pre-calibrated transfer function (or kinematic model) that maps deformation forces sensed in response to hand movement
Implementation Method 2
These calibration sensors could include inertial sensors, such as accelerometers and gyroscopes
Implementation Method 3
arrays of magnetic sensors, and generators. In some embodiments, the calibration sensor comprises an array of magnetic generators being tracked by an array of magnetic sensors with known or solvable positions
Implementation Method 4
the calibration sensor comprises an array of magnetic generators being tracked by an array of magnetic sensors with known or solvable positions. Alternatively, the calibration sensors comprise an array of magnetic sensors being tracked by an array of magnetic generators with known or solvable positions
Implementation Method 5
the deformation sensors operate in conjunction with stimulators (such as ultrasonic, electrical, or other stimulators) that perturbs and stimulates a body part in a vicinity of the deformation sensor and the deformation sensor measures a response of the body part due to the applied stimulus
Data Source
AI summary
A wearable device to be worn on a body part includes deformation sensors and a controller. The controller instructs the deformation sensors to measure deformation forces. The controller determines a position of the body part based on the measured deformation forces and a transfer function that maps deformation forces to positions of a same or corresponding body part. The transfer function is generated based on measurements from calibration and deformation sensors to sense corresponding positions of the body part and deformation forces. A calibration sensor may include a magnetic field generator and a magnetic flux sensor. The wearable device may be a glove and the body part may be a hand.