Navigation Controller for Virtual-Reality Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current virtual-reality simulation systems fail to provide cost-effective and adequate motion simulation with fewer mechanical parts, leading to insufficient vestibular, proprioceptive, and somatosensory sensations, which results in simulator sickness and impracticality due to large size and expense.
Innovation Solution
A virtual-reality navigation controller with a base, seating portion, and rotatable connector that tilts and rotates to simulate pitch and yaw motion, incorporating a motion-detection controller to measure and communicate these movements to a virtual-reality device, providing vestibular, proprioceptive, and somatosensory stimulation through user-initiated forces without mechanical actuators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional motion simulation systems are used to provide adequate vestibular and proprioceptive sensations, then simulator sickness is reduced, but the system becomes expensive and mechanically complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical motion simulation systems with a simplified mechanical tilt mechanism combined with software-based vestibular stimulation. Instead of using multiple actuators and complex mechanical platforms to simulate motion, the invention uses a single-tilt mechanism with software algorithms that generate vestibular signals based on head orientation and movement data, thereby reducing mechanical complexity while maintaining simulation accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified mechanical copy of the essential motion component (tilt) rather than replicating the full complex motion platform. The system copies the critical vestibular stimulation function through software-generated signals that mimic the effects of complex mechanical motion, providing adequate simulation without the need for expensive and complex mechanical systems
2Device complexity
If fewer mechanical parts are used to reduce cost and complexity, then device simplicity increases, but adequate motion simulation and vestibular stimulation become insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces software-based vestibular stimulation as an intermediary that bridges the gap between the simplified mechanical tilt mechanism and the user's vestibular system. The software generates artificial vestibular signals that compensate for the reduced mechanical complexity, acting as a mediator that translates simple mechanical movements into comprehensive motion simulation experiences
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the tilt mechanism, specifically setting the tilt angle range to 15-25 degrees and the tilt speed to 0.5-2 degrees per second. These parameter optimizations allow the simplified mechanical system to achieve adequate vestibular stimulation without requiring complex mechanisms, as the carefully controlled tilt parameters maximize the effectiveness of the reduced mechanical system
3Volume of moving object
If the tilt radius is reduced to compact the system size, then spatial footprint decreases, but counter-phase vestibular signals may occur causing simulator sickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the tilt radius parameter to a specific range (0.3-0.8 meters) that balances system compactness with vestibular comfort. This parameter optimization ensures that the tilt motion generates appropriate vestibular signals without creating counter-phase signals that would cause simulator sickness, while keeping the system size manageable for practical deployment
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual-reality navigation controller includes a base and a seating portion. The seating portion includes a seat for supporting a weight of a user seated thereon and a back-rest coupled to the seat to move integrally with the seat and to support the user's back. The virtual-reality navigation controller further includes a vertical support to support the seating portion on the base, and a rotatable connector between the seating portion and the vertical support to tilt the seating portion about a rotational center of the rotatable connector when the user is seated on the seat. A radius of an arc formed by the tilting about the rotational center ranges from 300 mm to 800 mm. The virtual-reality navigation controller further includes a motion-detection controller to measure pitch corresponding to the tilt of the seating portion.