Raycast Locking for Pinch Gesture Stability in VR

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Solution Overview

Problem

In virtual environments, users face difficulties in accurately selecting or activating objects due to raycast movement during pinch gestures, leading to instability in hand gesture-based interactions.

Innovation Solution

A method that determines a specific raycast associated with a hand gesture and locks it during a pinch gesture, maintaining the raycast's position to prevent movement and ensure accurate object selection or activation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the raycast is allowed to move freely during hand gestures, then the user can navigate and point to different objects in the virtual environment, but the raycast may move unintentionally during pinch gestures, causing inaccurate object selection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveraycast navigationVSAvoidobject selection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The raycast transitions from a dynamic state (moving with hand gestures) to a static state (locked during pinch gesture) based on the detected hand gesture type. The system dynamically adjusts the raycast behavior: allowing free movement during navigation gestures but freezing it during pinch gestures to ensure accurate object selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the mobility parameter of the raycast based on the detected hand gesture. During normal navigation, the raycast mobility parameter is set to allow movement with hand movements. When a pinch gesture is detected, the mobility parameter is changed to locked, preventing any movement and ensuring precise object selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If the raycast is locked during pinch gesture, then object selection accuracy is improved, but the user loses the ability to adjust the raycast position if the initial pointing is slightly off

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveobject selection accuracyVSAvoidraycast adjustment flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by locking the raycast only after detecting the pinch gesture, which implies the user has already positioned the raycast near the target object. The locking action is taken as a preliminary step to maintain that position during the selection process, preventing any subsequent drift or accidental movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The raycast locking is applied periodically or temporarily only during the duration of the pinch gesture. The system monitors hand gesture continuously, locks the raycast when pinch is detected, and can unlock it when the gesture ends, allowing for periodic adjustment opportunities while maintaining stability during the critical selection moment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS11810242B2Method for stabilizing raycast and electronic device using the same

Publication Date: 2023.11.07 HTC CORP

AI summary

The embodiments of the disclosure provide a method for stabilizing a raycast and an electronic device. The method includes: determining a specific raycast associated with a hand gesture in a virtual environment; determining whether the hand gesture is a pinch gesture; and in response to determining that the hand gesture is the pinch gesture, locking the specific raycast during the pinch gesture.