Robotic VR Boundary Barriers for Immersive Motion Restriction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current VR systems face challenges in maintaining user immersion due to boundary mismatches between virtual and real environments, leading to disruptions in the experience when users interact with virtual objects that lack real-world counterparts, and existing solutions often break immersion with warnings before boundary crossings occur.
Innovation Solution
A robotic system with movable barrier elements that mimic virtual environment boundaries, using sensors and control units to adjust its position and orientation to prevent users from interacting with real-world obstacles while enhancing the VR experience by simulating virtual objects and environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If VR systems provide full immersion with virtual objects, then user immersion is improved, but boundary mismatches between virtual and real environments cause disruptions when users interact with objects that lack real-world counterparts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a camera as an intermediary device that captures the real environment and projects it as a transparent overlay in the VR headset. This mediator bridges the gap between virtual and real worlds, allowing users to perceive both simultaneously and interact with real-world objects while maintaining VR immersion, thus resolving the boundary mismatch problem
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a visual copy of the real environment by capturing images through a camera and projecting them as a transparent overlay in the VR display. This copy allows users to see and interact with real-world objects within the virtual environment, eliminating the disconnect between virtual interactions and physical reality
2Loss of information
If VR systems use see-through displays to show real environment, then user awareness of real objects is improved, but the quality of immersion and range of experiences is reduced compared to full-immersion VR
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the transparency and visibility of the real environment overlay based on user needs and virtual content requirements. The camera capture and projection system can adaptively control what portions of the real environment are visible, allowing full immersion when needed while maintaining real-world awareness when necessary
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different visual qualities to different regions of the display. The transparent overlay provides real environment information in specific areas where it is most useful, while other areas maintain full virtual immersion. This local differentiation allows users to access real-world information without compromising overall immersion quality
3Reliability
If VR systems provide warnings before boundary crossings, then user safety is improved, but the sense of immersion is lost due to unrelated graphics and sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses visual changes in the transparent overlay to indicate boundary conditions. By altering the appearance or intensity of the real environment overlay near boundaries, users can perceive safety information through the immersive VR interface itself, eliminating the need for separate warning graphics and sounds that would break immersion
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for restricting user motion using a robot, the system comprising a robot comprising one or more barrier elements, a processing unit operable to identify one or more boundaries in a real environment and/or a virtual environment, the boundaries corresponding to a predetermined extent of allowed motion in that environment, and a control unit operable to control the robot such that at least one barrier element is arranged at a position corresponding to one of the identified boundaries.