Sensory Feedback for Virtual Object Interaction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gaming and virtual interaction technologies fail to immerse users fully, as they primarily feel like observers rather than participants, despite advancements in realistic 3D graphics, due to the lack of sensory feedback in interactions with virtual objects.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes sensory feedback, where a computing device connected to a feedback device provides physical, audio, or visual feedback to users based on their interaction with virtual objects, allowing them to feel immersed through haptic effects, vibrations, or sounds when their hands intersect or approach virtual surfaces, enhancing the sense of presence in virtual environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If realistic 3D graphics are used, then visual realism is improved, but user immersion and sense of presence deteriorate due to lack of sensory feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sensory feedback system into multiple independent feedback channels (haptic, audio, visual) that can be activated separately or in combination. This allows the system to provide targeted sensory feedback corresponding to specific virtual object interactions without overwhelming the user, thereby enhancing immersion while maintaining visual realism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a closed-loop feedback system where the computing device receives input from the user, processes it to determine interaction with virtual objects, and then provides appropriate sensory feedback through the feedback device. This feedback loop creates a sense of presence by making users feel their actions have tangible consequences in the virtual environment, directly addressing the immersion problem.
2Ease of operation
If sensory feedback devices are added, then user immersion is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent describes a feedback device that can provide multiple types of sensory feedback (haptic, audio, visual) through a single integrated system. This multi-functional approach allows the system to enhance immersion across multiple sensory modalities without requiring separate dedicated devices for each feedback type, thereby managing complexity while improving immersion.
Solution Approach 2:
The computing device acts as an intermediary that processes user input, determines virtual object interactions, and translates these into appropriate feedback signals for the feedback device. This intermediary layer simplifies the overall system architecture by centralizing the decision-making logic, reducing the complexity that would otherwise be distributed across multiple independent components.
3Ease of operation
If haptic feedback is provided, then sense of touch is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements haptic feedback as a periodic or event-driven action rather than a continuous process. The feedback device activates haptic effects only at specific moments when virtual object interactions occur, rather than continuously. This periodic activation significantly reduces energy consumption compared to continuous haptic feedback, while still providing the necessary sense of touch for immersive interaction.
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
This solution enables users to interact with virtual objects more intuitively, providing sensory feedback that simulates touch and presence, thereby increasing the sense of immersion and engagement in virtual environments, making users feel more integrated into the game or simulation.
Implementation Method 1
provides physical feedback, audio feedback, or visual feedback to the user... through haptic effects, vibrations, or sounds
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a system having a feedback device including a sensory feedback element, a non-transitory memory storing an executable code and a virtual object having a virtual surface, and a hardware processor. The hardware processor is configured to execute the executable code to determine a position of a hand of a first user, determine a location of the virtual surface of the virtual object, and transmit a first activation signal to the feedback device to cause a sensory feedback to be provided to the first user using the sensory feedback element of the feedback device based on the position of the hand of the first user relative to the location of the virtual surface of the virtual object.