Sensory Floor Vibration Actuation for Immersive Musical Performance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current entertainment experiences fail to effectively stimulate non-auditory senses, limiting the immersive perception of musical performances.
Innovation Solution
A sensory floor system that generates acoustically-generated vibrations, synchronized with musical performances, using vibration actuators and a control system to transmit sensations through the body, enhancing the experience by engaging non-auditory senses such as touch and resonance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a sensory floor system is implemented to provide non-auditory stimulation, then the immersive perception and enjoyment of musical performances is enhanced, but the device complexity and structural requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The floor is divided into multiple independent sensor nodes distributed across the surface. Each node contains its own transducer and control circuitry, allowing the system to process and respond to different frequency ranges independently. This segmentation enables complex sensory patterns to be created through coordination of simple individual units, resolving the contradiction between enhanced adaptability and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor nodes are designed with universal functionality to detect multiple frequency ranges (including sub-audible frequencies below 20 Hz and audible frequencies up to 20 kHz). Each node can operate independently or in coordination with others, allowing the same hardware platform to provide diverse sensory stimulation patterns for different musical performances and events, thereby enhancing versatility without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If vibration actuators are used to generate acoustically-generated vibrations, then non-auditory sensory perception is stimulated, but the risk of stress damage to the building structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration generation is localized to specific floor nodes rather than affecting the entire building structure uniformly. Each sensor node generates vibrations only in its immediate local area, creating targeted sensory zones. This local quality approach allows strong vibrations to be produced where needed for sensory stimulation while the overall building structure experiences minimal cumulative stress, resolving the contradiction between vibration generation capability and building safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The floor panels act as intermediaries between the vibration actuators and the building structure. The actuators generate vibrations that are transmitted through the localized floor panel rather than directly to the building framework. This intermediary approach allows effective sensory vibration transmission to users while isolating and protecting the building structure from potentially damaging stress concentrations.
3Reliability
If the floor is vibrationally isolated from the building, then stress damage is avoided, but the effectiveness of vibration transmission to users is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The floor system is segmented into independent sensor nodes that are vibrationally isolated from each other and from the building structure. Each node functions as a self-contained vibration generation unit with its own isolation mechanism. This segmentation allows effective vibration transmission to users at each location while preventing vibration propagation throughout the building structure, simultaneously achieving reliable building protection and effective local vibration transmission.
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
The sensory floor system significantly enhances the enjoyment and immersion of musical performances by allowing individuals to feel vibrations, creating a more engaging experience without the need to be physically close to speakers, thus reducing potential harm from loud music.
Implementation Method 1
the sensory floor includes a plurality of sensor nodes, each sensor node including a vibration actuator. A controller of the sensory floor is synchronized to a performance to control the vibration actuators to generate vibrations of the floor
Implementation Method 2
Apparatus of the present invention provide acoustically-generated vibrations which may be perceived at frequencies from below the audible lower limit (i.e., lower than 20 Hz) to an upper limit within the audible range
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides an active sensory floor that provides sensations to non-auditory senses of persons at an event via one or both of movement and vibrations of the sensory floor. Sensory output of the floor may be controlled via a mixer or other controller during a performance, pre-recorded or provided based upon an input, such as music playing. Additional sensory stimulation, such as, for example, visual stimulation may also be synchronized with non-auditory stimulation.