Torso Harness with Tethers for VR Fall Safety and Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current computer interaction methods primarily focus on hand-based input and ignore the potential of the torso and limbs for enhanced interaction and immersion, lacking the ability to track and utilize whole-body movement for two-way interaction with physical feedback.
Innovation Solution
A body harness system with tethers and integrated sensors that track torso and limb movement, providing input for computer systems and offering fall safety support, while also enabling haptic feedback to enhance immersion in virtual environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional hand-based input devices are used, then device complexity is reduced, but immersion and interaction capability are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The body harness system serves multiple functions: it tracks torso and limb movements for input, provides fall safety support through tethers, and delivers haptic feedback. This multi-functional design enhances interaction capability while managing system complexity through integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The body harness acts as an intermediary device between the user's natural body movements and the computer system. It captures movements through integrated sensors and transmits them as input signals, enabling whole-body interaction without requiring complex direct body-computer interfaces.
2Measurement precision
If whole-body tracking is implemented, then immersion is improved, but measurement and detection difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The body harness is divided into multiple segments with sensors positioned at key locations (torso, limbs) to capture specific movements. This segmentation allows precise tracking of different body parts independently while simplifying the overall detection system through distributed sensing.
Solution Approach 2:
Traditional mechanical motion capture systems are replaced with integrated electronic sensors within the body harness. This substitution simplifies the detection mechanism while maintaining or improving measurement precision through digital sensing and wireless data transmission.
3Reliability
If fall safety support is added, then user safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fall safety support system is merged with the body harness structure. Tethers are integrated into the harness design, and sensors that monitor movement are also used for fall detection. This combination provides safety functionality while minimizing additional complexity through shared components.
Solution Approach 2:
The body harness system monitors the user's movements and automatically activates fall protection when a fall is detected. The integrated sensors continuously assess user status and trigger safety mechanisms without requiring external monitoring or complex control systems.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for natural torso and limbs tracking and feedback for electronic interaction with fall safety support. The apparatus comprises a body harness worn on the body of a user, a support structure designed to bear the weight of the user in the event of a stumble, trip, or fall, and a plurality of tethers attached at one end to the harness and at the other end to the support structure. One or more sensors are integrated into the system to measure aspects of the user's movement and used as input to control a computer system. In the event of stumble, trip, or fall, all of, or a portion of, the user's body weight is borne by the tethers as a safety mechanism to prevent injury. The system is designed to be used with virtual reality systems wherein the user's vision is blocked or obscured by a virtual reality visor.