Virtual Hand Controller for Seamless VR Avatar Locomotion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virtual reality systems require players to put down controllers for locomotion, leading to a cumbersome experience and impaired immersion due to the need to re-detect and re-map controllers, especially when transitioning from conversation to movement.
Innovation Solution
A mechanism allowing players to control avatar locomotion through hand and finger gestures, instantiating a virtual controller without physical hardware, using hand tracking to maintain a virtual controller's position relative to the avatar's root, ensuring seamless transitions and intuitive control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If physical controllers are used for locomotion control, then control precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to the need to put down and re-detect controllers during transitions
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements multiple input modalities (hand tracking and controller tracking) that can function interchangeably for locomotion control. The virtual controller can be instantiated from either physical controller input or hand gesture input, allowing the system to adapt to different user needs and transition smoothly between conversation and movement modes without requiring controller re-detection
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual controller serves as an intermediary that bridges physical controllers and hand tracking. When no physical controller is detected or during transitions, the system creates a virtual controller based on hand gesture input, maintaining continuous control capability without interruption. This intermediary approach eliminates the need to put down physical controllers while preserving control precision
2Ease of operation
If hand tracking is used for locomotion control, then ease of operation is improved through natural gestures, but device complexity increases due to the need for virtual controller instantiation and tracking
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a virtual controller that copies the functionality and behavior of physical controllers but is instantiated from hand tracking data. This virtual copy allows hand gestures to control locomotion in the same way physical controllers would, providing natural gesture control while maintaining familiar control patterns. The virtual controller is rendered in the virtual environment and responds to hand movement in real-time
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual controller's position and properties are dynamically adjusted based on hand tracking data and avatar movement. The system continuously updates the virtual controller's position relative to the avatar's root and adjusts its behavior based on the detected hand gestures, creating a dynamic control system that adapts to user actions and maintains seamless operation during transitions
3Stability of the object's composition
If virtual controller position is maintained relative to avatar root, then stability is improved during avatar movement, but device complexity increases due to continuous position updates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous feedback by monitoring avatar position and orientation relative to the character root and adjusting the virtual controller's position accordingly. This feedback loop ensures the virtual controller remains stable and correctly positioned during avatar movement, maintaining control precision without requiring complex re-detection mechanisms. The system uses the avatar's transform data to continuously update the virtual controller's world position
Data Source
AI summary
The present technology provides a mechanism by which a player can make a gesture with their hands which can bring up a virtual controller, wherein hand movements and finger tracking can result in locomotion of an avatar through a virtual world without need for a hardware controller. Therefore, a player can have a natural conversion or otherwise control the hands of their avatar to interact with other objects in the virtual world, and then use the avatar's hands to bring up a virtual controller to control locomotive movements of their avatar without the player of a physical controller.