Virtual Reality Headset With External Control for Clinical Procedures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current VR devices are not designed for dual-user scenarios, particularly in clinical or educational settings, where the operator and end-user are separate individuals, leading to inefficient setup, contamination risks, and difficulty in controlling the VR experience without wearing the headset.
Innovation Solution
A VR device configured for dual-user operation, allowing the operator to control device calibration and VR experience start via a user interface outside the headset, with features like touchscreen access, automatic booting, and seamless experience management to facilitate quick and efficient use by multiple end-users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the operator wears the VR headset to control device calibration and start VR experience, then the control precision is improved, but the contamination risk and setup time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an external controller as an intermediary device that allows the operator to control the VR system without wearing the headset. The external controller receives inputs from the operator and transmits control signals to the VR processing unit, enabling calibration and VR experience initiation while maintaining physical distance from the headset, thereby reducing contamination risk in clinical settings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the control functions into separate components: the VR headset worn by the patient, the external controller held by the operator, and the processing unit. This segmentation allows the operator to perform calibration and control operations through the external controller without needing to wear the headset, thus eliminating the need for the operator to come into close contact with the headset and reducing contamination risk.
2Measurement precision
If the operator wears the VR headset to control device calibration and start VR experience, then the control precision is improved, but the setup time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The external controller serves as a mediator that enables the operator to perform calibration and control operations without wearing the headset. This eliminates the time required for the operator to put on and remove the headset between patients, significantly reducing setup time while maintaining control precision through the external control interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs automatic calibration and VR experience initiation through the external controller based on pre-programmed sequences. The processing unit automatically executes calibration routines and starts the appropriate VR experience when triggered by the external controller, eliminating the need for manual adjustment and reducing setup time between patients.
3Device complexity
If the VR device is designed for single-user operation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to clinical and educational settings decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the VR system with multi-functionality to serve both single-user and dual-user scenarios. The external controller enables the system to function in clinical and educational settings where an operator needs to control the VR experience for a patient or student, while the same system can also be used in standalone consumer applications. This universality is achieved through the dual-mode control capability (headset buttons for single-user, external controller for dual-user).
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts its control mode based on the situation. When an external controller is detected and connected, the system switches to dual-user mode allowing operator control. When no external controller is present, the system operates in single-user mode using headset buttons. This dynamic adaptation allows the same hardware to serve multiple purposes without increasing physical complexity.
4Ease of operation
If the VR device allows operator control via external interface, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The external controller uses the same button layout and control scheme as the headset buttons, providing a familiar and easy-to-use interface for operators. The processing unit handles both headset button inputs and external controller inputs through a unified control architecture, maintaining ease of operation while adding dual-control capability. The external controller connects via standard interfaces (USB, Bluetooth), avoiding complex custom connection protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a virtual reality (VR) device, system and framework for generating VR continuum experience choreographed to a physical procedure incorporating at least one procedural action associated with a physical sensation and potentially inducing an anxiety or pain response. The VR continuum experience can modify perceptions of pain and anxiety associated with the procedure. The virtual reality device is configured to allow device control via a device user interface accessible to an operator other than the wearer (i.e. a medical practitioner), to allow the operator to control device calibration and virtual reality (VR) experience start while the apparatus is worn by the wearer, and to provide one or more VR experiences each associated with a physical procedure.