VR Proximity Sensors for Collision Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Virtual reality (VR) headsets provide an immersive experience, but users become less aware of their surrounding physical environment, increasing the risk of collisions or unsafe conditions due to lack of awareness of objects and boundaries.
Innovation Solution
A wearable or environmental proximity device that uses proximity sensors to detect objects and boundaries, generating alerts through various modalities (tactile, audible, visual) to inform users of potential obstacles or boundary proximity, ensuring awareness of their physical environment while immersed in VR.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a VR headset provides an immersive user experience, then the user is more absorbed in virtual reality, but the user becomes less aware of the surrounding physical environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces proximity sensors as intermediary devices that detect physical objects and boundaries in the environment. These sensors act as mediators between the user and the physical world, providing information about obstacles without requiring the user to directly perceive them, thus maintaining VR immersion while ensuring safety awareness
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where proximity sensor data is continuously monitored and used to generate alerts when the user approaches boundaries or objects. This feedback loop provides real-time information about the physical environment, allowing the user to remain immersed in VR while staying aware of safety conditions through system-generated notifications
2Reliability
If proximity sensors are added to provide physical environment awareness, then user safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates proximity sensing capabilities into existing VR headset hardware, allowing the same device to serve both immersive display functions and safety monitoring functions. By making the VR headset multi-functional, the system avoids adding separate dedicated safety devices, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The proximity alert system is merged with the existing VR headset infrastructure, combining safety monitoring components with the immersive display system. This integration approach consolidates multiple functions into a single device rather than adding separate systems, reducing the complexity burden of the safety features
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
Enhances user safety by providing real-time awareness of physical objects and boundaries, reducing the risk of collisions and promoting safe movement within virtual reality environments.
Implementation Method 1
a transmitter coupled with the housing, a receiver coupled with the housing... The transmitter is configured to transmit a transmitted signal in a direction outward from the user. The receiver is configured to receive a reflected signal based on a reflection of the transmitted signal from an object.
Data Source
AI summary
A proximity device, a computer-implemented method, and proximity system are described. Generally, the proximity device can be wearable or non-wearable. A wearable proximity device is configured to be worn by a user. As the user moves within a physical environment, the wearable proximity devices monitors the user's proximity to objects. Proximity indications are accordingly generated and presented to the user. A non-wearable proximity device is configured to monitor the user's proximity relative to a perimeter of an area. If the user approaches or overruns the perimeter, a proximity indication is generated and presented to the user.