Virtual Reality Input Using Touch-Sensitive Device Tracking
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virtual reality input devices, such as hand-held controllers, are limited in providing input beyond translation and rotation, and can be unfamiliar to users, while gesture-based systems face issues with ambiguity and limited gesture variety.
Innovation Solution
A touch-sensitive input device, like a smartphone, is used to receive intuitive user inputs, including touch, hover, and gestures, which are tracked and rendered in the virtual environment to enhance interaction, providing a familiar and extended range of inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If hand-held controllers are used for virtual reality input, then translational and rotational input can be provided, but the input range is limited and the device is unfamiliar to users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by enabling a smartphone to function as a virtual reality input device, combining the familiar touchscreen interface with VR capabilities. The smartphone's existing touch sensor and display are leveraged to provide both familiar interaction patterns and extended input versatility through magnetic field tracking and virtual representation in the VR environment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If gesture-based systems are used for virtual reality input, then input variety can be extended, but gesture ambiguity and detection difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces magnetic field tracking as an intermediary mechanism between the smartphone and the VR system. Magnetic trackers attached to the smartphone provide precise position and orientation data, eliminating gesture ambiguity while maintaining the variety of touch-based input gestures. The magnetic field serves as a reliable mediator that accurately transmits device state to the VR environment without the ambiguity inherent in pure gesture recognition.
3Ease of operation
If a touch-sensitive input device like a smartphone is used, then intuitive and familiar interaction is enabled, but additional tracking and rendering systems are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into the smartphone platform: the device serves as both the VR controller and the display interface. The touchscreen provides intuitive input, the magnetic tracker provides position tracking, and the smartphone's display renders the virtual representation of the device and VR content. This consolidation reduces overall system complexity by eliminating separate controllers and display devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy or representation of the physical smartphone within the VR environment. This virtual representation mirrors the physical device's position, orientation, and state, providing users with visual feedback and spatial awareness. The copying approach allows the system to track and render the input device without requiring complex physical VR hardware.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples are disclosed herein that relate to receiving virtual reality input. An example provides a head-mounted display device comprising a sensor system, a display, a logic machine, and a storage machine holding instructions executable by the logic machine. The instructions are executable to execute a 3D virtual reality experience on the head-mounted display device, track, via the sensor system, a touch-sensitive input device, render, on the display, in a 3D location in the 3D virtual reality experience based on the tracking of the touch-sensitive input device, a user interface, receive, via a touch sensor of the touch-sensitive input device, a user input, and, in response to receiving the user input, control the 3D virtual reality experience to thereby vary visual content being rendered on the display.