Amusement devices: games – Including means for processing electronic data – Player-actuated control structure
Patent
1997-12-08
2000-08-22
Martin-Wallace, Valencia
Amusement devices: games
Including means for processing electronic data
Player-actuated control structure
A63B 6900
Patent
active
061063975
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a positioning device, in particular to a device that can be used with virtual reality (VR) simulation apparatus. The device will be described primarily with reference to its use in virtual reality simulations, but it should be appreciated that the applications of the device are not so limited.
BACKGROUND ART
Virtual reality simulation involves presenting sensory information to a user of VR simulation apparatus, being any number of simulated scenarios, usually removed from the present environment of the user. In the evolution of VR simulation, users now wear goggles or headsets which include a pair of stereoscopically arranged liquid crystal projector screens, projecting for viewing to the user a computer-generated graphical environment. The headset also includes speakers for presenting accompanying aural sensations. The user often wears gloves, suits, etc fitted with sensors which sense movement of the user's body parts from a predetermined orientation and then, via a central processing unit, simulate (reproduce) that movement in the virtual realm.
User movement such as walking or running, etc, however, has only been simulated in abstract, whereby, the central processing unit projects graphically to user walking, running, etc, but without user walking or running taking place in the user's actual environment. Thus, the illusion of walking, running etc is lost to the user, because it does not correspond with their present circumstances and hence the simulation is somewhat reduced or detracted from.
Attempts have been made with VR apparatus to simulate walking, running etc, but the apparatus must then be housed in large areas or must itself be quite large. To date, this has proved to be economically unfeasible and difficult to implement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a positioning device for maintaining a user at a datum including: datum; user is continually returned to the datum; and pursuant to the user's deviation from the datum, to activate the motive means so that it operates to return the user to the datum.
By employing such a device with VR simulation apparatus, apparatus dimensions can be, maintained at around existing sizes, and additional capital outlay can be maintained at realistic levels. For example, a user can walk with such a device but can be held within a certain area so that in the virtual realm it appears to the user that they are walking (ie. they receive normal physical sensations of walking, and further this walking is simulated for them in the virtual realm), and yet the user's position is confined to a small area.
Preferably the sensor is adapted for mounting to the user at a position so that the datum is generally centred on a vertical line extending through the sensor; and, when the user has moved from the datum, the motive means returns the user to the datum only when brought into contact with surrounding ground.
Thus the motive means is attached to the users feet and can be positioned at or within a surface, so that when the user is walking, the user is continually returned to the datum.
The motive means can be located within a type of shoe attachable to each foot of the user and can include: ground upon which the user walks in use; and motor means is responsive to the signal from the controller whereby, upon activation, it drives the tracking means so that each user's shoe is moved on the ground to return the user to the datum.
In this regard, the tracking means can be a plurality of track balls, each rotatably retained within a respective socket formed in the underside of the shoe but so as to partially protrude therefrom to engage the ground, and the motor means is a plurality of motors housed within the shoe, each connected to one or more drive shafts which in turn are operable on the track balls to cause rotation thereof, and such that when each shoe is brought into contact with the ground, the driven rotation of the track balls causes the shoe to be moved so that the user is returned to
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patent: 5562572 (1996-10-01), Carmein
patent: 5577981 (1996-11-01), Jarvik
patent: 5846134 (1998-12-01), Latypov
Martin-Wallace Valencia
Paradiso John
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