System for introducing physical experiences into virtual reality (VR) worlds

Number: 10675766
Published: 2020-06-09
Filed: 2019-06-06
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: Niemeyer; Günter D., Smoot; Lanny S., Chawda; Vinay, Xi-Jie Pan; Matthew Keith, Bächer; Moritz, Knoop; Lars Espen
CPC: B25J13/025; G06T19/006; B25J13/006; G06F3/011; B25J11/003
Verdict: High Hardware
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Robotic/haptic hardware introducing physical experiences into VR.

Abstract

A system for providing a user of a virtual reality (VR) system with physical interactions with an object in the real world or in the surrounding physical space while they are concurrently interacting in the virtual world with a corresponding virtual object. The real world object is dynamic with the system including a physical interaction system that includes a robot with a manipulator for moving, positioning, and/or orienting the real world object to move it into contact with the user. For example, the physical object is moved into contact with a tracked body part of the user at a time that is synchronized with a time of an interaction event occurring in the virtual world being created by the VR system. Further, a system is described for providing a dynamic physical interaction to a human participant, e.g., a fast and compelling handover in an augmented reality (AR) system.

Background

BACKGROUND1. Field of the Description(1) The present description relates, in general, to virtual reality (VR) systems and their uses to generate unique user experiences, and, more particularly, to systems and methods for providing the user of a VR system with physical experiences or haptic interactions while they are experiencing a VR world or environment provided by a VR system.2. Relevant Background(2) There is a growing interest in virtual reality (VR) games and applications in the entertainment and education industries. VR typically refers to computer technologies that use virtual reality headsets (or head mounted displays (HMDs)) to generate realistic images, sounds, and other sensations that replicate a real environment or create an imaginary setting. VR also simulates a user's physical presence in this environment. VR has been defined as a realistic and immersive simulation of a three-dimensional 360-degree environment, created using interactive software and hardware, and experienced or controlled by movement of the body or as an immersive, interactive experience generated by a computer.(3) A person using virtual reality equipment is able to “look around” the artificial world, and, with higher quality VR systems, move about in it and virtually interact with features or items depicted in the headset. A virtual world or environment (or its associated imagery) is displayed with a virtual reality headset. VR headsets may include head-mounted goggles with a screen in front

Claims

1. A system for providing a dynamic physical interaction to a human participant, comprising: a VR system including a headset with a display screen and a VR rendering module generating a video output, wherein the display screen displays an image of a virtual world based on the video output; and a physical interaction system comprising a robotic mechanism and a robot control module generating commands for operating the robotic mechanism to selectively position a physical object within a space, wherein a wearer of the headset is positioned in the space, wherein the image of the virtual world includes an image of a virtual object corresponding to the physical object, and wherein the commands generated by the robot control module cause the robotic mechanism to move the physical object in the space based on a state of the virtual object in the virtual world to cause a physical interaction between the physical object and the wearer in a time synchronized manner suited to the state of the virtual object in the virtual world. 14. A system for providing a dynamic physical interaction to a human participant, comprising: an augmented reality (AR) system displaying or projecting augmentation content visible by a participant in a space; a physical object positioned in the space; and a physical interaction system comprising a robot with an object manipulator and a controller generating control signals to operate the robot, and wherein the control signals cause the object manipulator to perform a handover of the physical object to or from the participant. 23. A system for providing a dynamic physical interaction to a human participant, comprising: a robot comprising a robotic arm and a hand coupled to the robotic arm; and a controller generating control signals to operate the robot, wherein the control signals cause the robotic arm to perform a handover of a physical object to or from human participant, and wherein the robotic arm moves toward or away from an expected handover location in the space based on a predefined smooth trajectory, and wherein the controller initiates the handover a predefined delay period after sensing initiation of the handover by the participant.