Patent Application
20180232051
One embodiment is directed generally to a haptic system, and in particular, to an automatic localized haptics generation system.
Haptics is a tactile and force feedback technology that takes advantage of the sense of touch of a user by applying haptic feedback effects (e.g., “haptic effects”), such as forces, vibrations, and motions, to the user. Devices, such as mobile devices, touchscreen devices, and personal computers, can be configured to generate haptic effects. In general, calls to embedded hardware capable of generating haptic effects (such as actuators) can be programmed within an operating system (“OS”) of the device. These calls specify which haptic effect to play. For example, when a user interacts with the device using, for example, a button, touchscreen, lever, joystick, wheel, or some other control, the OS of the device can send a play command through control circuitry to the embedded hardware. The embedded hardware then produces the appropriate haptic effect.
In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of dynamically generating localized haptic effects is presented. The method includes receiving video data and detecting a video event within that video data. The method continues by collecting information including at least a position and type of the detected video event. The method also includes collecting information containing at least a position and orientation of a user's avatar in the video data. The locations of a first and second haptic output device are determined. The method then dynamically generates a first haptic effect for the first haptic output device and a second haptic effect for the second haptic output device, wherein the dynamic generation of the first and second haptic effects are based on the locations of the first and second haptic output devices, the position and orientation of the user's avatar in relationship to the position and the type of video event.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form part of the specification, illustrate the present invention and, together with the description, further serve to explain the principles of the present invention and to enable a person skilled in the relevant art(s) to make and use the present invention.
Additionally, the left most digit of a reference number identifies the drawing in which the reference number first appears (e.g., a reference number ‘310’ indicates that the element so numbered is first labeled or first appears in
One embodiment provides surround haptic playback in a three-dimensional virtual reality (“VR”) environment. In one embodiment, multiple haptic output devices are implemented in conjunction with a three-dimensional VR video system to customize a haptic experience based on a user's avatar's position and orientation within the video. In one embodiment, video data is received and a video event within the video data is detected. Based on the avatar's position, the position of the multiple haptic output devices, the type of detected video event, and the position and orientation to the video event, dynamic localized haptics are generated for each haptic output device.
While embodiments described herein are illustrative embodiments for particular applications, it should be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art with access to the teachings provided herein will recognize additional modifications, applications, and embodiments within the scope thereof and additional fields in which the invention would be of significant utility.
A computer-readable medium may be any available transitory and non-transitory medium that can be accessed by processor 111 and may include both a volatile and nonvolatile medium, a removable and non-removable medium, a communication medium, and a storage medium. A communication medium may include computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and may include any other form of an information delivery medium known in the art. A storage medium may include RAM, flash memory, ROM, erasable programmable read-only memory (“EPROM”), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (“EEPROM”), registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a compact disk read-only memory (“CD-ROM”), or any other form of a storage medium known in the art.
In one embodiment, memory 116 stores software modules that provide functionality when executed by processor 111. The modules include an operating system 117 that provides operating system functionality for system 100, as well as the rest of a device in an embodiment. The modules further include a video event detection module 118 that automatically detects a video event, as disclosed in more detail below. In certain embodiments, video event detection module 118 can include multiple modules, where each individual module provides specific individual functionality for detecting a video event. For example, video event detection module 118 may include a detection module that detects events based on color and motion analysis, on visual odometry, or on sport sensors (e.g., wearable heart rate sensor, radar speed detector, etc.) or any other external sensors. Data collector module 119 is configured to collect data associated with a detected video event including information concerning a user's avatar within the video data. The collected data regarding the user includes the avatar's position, facing direction, head rotation and any other actions. The collected data can also include data associated with the user through the use of an external sensor, which can be used independently or in conjunction with the data associated with the avatar. The user, or avatar's, action could be analyzed using visual odometry technology, or external sensors. The collected data regarding the detected video event can include the capture of the target event, the event start and stop time, and the events position/coordinates in three-dimensional space. The position/coordinates can also be expressed in relative terms to the user or user's avatar.
System 100 will typically also include one or more additional application modules 120 to include additional functionality, such as the “TouchSense” application by Immersion Corp., which integrates haptic effects with audio/visual input.
System 100, in embodiments that transmit and/or receive data from remote sources, further includes a communication device 113, such as a network interface card, to provide mobile wireless network communication, such as infrared, radio, Wi-Fi, or cellular network communication. In other embodiments, communication device 113 provides a wired network connection, such as an Ethernet connection or a modem.
Processor 111 is further coupled via bus 115 to a display 121, such as a Liquid Crystal Display (“LCD”), for displaying a graphical representation or user interface to a user. Display 121 may be a touch-sensitive input device, such as a touchscreen, configured to send and receive signals from processor 111, and may be a multi-touch touchscreen. Processor 111 may be further coupled to a keyboard or cursor control 124 that allows a user to interact with system 100, such as a mouse or a stylus.
System 100, in one embodiment, further includes an actuator 122. Processor 111 may transmit a haptic signal associated with a generated haptic effect to actuator 122, which in turn outputs haptic effects such as vibrotactile haptic effects, electrostatic friction haptic effects, or deformation haptic effects. Actuator 122 includes an actuator drive circuit. Actuator 122 may be, for example, an electric motor, an electro-magnetic actuator, a voice coil, a shape memory alloy, an electro-active polymer, a solenoid, an eccentric rotating mass motor (“ERM”), a linear resonant actuator (“LRA”), a piezoelectric actuator, a high bandwidth actuator, an electroactive polymer (“EAP”) actuator, an electrostatic friction display, or an ultrasonic vibration generator. In alternate embodiments, system 100 can include one or more additional actuators, in addition to actuator 122 (not illustrated in
System 100 can further be operatively coupled to a database 130, where database 130 can be configured to store data used by memory 116. Database 130 can be an operational database, an analytical database, a data warehouse, a distributed database, an end-user database, an external database, a navigational database, an in-memory database, a document-oriented database, a real-time database, a relational database, an object-oriented database, or any other database known in the art.
In one embodiment, system 100 further includes one or more speakers 126. Processor 111 may transmit an audio signal to speaker 126, which in turn outputs audio effects. Speaker 126 may be, for example, a dynamic loudspeaker, an electrodynamic loudspeaker, a piezoelectric loudspeaker, a magnetostrictive loudspeaker, an electrostatic loudspeaker, a ribbon and planar magnetic loudspeaker, a bending wave loudspeaker, a flat panel loudspeaker, a heil air motion transducer, a plasma arc speaker, and a digital loudspeaker.
System 100, in one embodiment, further includes a sensor 128. Sensor 128 can be configured to detect a form of energy, or other physical property, such as, but not limited to, acceleration, bio signals, distance, flow, force/pressure/strain/bend, humidity, linear position, orientation/inclination, radio frequency, rotary position, rotary velocity, manipulation of a switch, temperature, vibration, or visible light intensity. Sensor 128 can further be configured to convert the detected energy, or other physical property, into an electrical signal, or any signal that represents virtual sensor information. Sensor 128 can be any device, such as, but not limited to, an accelerometer, an electrocardiogram, an electroencephalogram, an electromyography, an electrooculogram, an electropalatograph, a galvanic skin response sensor, a capacitive sensor, a hall effect sensor, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a pressure sensor, a fiber optic sensor, a flexion sensor (or bend sensor), a force-sensitive resistor, a load cell, a LuSense CPS2 155, a miniature pressure transducer, a piezo sensor, a strain gage, a hygrometer, a linear position touch sensor, a linear potentiometer (or slider), a linear variable differential transformer, a compass, an inclinometer, a magnetic tag (or radio frequency identification tag), a rotary encoder, a rotary potentiometer, a gyroscope, an on-off switch, a temperature sensor (such as a thermometer, thermocouple, resistance temperature detector, thermistor, or temperature-transducing integrated circuit), microphone, photometer, altimeter, bio monitor, or a light-dependent resistor.
In general, automatic haptic conversion algorithms that generate haptic effects from sensory multimedia data, including audio and/or video data, lack a customized or tailored effect for a particular event. Embodiments presented in this disclosure inject the ability to dynamically tailor a haptic effect for a specific video event automatically, using a variety of detection and associated algorithm techniques.
Generally, some known systems may provide haptic effects in a virtual, or augmented, reality environment. Virtual reality refers to using software to generate realistic images, sounds, and other sensations that replicate a real environment (or create an imaginary setting) and simulate a user's physical “presence” in this environment by enabling the user to interact with this space and any objects depicted therein using specialized display screens, projectors, or other devices. Virtual reality may be provided by systems such as Oculus Rift from Facebook, Project Morpheus from Sony, and Gear VR from Samsung. Augmented Reality refers to a live direct or indirect view of a physical real world environment whose elements are augmented (or supplemented) by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics, GPS data, etc. Augmented Reality may be provided by smart glasses such as Google Glass from Google, Daqri Smart Helmet from Daqri, or Moverio from Epson. In addition, Mixed Reality (also referred to as hybrid reality) refers to the merging of real and virtual worlds to produce new environments and visualizations where physical and digital virtual objects co-exist and interact in real time. Unlike Augmented Reality, the virtual objects in Mixed Reality interact with real objects and are not merely added as a virtual overlay on top of the real objects. Mixed Reality may be provided by systems such as HoloLens from Microsoft.
Some known systems provide haptic feedback to a user of virtual, augmented, or mixed reality system via pre-configured controllers. However, the haptic feedback provided by each of these known systems is limited to and constrained by the pre-configured controllers that come with each system. Further, although some of these controllers such as “Vive” and “Touch” use the same type of actuator, they each implement different proprietary application programming interface (“API”) methods for calling a motor and sending voltages to the motor. As a result, the feeling provided by haptic feedback on one device may be different from the feeling provided by haptic feedback on the other device.
In contrast to the known systems, embodiments in the current disclosure allow users to experience haptic feedback added to their user experience so that the users can experience a more realistic surrounded based tactile environment based on their avatar's position in the virtual environment, haptic output device placement on the user, event type and event position. Further, in general, automatic haptic conversion algorithms that generate haptic effects from sensory multimedia data, including audio and/or video data, lack a customized or tailored three-dimensional effect for a particular event based on position and orientation of the user in relationship to the video event. Embodiments presented in this disclosure inject the ability to automatically and dynamically tailor haptic effects in a three-dimensional reality for a specific video event.
Event detector 210 receives video data. The video data can be a media file, a data stream including video content, or any other type of media content file. However, at a minimum, the video data includes some video content. Once the video data is received, event detector 210 then detects a video event contained within the received video data. Such detection is accomplished by the use of a video processing algorithm to process the video data, including both video and audio. Such algorithms can be based on color and motion analysis, or based on visual odometry, or on sport sensors or any other external sensor that identifies a start time and an end time of video events, also referenced to as target events, within the received video data. Further, event sensing can also be accomplished manually, for example, by human intervention by an operator or curator prior to receipt of the data stream. Automatic detection can also be accomplished using just video data and/or audio data.
Event data collector 220 includes a video processing algorithm that captures and collects data concerning the detected event. Such data includes the three-dimensional position of the event. Alternatively, rather than an absolute position, algorithms within event data collector 220 can determine a relative position, such as distance and angular orientation, between the viewer and the event. Event data can also include any event attribute or other characteristic such as time-stamps, temporal propagation, spatial propagation, time-span, nature of the event, etc. In an embodiment, the viewer is actually the user's avatar in a virtual reality environment.
In another embodiment, the event data parameters can be completed manually, for example by the designer. Such capability enables the possibility to design haptic effects for the event that cannot be seen by the viewer such as an earthquake, or large explosion that occurs out of the viewer's range of site. Further, the event data parameters can also be captured through external sensors. Event data can also be collected through the use of source code and its associated parameters found within a three-dimensional video or game.
After event data is collected, user data collector 230 is used to collect information regarding the user, viewer or player. User data collector 230 collects data including the viewer/player's position, or the position of the viewer/player's avatar in a video. This can include the facing direction, head pose, and the pose of any other part of the player/viewer's body or avatar. In some embodiments the location and orientation of the actual viewer is independent of the location and/or orientation of the avatar. In other embodiments the location and orientation of the avatar is dependent upon that of the viewer in the real world, user data collector 230, in a three-dimensional video, can analyze the viewer's actions using Visual Odometry technology, or external sensors. And, as with event data collector 220, user data collector 230 can gather user data from source code.
Actuator determinator 240 is configured to determine the number, location and types of haptic output devices or actuators. The placement, type and number of devices or actuators determine the quality of localized haptics. The greater the number of devices, the better the sensation of localized haptics by the user. Haptic output devices can be located on the user, such as through the user of wearable technologies, embedded within a handheld controller, or integrated into objects such as a chair or other furniture. In addition, small numbers of actuators are capable of producing reasonable localized haptics by the use of haptic illusion technology.
Dynamic haptics generator 250 dynamically generates haptic effects commands for the haptic output devices based on the outputs of event detector 210, event data collector 220, user data collector 230 and actuator determinator 240. Dynamic haptics generator 250 generates effects based on the target events and/or the actions of the viewer and/or the avatar of the viewer/player. Dynamic haptics generator 250 analyzes the number and position of the available haptic output devices (e.g., actuators) to determine the proper type of dynamic localized haptic effect to be provided to each haptic output device. Further, dynamic haptics generator 250 can dynamically produce the localized haptic effects for each haptic output device in real time. For example, if the user/player and/or avatar of the user/player makes a movement during a detected video event, the localized haptic effect will be modified based on the changing movement. For example, if there is an explosion in front of the avatar, the user would feel a response in the front of their body, and then if the avatar turned to the left the haptic effects would shift to the right side of the user's body.
In another example, Lisa is watching a three-dimensional action movie. She knows the direction and distance of an explosion through the experience of localized haptics, which make her feel as if she is in a real scene. When she changes her point of view in the movie, the localized haptics will change accordingly. In another example, Mike is playing a three-dimensional game. He can approximate how far the monster in the game is behind him or it is on his left/right side through the localized haptics without the need to turn his head. The localized haptics will change automatically when he runs far from or gets closer to the monster, or changes his direction in the game.
Actuator system 260 receives haptic commands, or instructions, from dynamic haptics generator 250 and operates actuators 265 that produce the desired haptic effect. Actuator system 260 also includes one or more drivers.
Each actuation point 312 can include a haptic actuator, as well as functionality to communicate (e.g., wirelessly or through a wire) with actuator determinator 240. Each actuation point 312 also includes electronics and software in order to drive its haptic actuator. The haptic actuator may provide haptic functionality according to any embodiments described herein. For example, the haptic actuator may provide haptic feedback including vibration, deformation, heat, ESF, or any other type of haptic actuation known in the art. Further, one or more other haptic output devices may be implemented to provide additional haptic feedback to user 310. For example, a vibration actuator may be embedded into floor tiles so that it can transmit vibrations to the feet of user 310. As another example, an ultrasound emitter can be embedded in a wall so that it can project haptic effects to user 310. As another example, a peltier cell can be embedded in a physical object (e.g., a door handle) in an augmented reality environment so that it can change its temperature when touched by user 310. Alternatively or additionally, a gamepad controller 340, a smartphone 330, a touchpad device 320, or any other device that includes haptic actuators can be used to provide additional haptic effects to user 310.
In an embodiment, once an actuation point 312 is connected to actuator system 260 through wired or wireless communication, it can receive commands for providing haptic effects. It may also communicate with actuator determinator 240 to provide various information, for example, information about its capabilities, its sensor readings, etc.
In an embodiment, actuation points 312 may include different haptic actuator types such as vibration actuators, kinesthetic actuators, combination actuators (one device including more than one actuator type), wearables, projected haptics, etc.
In an embodiment, localized haptic system 300 implements position sensing functionality and tracks the location of actuation points 312 relative to each other as well as in the three-dimensional virtual space. Any known position sensing functionality may be implemented in localized haptic system 300 to track actuation points 312, such as magnetic tracking (measuring the intensity of the magnetic field in various directions), acoustic tracking (measuring the time it takes a known acoustic signal to reach known receivers), inertial tracking (using an accelerometers and gyroscopes), optical tracking (using various cameras to obtain positional information), etc., or any other proximity sensing functionality (detecting the presence of nearby objects without any physical contact). In one embodiment, for example, localized haptic system 300 includes one or more remote sensors such as cameras or depth sensors that implement position and motion tracking functionality and detect the presence of user 310 and or detect various body parts of user 310.
Localized haptics generation system 400 first detects and identifies the event, shown in
The attributes detected by system 400 can be saved with the video as a separate track or file, or embedded in the three-dimensional video itself.
In an embodiment, system 400 detects event 415 using a computer vision method by analyzing the 360-degree video frames. The detection can be accomplished using one or a multitude of frames with all of the same time stamp, composing the 360-degree view. Such analysis can also be performed using frames with the same time-stamps or a number of successive frames from either a single or multitude of the views comprising the 360-degree video. For this task, common computer vision techniques used in the literature can be used such as a deep learning, pattern matching, optical flow analysis, color and motion features analysis, etc. Once the event is detected, its three-dimensional location can then be estimated using frames related to different views with the same time-stamp, such as stereo vision techniques or multi-angle scene reconstruction. Some characteristics of the event can also be determined by the same approach, such as the size of the event. Such detection by system 400 can run in real time while the user is watching the video, by analyzing the frames displayed to the user in the case of events visible to the user and/or with the use of any other frames available in the three-dimensional video engine. The detection can also be performed offline.
In another embodiment related to three-dimensional VR gaming, the three-dimensional location of an event can be estimated in real time given the game play scenario, such as a player throwing a bomb that explodes at a location related to the speed and strength of the throw. The event's characteristics are thus provided by the game-play engine. System 400 can also provide automatic real-time detection of events in the game using the same computer vision approaches previously described. Further, a game designer can specify a portion of the event's characteristics in advance while others would be estimated by system 400. In addition, an event is not limited to an explosion or collision but rather be any specific interaction the user has with the virtual environment, including something simply touching an object.
System 400 illustrates the viewer's three-dimensional status. User 422's position and orientation in the three-dimensional game space 410 as shown by avatar 420 can be provided directly by the three-dimensional video engine. In another embodiment, user 422's three-dimensional location and orientation in the real world can be accomplished using a multitude of sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, RFIDs, optical tracking, etc. and provide this location to system 400, or to the dynamic haptics generator 250 previously discussed. User 422's status can comprise the three-dimensional position in an absolute or relative referential coordinates and can refer to just the location of user 422 or be more localized by referring to the location and orientation of multiple body parts, or to the location of each actuation point (e.g., 430-1B 430-8B).
System 400, using a dynamic haptics generator, such as dynamic haptics generator 250, analyzes the detected event's characteristics, the user's status, the available haptic playback devices and generates the appropriate haptic effects accordingly. The haptic effect comprises a combination of one or more haptic cues delivered to the user such as vibrotactile, ESF, Kinesthetic, thermal, ultrasonic, air puffs, deformation, etc. In fact, system 400 can generate an effect with specific characteristics, such as a type of haptic cue, frequency, duration and intensity.
Such effects and characteristics can be based on the following characteristics:
In summary, system 400, regarding localized haptics generation combines all the information available in a smart way as to provide the user with the most immersive experience possible. Moreover, the haptic effect can be generated dynamically and updated as to reflect any change in the conditions, such as movement of user 422 or avatar 420 where moving closer to virtual explosion point 415 would result an effect growing in intensity.
In another embodiment, system 400 incorporates the haptic designer's intent into account when generating the haptic effects. For example the designer can express an intent such as “if explosion and user's hand hiding his/her face he/she will feel the haptic effect on his/her hand” or “the user should feel a very distant explosion with high intensity even if he is 100 km far from its center”. The designer intent can thus have a priority over the automatic generation described above.
The haptic effects can be generated in real-time and played back along the three-dimensional video or during the game-play and/or partially offline (i.e. saved in a timeline/track embedded to the video or separate) as the system can generate partial effects in advance given some known characteristics of the event (e.g., type of the effect) and then generate the final effect to be displayed given the user's relative location to the event. For example the system can state that an explosion would be augmented using a vibro-tactile effect of 50 ms with a frequency of 60 Hz which intensity would be determined later in real-time given the user proximity to it in 3D games space 410.
System 400 illustrates user 422 and avatar 420 in the same relative position. As discussed, the positions of user 422 and avatar 420 can be dependent upon each other. However, there does not have to be any such dependency.
The position of the user versus that of avatar 422 can be viewed in three different scenarios. The first is where the user movement results in avatar 422's movement where avatar 422 represents the user in a virtual reality space. The second scenario is where the movements of avatar 422 and the user are independent, such as avatar 422 turning, but the user does not move. The third scenario is where avatar 422 is not present, such as in a first person view perspective in a virtual reality environment. In this scenario the movement, gesture, and/or sensory information of the user would dictate the user's position in the virtual reality space. Further, the virtual reality environment can “virtually transport” the user and/or avatar (e.g., given the gameplay or sequence of animation, etc.) to any three-dimensional location in the virtual reality space without any movement of the user where the location is provided by a virtual reality renderer. In addition, a brain-computer interface (“BCI”) can also be used to control avatar 422 by the user.
System 600 is virtually identical to the system 400 described in
Flow diagram 700 starts at 710 where video data is received. As discussed in
At 720, one or more video events are detected. Such detection could be accomplished using video event detection module 118 that can utilize a variety of event detection algorithms including event detection based on color and motion analysis, or based on visual odometry, or on sport sensors or any other external sensor that identifies a start time and an end time of video events, also referenced to as target events, within the received video data.
At 730, event data is collected. Event data includes a video processing algorithm that captures and collects data concerning the detected event. Such data includes the three-dimensional position of the event. Or, rather than an absolute position, algorithms within event data collector 220 determine a relative position, such as distance and angular orientation, between the viewer and the event. In another embodiment, the event data parameters can be completed manually, for example by the designer. Further, event data can also include any event attribute or other characteristic such as time-stamps, temporal propagation, spatial propagation, time-span, nature of the event, etc.
At 740, user data is collected. Collection of user data can be accomplished through the use of user data collector 230 to collect data including the viewer/player's position, or the position of the viewer/player's avatar in a video. This can include the facing direction, head pose, and the pose of any other part of the player/viewer's body or avatar.
At 750, actuator information is collected and determined. The information can be collected and determined using actuator determinator 240 that includes determining the number, location and types of haptic output devices or actuators. As discussed, haptic output devices can be located on the user, such as through the user of wearable technologies, embedded within a handheld controller, or integrated into objects such as a chair or other furniture. In addition, small numbers of actuators are capable of producing reasonable localized haptics by the use of haptic illusion technology.
At 760, a set of haptic commands are dynamically generated based on the collected video event data, viewer/player information, and actuator data. This dynamic generation can be accomplished through the use of dynamic haptics generator 250 that generates haptic commands based on the target events and/or the actions of the viewer and/or the avatar of the viewer/player. Dynamic haptics generator 250 analyzes the number and position of the available haptic output devices (e.g., actuators) to determine the proper type of dynamic localized haptic effect to be provided to each haptic output device. Further, dynamic haptics generator 250 can dynamically produce the localized haptic effect command for each haptic output device in real time
At 770, the dynamically generated haptic commands are generated. Such haptic effect generation can be accomplished using Actuator system 260 that receives haptic commands, or instructions, from dynamic haptics generator 250 and operates actuators 265 that produce the desired haptic effect.
At 780, any change in the viewer/player information is analyzed. If a change is detected then at 785 the viewer/player information is updated in order to generate updated haptic commands. For example, the haptic effect felt can be generated dynamically and updated as to reflect any change in the conditions, such as movement of user 422 or avatar 420 where moving closer to virtual explosion point 415 would result an effect growing in intensity.
If there is no viewer/player information that has changed in 780, the embodiment looks to 790 to see if there are any additional haptic frames or commands in the video data. The method will continue to loop and process all remaining video events. When complete the process ends.
As discussed, embodiments have been disclosed that include the dynamic generation of localized haptic effects by receiving video data that includes an avatar that corresponds to a user of the video data. A video event within the video data is detected and information regarding the event and the avatar is collected. That information can include a position and type of detected video event, and a position and orientation of the avatar. Haptic effects are then dynamically generated based on the locations haptic output devices on the user, the position and orientation of the avatar in relationship to the position and the type of video event.
Several embodiments are specifically illustrated and/or described herein. However, it will be appreciated that modifications and variations of the disclosed embodiments are covered by the above teachings and within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention.
