Peripheral devices having dynamic weight distribution to convey sense of weight in HMD environments
View Patent ↗A system and method of simulating weight of a virtual object in a virtual environment includes receiving a weight adjusting profile in a handheld peripheral device. The weight adjusting profile corresponding to at least one weight characteristic and/or a movement characteristics of the virtual object presented in the virtual environment where the handheld peripheral device represents the virtual object. The handheld peripheral device includes a movable weight. The weight adjusting profile is stored in the handheld peripheral device and a position of the movable weight in the handheld peripheral device is adjusted to correspond to a movement of the virtual object in the virtual environment.
1. A peripheral device for use in interfacing with a virtual reality scene generated by a computer for presentation on a head mounted display, comprising,
a housing;
a weight coupled to the housing, the weight being movable;
a movement controller for processing instructions for moving the weight, the movement controller receiving the instructions from the computer so that movement of the weight changes a weight distribution for the peripheral device, the changes in the weight distribution are correlated to movements of a virtual object in the virtual reality scene as presented on the head mounted display; and
a move mechanism for causing the weight to move based on the instructions received from the movement controller, the move mechanism is configured apply a rate of movement of the weight based on the instructions processed by the movement controller, the rate of movement of the weight is modified based on a weight adjusting profile that is corresponded to the virtual object in the virtual reality scene.
2. The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a chamber and the movable weight is disposed in the chamber, the weight being movable within the chamber.
3. The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the move mechanism includes at least one of:
a compressed gas;
an electric motor;
a linear motor;
an electromagnet;
a pump;
a spring;
one or more memory metals;
one or more electroactive polymers; or
one or more phase changing materials.
4. The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions for moving the weight includes at least one of:
a linear direction of movement of the virtual object;
a rotational direction of movement of the virtual object; or
an amount of movement of the virtual object.
5. The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the movable weight is a fluid.
6. The peripheral device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one inertial sensor coupled to the movement controller.
7. The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein moving the movable weight includes moving the movable weight in at least one of:
a longitudinal direction along at least a portion of a length of the handheld peripheral device;
a lateral direction along at least a portion of a width of the handheld peripheral device;
an oscillating motion;
a rotating motion; or
along a curved direction.
8. The peripheral device of claim 1 , wherein the movable weight is disposed externally from the housing of the handheld peripheral device.
9. Method of simulating weight of a virtual object in a virtual environment presented in a head mounted display, comprising:
receiving a weight moving instruction in a handheld peripheral device, the weight moving instruction corresponding to at least one of a plurality of weight characteristics and a plurality of movement characteristics of the virtual object presented in the virtual environment, the handheld peripheral device representing the virtual object, the handheld peripheral device including a movable weight; and
adjusting a position of the movable weight in the handheld peripheral device to correspond to a movement of the virtual object in the virtual environment, the weight moving instructions are processed based on a weight adjusting profile that is corresponded to the virtual object.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising storing the weight adjusting profile in the handheld peripheral device.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the weight adjusting profile includes at least one of:
a rate of movement of the virtual object;
at least one linear direction of movement of the virtual object;
at least one rotational direction of movement of the virtual object; or
an amount of movement of the virtual object.
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the handheld peripheral device includes:
a move mechanism capable of moving the movable weight; and
a movement controller coupled to the move mechanism.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the handheld peripheral device further includes at least one inertial sensor coupled to the movement controller.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising comparing an inertial signal output from the inertial sensor to the weight adjusting profile to produce a weight adjustment difference signal and adjusting the position of the movable weight to correspond to the weight adjustment difference signal.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the move mechanism includes at least one of:
a compressed gas;
an electric motor;
a linear motor;
an electromagnet;
a pump;
a spring;
one or more memory metals;
one or more electroactive polymers; or
one or more phase changing materials.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the movable weight is a fluid.
17. The method of claim 9 , wherein adjusting the position of the movable weight includes moving the movable weight in at least one of:
a longitudinal direction along at least a portion of a length of the handheld peripheral device;
a lateral direction along at least a portion of a width of the handheld peripheral device;
an oscillating motion;
a rotating motion; or
along a curved direction.
18. The method of claim 9 , wherein the weight moving instruction is sent from a computing device.
19. The method of claim 9 , moving the weight changes a weight distribution of the peripheral device.