Systems and methods for multi-user shared virtual and augmented reality-based haptics

1. A method comprising:

determining a viewpoint of an observer with respect to an object in a virtual or augmented reality environment;

determining a position of a haptic effect source with respect to the observer, wherein the haptic effect source comprises a haptic output device;

determining a haptic effect to be output based on the position and the viewpoint; and

outputting the haptic effect via the haptic output device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the haptic effect is based in part on a relative distance between (i) the observer or the haptic effect source and (ii) the object.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

determining a change in the relative distance between (i) the observer or the haptic effect source and (ii) the object; and

varying a pitch of the haptic effect based on the change in the relative distance.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein varying the pitch of the haptic effect is configured to cause a Doppler effect in the haptic effect based on the change in the relative distance between (i) the observer or the haptic effect source and (ii) the object.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining one or more capabilities of the haptic effect source configured to output the haptic effect; and

outputting the haptic effect based in part on the one or more capabilities of the haptic effect source.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining one or more audio or video characteristics of the virtual or augmented reality environment; and

selecting the haptic effect from among a plurality of haptic effects based on the one or more audio or video characteristics of the virtual or augmented reality environment.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising varying the haptic effect based on a movement of the observer or the haptic effect source.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the viewpoint is a first person viewpoint, a third person viewpoint, or from within the object.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the object is configured to move (i) within or around the virtual or augmented reality environment or (ii) along a path drawn within the virtual or augmented reality environment.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the observer is a first observer, the haptic effect is a first haptic effect, and further comprising:

determining a second viewpoint of a second observer with respect to the object;

determining a second haptic effect to be output based on the position and the second viewpoint, wherein the second haptic effect is different from the first haptic effect; and

outputting the second haptic effect.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the position of the object is a first position, the haptic effect is a first haptic effect, and further comprising:

determining a first mode associated with the first viewpoint of the observer with respect to the object;

determining a second position of the object in the virtual or augmented reality environment;

switching to a second mode associated with a second viewpoint of the observer with respect to the object based on a change from the first position to the second position;

determining a second haptic effect to be output based on the second mode; and

outputting the second haptic effect.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first mode comprises a first person mode and the second mode comprises a third person mode.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable program code configured to cause a processor to:

determine a viewpoint of an observer with respect to an object in a virtual or augmented reality environment;

determine a position of an emitter serving as a haptic effect source with respect to the observer;

determine a haptic effect to be output based on the position and the viewpoint; and

output the haptic effect.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the haptic effect is based in part on a relative distance between (i) the observer or the haptic effect source and (ii) the object, and further comprising processor-executable program code configured to cause the processor to:

determine a change in the relative distance between (i) the observer or the haptic effect source and (ii) the object; and

vary a pitch of the haptic effect based on the change in the relative distance, wherein varying the pitch of the haptic effect is configured to cause a Doppler effect in the haptic effect throughout the change in the relative distance between (i) the observer or the haptic effect source and (ii) the object.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the viewpoint is a first person viewpoint, a third person viewpoint, or from within the object, and further comprising processor-executable program code configured to cause the processor to vary the haptic effect based on a movement of the observer or the haptic effect source.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the object comprises one of a vehicle, an avatar, a tool, or a user-created object, and the object moves (i) within or around the virtual or augmented reality environment or (ii) along a path drawn within the virtual or augmented reality environment.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the observer is a first a first observer, the haptic effect is a first haptic effect, and further comprising processor-executable program code configured to cause the processor to:

determine a second viewpoint of a second observer with respect to the object;

determine a second haptic effect to be output based on the position and the second viewpoint, wherein the second haptic effect is different from the first haptic effect; and

output the second haptic effect.

18. A computing device comprising:

one or more sensors configured to detect an object in a virtual or augmented reality environment;

a processor communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory comprising program code configured to cause the processor to:

receive one or more sensor signals from the one or more sensors;

determine a viewpoint of an observer with respect to an object based on the one or more sensor signals;

determine a position of an emitter serving as a haptic effect source with respect to the observer;

determine a haptic effect based on the position and the viewpoint; and

transmit a haptic signal to a haptic output device, the haptic signal configured to cause the haptic output device to generate the haptic effect.

19. The computing device of claim 18 , wherein the haptic effect is based in part on a relative distance between (i) the observer or the haptic effect source and (ii) the object, and further comprising program code configured to cause the processor to:

determine a change in the relative distance between (i) the observer or the haptic effect source and (ii) the object; and

vary a pitch of the haptic effect based on the change in the relative distance, wherein varying the pitch of the haptic effect is configured to cause a Doppler effect in the haptic effect throughout the change in the relative distance between (i) the observer or the haptic effect source and (ii) the object.

20. The computing device of claim 18 , wherein the observer is a first observer, the haptic effect is a first haptic effect, and further comprising program code configured to cause the processor to:

determine a second viewpoint of a second observer with respect to the object;

determine a second haptic effect to be output based on the position and the second viewpoint, wherein the second haptic effect is different from the first haptic effect; and

output the second haptic effect.