Haptic feedback device and program for virtual objects
A haptic feedback device for virtual objects includes a head-mounted display unit, an HMD control unit, a haptic feedback unit, and a haptic information DB for storing haptic information in association with each type of virtual object. The HMD control unit includes a display controller that causes a virtual object and a user focus to appear on a display, and a haptic information transmitter that reads, when the user focus is placed over a selectable virtual object, haptic information associated with the type of the selected virtual object from the haptic information DB, and transmits the haptic information to the haptic feedback unit. The haptic feedback unit includes a movable portion movable with a user operation, a movement resistance generator that applies movement resistance to the movable portion, and a power feed controller (movement resistance controller).
1. A haptic feedback device for virtual objects, comprising:
a display unit;
a display control unit, comprising a processor, configured to control a display included in the display unit;
a haptic feedback unit configured to provide haptic feedback to a user; and
a haptic information storage configured to store haptic information in association with a type of a selectable virtual object,
the display control unit including
a display controller configured to cause a selectable virtual object and a virtual object selector to appear on the display, the virtual object selector allowing the selectable virtual object to be selected with an operation performed by the user, and
a haptic information transmitter configured to read, when the selectable virtual object is selected by the virtual object selector, haptic information associated with a type of the virtual object selected, from the haptic information storage, and transmit the haptic information to the haptic feedback unit, and
the haptic feedback unit including
a movable portion movable with an operation performed by the user,
a movement resistance generator configured to apply movement resistance to the movable portion, and
a movement resistance controller configured to control the movement resistance to be applied by the movement resistance generator to the movable portion in accordance with the haptic information received from the haptic information transmitter,
wherein the movement resistance generator in the haptic feedback unit includes
a rotary portion configured to rotate in combination with the movable portion, and
a rotational resistance generator configured to apply rotational resistance to the rotary portion, and
the rotational resistance generator includes
an internal rotor configured to rotate together with the rotary portion,
a magnetic viscous fluid filling a clearance around the internal rotor, and
an electromagnet configured to apply a magnetic field onto the magnetic viscous fluid.
2. The haptic feedback device for virtual objects according to claim 1 , wherein
the display unit is a head-mounted display unit,
the virtual object selector is a user focus shiftable with an operation performed by the user, and
the haptic information transmitter reads, when the user focus overlaps the selectable virtual object, haptic information associated with the type of the virtual object selected from the haptic information storage, and transmits the haptic information to the haptic feedback unit.
3. The haptic feedback device for virtual objects according to claim 2 , wherein
the movement resistance generator and the movable portion included in the haptic feedback unit are part of a grip member to be held and movable by a hand of the user,
the grip member includes a grip member position information detector configured to detect information about a position of the grip member, and
the display control unit includes a focus position determiner configured to determine a position of the user focus appearing on the display based on the information about the position detected by the grip member position information detector.
4. The haptic feedback device for virtual objects according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a hand state detector configured to detect information about a user's hand state,
wherein the display control unit includes a hand gesture recognizer configured to determine whether the user has performed a predetermined hand gesture based on the information detected by the hand state detector, and
the display control unit performs a predetermined process when the hand gesture recognizer determines that the user has performed the predetermined hand gesture in a state where the selectable virtual object is being selected by the virtual object selector.
5. The haptic feedback device for virtual objects according to claim 1 , wherein
the haptic feedback unit further includes a movement amount detector configured to detect information about a movement amount of the movable portion, and
the display control unit performs a predetermined process when the movement amount detected by the movement amount detector is larger than or equal to a predetermined value in a state where the selectable virtual object is being selected by the virtual object selector.
6. The haptic feedback device for virtual objects according to claim 4 , wherein
the predetermined process is a predetermined display operation on the display performed by the display controller included in the display control unit.
7. The haptic feedback device for virtual objects according to claim 1 , wherein
the haptic feedback unit further includes a movement amount detector configured to detect information about a movement amount of the movable portion,
the haptic information storage stores haptic information in association with the type of the selectable virtual object and the movement amount of the movable portion, and
the haptic information transmitter in the display control unit reads, in a state where the selectable virtual object is being selected by the virtual object selector, haptic information associated with the type of the virtual object selected and the movement amount of the movable portion from the haptic information storage, and transmits the haptic information to the haptic feedback unit.
8. A non-transitory computer-readable storing medium storing a program causing a computer to function as a display control unit included in a haptic feedback device for virtual objects, the haptic feedback device comprising:
a display unit;
a display control unit, comprising a processor, configured to control a display included in the display unit;
a haptic feedback unit configured to provide haptic feedback to a user; and
a haptic information storage configured to store haptic information in association with a type of a selectable virtual object,
the haptic feedback unit including
a movable portion movable with an operation performed by the user,
a movement resistance generator configured to apply movement resistance to the movable portion, and
a movement resistance controller configured to control the movement resistance applied by the movement resistance generator to the movable portion in accordance with haptic information received from a haptic information transmitter, and
the program causing the display control unit to function as
a display controller configured to cause a selectable virtual object and a virtual object selector to appear on the display, the virtual object selector allowing the selectable virtual object to be selected with an operation performed by the user, and
the haptic information transmitter configured to read, when the selectable virtual object is selected by the virtual object selector, haptic information associated with a type of the virtual object selected, from the haptic information storage, and transmit the haptic information to the haptic feedback unit,
wherein the movement resistance generator in the haptic feedback unit includes
a rotary portion configured to rotate in combination with the movable portion, and a rotational resistance generator configured to apply rotational resistance to the rotary portion, and
the rotational resistance generator includes
an internal rotor configured to rotate together with the rotary portion,
a magnetic viscous fluid filling a clearance around the internal rotor, and
an electromagnet configured to apply a magnetic field onto the magnetic viscous fluid.