JPH11232012A - Interface device and interface system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide an interface that allows the presence of a virtual object in a virtual world to be directly sensed visually or tactually through a real entity in the real world. SOLUTION: Information about the state of virtual objects 4 and 5 in a virtual world is extracted, and the state of an interface device 3, for example, the shape is determined based on the information. If so, the interface device 3 is made spherical, and if the target virtual object 5 is a rectangular parallelepiped, the interface device 3 is changed to a rectangular parallelepiped.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an interface device between a real world and a virtual world in an artificial reality (virtual reality) system and an interface system using the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an interface device for obtaining a sense of artificial reality uses CG for objects and states in a virtual world.
(Computer graphics), since there is a limitation to things that do not involve a physical entity such as sound, there is a problem that the presence of an object in a virtual world cannot be directly felt.

[0003] In order to make the interaction between the virtual world and the real world more realistic, the existence of an object in the virtual world is directly and visually and tactually sensed through the real-world form (substance). There is a demand for an interface that can be felt.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has been made by changing the form of a real object according to the state of a virtual object to be operated. It is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is configured as follows.

That is, the interface device of the present invention includes state determining means for determining the state of the interface device based on information about the virtual world.

Further, the information is information on a virtual object in a virtual world, and the state is the shape, color, elasticity, temperature, or smell of the interface device.

[0008] Further, the interface device of the present invention is provided with input means for operating a virtual object.

The interface system of the present invention includes a computer for constructing a virtual world and an interface device connected to the computer, wherein the computer has information extracting means for extracting information about the virtual world, The interface device has state determining means for determining a state of the interface device based on the extracted information.

The information is information on a virtual object in a virtual world.

Further, the interface system of the present invention includes a virtual object selecting means for selecting a target virtual object from a plurality of virtual objects in the virtual world.

Further, the interface system of the present invention includes input means for performing an operation on the virtual object.

Further, in the interface system according to the present invention, the computer has virtual object state changing means for changing a state of the virtual object in accordance with the operation, and the information extracting means has a changed state of the virtual object. Is extracted and given to the state determination means of the interface device.

According to the interface device of the present invention, the state of the interface device is determined based on the information on the virtual world. Can be grasped, and the existence of the virtual world can be realized through the substantial interface device.

Further, since information on the virtual world is used as information on the virtual object in the virtual world, the presence of the virtual object can be felt through the state of the physical interface device, and an effective interaction between the virtual world and the real world can be realized. Will be possible.

Furthermore, the state of the interface device such as shape, color, elasticity, temperature or odor is determined based on the information of the virtual world. For example, the shape of the interface device is determined according to the shape of the virtual object. It is possible to more effectively realize the existence of the virtual object through the interface device.

Further, since the interface device of the present invention is provided with input means for performing an operation on the virtual object, it is possible to operate the virtual object through the interface device while realizing the existence of the virtual object. Can be.

According to the interface system of the present invention, the computer extracts information on the virtual world,
The interface device determines the state of the interface device based on the extracted information.
It is possible to grasp through the state of the interface device, and to realize the existence of the virtual world through the substantial interface device.

Further, since the information on the virtual world is used as information on the virtual object in the virtual world, the presence of the virtual object can be sensed through the state of the physical interface device, and an effective interaction between the virtual world and the real world can be realized. Will be possible.

Further, since the interface system of the present invention includes virtual object selecting means for selecting a target virtual object from a plurality of virtual objects, an interface device is provided based on information of the selected virtual object. Can be determined.

Further, since the interface system of the present invention includes input means for performing an operation on the virtual object, it is possible to operate the virtual object while feeling the existence of the virtual object through the interface device. Can be.

In the interface system according to the present invention, the computer changes the state of the virtual object according to the operation of the input means, extracts information indicating the changed state of the virtual object, and determines the state of the interface device. Therefore, when the state of the virtual object is changed by the operation of the input means, the state of the interface device is also determined according to the change, and the change of the state of the virtual object by the operation of the interface device is performed by the interface device. Will be fed back.

[0023]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an interface system of the present invention.

The interface system 1 according to this embodiment includes a computer 2 for constructing a virtual world, and an interface device 3 according to the present invention connected to the computer 2.

In the virtual world constructed by the computer 2, for example, two first and second virtual objects 4 and 5 exist, and a virtual object (avatar) 6 for selecting a virtual object exists. On the other hand, the user can directly touch the interface device 3 with the hand 7, and the virtual objects 4 and 5 in the virtual world can be realized through the interface device 3 as follows.

That is, this interface device 3
Information on the target virtual object, for example, the shape of the virtual object,
Based on information such as color, elasticity, temperature, or odor, the state, for example, shape, color, elasticity, temperature, or odor is determined.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1A, if the target first virtual object 4 is a sphere, the upper part of the interface device 3 is also hemispherical, and FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, if the target second virtual object 5 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, the interface device 3 also has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. As shown in the functional block diagram of FIG. Has virtual object state information extracting means 8 for extracting information indicating the state of the virtual object, and the interface device 3 determines the state of the interface device 3 based on the extracted state information of the virtual object. Is determined.

The contents of the state information to be extracted are defined according to the basis on which the state of the interface device 3 is determined. For example, the shape of the interface device 3 is determined according to the shape of the virtual object. When it is determined, only information relating to the shape of the virtual object may be extracted. Further, extraction of the state information of the virtual object can be easily realized by referring to the form data of the target virtual object in the computer 2 or a program on the computer 2 that constructs the virtual world.

The communication of information between the computer 2 and the interface device 3 may be performed by connecting a standard input / output port of the computer 2 to the interface device 3 with a cable as in this embodiment, or by wireless communication. Wireless connection.

In the interface system 1 according to this embodiment, the computer 2 extracts information on the state of the target virtual object and provides the information to the interface device 3. This state is determined, and the state of the interface device 3 is changed according to the change in the state of the virtual object.

Hereinafter, a specific configuration for determining the state of the interface device 3 will be described in detail.

(A) A configuration in which the color of the interface device 3 is changed as the state of the interface device 3 based on the information of the virtual object given from the computer 2 will be described.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, in the interface device 3, three LEDs (light emitting elements) 10 to 12 of different colors, for example, red, yellow, and blue, and a reflecting mirror for diffusing light emission of the LEDs 10 to 12 are provided. 13 and a transparent housing 14
The interface device 3 is constituted by covering with.
The color of the interface device 3 seen by the user is changed according to the colors of the LEDs 10 to 12 to be turned on.
Which one of the LEDs 10 to 12 of a plurality of colors is to be turned on is determined by the state information of the virtual object from the computer 2, for example, an LED control signal based on information about the color of the virtual object.

(B) A configuration for changing the shape of the interface device 3 based on the information of the virtual object given from the computer 2 will be described.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, a plurality of wire frames 15 made of a shape memory alloy such as Ni—Ti are combined to form a skeleton of the shape of the interface device 3 and to be expanded and contracted. The surface of the upper part of the interface device 3 is constituted by covering the skeleton with a surface layer 16 made of, for example, rubber or the like, and based on information of the virtual object from the computer 2, the switch control circuit 17 performs each wire frame. Open and close 15 switches 18 to energize
This controls the non-energization. Reference numeral 19 denotes a power supply.

Wire frame 15 made of shape memory alloy
Changes the shape of the interface device 3 by using the heating, the shape of the interface device 3 is changed using the shape stored in advance.

That is, when not energized, each wire frame 15 has a gate shape as shown in FIG. 5A, and when energized, as shown in FIG. It is configured so as to have an arcuate outer shape having an inwardly rounded portion.

Therefore, the interface device 3 has a rectangular parallelepiped upper portion when not energized, as shown in FIG. 6A, and has a hemispherical shape, as shown in FIG. 6B, when energized. Become.

Further, as another embodiment of the configuration in which the shape of the interface device 3 is changed, as shown in FIG.
The springs 20 to 22 made of two shape memory alloys are laminated to form a composite spring 23, and a plurality of the composite springs 23 are
Alternatively, as shown in the plan view of FIG. 9, the surface portion of the interface device 3 is configured by being attached on the housing portion 24 inside the interface device 3 and attaching the elastic surface film 25 to the upper portion of the interface device 3. I do. The spring 23 made of a shape memory alloy is heated by electricity,
As shown in FIG. 8B, the shape (surface irregularities) of the interface device 3 is changed by utilizing the change to the shape (elongation) stored in advance. By individually controlling energization / de-energization of each composite spring 23,
The shape of the interface device 3 can be finely changed.

Further, by individually controlling the conduction and non-conduction of the combined spring 23 constituting the three spring 20-22, the amount of expansion and contraction of the combined spring 23, 2 is changed to ^triplicate interface device 3 in the form May be changed more finely.

(C) A configuration in which the elasticity of the interface device 3 is changed as the state of the interface device 3 based on the information of the virtual object given from the computer 2 will be described.

The wire frame 15 made of the shape memory alloy shown in FIG. 4 is replaced with a mesh wire frame 26 in which a plurality of thin thread-shaped shape memory alloys are combined to form a skeleton on the upper part of the interface device 3. Make up,
By covering the skeleton with an elastic surface layer film, a surface portion above the interface device 3 is configured. In the mesh wire frame 26 made of a shape memory alloy, by storing the shape so that the mesh density changes between when energized and when not energized, the elasticity when touching the surface of the interface device 3 is reduced. Can be changed. That is, when the density of the mesh is large, the elasticity is small, and when the density is small,
Elasticity increases.

(D) A configuration in which the temperature of the interface device 3 is changed based on the information of the virtual object given from the computer 2 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 11, a planar heating element 27 is buried in the surface layer of the upper part of the interface device 3, and a temperature control circuit 28 for controlling heat generation by energization is provided.
The surface temperature of the interface device 3 is changed via the temperature control circuit 28 based on the information on the state of the virtual object.

(E) A configuration in which the state of the interface device 3 changes its odor according to the information of the virtual object given from the computer will be described.

As shown in FIG. 12, in the space inside the interface device 3, for example, a plurality of types of components 30 to 32 having different odor components such as aromatic liquids and fragrances are installed, and the upper portion of the interface device 3 is provided. The odor emitted from the interface device 3 is changed by controlling the release of the odor and the scent through the ventilation holes 33 to 35 and the ventilation opening / closing valves 36 to 38 shown in FIG. Vent holes 33-3
The open / close control of the open / close valves 36 to 38 of No. 5 includes, for example, a normal spring 39 and a spring 40 made of a shape memory alloy whose elongation changes between when energized and when not energized, as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. This is performed by sliding the open / close valves 36 to 38 by using the above.

The interface system 1 provided with the interface device 3 having the above-described configuration includes, for example, a mouse (not shown) as input means for the computer 2 and allows the user to operate a virtual object with the mouse. It is. Examples of operations on the virtual object include, for example, grasping, releasing, and moving the virtual object, and applying a stimulus to the virtual object.

In this case, the operation of the virtual object and the mouse operation can be associated, for example, as follows.

Holding: Clicking with the mouse cursor over the CG of the virtual object Moving: Moving the mouse cursor while holding the virtual object Open: Clicking while holding the virtual object Tapping: Clicking on the virtual object Double-click with the mouse cursor over the CG. Stroke the mouse cursor over the CG of the virtual object and move the mouse cursor while holding down the mouse button. This mouse is used when there are multiple virtual objects in the virtual world. Has a function as a virtual object selecting means for selecting a virtual object to be operated, and furthermore, when there is one virtual object, a state where the virtual object can be operated and a state where the operation cannot be performed Is switched, and can be associated with the operation as follows, for example.

Selection: superimposing a mouse cursor on the CG of the virtual object to be operated Switching to an operable state: superimposing a mouse cursor on the CG of the virtual object Switching to an inoperable state: mouse over the CG of the virtual object The computer 3 prevents the cursors from overlapping each other. In this way, the state information is extracted only for the virtual object selected by the mouse.

In this embodiment, the operation and the selection of the virtual object are performed on the virtual object with the mouse, but other input devices such as a keyboard and a touch panel may be used instead of the mouse.

In the interface system 1 having the above configuration, information indicating the state of the virtual object can be extracted, and the state of the interface device 3 can be determined based on the extracted information. 4 or 8, the shape of the interface device 3 can be changed, or according to the color of the virtual object, as shown in FIG.
The color of the interface device 3 can be changed by the configuration shown in FIG. 10, or the interface device 3 can be changed using the wire frame shown in FIG. 10 according to the hardness (elasticity) of the virtual object. The elasticity can be changed, and further, the temperature of the interface device 3 can be changed by the configuration shown in FIG. 11 according to the temperature of the virtual object, and the temperature can be changed according to the smell of the virtual object. Thus, the odor of the interface device 3 can be changed by the configuration as shown in FIG.

Therefore, for example, if the shape of the virtual object is spherical, the shape of the interface device 3 is made spherical.
If the color of the virtual object is blue, the color of the interface device 3 is blue. If the virtual object is a cushion, the elasticity of the interface device 3 is large. If the virtual object is a fireplace, the temperature of the interface device 3 is high. If the virtual object is a flower, it is possible to change the odor of the interface device 3 to a pleasant odor, and to change the virtual object in the virtual world to the shape, color, elasticity, temperature or odor of the real interface device 3. The state can be directly felt, and an effective interaction between the virtual world and the real world can be realized.

The interface device 3 has a shape,
The present invention is not limited to the configuration in which color, elasticity, temperature, or odor is individually changed, and the above configurations may be arbitrarily combined so that a plurality of shapes, colors, elasticity, temperature, or odors can be changed together. Of course.

When the virtual object is a virtual creature that behaves autonomously and imitates a creature, the state of the virtual creature is not limited to external states such as shapes and colors, but psychological states such as emotions. The state information may be extracted and the state of the interface device 3 may be determined according to the psychological state. For example, when the virtual creature is angry, the temperature of the interface device 3 is increased and the virtual creature is raised. When the user is sad, the temperature of the interface device 3 may be lowered, so that the psychological state of the virtual creature can be directly felt through the real interface device 3 and the virtual creature can be closer to the user. I can feel.

The state of the virtual object and the state of the interface device 3 may be arbitrarily associated with each other. For example, the temperature of the virtual object may correspond to the color of the interface device 3.

In the above-described embodiment, the state of the interface device 3 is uniformly changed in accordance with the information indicating the state of the virtual object. May be partially different.

For example, in the configuration shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 15, a plurality of sets of D10 to D12 and the reflecting mirror 13 and the control signal transmission path are partitioned by the light shielding member 40, for example, the left side of the interface device 3 is red, the middle is yellow, and the right side is blue. The color of the interface device 3 can be changed by giving a distribution as shown in FIG.

For example, in the configuration of FIG. 11 described above, a plurality of sets of the temperature control circuit 28 and the planar heating element 27 are attached to the interface device 3 as shown in FIG. As a result, the temperature of the interface device 3 can be changed with a distribution such that the left side of the interface device 3 is warm and the right side is cold.

As described above, by partially changing the state of the interface device 3, the form of the interface device 3 can be diversified. Therefore, a more realistic representation of the virtual object and a more diverse virtual object can be obtained. Response is possible.

In the above embodiment, the interface device 3 has only a function as an output device of determining the state of the virtual object based on information of the virtual object. However, in another embodiment of the present invention, Alternatively, by adding the above-described mouse function, an operation may be performed on a virtual object or a target virtual object may be selected from a plurality of virtual objects.

Alternatively, the interface device may be provided with the following input means. For example, the user can determine whether or not the user is touching the interface device 3, what part of the interface device 3 has been touched, or input information on how to touch or stroke, using a microswitch, a vibration sensor, a touch sensor, or the like. It is configured to take in one of the sensors or a plurality of sensors in combination.

Further, the body temperature of the user's body portion held over or brought into contact with the interface device 3 or the temperature of the object is detected by a temperature sensor as an input means and used as input information.

Alternatively, a voice or a sound around the interface device 3 is taken in by a microphone as input means and used as input information.

Further, whether or not an object exists around the interface device and the distance to the existing object are determined by:
The information is detected by an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, or the like as input means and is used as input information.

Alternatively, using a trackball or an acceleration sensor similar to a mouse, the displacement and the rotation direction when the user moves or rotates the interface device 3 are detected and used as input information.

Further, the input means may be constituted by appropriately combining them.

FIG. 17 is a functional block diagram of an interface system according to another embodiment of the present invention. Parts corresponding to FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In this embodiment, the interface device 3 has the same state determination means 9 as in the above-described embodiment, and also has input means 41 for operating a virtual object. The computer 2 has virtual object state information extracting means 8 for extracting information on the state of the virtual object, and has virtual object state changing means 42 for changing the state of the virtual object in accordance with the operation of the input means 41. And a virtual object selecting unit 43 for selecting a target virtual object from a plurality of virtual objects.

The interface device 3 of this embodiment
For example, as shown in FIG. 18, the color of the virtual object is determined based on information of the virtual object.
As the input means 41, an operation is performed on a virtual creature as a virtual object by "striking" or "stroking" the interface device 3. For this reason, a touch sensor 44 is provided as input means for detecting an operation on the interface device 3, and the output of the touch sensor 44 is taken into the computer 2.

The computer 2 includes an interface device 3
In response to an operation on, ie, "hit" or "stroke", the psychological state of the virtual creature is changed, and information on the changed psychological state is extracted and given to the interface device 3. The interface device 3 determines the color of the interface device 3 based on this information, as in the above-described embodiment.

That is, in this embodiment, when the virtual creature is operated by the interface device 3, the psychological state of the virtual creature changes, and the color of the interface device 3 changes according to the change in the psychological state. This is a feedback configuration.

FIG. 19 is a state transition diagram showing the transition of the psychological state of the virtual creature with respect to the input operation of the interface device 3.
When "slapping", the virtual creature gets angry, and "stroking" the virtual creature in this angry state returns to the normal psychological state,
In addition, the virtual creature rejoices when "stroking" the virtual creature in the normal mental state, and returns to the normal psychological state when "striking" the virtual creature in the delighted state.

On the basis of the information on the psychological state of the virtual creature, the interface device 3 uses, for example, yellow in a normal mental state, red in an angry state, and red in a happy state.
It changes color, such as blue.

As described above, since the state change of the virtual creature caused by the operation on the virtual creature is immediately fed back to the interface device 3 and its color changes, the virtual creature can be felt more directly.

In this embodiment, the interface device 3 changes the color based on the information of the virtual creature. However, according to another embodiment of the present invention, any one of temperature, shape, elasticity, and odor is used. Alternatively, they may be changed in combination.

If the correspondence between the state information of the virtual object and the state determination of the interface device 3 becomes complicated,
Based on the state information of the virtual object, the interface device 3
Control information for determining the state of the interface device 3 may be determined based on the control information. The control information may be generated by the computer 2.
The processing may be performed on the interface device 3 side. In any case, the interface device 3 determines the state of the virtual object based on the information on the state of the virtual object directly or through control information.

In the above-described embodiment, the state of the interface device is determined based on the information on the virtual object. However, the present invention is not limited to the virtual object, but may be applied to information about a virtual world, for example, information about a virtual space. Based on this, the state of the interface device may be determined.

Note that, not only is the state of the interface device determined in advance based on the information of the virtual object existing in the virtual world, but also the user can change the state of the interface device based on the information of the newly created virtual object. It may be determined.

[0081]

As described above, according to the present invention, the state of the interface device is determined on the basis of the information on the virtual world. It is possible to grasp through the state of the device, and to realize the existence of the virtual world through the substantial interface device.

Further, a virtual object in the virtual world can be felt through the state of the physical interface device, and effective interaction between the virtual world and the real world becomes possible.

Further, the state of the interface device such as shape, color, elasticity, temperature and odor is determined based on the information of the virtual world. For example, the shape of the interface device is determined according to the shape of the virtual object. It is possible to more effectively realize the existence of the virtual object through the interface device.

Further, since the interface device of the present invention is provided with input means for performing an operation on the virtual object, it is possible to operate the virtual object while feeling the presence of the virtual object through the interface device. Can be.

Further, in the interface system of the present invention, the state of the virtual object is changed according to the operation of the input means, and information indicating the changed state of the virtual object is extracted and provided to the state determination means of the interface device. When the state of the virtual object is changed by the operation of the input means, the state of the interface device is also changed in accordance with the change, so that the user can feel the virtual object further.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram for explaining an interface system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of an interface system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of an interface device that changes colors.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of an interface device that changes a shape.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state of the wire frame of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state of the interface device of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a spring used for the interface device.

8 is a schematic configuration diagram of an interface device using the spring of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing an arrangement of a spring of the interface device of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a wire frame used for the interface device.

FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram of an interface device for changing a temperature.

FIG. 12 is a schematic configuration of an interface device that changes an odor.

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing a position of a ventilation hole of the interface device of FIG. 12;

14 is a diagram showing a configuration of an on-off valve of the interface device of FIG.

FIG. 15 is a schematic configuration diagram of an interface device for partially changing a color.

FIG. 16 is a schematic configuration diagram of an interface device for partially changing a temperature.

FIG. 17 is a functional block diagram of another embodiment of the present invention.

18 is a schematic configuration diagram of an interface device according to the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 19 is a transition diagram of a psychological state of a virtual creature.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Interface system 2 Computer 3 Interface device 8 Virtual object state information extraction means 9 State determination means 41 Input means 42 Virtual object state change means 43 Virtual object selection means

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. An interface device comprising: a state determining unit that determines a state of the interface device based on information about a virtual world. 2. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the information is information on a virtual object in the virtual world. 3. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the state is a shape. 4. The state according to claim 1, wherein the state is a color.
The interface device as described. 5. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the state is elastic. 6. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the state is a temperature. 7. The interface device according to claim 1, wherein the state is odor. 8. The interface device according to claim 2, further comprising input means for performing an operation on the virtual object. 9. A computer comprising a computer for constructing a virtual world, and an interface device connected to the computer, wherein the computer has information extracting means for extracting information about the virtual world, and the interface device is An interface system having status determination means for determining the status of the interface device based on the information. 10. The interface system according to claim 9, wherein the information is information on a virtual object in the virtual world. 11. The interface system according to claim 10, further comprising virtual object selecting means for selecting a target virtual object from a plurality of virtual objects in the virtual world. 12. The interface system according to claim 10, further comprising input means for performing an operation on the virtual object. 13. The computer according to claim 1, further comprising: a virtual object state changing unit configured to change a state of the virtual object according to the operation, wherein the information extracting unit extracts information indicating the changed state of the virtual object. 11. The interface system according to claim 10, which is provided to the status determination unit of the interface device.