초록 ▼

Force feedback in large, immersive environments is provided by device which a gyro-stabilization to generate a fixed point of leverage for the requisite forces and/or torques. In one embodiment, one or more orthogonally oriented rotating gyroscopes are used to provide a stable platform to which a fo

Force feedback in large, immersive environments is provided by device which a gyro-stabilization to generate a fixed point of leverage for the requisite forces and/or torques. In one embodiment, one or more orthogonally oriented rotating gyroscopes are used to provide a stable platform to which a force-reflecting device can be mounted, thereby coupling reaction forces to a user without the need for connection to a fixed frame. In one physical realization, a rigid handle or joystick is directly connected to the three-axis stabilized platform and using an inventive control scheme to modulate motor torques so that only the desired forces are felt. In an alternative embodiment, a reaction sphere is used to produce the requisite inertial stabilization. Since the sphere is capable of providing controlled torques about three arbitrary, linearly independent axes, it can be used in place of three reaction wheels to provide three-axis stabilization for a variety of space-based and terrestrial applications.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [25.]25. A spatially unrestricted force-feedback device, comprising:a body;a plurality of motors, each of said motors capable of spinning a momentum mass about an associated axis of rotation and each of said motors connected to said body to provide computer controllable inerti

[ What is claimed is:] [25.]25. A spatially unrestricted force-feedback device, comprising:a body;a plurality of motors, each of said motors capable of spinning a momentum mass about an associated axis of rotation and each of said motors connected to said body to provide computer controllable inertial forces on said body about said associated axis;a user-interactable member connected to said body, wherein said user-interactable member is in electrical communication with a host computer system modeling a simulated environment including one or more simulated objects, said host computer system commanding said inertial forces on said body as a function of a simulated activity involving at least one object within said simulated environment; anda computer mediated controller electrically connected to said motors and in electrical communication with said host computer system, said controller receiving signals from said host computer system and simultaneously controlling each of said motors in response such that said motors produce said inertial forces about said axes..Iaddend..Iadd.