I-Corps: Nullspace: Full-Body Haptic Feedback for Virtual Reality

该项目涉及一项在虚拟现实系统中支持完整上半身表现的创新。目前形式的虚拟现实（VR）缺乏上半身触觉反馈和跟踪的产品。接触虚拟对象和环境时对触觉反馈的需求被认为是一个未满足的空白。该项目的“NullSpace”VR系统是一款用于虚拟现实的完整上身触觉反馈套装，使用内置跟踪系统和放置在身体周围肌肉群以及手和手指上的可编程振动垫。当用户进入VR体验时，跟踪系统将运动准确地映射到虚拟空间中;然后，当用户与虚拟对象和障碍物交互时，振动垫激活以提供触觉。NullSpace适用于虚拟现实（VR）和增强现实（AR）的用户在模拟和游戏场景中，包括研究人员和医疗专业人员寻求使创伤后应激障碍沉浸疗法和恐惧症治疗更有效的方法，或航天员任务训练、飞行模拟、医疗程序训练等需要精确模拟的训练项目。NullSpace系统的另一个潜在用户群体是对交互式虚拟现实感兴趣并希望在其虚拟体验中获得额外控制和反馈能力的游戏玩家。使用标准头戴式硬件的虚拟现实游戏无法跟踪手臂和身体并将其表示为玩家化身，从而在虚拟空间中产生无肢和不可分割的迷失方向的视觉效果。触觉系统的原型已经开发出来，并已在私人展示活动中向用户演示，但该套装需要大量的用户需求发现和测试，以专注于商业化空间。 在I-Corps项目期间，该团队计划通过面向市场的面试重点关注需求发现。

This project involves an innovation that supports full upper-body representation in Virtual Reality systems.Virtual Reality (VR) in its current form lacks products for upper body haptic feedback and tracking. The need for haptic feedback when contacting virtual objects and environments is recognized as an unmet void. This project's "NullSpace" VR system is a full upper body haptic feedback suit for virtual reality, using a built-in tracking system and programmable vibrating pads placed on muscle groups around the body and on the hands and fingers. When a user enters a VR experience, the tracking system accurately maps motions into the virtual space; then, as the user interacts with virtual objects and obstacles, the vibrating pads activate to provide a sense of touch.NullSpace is appropriate for users of both Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) in simulation and gaming scenarios including researchers and medical professionals seeking ways to make PTSD Immersion Therapy and phobia treatment more effective, or projects requiring accurate simulation for training purposes, such as astronaut task training, flight simulation, and medical procedure training. Another potential user population of the NullSpace system are gamers who are interested in interactive virtual reality and desire additional control and feedback capability in their virtual experiences. Virtual reality games using standard headset hardware cannot track the arms and body and represent them as a player avatar, creating a disorienting visual effect of being limbless and incorporeal while in the virtual space.A prototype of the haptic system has been developed, and has been demonstrated to users at private display events, but the suit will require significant user need finding and testing to focus on the commercialization space. For the duration of the I-Corps program, the team plans to focus on need finding through market-oriented interviews.