System for tracking body movements in a virtual reality system
First Claim
1. A system for tracking body movements comprising:
- sensing means for monitoring body articulations, the sensing means positioned on and traversing a body articulation for monitoring movement;
sensing means for determining ambulation and absence thereof;
signal generating means coupled to the sensing means, the signal generating means generating signals representative of the movement of the body articulations and ambulation;
processing means for processing signals generated by the generating means; and
means for transmitting the movement indicating data to a computing means for manipulating the data.
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Abstract
A system is provided for tracking body movements, including subtle body movements, in a virtual reality system and for integrating data generated therefrom into a virtual reality system in real tine. The system of the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a data generating body suit having a plurality of movement indicating sensors secured thereto at a number of predetermined positions for determining movements of the wearer. Any movement by the wearer generates data that is transmitted to a computer for processing the data in real time. The data suit includes sensors for determining body position and orientation and sensors for accurately tracking subtle body movements such as movements of the wrist. Bend sensors include elongated portions that traverse an articulation to be monitored. Any movement of a monitored articulation causes flexure of the elongated portion, which in turn causes the sensors to generate signals indicating flexure of the sensor and degree of flexure to indicate body movement. A plurality of bend sensors are included for monitoring the articulations of the arm and for monitoring foot movement. Signals generated by the bend sensors are transmitted to a data processing unit located on the data suit for processing the signals prior to transmitting the signals to a computer. The signals generated by sensors are processed for controlling a program, such as a virtual reality program in real time.
305 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system for tracking body movements comprising:
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sensing means for monitoring body articulations, the sensing means positioned on and traversing a body articulation for monitoring movement; sensing means for determining ambulation and absence thereof; signal generating means coupled to the sensing means, the signal generating means generating signals representative of the movement of the body articulations and ambulation; processing means for processing signals generated by the generating means; and means for transmitting the movement indicating data to a computing means for manipulating the data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for tracking body movements comprising:
a device for determining position and orientation of a body in space comprising; a plurality of receivers for receiving signals, the receivers secured to a garment extending over a wearer, a transmitter means for transmitting signals to the receivers, a position and orientation processing means for generating data to indicate the position and orientation of the receivers relative to the transmitter means, the processing means processing signals received from the receivers to provide data indicating the position and orientation of the body of the wearer of the garment in space; sensing means for monitoring movement of a plurality of body articulations, the sensing means secured to the garment for positioning the sensing means on a body articulation to be monitored, the sensing means traversing the monitored articulation to monitor flexion thereof; sensing means for determining ambulatory movement and absence thereof; signal generating means coupled to the sensing means for generating signals proportional to the degree of flexure of the sensing means, the sensing means actuating the signal generating means to indicate flexion of a monitored articulation and to indicate ambulatory movement and absence thereof; data collection means for receiving signals generated by the generating means, the data collection means secured to the data suit and coupled to the signal generating means for processing signals received therefrom to generate data indicative of degree of flexion in each of the monitored body articulations; and computing means for processing data received from the data collection means and the processing means to control the movements of an object a program running thereon. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for tracking body movements comprising:
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a garment configured to inhibit relative movement between a wearer and the garment, the garment configured to extend at least over the arms of the wearer; a body position and orientation subsystem for determining the position and orientation of the body of the wearer of the garment in space, the subsystem comprising, a plurality of receivers secured to the garment at a number of selected locations, transmitter means for transmitting signals to the receivers, position and orientation processing means for generating data to indicate the position and orientation of the receivers relative to the transmitter means, the processing means processing signals received from the receivers to provide data indicating the position and orientation of the body of the wearer; a plurality of sensing means for monitoring flexion of a plurality of body articulations, the sensing means secured to the garment to prevent relative movement between the sensing means and monitored articulations for inhibiting erroneous data from being generated, the sensing means secured to the garment at a number of different selected locations for monitoring flexion of a plurality of body articulations, the sensing means including an elongated flexible sensor dimensioned to traverse a desired articulation so that flexion of the articulation causes a proportional flexure of the flexible sensor to indicate flexion of the articulation; a plurality of signal generating means, one generating means coupled to each sensing means, the signal generating means generating signals proportional to the degree of flexure of the sensor to indicate degree of flexion of the monitored articulation; pressure sensing means for determining when the wearer of the garment is walking and standing, the pressure sensing means coupled to signal generating means for generating signals to indicate that the wearer is a determined one of walking and standing; a data collection unit secured to the garment, the data unit coupled to the signal generating means for receiving signals generated thereby, the data unit processing received signals to generate data indicative of flexion in each of the monitored body articulations and for determining that the wearer is a selected one of walking and standing, the data collection unit including filter means for removing extraneous signal noise and signal normalization means for inhibiting erroneous generation of data thereby; and computing means for processing data generated by the data collection unit and data generated by the processing means to control the movement of an object in a program running thereon. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification