Virtual encounters

• US 20050131580A1
• Filed: 12/12/2003
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beyond Imagination Inc.
• Original Assignee: Kurzweil Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Kurzweil, Raymond C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,600,550 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/00 Controls for manipulators programme controls B25J9/16; control in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A virtual reality encounter system includes motion sensors positioned on a human user. The motion sensors send motion signals corresponding to movements of the user as detected by the motion sensors relative to a reference point, the motion signals are transmitted over a communications network. The system also includes a humanoid robot, receiving, from the communications network, the motion signals to induce movement of the robot according to movement of the human user.

Claims

1. A virtual reality encounter system comprising,

motion sensors positioned on a human user, the motion sensors sending motion signals corresponding to movements of the user as detected by the motion sensors relative to a reference point the motion signals over a communications network;

and

a humanoid robot, receiving, from the communications network, the motion signals to induce movement of the robot according to movement of the human user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the robot includes actuators corresponding to the motion sensors, the actuators causing the robot to move.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the robot has life-like features, the robot comprises:

a body;

a camera coupled to the body, the camera for sending video signals to the communications network; and

a microphone coupled to the body, the microphone for sending audio signals to the communications network.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a set of goggles including a display to render the video signals received from the camera and a transducer to transduce the audio signals received from the microphone.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the robot is at a first location and the set of goggles is at a second location the system further comprising:

a second humanoid robot in the second location, the second robot having a second microphone and a second camera; and

a second set of goggles to receive the video signals from the first camera and a second earphone to receive the audio signals from the first microphone.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications network comprises:

a first communication gateway in the first location; and

a second communication gateway in the second location, the second processor connected to the first processor via a network.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the communications network comprises an interface having one or more channels for:

receiving the audio signals from the microphone;

receiving the video signals from the camera;

sending the audio signals to the set of goggles; and

sending the audio signals to the transducer.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the body includes an eye socket and the camera is positioned in the eye socket.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein the body includes an ear canal and the microphone is positioned within the ear canal.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the set of goggles, comprise a receiver to receive the video signals.

11. The system of claim 4, wherein the robot, comprises a transmitter to wirelessly send the audio signals, motion signals and the video signals to the communications network.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first communication gateway in the first location the first communication gateway further comprising;

a computing device that receives the motion signals and transmits the motion signals over the communications network.

13. A method of having a virtual encounter, comprising:

sending motion signals from motion sensors positioned on a human user, the motion signals corresponding to movements of the human user as detected by the motion sensors relative to a reference point, the motion signals being transmitted over a communications network;

receiving, at a humanoid robot, the motion signals sent by the motion sensors; and

inducing a movement of the robot according to movement of the human user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving comprises receiving signals from the motion sensors at corresponding actuators coupled to the robot, causing a movement comprises the actuators causing the robot to move.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

sending audio signals over the communications network, the audio signals being produced from a microphone coupled to the robot;

sending the video signals to the communications network, the video signals being produced from a camera coupled to the robot;

rendering the video signals received from the communications network using a display embedded in a set of goggles; and

transducing the audio signals received from the communications network using a transducer embedded in the set of goggles.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

sending audio signals to the communications network from a second microphone coupled to a second robot having life-like features;

sending video signals to the communications network from a second camera coupled to the second mannequin;

rendering the video signals received from the communications network onto a monitor coupled to a second set of goggles; and

transducing the audio signals received from the communications network using a second transducer embedded in the second set of goggles.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the robot includes an eye socket and the camera is positioned in the eye socket.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the robot includes an ear canal and further comprising positioning the microphone within the ear canal.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the set of goggles, comprises a receiver to receive the video signals.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the robot further comprises a transmitter to wirelessly send the audio signals, the motion signals and the video signals to the communications network.