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July 22, 2014

Motion Controllers using SONAR

Has this group come across peripherals that use SONAR for motion controls?
http://www.ednasia.com/ART_8800516963_1000003_NT_4617341c.HTM?jumpto=view_welcomead_1406020237769

The one advantage that I would speculate on would be reflection properties of sound vs light. Most objects reflect sound better than they do light and therefore physical obstructions (including the human body) are much less likely to obstruct sound from emitters. Consequently 360 degree sensory should be easier to implement.

Alternatively additional emitters could be placed on for instance the hands (on gloves) to provide signposts if you will for the SONAR image.

Thoughts?

    3 replies

    Up and Coming
    July 25, 2014
    It's not going to happen. Sound waves take about 3 ms to travel a distance of 1 meter in air so a sonar type system with an emitter/detector based one meter away from the user will take 6 ms just for a signal to complete bounce back. 6 ms is already a chunk of lag without any lost to processing etc. A light pulse would take about 0.000007 ms to travel the same distance.
    July 27, 2014
    Outside of visual- how critical is latency to presence?
    Up and Coming
    July 27, 2014
    I agree, it is WAY to much lag. Sound is just slow... However! It doesn't mean it could be totally useless for VR, but I don't see it as a viable input device though.