1. Is the current way of development the best way?
I believe that the companies currently leading the Virtual Reality (VR) industry has limited the target only to the game users. The strategy to limit the target would be from realistic issues. However, even with considerations on the realistic issues, there are no considerations on the general users who are not game users. Moreover, the companies are providing an unreasonable development environment to the contents providers.
People from almost every area with interests in the field of Virtual Reality will seek to virtualize their own area. However, the VR developers have to provide 'various' contents by putting computers without mouse and keyboards in front of them. The game market is still important, but more attention should be put in a larger market. Can the contents based on searching and chatting like social network services, internet portals, chatting services, and electronic commerce services provided in the current setting? Should they come out by realizing typing method by their own way? It is time for a discussion on the typing device for VR that can replace keyboard and mouse.
2. Method for the Utilization of Hovering Touch
There is a realistic method which can solve the problem. It's about utilizing hovering touch technology.
The early stage hovering touch technology was a method recognizing the location of a finger in the air like the Galaxy S4 series. However, hovering touch was hard for adequate utilization as the finger was located above the space of the cursor under the smartphone setting. Therefore, this technology is being utilized in a rather limited scope of recognizing the location of the pen in the Galaxy Note series. Hovering touch technology should be reviewed under the virtual reality environment. The following is an example of the methods we are suggesting.
If there is a touch pad applied with a hovering touch technology a size of a keyboard in a smartphone like the above picture, the users may conduct typing easily under the virtual reality setting without any other high technologies.
3. Necessity of Mouse Cursor
We have to mention about the necessity of a cursor using pad in the stance of a general user and not a game user. Did the VR companies close the probability of VR devices to become popular? I wonder whether the companies are only considering the gaming environment or not.
Let us imagine a situation where virtual reality is became popularized in public places and working areas. For example, let us assume the usage of Gear VR during long stays in a train or in an airplane. Exaggerated hand gestures may inflict harms to nearby people. The users should be able to control the virtual reality environment under motionless environment like using mouse and keyboard in Personal Computer.
Motionless control of virtual reality. This is not an optional but necessary for the popularization of virtual reality. The alternative is keyboard and mouse function not gesture.
4. Suggestions
So, we would like to suggest a method to solve the problems. The method is not for the game users highly regarding realistic feeling but for the general users and contents providers from various areas highly regarding high degree of efficiency even with a bit less intuitiveness.
We have designed a controller supporting keyboard and mouse function as mentioned in the above picture. (The designed was not really realized).
The left side refers to the keyboard use setting on general smartphones. We have thought about realizing the environment on the ring-type controller.
The sketchy design and the functions are as follows.
The controller is composed with a touch pad applied with hovering touch technology which can act as a mouse and a keyboard, motion sensor for the mouse function (rotation and movement of selected item, movement of the user and others) suitable for 3D environment, and a ring-type wearable device bendable when not being used.
We have thought about a way easily convertible to keyboard mode through a structure allowing combination and separation of the device on our both hands.
The device may act as a mouse under 3D environment when separated like the above picture, and the devices automatically becomes an environment allowing typing when combined by magnets after putting two devices together. And we have thought about a way of using Augmented Reality (AR) or other controllers like the below picture, or a way to reuse the device with ease when necessary while bending over the device when not using the device considering the cases requiring interactions with the actual background.
5. Modification and Application on the Existing Controllers
The suggestion is just an example for solving the current problem regarding the typing device. Various modifications and applications can be made here. We have further modify the form and enable the positional tracking. The design can easily be applied to the existing controllers even if the form is not a ring-type. Especially, in case of HTC Vive controller, we have provide a keyboard setting equivalent to the keyboard environment of smartphones through the method suggested by us with a little modification on the exterior and application of hovering touch technology on the existing touch pad.
Of course, realization of a keyboard environment equivalent to the keyboard environment of PC would be the best option. However, it would be great if such an idea could be realized through discussions here. We do believe that there were enough discussion on the virtual reality where keyboard and mouse are absent. We can assure you that general users and contents provided from other fields except game area would greet virtual reality environment with keyboard and mouse enthusiastically.
Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation of Ajou University in Korea has a patent right on the key idea suggest above.
If you are interested in realizing the method, please contact via wlsgurjin@ajou.ac.kr
I believe that the companies currently leading the Virtual Reality (VR) industry has limited the target only to the game users. The strategy to limit the target would be from realistic issues. However, even with considerations on the realistic issues, there are no considerations on the general users who are not game users. Moreover, the companies are providing an unreasonable development environment to the contents providers.
People from almost every area with interests in the field of Virtual Reality will seek to virtualize their own area. However, the VR developers have to provide 'various' contents by putting computers without mouse and keyboards in front of them. The game market is still important, but more attention should be put in a larger market. Can the contents based on searching and chatting like social network services, internet portals, chatting services, and electronic commerce services provided in the current setting? Should they come out by realizing typing method by their own way? It is time for a discussion on the typing device for VR that can replace keyboard and mouse.
2. Method for the Utilization of Hovering Touch
There is a realistic method which can solve the problem. It's about utilizing hovering touch technology.
The early stage hovering touch technology was a method recognizing the location of a finger in the air like the Galaxy S4 series. However, hovering touch was hard for adequate utilization as the finger was located above the space of the cursor under the smartphone setting. Therefore, this technology is being utilized in a rather limited scope of recognizing the location of the pen in the Galaxy Note series. Hovering touch technology should be reviewed under the virtual reality environment. The following is an example of the methods we are suggesting.
If there is a touch pad applied with a hovering touch technology a size of a keyboard in a smartphone like the above picture, the users may conduct typing easily under the virtual reality setting without any other high technologies.
3. Necessity of Mouse Cursor
We have to mention about the necessity of a cursor using pad in the stance of a general user and not a game user. Did the VR companies close the probability of VR devices to become popular? I wonder whether the companies are only considering the gaming environment or not.
Let us imagine a situation where virtual reality is became popularized in public places and working areas. For example, let us assume the usage of Gear VR during long stays in a train or in an airplane. Exaggerated hand gestures may inflict harms to nearby people. The users should be able to control the virtual reality environment under motionless environment like using mouse and keyboard in Personal Computer.
Motionless control of virtual reality. This is not an optional but necessary for the popularization of virtual reality. The alternative is keyboard and mouse function not gesture.
4. Suggestions
So, we would like to suggest a method to solve the problems. The method is not for the game users highly regarding realistic feeling but for the general users and contents providers from various areas highly regarding high degree of efficiency even with a bit less intuitiveness.
We have designed a controller supporting keyboard and mouse function as mentioned in the above picture. (The designed was not really realized).
The left side refers to the keyboard use setting on general smartphones. We have thought about realizing the environment on the ring-type controller.
The sketchy design and the functions are as follows.
The controller is composed with a touch pad applied with hovering touch technology which can act as a mouse and a keyboard, motion sensor for the mouse function (rotation and movement of selected item, movement of the user and others) suitable for 3D environment, and a ring-type wearable device bendable when not being used.
We have thought about a way easily convertible to keyboard mode through a structure allowing combination and separation of the device on our both hands.
The device may act as a mouse under 3D environment when separated like the above picture, and the devices automatically becomes an environment allowing typing when combined by magnets after putting two devices together. And we have thought about a way of using Augmented Reality (AR) or other controllers like the below picture, or a way to reuse the device with ease when necessary while bending over the device when not using the device considering the cases requiring interactions with the actual background.
5. Modification and Application on the Existing Controllers
The suggestion is just an example for solving the current problem regarding the typing device. Various modifications and applications can be made here. We have further modify the form and enable the positional tracking. The design can easily be applied to the existing controllers even if the form is not a ring-type. Especially, in case of HTC Vive controller, we have provide a keyboard setting equivalent to the keyboard environment of smartphones through the method suggested by us with a little modification on the exterior and application of hovering touch technology on the existing touch pad.
Of course, realization of a keyboard environment equivalent to the keyboard environment of PC would be the best option. However, it would be great if such an idea could be realized through discussions here. We do believe that there were enough discussion on the virtual reality where keyboard and mouse are absent. We can assure you that general users and contents provided from other fields except game area would greet virtual reality environment with keyboard and mouse enthusiastically.
Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation of Ajou University in Korea has a patent right on the key idea suggest above.
If you are interested in realizing the method, please contact via wlsgurjin@ajou.ac.kr
