'Bubble' Technique

Validation level: 4. Other peer-reviewed paper publication

The “Bubble” technique is a novel interaction technique to interact with large Virtual Environments (VE) using a haptic device with a limited workspace. It is based on a hybrid position/rate control which enables both accurate interaction and coarse positioning in a large VE.

Virtual reality (VR) Haptic device limited-workspace hybrid control Feedback Pointing large VR environment

Publications

Online: L. Dominjon CPNI Lab., Univ. of Angers, France ; A. Lecuyer ; J.-M. Burkhardt ; G. Andrade-Barroso ; S. Richir. The "Bubble" technique: interacting with large virtual environments using haptic devices with limited workspace.

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Storyboard of Functions

Visual display of the bubble in the VE.

A spherical bounding volume is defined around the neutral position of the haptic device. The control mode of the manipulated object (the cursor) is switched when it crosses the surface of the bounding volume. When the cursor is located inside, its motion is position-controlled (direct mapping of the user’s motion onto the cursor’s motion). When the cursor is outside, it is rate-controlled, and it may reach any location of the VE very quickly.