Virtual climbing: An immersive upslope walking system using passive haptics

Abstract

Background

In virtual environments (VEs), users can explore a large virtual scene through the viewpoint operation of a head-mounted display (HMD) and movement gains combined with redirected walking technology. The existing redirection methods and viewpoint operations are effective in the horizontal direction; however, they cannot help participants experience immersion in the vertical direction. To improve the immersion of upslope walking, this study presents a virtual climbing system based on passive haptics.

Methods

This virtual climbing system uses the tactile feedback provided by sponges, a commonly used flexible material, to simulate the tactile sense of a user's soles. In addition, the visual stimulus of the HMD, the tactile feedback of the flexible material, and the operation of the user's walking in a VE combined with redirection technology are all adopted to enhance the user's perception in a VE. In the experiments, a physical space with a hard-flat floor and three types of sponges with thicknesses of 3, 5, and 8cm were utilized.

Results

We recruited 40 volunteers to conduct these experiments, and the results showed that a thicker flexible material increases the difficulty for users to roam and walk within a certain range.

Conclusion

The virtual climbing system can enhance users' perception of upslope walking in a VE.

Keyword

Virtual reality ; Redirected walking ; Passive haptic ; Flexible material

Cite this article

Liming WANG, Xianwei CHEN, Tianyang DONG, Jing FAN. Virtual climbing: An immersive upslope walking system using passive haptics. Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware, 2021, 3(6): 435-450 DOI:10.1016/j.vrih.2021.08.008

References

1. Azmandian M, Hancock M, Benko H, Ofek E, Wilson A D. Haptic retargeting: dynamic repurposing of passive haptics for enhanced virtual reality experiences. In: Proceedings of the 2016 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. San Jose California USA, New York, NY, USA, ACM, 2016, 1968‒1979 DOI:10.1145/2858036.2858226

2. Kennedy R S, Lane N E, Berbaum K S, Lilienthal M G. Simulator sickness questionnaire: an enhanced method for quantifying simulator sickness. The International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 1993, 3(3): 203‒220 DOI:10.1207/s15327108ijap0303_3

3. Bachmann E R, Hodgson E, Hoffbauer C, Messinger J. Multi-user redirected walking and resetting using artificial potential fields. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 2019, 25(5): 2022–2031 DOI:10.1109/tvcg.2019.2898764

4. Williams N L, Bera A, Manocha D. ARC: alignment-based redirection controller for redirected walking in complex environments. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 2021, 27(5): 2535–2544 DOI:10.1109/tvcg.2021.3067781

5. Nagao R, Matsumoto K, Narumi T, Tanikawa T, Hirose M. Ascending and descending in virtual reality: simple and safe system using passive haptics. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 2018, 24(4): 1584–1593 DOI:10.1109/tvcg.2018.2793038

6. Usoh M, Arthur K, Whitton M C, Bastos R, Steed A, Slater M, Brooks F P. Walking ##大于## walking-in-place ##大于## flying, in virtual environments. In: Proceedings of the 26th annual conference on Computer graphics and interactive techniques. New York, ACM Press, 1999, 359‒364 DOI:10.1145/311535.311589

7. Razzaque S, Kohn Z, Whitton M C. Redirected walking. In: Proceedings of EUROGRAPHICS. 2001, 9, 105-106

8. Insko B E. Passive Haptics Significantly Enhances Virtual Environments. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2001

9. Meehan M, Insko B, Whitton M, Brooks F P. Physiological measures of presence in stressful virtual environments. In: Proceedings of the 29th annual conference on Computer graphics and interactive techniques. San Antonio, Texas, New York, ACM Press, 2002, 645 DOI:10.1145/566570.566630

10. Dong T Y, Chen X W, Song Y F, Ying W Y, Fan J. Dynamic artificial potential fields for multi-user redirected walking. In: 2020 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (VR). Atlanta, GA, USA, IEEE, 2020, 146–154 DOI:10.1109/vr46266.2020.00033

11. Dong T Y, Shen Y, Gao T Q, Fan J. Dynamic density-based redirected walking towards multi-user virtual environments. In: 2021 IEEE Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (VR). Lisboa, Portugal, IEEE, 2021, 626–634 DOI:10.1109/vr50410.2021.00088

12. Iwata H, Yano H, Nakaizumi F. Gait master: a versatile locomotion interface for uneven virtual terrain. Proceedings of the Virtual Reality 2001 Conference. 2001, 626–634

13. Lai C Y, McMahan R P, Hall J. March-and-Reach: a realistic ladder climbing technique. In: 2015 IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces (3DUI). Arles, France, IEEE, 2015, 15–18 DOI:10.1109/3dui.2015.7131719

14. Matsumoto K, Narumi T, Tanikawa T, Hirose M. Walking uphill and downhill: redirected walking in the vertical direction. In: ACM SIGGRAPH 2017 Posters. Los Angeles California, New York, NY, USA, ACM, 2017, 1–2 DOI:10.1145/3102163.3102227

15. Schmidt D, Kovacs R, Mehta V, Umapathi U, Köhler S, Cheng L P, Baudisch P. Level-ups: motorized stilts that simulate stair steps in virtual reality. In: Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Seoul Republic of Korea, New York, NY, USA, ACM, 2015, 2157–2160 DOI:10.1145/2702123.2702253

16. Razzaque S. Redirected walking. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2005

17. Steinicke F, Bruder G, Jerald J, Frenz H, Lappe M. Estimation of detection thresholds for redirected walking techniques. IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics, 2010, 16(1): 17–27 DOI:10.1109/tvcg.2009.62

18. Yang Z H. Biomechanical analysis of walking gait of male youth at different slopes. Beijing Sport University, 2014 (in Chinese)

19. Marchal M, Lécuyer A, Cirio G, Bonnet L, Emily M. Walking up and down in immersive virtual worlds: Novel interactive techniques based on visual feedback. In: 2010 IEEE Symposium on 3D User Interfaces (3DUI). Waltham, MA, USA, IEEE, 2010, 19–26 DOI:10.1109/3dui.2010.5446238

20. Minetti A E, Moia C, Roi G S, Susta D, Ferretti G. Energy cost of walking and running at extreme uphill and downhill slopes. Journal of Applied Physiology, 2002, 93(3): 1039–1046 DOI:10.1152/japplphysiol.01177.2001

21. Schubert T, Friedmann F, Regenbrecht H. The experience of presence: factor analytic insights. Presence, 2001, 10(3): 266–281 DOI:10.1162/105474601300343603

22. Azmandian M, Grechkin T, Rosenberg E S. An evaluation of strategies for two-user redirected walking in shared physical spaces. In: 2017 IEEE Virtual Reality (VR). Los Angeles, CA, USA, IEEE, 2017, 91–98 DOI:10.1109/vr.2017.7892235

23. Dong T Y, Song Y F, Shen Y Q, Fan J. A novel method of multi-user redirected walking for large-scale virtual environments. In: Advances in Computer Graphics. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2019, 143–154 DOI:10.1007/978-3-030-22514-8_12

24. Thomas J, Rosenberg E S. A general reactive algorithm for redirected walking using artificial potential functions. In: 2019 IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces (VR). Osaka, Japan, IEEE, 2019, 56–62 DOI:10.1109/vr.2019.8797983

2. Yang LI, Dong WU, Jin HUANG, Feng TIAN, Hong'an WANG, Guozhong DAI, Influence of multi-modality on moving target selection in virtual reality Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2019, 1(3): 303-315

3. Yang LI, Jin HUANG, Feng TIAN, Hong-An WANG, Guo-Zhong DAI, Gesture interaction in virtual reality Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2019, 1(1): 84-112

4. Athirah SYAMIMI, Yiwei GONG, Ryan LIEW, VR industrial applications―A singapore perspective Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2020, 2(5): 409-420

5. Jie GUO, Dongdong WENG, Yue LIU, Qiyong CHEN, Yongtian WANG, Analysis of teenagers' preferences and concerns regarding HMDs in education Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2021, 3(5): 369-382

6. Yijun LI, Miao WANG, Derong JIN, Frank STEINICKE, Qinping ZHAO, Effects of virtual environment and self-representations on perception and physical performance in redirected jumping Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2021, 3(6): 451-469

7. Susu HUANG, Daqing QI, Jiabin YUAN, Huawei TU, Review of studies on target acquisition in virtual reality based on the crossing paradigm Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2019, 1(3): 251-264

8. Yukang YAN, Xin YI, Chun YU, Yuanchun SHI, Gesture-based target acquisition in virtual and augmented reality Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2019, 1(3): 276-289

9. Yuan GAO, Le XIE, A review on the application of augmented reality in craniomaxillofacial surgery Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2019, 1(1): 113-120

10. Yuan CHANG, Guo-Ping WANG, A review on image-based rendering Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2019, 1(1): 39-54

11. Shiguang QIU, Shuntao LIU, Deshuai KONG, Qichang HE, Three-dimensional virtual-real mapping of aircraft autom-atic spray operation and online simulation monitoring Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2019, 1(6): 611-621

12. Xu PENG, Zhenyu GAO, Yitong DING, Dongfeng ZHAO, Xiaoyu CHI, Study of ghost image suppression in polarized catadioptric virtual reality optical systems Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2020, 2(1): 70-78

13. Zhiming HU, Sheng LI, Meng GAI, Temporal continuity of visual attention for future gaze prediction in immersive virtual reality Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2020, 2(2): 142-152

14. Lihui HUANG, Siti Faatihah Binte Mohd TAIB, Ryan Aung BA, Zhe An GOH, Mengshan XU, Virtual reality research and development in NTU Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2020, 2(5): 394-408

15. Stéphanie PHILIPPE, Alexis D. SOUCHET, Petros LAMERAS, Panagiotis PETRIDIS, Julien CAPORAL, Gildas COLDEBOEUF, Hadrien DUZAN, Multimodal teaching, learning and training in virtual reality: a review and case study Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2020, 2(5): 421-442

16. Jia Ming LEE, Xinxing XIA, Clemen OW, Felix CHUA, Yunqing GUAN, VEGO: A novel design towards customizable and adjustable head-mounted display for VR Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2020, 2(5): 443-453

17. Jingcheng QIAN, Yancong MA, Zhigeng PAN, Xubo YANG, Effects of Virtual-real fusion on immersion, presence, and learning performance in laboratory education Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2020, 2(6): 569-584

18. Hengwei XU, Siru LI, Wenpeng SONG, Jiajun SUN, Xinli WU, Xiaoqi WANG, Wenzhen YANG, Zhigeng PAN, Abdennour EI RHALIBI, Thermal perception method of virtual chemistry experiments Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2020, 2(4): 305-315

19. TJ MATTHEWS, Feng TIAN, Tom DOLBY, Interaction design for paediatric emergency VR training Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2020, 2(4): 330-344

20. Hongxin ZHANG, Jin ZHANG, Xue YIN, Kan ZHOU, Zhigeng PAN, Abdennour EI RHALIBI, Cloud-to-end rendering and storage management for virtual reality in experimental education Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2020, 2(4): 368-380

21. Xiang ZHOU, Liyu TANG, Ding LIN, Wei HAN, Virtual & augmented reality for biological microscope in experiment education Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2020, 2(4): 316-329

22. Haoyu WANG, Jianhuang WU, A virtual reality based surgical skills training simulator for catheter ablation with real-time and robust interaction Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2021, 3(4): 302-314

23. Na ZHANG, Liwen TAN, Fengying LI, Bing HAN, Yifa XU, Development and application of digital assistive teaching system for anatomy Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2021, 3(4): 315-335

24. Daniel VANKOV, David JANKOVSZKY, Effects of using headset-delivered virtual reality in road safety research: A systematic review of empirical studies Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2021, 3(5): 351-368

25. Dangxiao WANG, Yuan GUO, Shiyi LIU, Yuru ZHANG, Weiliang XU, Jing XIAO, Haptic display for virtual reality: progress and challenges Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2019, 1(2): 136-162

26. Aiguo SONG, Liyue FU, Multi-dimensional force sensor for haptic interaction: a review Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2019, 1(2): 121-135

27. Wenmin ZHU, Xiumin FAN, Yanxin ZHANG, Applications and research trends of digital human models in the manufacturing industry Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2019, 1(6): 558-579

28. Mohammad Mahmudul ALAM, S. M. Mahbubur RAHMAN, Affine transformation of virtual 3D object using 2D localization of fingertips Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2020, 2(6): 534-555

29. Yuan WEI, Dongdong GUAN, Qiuchen WANG, Xiangxian LI, Yulong BIAN, Pu QIN, Yanning XU, Chenglei YANG, Virtual fire drill system supporting co-located collaboration Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2019, 1(3): 290-302

30. Xiaoxiong FAN, Yun CAI, Yufei YANG, Tianxing XU, Yike Li, Songhai ZHANG, Fanglue ZHANG, Detection of scene-irrelevant head movements via eye-head coordination information Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2021, 3(6): 501-514

31. Haochen HU, Yue LIU, Kang YUE, Yongtian WANG, Navigation in virtual and real environment using brain computer interface:a progress report Virtual Reality & Intelligent Hardware 2022, 4(2): 89-114