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With Immersion’s next-generation vibration technology, hardware
and software components are used both to deliver current dual-motor system
performance and provide additional operating modes to extend the range
of possible tactile effects. The components include:
1. A new type of actuator design for the gaming peripheral:
- An off-center (eccentric) rotating mass (ERM), capable of bi-directional
pulsing, spinning, and oscillating, which outputs a wider range of effects
than a dual-motor system
- Ability to output the same vibration effects as conventional ERM motors
through spinning or pulsing (supplying backward compatibility for dual-motor
games played on a system with next-generation vibration)
- Ability to play multiple, superimposed vibrations
- Ability to output higher frequency vibrations
- Fast start and braking times, hence crisper, better synchronized
effects
2. TouchSense proprietary algorithms and software that would reside in
the console and peripheral devices that use this next-generation technology.
The console components interpret the programmed vibro-tactile effect and
control the actuator in faithfully producing it.
3. Immersion Studio for Gaming SDK, including:
- An advanced, user-friendly authoring tool optimized for fast and
intuitive creation of tactile effects
- APIs allowing developers to easily add vibro-tactile effects to their
games.
How Next-generation Technology Works
A developer using Immersion Studio® would create vibration effects
that will be called by the game as the action unfolds. Immersion software
and algorithms in the console then interpret the game’s programmed
effect and control the actuator to faithfully play it.
Current dual-motor systems generally use two spinning-mass motors to
create complex vibrations. The motors spin in only one direction (unidirectional),
and generally one motor is larger than the other, allowing a certain range
of vibration effects.
With Immersion’s next-generation TouchSense technology, the actuator’s
bi-directional pulsing, spinning, and oscillating modes produce a much
broader range of effects, which can be stronger, shorter in duration,
crisper, more closely spaced, and more in sync with onscreen events.
The next-generation TouchSense system can
produce all the effects dual-motor systems currently output, as well as
stronger, shorter, and crisper effects, allowing for better synchronization
with onscreen action.
Vibrations can also be more closely spaced
in time, increasing the range of playable effects
and supplying greater realism.
Crisper, Faster Effects and Better Synchronization
It takes time for a motor to spin up to a targeted speed. (Think of pedaling
a bicycle from a dead-stop to top-speed while in 18th gear.) On the other
hand, Immersion’s next-gen actuator can use its oscillating mode
to move quickly back and forth to more efficiently reach the same desired
strength in a shorter amount of time. Bi-directional pulsing can also
be used to abruptly stop a vibration. It enables effects to be more closely
spaced so that you feel each distinct event, such as a combination of
rapid punches in a boxing game or the staccato fire of a machine gun.
Oscillating mode can be used to achieve even higher frequencies for rendering
even crisper effects. These capabilities help achieve tighter synchronization
of tactile effects with onscreen graphical and audio events.
Compatibility with Motion Control and Tilt Sensing
New TouchSense technology can work alongside motion-control and tilt-sensing
features. Because the speed at which a user can move or tilt the controller
is much slower than the frequencies generated by vibration feedback in
console controllers, by using filtering and other techniques, it’s
possible to differentiate the vibrations generated by the actuator from
the motions generated by the user.
Cost Comparison
Depending on the quality of the system you are comparing, the new actuator
system can cost less than dual motor implementations. Elimination of the
cost of one motor in a great may cases will offset a slightly more complex
single actuator.
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