JP2018175493A - Stage device and simulation system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a stage device and a simulation system which are suitable for application of virtual reality.SOLUTION: A stage device comprises: a lift device having a ball bearing capable of moving in a vertical direction by an air lift mechanism; a stage which is provided on the lift device and held by the ball bearing, and on which a user who wears a head mount display device and who views a moving image by a prescribed virtual image and listens to a sound, steps; a movement mechanism which is provided on a side part or a lower part of the stage, which can be moved between a first position coming into contact with the stage, and a second position which is separated from the stage relative to the first position and does not come into contact with the stage, and which oscillates the stage in an upper direction, a lower direction or a plane direction by moving from the second position to the first position; and a drive control part for, according to contents of the moving image and sound, performing drive control of the lift device and the movement mechanism.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a stage device and a simulation system.

  Conventionally, an expandable first drive unit, a plate-like body supported by the first drive unit, an expandable second drive unit provided on the plate-like body, and the second There is a play apparatus having a player support means provided on the drive unit of the above (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP, 2009-240575, A

  By the way, in the conventional game apparatus, the plate-like body moves in the vertical direction and rotates in the plane by the rotating table but does not move in the plane in the front, rear, left, and right directions in the plane. There is. For this reason, the sense provided to the user who rides on the plate-like body is limited, and is not suitable for the application of virtual reality.

  Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a stage device and simulation system suitable for virtual reality applications.

  A stage device according to an embodiment of the present invention is a lift device having a ball bearing which can be moved up and down by an air lift mechanism, and a stage provided on the lift device and held by the ball bearing. A stage on which a user who mounts a mount display device and views a moving image and a sound according to a predetermined virtual image rides, a first position provided on the side or below the stage, and abuts on the stage, the first position The moving mechanism is movable between the second position and the second position which is separated from the stage and does not abut on the stage, and moves the stage upward by moving from the second position to the first position. The lift device and the mobile device according to the moving mechanism and the moving image and the content of the sound, which vibrate in the downward direction or in the planar direction; And a drive control unit for drive control.

  A stage apparatus and simulation system suitable for virtual reality applications can be provided.

It is a figure showing stage device 100 of an embodiment. It is a figure showing stage device 100 of an embodiment. It is a figure which expands and shows a part of stage apparatus 100. As shown in FIG. It is a figure which expands and shows a part of stage apparatus 100. As shown in FIG. It is a figure which expands and shows a part of stage apparatus 100. As shown in FIG. It is a figure which expands and shows a part of stage apparatus 100. As shown in FIG.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment to which the stage apparatus and simulation system of the present invention are applied will be described.

Embodiment
1 and 2 are diagrams showing a stage apparatus 100 according to the embodiment. 3 to 6 are views showing a part of the stage apparatus 100 in an enlarged manner. The XYZ coordinate system is defined and described in FIGS. 1 to 4.

  The stage device 100 includes a frame 110, a stage 120, a step 130, an air lift device 140, a drive mechanism 150, a pull-up mechanism 160, a harness 170, blowers 181 to 186, and a controller 190.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the user mounts the HMD (Head Mount Display) 200, the headphones 210, and the harness 170 on the stage 120 to use the stage apparatus 100. The stage apparatus 100, the HMD 200, and the headphones 210 construct a simulation system according to the embodiment.

  The stage apparatus 100 is used by a user wearing the HMD 200, the headphones 210, and the harness 170 on the stage 120. The stage apparatus 100 vibrates the stage 120 according to the image displayed on the display of the HMD 200 and the sound output from the headphones 210, and sends air toward the user with the fans 181 to 186. Thereby, reality is given to the experience in the virtual space. Also, by pulling up the harness 170 by the pulling up mechanism 160, reality (reality) is given to the experience in the virtual space.

  The frame 110 is made of metal, and has a rectangular parallelepiped frame portion 111, a bottom portion 112, and support portions 113A to 113K. The frame portion 111 is assembled so as to form each side of the rectangular parallelepiped from the four corners of the rectangular bottom portion 112. The support portions 113A to 113K are attached to the frame portion 111. At the bottom 112, the step 130, the air lift device 140, and the drive mechanism 150 are attached. The user can get on and off the stage 120 from the Y axis negative direction side of the frame 110.

  The stage 120 is a plate-like member on which the user stands and rides. The stage 120 is mounted on the air lift device 140. The stage 120 is oscillated in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction by the drive mechanism 150. The stage 120 has a rectangular shape in plan view, and has concave portions 120X and 120Y on four sides. The concave portions 120X and 120Y are portions where four sides of the stage 120 are cut in a semicircular shape.

  Step 130 is disposed on the X axis positive direction side, the X axis negative direction side, and the Y axis negative direction side of stage 120. Step 130 is a member to be a foothold of the user who gets on and off the stage 120, and is fixed to the bottom 112.

  Five air lift devices 140 are disposed below the stage 120, as shown by a broken line in FIG. One of the five air lift devices 140 is disposed at the center of the stage 120 and four are disposed at the four corners of the stage 120 in a plan view. The control unit 190 independently performs drive control of the five air lift devices 140. The air lift device 140 is an example of a lift device.

  The air lift device 140 has a housing 141 and a bearing 142, as shown in FIG. 4 (A). The housing 141 is a rectangular solid, and has a circular opening 141A on the upper side and an air inlet 141B on the lower side.

  The bearing 142 has a bearing body 142A, a main ball 142B, and a sub ball 142C. The bearing body 142A holds one main ball 142B and a plurality of sub balls 142C. The plurality of sub balls 142C are arranged to support the lower side of the main ball 142B inside the bearing body 142A. The upper portion of the main ball 142B is exposed from an opening provided in the upper portion of the bearing body 142A. The main ball 142B is an example of a ball bearing.

  Such a bearing 142 is disposed inside the housing 141, and a compressor is connected to the air introduction port 141B, and high pressure air is blown into the inside of the housing 141 from the air introduction port 141B. On the other hand, it floats up in the Z-axis direction. This is due to the air lift mechanism of the air lift device 140.

  When the bearing 142 is lifted from the housing 141, the main ball 142B protrudes from the opening 141A in the positive Z-axis direction, and in the positive Z-axis direction from the surface (upper surface) of the housing 141 on the positive Z-axis direction. Stand out. In this state, the upper end of the main ball 142B abuts on the lower surface of the stage 120.

  On the other hand, when the bearing 142 is not lifted up with respect to the housing 141, the main ball 142B does not protrude in the Z-axis positive direction from the opening 141A, and the main ball 142B is a surface on the Z-axis positive direction side of the housing 141 ( It is located on the Z axis negative direction side with respect to the upper surface). In this state, the lower surface of the stage 120 abuts on the upper surface of the housing 141.

  The five air lift devices 140 can lift an object of approximately 200 kilograms, and can lift the stage 120 with the user on it. Since the stage 120 is supported by the bearings 142 when the five bearings 142 are lifted, the drive mechanism 150 excites the stage 120 in the X-axis direction and / or the Y-axis direction only by applying a slight force to the stage 120. can do.

  Further, for example, without driving one at the center and two at the negative side of the X-axis among the five air lift devices 140, two at the positive side of the X-axis can be driven to lift the bearing 142. For example, the stage 120 can be inclined to the left as viewed from the user. Thus, by driving only a part of the five air lift devices 140, the stage 120 can be tilted.

  As such an air lift device 140, for example, an ISB air ball lifter manufactured by Iguchi Kiko, Ltd. can be used.

  The drive mechanism 150 has two drive units 150X and two drive units 150Y. The two driving units 150X are disposed on the X axis positive direction side and the X axis negative direction side of the stage 120, and the two driving units 150Y are on the Y axis positive direction side and the Y axis negative direction side of the stage 120. It is arranged respectively. The drive mechanism 150 is an example of a movement mechanism.

  The drive unit 150X includes an actuator 151X and a rod 152X. The actuator 151X can telescopically move the rod 152X in the X-axis direction. The tip of the rod 152X is formed in a semicircular shape having a size corresponding to the semicircular shape of the recess 120X.

  The rod 152X abuts on the recess 120X at a position most projecting from the actuator 151X. The position where the rod 152X abuts on the recess 120X is an example of the first position. When the rod 152X is retracted closer to the actuator 151X than the position where the rod 152X abuts on the recess 120X, the rod 152X does not abut on the recess 120X. The position of the rod 152X at this time is an example of the second position.

  The drive unit 150Y includes an actuator 151Y and a rod 152Y. The configuration and operation of the drive unit 150Y are similar to those of the drive unit 150X. The rod 152Y abuts on the recess 120Y at a position most projecting from the actuator 151Y.

  The drive mechanism 150 is driven and controlled by the control unit 190. When the stage 120 is fixed, the two rods 152X and the two rods 152Y are made to project and two recesses 120X and two recesses 120X are provided. It abuts against the recess 120Y. At this time, the control unit 190 does not drive the air lift device 140, and the bearing 142 is not lifted up.

  The pull-up mechanism 160 is fixed to the support portion 113J. That is, the pulling mechanism 160 is located at the top of the stage apparatus 100. The pulling mechanism 160 has an actuator 161, a rod 162, a support portion 163, and a wire 164 (see FIG. 2), as shown in FIG. 5A. The pulling mechanism 160 is an example of a pulling device.

  The actuator 161 can telescopically move the rod 162 up and down. The drive control of the actuator 161 is performed by the control unit 190. The rod 162 is a rod-like member attached to the actuator 161, and the support part 163 is attached to the lower end. A hook at the upper end of the wire 164 is hooked on the support portion 163. The hook at the lower end of the wire 164 is fixed to the fixture of the harness 170. The support portion 163 supports the harness 170 via the wire 164. When the actuator 161 pulls the rod 162 upward, the harness 170 moves upward.

  The harness 170 is a body worn by the user. The harness 170 may have any shape as long as it can support the user's body and can be pulled up by the lifting mechanism 160.

  The blowers 181 to 186 are driven by the control unit 190 to jet air toward the user. The blowers 181 to 186 are provided to give a feeling of wind pressure. The blowers 181 to 183 and 186 are supplied with high pressure air from a compressor (not shown) and inject a wind simulating a gust. The blowers 181 to 186 are an example of a blower mechanism.

  The blower 181 is attached to the support portion 113K, and has a pipe portion 181A and a nozzle 181B (see FIG. 5C). The support portion 113 </ b> K is a rod-like member extending in the X-axis direction at the lower portion of the frame portion 111 in the Y-axis positive direction. The blower 181 is attached to the support portion 113K so as to simulate the wind blown up from the foot of the user. The blower 181 jets the air sent from the compressor to the pipe portion 181A upward from the nozzle 181B into the space surrounded by the frame portion 111.

  The blowers 182 and 183 are attached to the support portions 113F and 113G, respectively. Similar to the blower 181, the blowers 182 and 183 have pipe portions 182A and 183A and nozzles 182B and 183B (see FIGS. 6B and 6C), and the air sent from the compressor to the pipe portions 182A and 183A is It jets from the nozzles 182B and 183B.

  The support portions 113F and 113G are rod-like members extending in the X-axis direction on the side of the frame portion 111 in the Y-axis positive direction. The blower 182 is attached so as to inject air obliquely upward at the height of the chest of the user (height equivalent to the chest of the average height), and blows up from the chest of the user toward the face The wind can be jetted. The blower 183 is attached to jet air from the front to the face at the height of the user's face.

  The blowers 184 and 185 are attached to the support portions 113H and 113I, respectively. The support portions 113H and 113I are rod-like members extending in the Y-axis direction on the X-axis negative direction side and the X-axis positive direction side of the frame portion 111. The blowers 184 and 185 are fans attached at the height of the user's face, and are attached so as to blow gentle wind from the left and right at the height of the user's face.

  The blower 186 is attached to the support portion 113I and attached so as to jet gust from the right side at the height of the user's face. Similar to the blower 181, the blower 186 has a pipe portion 186A and a nozzle 186B (see FIG. 6A), and jets air, which is sent from the compressor to the pipe portion 186A, from the nozzle 186B.

  The control unit 190 controls the driving of the stage 120, the air lift device 140, the drive mechanism 150, the pull-up mechanism 160, and the fans 181 to 186. The control unit 190 is an example of a drive control unit.

  When fixing the stage 120, the control unit 190 drives the drive units 150X and 150Y to cause the two rods 152X and the two rods 152Y to project, thereby forming two recesses 120X and two locations. It abuts against the recess 120Y. At this time, the control unit 190 does not drive the air lift device 140, and the bearing 142 is not lifted up.

  In addition, when driving the stage 120, the control unit 190 drives the drive units 150X and 150Y to pull in all the rods 152X and 152Y and separate them from the concave portions 120X and 120Y. At this time, the control unit 190 drives the air lift device 140, and the bearing 142 is in a floating state. In such a state, the control unit 190 drives the drive units 150X and 150Y to excite the stage 120 according to the video and audio to be viewed by the user from the HMD 200 and the headphones 210.

  For example, by driving only the drive unit 150X on the X-axis positive direction side and pressing the recess 120X on the X-axis positive direction side of the stage 120 in the X-axis negative direction with the rod 152X, the stage 120 vibrates in the X-axis negative direction Can. The stage 120 can be oscillated in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction by driving the driving units 150X and 150Y simultaneously or with a time difference. For example, when the HMD 200 and headphones 210 provide the user with video and audio traveling on a rope passed in the air, if the stage 120 is vibrated in the negative X-axis direction, the rope will be left Can provide the user with a feeling of shaking.

  Also, when the stage 120 is suspended by the five air lift devices 140, the drive of the air lift device 140 is momentarily stopped and the stage 120 is dropped, the user may feel a sense of falling when falling from a high place Can be provided. At this time, if the fans 181 and 182 are driven and the wind blowing up from the user's feet and the wind blowing up from the user's chest toward the face are jetted, the feeling of falling more realistically can be achieved. It can be provided to users.

  Then, when the air lift device 140 is instantaneously driven to raise the stage 120 after providing a feeling of falling, the stage 120 pushes the bottom of the user's foot upward, so the feeling of landing on the ground is felt. Can be provided to users. When the fans 181 and 182 are driven, the fans 181 and 182 may be stopped simultaneously with landing. In addition, if the stage 120 is quickly lifted up, the force received by the user from the stage 120 is increased, so that it is possible to safely provide a pseudo-feel that strongly falls so as to fall on the ground and crash.

  As such, the stage apparatus 100 can safely provide the user with a simulated drop experience.

  Also, after providing the feeling of falling, instead of lifting up the stage 120 or in addition to lifting up the stage 120, if the harness 170 is pulled up by driving the lifting mechanism 160, the feel of being pulled up by the harness 170, Alternatively, the harness 170 can provide the user with the feeling of being suspended.

  Here, an example of the feel that can be provided by the stage device 100 has been described, but various feels to the user can be achieved by driving the fans 181 to 186, the air lift device 140, the drive mechanism 150, and the pulling mechanism 160 in various combinations. Can be provided.

  Accordingly, it is possible to provide the stage apparatus 100 and simulation system suitable for virtual reality applications.

  In addition, although the form which the user wears HMD200 and the headphone 210 was demonstrated above, you may provide an image and an audio | voice by a screen and a speaker to a user.

  Furthermore, although the above description has been given of the configuration in which the stage device 100 includes the five air lift devices 140, the number of the air lift devices 140 may be one or more.

  Furthermore, although the drive mechanism 150 has been described above as having two drive units 150X and two drive units 150Y, the drive mechanism 150 may have a drive unit 150X or a drive unit 150Y. Good. Further, the drive mechanism 150 may be configured to include more drive units 150X or drive units 150Y. In addition, the drive mechanism 150 may be configured to vibrate the stage 120 upward and downward in addition to the planar direction.

  Furthermore, although the drive mechanism 150 has been described above as being located to the side of the stage 120, the drive mechanism 150 may be located below the stage 120. For example, the drive mechanism 150 provided below the stage 120 may excite the portion projecting downward from the lower surface of the stage 120 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

  Moreover, although the stage apparatus 100 demonstrated the form containing six fan 181-186 above, the form containing the one or several fan of the fans 181-186 may be sufficient. Furthermore, although the above description has been given of the embodiment in which the blowers 181 to 183 and 186 inject high-pressure air and the blowers 184 and 185 blow gentle winds, the high pressure air jets and gentle winds The configuration like this may be replaced as appropriate.

  Moreover, although the stage apparatus 100 demonstrated the form containing the pulling-up mechanism 160 and the air blowers 181-186, the stage apparatus 100 does not need to contain the pulling-up mechanism 160 and / or the air blowers 181-186.

  Although the stage apparatus and simulation system of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiment, and the scope of the claims is Various modifications and variations are possible without departing.

Further, the following appendices will be disclosed regarding the above embodiment.
(Supplementary Note 1)
A lift device having a ball bearing movable up and down by an air lift mechanism;
A stage provided on the lift device and held by the ball bearing, on which a user who wears a head mounted display device and views a moving image and sound according to a predetermined virtual image rides;
A movable movement is provided between a first position abutting on the stage and a second position spaced apart from the stage and not abutting the stage than the first position. A moving mechanism that excites the stage in a plane direction by moving from the second position to the first position;
A stage device, comprising: a drive control unit that performs drive control of the lift device and the movement mechanism in accordance with the contents of the moving image and the sound.
(Supplementary Note 2)
The stage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stage is fixed by the moving mechanism when the moving mechanism is held at the first position by the drive control unit.
(Supplementary Note 3)
It further includes a blower mechanism that performs air injection above the stage,
The stage apparatus according to any one of appendices 1 or 2, wherein the drive control unit further performs drive control of the blower mechanism according to contents of the moving image and the sound.
(Supplementary Note 4)
The air blowing mechanism blows air or blows air upward to the user on the stage, blows air on the side of the user on the stage, or blows the air on the stage The stage device according to claim 3, which is a blowing mechanism that blows or blows air from the front of the face toward the face.
(Supplementary Note 5)
The apparatus further includes a pulling device connected to the user's harness and pulling the harness upward,
The stage device according to any one of appendices 1 to 4, wherein the drive control unit further performs drive control of the pulling device according to the contents of the moving image and the sound.
(Supplementary Note 6)
The stage apparatus according to any one of appendices 1 to 5, wherein the movement mechanism excites the stage upward or downward by adding the stage in the planar direction.
(Appendix 7)
A simulation system including a head mounted display device and a stage device,
The stage device
A lift device having a ball bearing movable up and down by an air lift mechanism;
A stage provided on the lift device and held by the ball bearing, on which the user who wears the head mounted display device and views a moving image and sound according to a predetermined virtual image rides;
A movable movement is provided between a first position abutting on the stage and a second position spaced apart from the stage and not abutting the stage than the first position. A moving mechanism configured to excite the stage upward, downward, or in the plane direction by moving from the second position to the first position;
A simulation system, comprising: a drive control unit that performs drive control of the lift device and the movement mechanism according to contents of the moving image and the sound.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 stage apparatus 110 frame 120 stage 130 step 140 air lift apparatus 141 housing 142 bearing 150 drive mechanism 160 pull-up mechanism 170 harness 181-186 blower 190 control part

Claims (6)

A lift device having a ball bearing movable up and down by an air lift mechanism;
A stage provided on the lift device and held by the ball bearing, on which a user who wears a head mounted display device and views a moving image and sound according to a predetermined virtual image rides;
A movable movement is provided between a first position abutting on the stage and a second position spaced apart from the stage and not abutting the stage than the first position. A moving mechanism that excites the stage in a plane direction by moving from the second position to the first position;
A stage device, comprising: a drive control unit that performs drive control of the lift device and the movement mechanism in accordance with the contents of the moving image and the sound.   The stage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stage is fixed by the moving mechanism when the moving mechanism is held at the first position by the drive control unit. The apparatus further includes an air blowing mechanism for performing air injection or air blowing above the stage,
The stage device according to claim 1, wherein the drive control unit further performs drive control of the air blowing mechanism according to the contents of the moving image and the sound.   The air blowing mechanism blows air or blows air upward to the user on the stage, blows air on the side of the user on the stage, or blows the air on the stage The stage apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the stage apparatus is an air blowing mechanism that blows or blows air from the front of the face toward the face. The apparatus further includes a pulling device connected to the user's harness and pulling the harness upward,
The stage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the drive control unit further performs drive control of the pulling device according to contents of the moving image and the sound. A simulation system including a head mounted display device and a stage device,
The stage device
A lift device having a ball bearing movable up and down by an air lift mechanism;
A stage provided on the lift device and held by the ball bearing, on which the user who wears the head mounted display device and views a moving image and sound according to a predetermined virtual image rides;
A movable movement is provided between a first position abutting on the stage and a second position spaced apart from the stage and not abutting the stage than the first position. A moving mechanism configured to excite the stage upward, downward, or in the plane direction by moving from the second position to the first position;
A simulation system, comprising: a drive control unit that performs drive control of the lift device and the movement mechanism according to contents of the moving image and the sound.

Images