WO2022253832A1 - Device and method for capturing the walking motion of a person and for providing input into a virtual environment - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for guiding and capturing the motion of the feet of a person, the device (1) comprising, for each foot, a linear guide (2) which can be placed on a floor. The bottoms of the linear guides (2) define a floor plane (E) of the device (1), and the linear guides (2) each have a slide (4), which bears a foot holder (3) and which can be moved back and forth along the linear guide (2) in question in a guided manner. The device (1) additionally comprises a capturing apparatus (5), by means of which, for at least one of the slides (4), more particularly for each of the two slides (4), a measurement value corresponding to the slide motion of the slide in question can be captured and can be provided as an output value which corresponds to the motion of the foot holder in question in the direction of the linear guide (2) in question.

Description

TITLE

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DETECTING THE WALKING MOVEMENT OF A PERSON AND FOR ENTERING INTO A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT

TECHNICAL AREA

The invention relates to a device and its use or a method which enables the detection of a person's walking movement and the input of this walking movement into a virtual environment (English: "Virtual Reality"), as well as a corresponding computer game or computer program product.

STATE OF THE ART

Virtual Reality (VR) systems are becoming increasingly popular. If you put on VR glasses, you leave reality and can explore the endless expanses of VR. Today's systems for private users usually consist of VR glasses and VR motion controllers. These are needed for easy navigation and interaction with the virtual environment.

Although today's VR systems allow for good immersion in virtual environments, unrealistic movements, especially when navigating, cause motion sickness in many users. This makes VR unsuitable for many people who become nauseous or dizzy after a short time.

With VR glasses and motion controllers, you can already immerse yourself in a VR world. However, there are still no satisfactory motion solutions that allow intuitive walking in VR worlds without physically moving. This means that you have to physically move through a room with the VR glasses or virtually using a joystick. Since space is usually limited for private users, joystick systems are used, which cause "motion sickness" in many people. Motion sickness is caused, among other things, by the fact that visual perception and movements do not coincide. One possibility to bring the virtual and the real world closer together is a VR T readmill. This is a treadmill that allows you to move naturally in all directions, allowing you to explore virtual environments. A VR Treadmill can be imagined as a treadmill that transmits walking movements into the virtual world.

An immersion in VR describes immersion in a virtual environment. Virtual reality systems for home users with glasses and motion controllers already enable convincing immersion today. In an immersion, the player gains perception in a virtual environment. You become convinced that you are in it, losing the sense of the real environment.

However, available VR systems have two weak points. One of them is the limited haptic feedback. A much bigger problem, however, is that the user's movement is limited - limited in the sense that you can't realistically move through the seemingly endless VR worlds, as is common in normal games. This limit represents the real space conditions. The problem will be dealt with in the next section on the problem of moving in immersive rooms.

There are different concepts to be able to move in VR. Synchronous movement works best in VR and reality. If you want to move a step forward with this system in the game, you have to take a step forward in reality as well.

The problem with this is that the virtual environment is usually larger than the space available in a room.

If the player is in a room in front of a real wall and wants to continue through a virtual door, for example, this usually does not match the real world. He can therefore no longer go through the virtual door because the real wall is blocking his way.

The solution is that the player must be able to move in the virtual environment without moving in reality. This is mostly implemented with the following two methods. The player moves with a joystick, which allows him to move normally through space. The player teleports through space, aiming at position A at position B and being there the next moment.

The problem is that many individuals become "motion-sick" with such movements that are out of sync with reality. This occurs less with the teleportation method. The disadvantage is that with every teleportation you lose your orientation. If a movement animation is made when teleporting, the loss of orientation can be minimized. However, this causes more motion sickness to occur again.

Development of motion sickness

The term "motion sickness" is English and stands for travel sickness or motion sickness. "Motion sickness" is the physical reaction to contradictory image and movement information in the brain. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, headache, paleness and dizziness.

The non-synchronous movement of image and reality, as explained above with regard to the problem of moving in immersive spaces, very quickly leads to motion sickness in VR. The same effect occurs when reading a book while driving a car.

It is difficult to determine how many people actually become motion sick when using VR systems.

There are several approaches to prevent motion sickness from occurring. At the moment, the most reliable solutions are to use a static VR environment in which you move as little as possible. In addition, it is often advised to take breaks - although taking a break may not always be considered an effective solution as sufferers may immediately experience motion sickness symptoms.

With the technical approaches against motion sickness, the primary attempt is to bring the virtual and real world into harmony. This seems to be the only reliable way to effectively combat motion sickness.

A VR treadmill is based on this insight. The real walking movement is transferred to the virtual world. In this way, motion sickness can be alleviated or even prevented on the basis that the information perceived by the brain in VR can be compared with the executed movements match. In addition, a higher level of immersion is achieved, which leads to a better VR experience. A good VR system with high refresh rates, low latency and good tracking is a prerequisite for ensuring the best possible synchronization between the VR world and the VR system (reality). If these are not in sync, there is an additional risk of motion sickness.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The aim of this invention is to create a VR treadmill based on a new concept. In particular, it is a preferred goal to create a VR system based on a new concept, which should improve comfort in VR and expand the interaction options, in particular making walking as intuitive as possible. It should be as suitable as possible for home users, enable a higher level of immersion and prevent motion sickness. The object of the invention is in particular to provide a device and its use or a method which enables the walking movement of a person to be entered into a VR environment and thereby avoids the occurrence of motion sickness or nausea.

This object is solved by the invention according to the independent patent claims.

The invention thus relates to a device for guiding and detecting the movement of a person's feet, which device has a linear guide that can be placed on a floor for each foot, which linear guides define a floor plane of the device with their underside. As a rule, the person whose walking movement is to be recorded sits on a chair, which is also on the floor.

The linear guides each have a carriage carrying a foot receptacle, which carriage can be moved back and forth, guided in each case along the linear guide. This results in a restriction of the foot movement along the longitudinal direction of the linear guide (hereinafter each referred to as the X-axis of a rectangular coordinate system, the X-axis and the Y-axis lying in the ground plane).

Next, the device has a detection device through which one of the respective carriage movement of at least one of the carriages, but in particular both carriages, corresponding measured value can be detected and provided as a respective output value, which output value corresponds to the movement of the respective foot receptacle in the direction of the linear guide. This output value can be transmitted to the computer game or the VR environment as information for the walking movement and is implemented there in a manner that is basically known. It has been shown that with the device according to the invention with the restricted movement in the real environment, on the one hand, motion sickness can be reliably avoided and, on the other hand, a realistic walking movement can be generated in the VR environment.

Preferably, the device is additionally configured for raising and lowering the respective foot receptacle relative to the floor level. This makes walking easier. In particular, the respective foot receptacle is arranged on one end area of an arm, the other end area of which arm is arranged pivotably on the respective carriage, in particular in such a way that the arm can be pivoted about a first axis arranged on the carriage, which is in a plane parallel to the ground level and is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the linear guide. This results in a simple and stable construction for carrying out the raising and lowering or the vertical movement in the Z-axis of the coordinate system.

To facilitate this movement for the user, the device can have at least one spring means which can be tensioned when the respective foot receptacle is lowered and can be released when the respective foot receptacle is raised.

Furthermore, it is preferred that the device is additionally designed to incline the foot mount (pitch movement) relative to the ground level, in particular in that the respective foot mount at the end region of the respective arm can be pivoted about a second axis arranged on the arm, which second axis can be rotated in a Ground plane parallel plane and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the linear guide. This enables a further improvement of the walking impression in the real environment.

It is further preferred that the respective foot mount is pivotably arranged on the respective carriage or arm such that when the foot mount is parallel to the ground plane, the foot mount can be rotated in the respective plane parallel to the ground plane (yawing or yaw movement ) and wherein at least one of the foot receptacles is rotated by the detection device corresponding measured value can be recorded and made available as an output value. This makes it possible to change direction while walking by capturing the yaw movement of the foot recording in the virtual environment. Although a change of direction is otherwise triggered by a hip movement during normal walking, it has been shown that it is easy to learn how to implement a change of direction in the virtual environment by turning the foot movement, which allows the user to use the Staying static in the body, which prevents motion sickness from developing.

The respective carriage preferably has a standing surface on which the respective foot receptacle can be placed, which results in a defined position for the feet of the person playing. The standing surface is preferably designed in two parts, with a first and second standing surface part, and in particular has a sensor for each foot receptacle, which can be used to determine that the foot receptacle is placed on the standing surface. This provides a simple solution for detecting that the player is standing still with both feet on the ground, which is helpful for representing it in the virtual environment.

The detection device for detecting the movement of the respective carriage preferably has a revolving toothed belt or a revolving chain connected to the carriage and a rotation angle sensor connected to an axis of a belt wheel or chain wheel in rotation. This results in a simple, robust, accurate and well-resolved detection of the movement of the carriage along the linear guide and thus an output value that can be used well for the implementation of the movement in the virtual environment. Alternatively, the detection device can measure the position of the carriage without contact, in particular by means of a distance measurement.

The device particularly preferably has a force-generating device, through which a force can be applied to the respective carriage in the direction of the linear guide and as a function of a control input signal that can be applied to the force-generating device. This allows a force to be exerted on the sled or the foot mount, with which feedback or feedback about an interaction of the virtual foot in the virtual environment can be given in the real environment. This allows a better gaming experience, for example when walking in the virtual environment, the virtual foot touches a virtual wall or a virtual ball through the corresponding force on the foot mount in the real one Environment can be displayed. If the force-generating device has an electric drive in each case, which can be used to act on the toothed belt or the chain, a particularly simple and robust solution results, with which very precise feedback can also be generated.

In one embodiment, the linear guides are connected at their rear end so that they can be displaced in relation to one another and the displacement of the linear guides in relation to one another can be detected and a corresponding output value is available. This enables a further variant of the change of direction during virtual walking, in that this is effected in the real environment by shifting the linear guides relative to one another.

The invention also relates to the use of the device as an input device for a computer game, in that at least one of the output values of the device is used as a control signal for the computer game.

In particular, the walking movement of a virtual player or a virtual game object is controlled in the game by the movement of the foot mount of the device. And in particular, a walking movement of the virtual game character or the virtual game object in the lateral direction is caused by rotating the foot receptacle.

A control signal is preferably provided by the computer game or control signals are provided for the force-generating device. The control signal is preferably generated as a function of the position and movement of the virtual game character or the virtual game object in the computer game. It is also preferred if the control signal is generated as a function of the position of a virtual object in the computer game.

The invention also relates to a method for generating an interaction between a virtual player or a virtual object and a real player, the real player operating a device according to the invention. This is preferably done by the real player using his/her feet to operate the foot mounts of the device while seated.

The invention also relates to a computer game comprising a device according to the invention and a game program. The invention further relates to a device and a method for generating a running movement for a computer game, the movement of the player being made on a rail system which forces a movement in the direction of an X-axis, with the running movement taking place in the player's sitting position.

In particular, the invention relates to a device and a method in which the position and running movement can be detected with a mechanical arrangement made up of at least one linear rail, in particular two linear rails, and joints.

In particular, an articulated arm enables a lifting movement and a tilting movement and allows the player's foot to roll over a surface.

Another joint is preferably located in the middle of the foot, which allows the foot to be rotated (yaw movement), which causes a change in direction in the virtual environment, while maintaining the player's orientation in the real environment, so that in the real environment no rotational movement of the body is necessary, with the exception of the player's foot or feet.

In particular, the linear rails are motorized in order to exert a force on the feet, enabling interaction with the virtual game environment, the interaction being designed as an interaction that brakes the foot movement in the real environment and/or as an interaction that accelerates the foot movement in the real environment and/or is designed as a force compensating for the friction and mass of the device in the real environment.

In particular, it can be provided that the linear rails are connected by a joint at the rear of the device, which allows movement of the linear rails relative to one another in the direction of the Y axis, which causes lateral movement in the game, in particular with the joint at the rear motorized by a control signal from the game to generate feedback from the game on the player's feet.

The invention further relates to a computer program product, in particular a computer game, which is configured to interact with a device according to the preceding description, in particular by exchanging control signals/regulation signals with the device, e.g. by sending signals/control signals/regulation signals to the device and/or receiving signals/control signals/regulation signals from the device, wherein the computer program product can be stored on a computer-readable storage medium and comprises trained program instructions, wherein the program instructions can be executed by a computer or a computer system.

The invention also relates to a computer program product, in particular a computer game, which is configured to carry out one or more steps of a method according to the preceding description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the drawings, which are for explanation only and are not to be interpreted as restrictive. In the drawings show:

1 shows a schematic representation of a device according to an embodiment of the present invention and its use in a computer game;

2 shows a schematic representation of the walking movement of a person;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a device according to the present invention;

4A is a sectional view of the rear carriage and the linear guide along the line A'-A' drawn in FIG. 14B according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

4B is a side view of the rear carriage and the linear guide according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 5A is a perspective view of the carriage of Fig. 3;

FIG. 5B shows the carriage of FIG. 5A with an articulated mount; FIG.

FIG. 6 shows the embodiment of FIG. 3 in an enlarged perspective view from above with the arm lowered; FIG.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view from above of a carriage with the arm raised of the embodiment of Fig. 3 without a linear guide;

FIG. 8 shows the embodiment of FIG. 3 in an enlarged perspective view from below; FIG. 9 shows a detail of the embodiment of FIG. 3 in a side view; FIG.

10A shows a perspective view of a connecting part of the foot holder according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 10B shows the connecting part of FIG. 10A in a sectional view; FIG.

FIG. 10C shows the connecting part of FIG. 10A with an attached adapter in a perspective view;

FIG. 10D shows the connecting part of FIG. 10A with the adapter attached, in a sectional view; FIG.

Figure 10E is a plan view of the cable connector of Figure 10A;

Fig. 10F is a side view of the connector of Fig. 10A;

Fig. 10G is a horizontal sectional view of the connector of Fig. 10A;

Fig. 10H is a front view of the connector of Fig. 10A;

Fig. 11 is a schematic representation of a walking cycle using an embodiment of the device according to the present invention;

FIG. 12 shows an enlarged side view of the front carriage part according to the first embodiment of FIG. 3;

FIG. 13A is a sectional view along line B'-B' shown in FIG. 12;

Fig. 13B is a sectional view taken along line C'-C of Fig. 12;

FIG. 14A shows a perspective view of the linear guide with carriage of FIG. 3 with marked detail S1;

FIG. 14B shows an enlarged view of detail S1 marked in FIG. 14A;

Figure 15 is a side view of a second embodiment of a device according to the present invention;

FIG. 16 shows an enlarged perspective detail of the second embodiment of FIG. 15;

Fig. 17 is a rear view of the second embodiment of Fig. 15;

Figure 18 is a plan view of a third embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 19 shows an enlarged view of a first section of the third embodiment of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 shows an enlarged view of a second section of the third embodiment of FIG. 18, and

Figure 21 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a device according to the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The terms used and exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained below.

coordinate system

In the following, the various axes and designations refer to a Cartesian coordinate system, as shown in FIGS. In addition to the rotation of the various axes, the location and position of an object, both in virtual and real space, can be specified with a vector. The position of the foot of a user 100 is recorded by the treadmill (treadmill) at a certain time interval. The vector between these positions then represents the velocity vector in space per time, which is used as control input for the virtual reality (VR) world.

movement concept

FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a treadmill system that is as user-friendly as possible for home users, comprising a device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a walking movement is simulated while sitting. With such a system, the weight of the user 100 is mainly on a chair 200, which has the advantage that the device 1 only has to carry a fraction of the weight and can therefore be made slimmer. Sitting also solves the balance problem, which has advantages in terms of safety and application and at comparatively low costs.

As shown in FIG. 1, the device 1 can serve as an input device of a computer game by using at least one of the output values of the device as a control signal for the computer game. In the example outlined in FIG. 1 , the walking movement of a virtual game character 51 in a virtual game environment 53 is controlled. The computer game comprises a computer game program 50, which can interact with the device 1, e.g. by sending 55 signals, in particular control signals and/or regulation signals to the device 1 or by receiving 56 signals, in particular control signals and/or regulation signals from the Device 1. The user 100 can perceive the virtual game environment 53, for example, using VR glasses 300 designed for this purpose, which include a computer system 54 on which the computer game program 50 can be executed and which can be connected to the device 1 by cable or wirelessly. A combination of the device 1 with further game accessories 400 for controlling the game events in the virtual game environment 53 is conceivable.

Developing a device that is as simple as possible, with which one can walk in a natural and intuitive way, is based on the analysis of human walking. Running analysis consisted of observing how the person runs. It turned out that the walking movement, as shown in Fig. 2 by means of symbolic footprints, can be reduced to two axes in a horizontal plane without restricting the walking movement too much. The X-axis is the main direction of movement here. The greatest speed of movement of the foot can also be observed in this direction. The yaw rotation (shown as R in Fig. 2) is a rotation about the Z-axis and corresponds to the rotational movement of the foot.

The present concept is based on the consideration of two slides 4, which move back and forth on two linear guides 2 like a movable floor and thus form the basis for running. With their underside, the linear guides 2 define a floor plane E of the device 1. In order to realistically simulate the rotational movement, the chosen approach consists of tracking the foot rotation when walking on the "virtual floor plates" and using this as rotational movement input on the yaw axis (here Z-axis) to use. Thus, the user 100 always remains in the same orientation and can still rotate in all directions and move forwards and backwards. As intended, the feet always remain connected to the linear guide 2 (linear axis). In addition, the goal was set to design the device to be as high-quality and robust as possible.

Linear rails (linear guides; X-axis)

3 shows a perspective view of two linear guides 2 arranged parallel to one another according to a first embodiment of the invention. The linear guides 2 enable the main part of the running movement. The linear guides 2 each have a carriage 4 . Each carriage 4 also has a foot receptacle 3, each foot receptacle 3 having a connecting part 30 which is connected to a shoe, preferably a sandal 39 can be connected. The linear guides 2 are responsible for being able to move the foot forwards and backwards and bear the weight of the legs. In order to come as close as possible to running, one should feel the device 1 as little as possible. For this, the linear guides 2 are preferably particularly free of play and run smoothly.

The linear guides/linear rails 2 can be made from aluminum profiles. Such profiles can be seen in FIG. 4A, wherein FIG. 4A shows a sectional view of a linear guide 2 with a carriage 4 along the section line A'-A' shown in FIG. 4B. These profiles are robust and, with V-Slot wheels 40, run smoothly with little friction. Advantages include that they are cheap, quiet, robust and run with little friction. The disadvantages of V-Slot systems are that they are not very precise and durable. The fact that the precision in this application can be neglected and the longevity of the rollers is not a problem explains the choice of this system.

The lever forces that the linear guides 2 have to withstand are critical. These arise when trying to move the feet sideways (i.e. in the Y direction). The higher the position of the feet, the greater the leverage. Wide profiles (60 x 20 mm, preferably 40 x 20 mm) were used to absorb these forces well and to ensure stability. In Fig. 4A, the aforementioned leverage forces that can occur are represented by a block arrow.

As can also be seen in the sectional view in FIG. 4A, both rollers 40 are attached to the same carriage part. This means that no tensioning mechanism has been designed here, which would be common for these reels. The flexibility of 3D-printed parts, especially parts made of plastic, can be used for this. Two rollers 40 are preferably arranged on each carriage part 41, 42, which lie opposite one another in the Y-direction and which each engage with an outer side of the linear guide 2.

The linear slide 4, shown separately in Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B, on which the rest of the structure is attached, consists of two slide parts, in particular a front slide part 41 and a rear slide part 42, on which the rollers 40 and two tubes, preferably made of Steel, 43 are fixed, the two tubes 43 running parallel to each other in the X-direction and the front carriage part 41 with the rear carriage part 42 associate. These tubes 43 are inexpensive and provide a rigid, stable construction. The tubes 43 can have a square profile (as shown in Figures 5A and 5B) or a round profile (not shown here), preferably with a diameter of 12 mm. As shown in FIG. 5B, the rear carriage part 42 preferably has an articulated mount 44 attached to it for an articulated arm 6 described in more detail below.

Articulated Arm (Z-Axis & Pitch)

The articulated arm 6 is the physical connection between the foot mount (foot mount) 3 and the carriage 4. The articulated arm 6 can be seen clearly in FIGS. It transfers the power of the foot to the carriage 4 and must allow this enough freedom of movement. The movements of the foot, such as rolling and lifting (Z-axis), must be as unrestricted as possible. The foot should also be supported, making lifting movements easier and less strenuous. Mechanically, the articulated arm 6 must withstand the forces. The articulated arm can also be designed in such a way that, to be on the safe side, it can fail in an emergency if something unplanned occurs.

The articulated arm 6 enables the foot to be lifted (Z-axis) and rolled (pitch). This is realized here with two ball-bearing axes (axis A, shown in FIG. 6, and axis B, shown in FIG. 7). Axis A runs in the Y direction and designates the axis about which the articulated arm 6 can be rotated with respect to the articulated mount 44 , the articulated arm 6 being connected to the articulated mount 44 via a joint 15 (arm joint). The articulated arm 6 can be made of aluminum, for example, or be 3D printed. Springs 7 were installed to support the foot when walking and to compensate for the weight of the system. In the embodiment shown, for example, in Fig. 6, a spring 7 can be seen, which is fastened with its first end to the articulated bracket 44 and with its second end to the articulated arm 6. It is conceivable to use at least one further spring for connecting the articulated arm 6 with the carriage 4 or with the joint holder 44, whereby this at least one further spring preferably runs parallel to the first spring 7 and is arranged, for example, above the first spring 7 (in the Z direction) or next to it (in the Y direction). The foot can preferably be lifted up to 11 centimeters from the floor plates (first standing area part 8, second standing area part 9), which according to tests is sufficient for a normal walking movement. 7 shows the arm 6 and the foot receptacle 3 arranged on an end area of the arm 6 in a raised state. The foot mount 3 is included connected to the end portion of the arm 6 via a foot receiving joint 16 which defines the axis B. The bend 60 in the arm 6 ensures sufficient freedom of movement when rolling. In certain embodiments (not shown in the figures) the arm may comprise two parallel arm parts. In order to be able to absorb lateral forces better, a connecting part can be 3D printed, which connects these two arm parts with solid screws in the Y direction.

The arms 6 can be dimensioned in such a way that they can easily absorb the forces during the running movement, but would break in an emergency (for example falling over in the device). This is very unlikely, but will prevent ankle injuries. Alternatively, the foot receptacle can be designed in such a way that the foot can be easily detached from the device if movements are not intended.

In FIG. 8 the carriage 4 can be seen in a perspective view from below, the rollers 40 being in engagement with the linear guide 2 .

FIG. 9 shows the embodiment of the carriage 4 with articulated arm 6 shown in FIG. 8 in a side view.

Foot mount (foot mount) and axle (yaw)

The foot is physically connected to the articulated arm 6 and the carriage 4 via the foot mount 3 . In this way, forces can be transferred from the foot to the carriage 4 and the linear rails 2. The foot holder 3 must be comfortable to wear and allow and measure the turning of the foot. In order to comfortably connect the feet to the device 1 and to enable comfortable walking, the foot holder 3 can preferably have rubber sandals. These have a smooth surface (sole) which allows good gliding on the footplates. In addition, they can be put on and taken off quickly and are comfortable to wear. The support in the sandals proved to be sufficiently high. In order to be able to turn and track the feet on the yaw axis, the foot holder 3 has a connecting part 30, preferably 3D printed, in which a rotation sensor, e.g. a rotation encoder or a potentiometer, evaluates the rotary movement. The movement is guided by a large ball bearing 34.

In order to connect the sandals to the connecting part 30, a 3D-printed adapter 31 can be attached, in particular glued, to the underside of the sandal. One An embodiment of the connecting part 30 is shown in Figs. 10A-H, wherein Figs. 10B and 10C also show the adapter 31, which is preferably attached to the underside of the sandal. In the embodiment shown here, the connecting part 30 has a swivel joint 17 in the form of a turntable 32, the turntable 32 having a magnet 33 in order to magnetically connect the adapter 31 to the turntable 32, preferably in a detachable manner. The turntable also has nubs 37 which can engage in correspondingly arranged depressions of the adapter 31 for better alignment. The turntable 32 and defines an axis C (see Figs. 10C and also Fig. 6) vertical to the turntable 32 about which the turntable 32 is rotatable. In this exemplary embodiment, a rotation of the turntable 32 is translated into a rotation of the eccentrically arranged ball bearing 34 by a cable pull mechanism. For this purpose, the turntable 32 is connected to the ball bearing 34 via a cord (or rope, thread or band) 35 (only shown in FIG. 10E), with the cord 35 being able to be guided over deflection rollers 36 which can be arranged on the connecting part 30 .

In a further embodiment (not shown here in the figures), the adapter 31 is connected directly to the ball bearing 34, i.e. without a cable pull mechanism and without a magnet, in such a way that the axis C coincides with the axis of rotation of the ball bearing 34.

In certain embodiments, the adapter 31 can be connected to the connection part 30 in a fixed, i.e. non-removable manner. However, a removable adapter 31, in particular a magnetically connected adapter 31, has the advantage that the foot of the user 100, together with the sandal, to which the adapter 31 is attached, can be easily detached from the device 1 in the event of unforeseen movements and thus injuries can be prevented.

Footplates («Virtual Floorplates») and detection

The foot plates are the standing surfaces (first standing surface part 8, second standing surface part 9) on which people stand when walking (see, for example, Figures 7-9). These must bear the weight of the legs and capture the protrusion. The foot must be able to be placed in various positions and naturally rolled, with the heel of the foot preferably being able to be placed on the first standing surface part 8 , while the toes of the foot being able to be placed on the second standing surface part 9 . For visualization purposes, FIG. 11 shows a running cycle ("natural rolling") in a schematically simplified manner Way, wherein in Fig. 12 to simplify the illustration, among other things, the arm 6 was omitted. In addition, they must allow easy rotation around the yaw axis (ie, the C-axis) of the foot, which is then translated as rotation in VR.

In order to enable realistic protrusion and rolling on the system, foot plates 8,9 can be 3D-printed, which can be attached to the tubes with a clamping mechanism to allow easy adjustment of the plates and thus make the device 1 flexible. The advantage of the clamping mechanism is that the footplate (i.e. standing surfaces) can be easily moved or replaced.

Alternatively, the base parts 8, 9 can also be fixedly connected to the carriage 4, in particular screwed.

In the embodiment shown here, the first standing area part 8 is divided again into a left part 81 and a right part 82 (easily visible, for example, in FIGS. 6 and 7). The left part 81 is fixed to the left of the arm 6 on one of the two tubes 43 of the carriage 4, as viewed by a user 100 as shown in FIG 43 is attached. The second standing surface part 9 is arranged on the front carriage part 41 and screwed to this front carriage part 41, as in a side view in Fig. 12, and in the sectional view in Fig. 13A (along section line B'-B' in Fig. 12) and in the sectional view of Figure 13B (taken along line C'-C of Figure 12).

In addition, it is preferably detected whether the feet are placed, ie are in contact with the footplate, ie with the first standing surface part 8 and the second standing surface part 9, or are in the air. This can be achieved with a conductive layer 38, in particular a copper layer or an aluminum adhesive layer or a conductive plastic layer, which can be glued both to the side of the foot receptacle 3 and to the side of the base parts 8,9. The conductive layer 38 on the foot receptacle 3 (in a preferred embodiment on the underside of the sole of the sandal) is preferably connected to ground (0V potential). The conductive layer 38 on the base parts 8.9 is preferably connected to a pin of the microcontroller, which can determine the contact between these surfaces with a built-in pull-up function. This means that a sensor is formed, by means of which it can be determined that the foot receptacle 3 is placed on the standing areas 8 , 9 , in particular the second standing area 9 . Another advantage of the conductive layer 38 is that a good sliding between Fusssaufnahme 3, in particular shoe or rubber sandal, and footplate 8.9 is made possible, which is important for rotary movements. Instead of being provided with a thin conductive layer 38, the base parts 8, 9, in particular the second base part 9, can alternatively also have a metal plate, for example made of aluminum. In addition, the entire electronics of the detection device of a foot carriage 4 are located in the rear foot plate (first standing area part 8). This can evaluate movements and/or forces, in particular it can use the measuring cell and/or the rotation sensor (e.g. potentiometer) in the foot holder 3 (Yaw ) evaluate and/or record whether the foot is placed.

Detection system (detection device) (X-axis)

The speed at which the user moves in the VR world scales with the speed of the sled 4. In order to enable smooth running, the system should be as precise and latency-free as possible. For this purpose, the device has a detection device, by means of which a measured value corresponding to the respective carriage movement of at least one of the carriages 4, but in particular both carriages, can be detected and made available as a respective output value.

In a first embodiment, the detection device has an encoder module 5, preferably a linear encoder, and an encoder strip 10, which can be detected by the encoder module 5 without contact. As shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, the encoder tape 10 is preferably attached to the linear guide 2 in a fixed manner. FIG. 14B shows the detail marked as S1 in FIG. 14A in an enlarged view. In particular, the encoder tape 10 is stretched from a front end of the linear guide 2 to a rear end of the linear guide 2 on an upper side of the linear guide 2, which is opposite the underside of the linear guide 2 in the Z direction. The encoder module 5 is preferably, as shown in Fig. 14B (and also in a sectional view in Fig. 13A), attached to the front carriage part 41 in such a way that a movement of the carriage 4 in the X-direction relative to the encoder belt 10 (and thus relative to the Linear guide 2) can be detected by the encoder module 5 as a measured value, in particular as a position value.

Belt system (X-axis)

To detect the movement of the respective carriage 4, the detection device can be a belt system, as well as one that is rotatably connected to an axis U of a belt wheel 12 Have rotation angle sensor (encoder) 14, which is preferably arranged at the front end of the linear guide 2.

A second embodiment of the device 1, which has such a detection device with a belt system, can be seen in FIG. 15 in a sectional view. As can be seen in an enlarged perspective view of the front end of the linear guide according to this second embodiment in FIG rests on the pulley 12, which is arranged around the axis U, which connects the motor 13 to a support 19 arranged opposite the motor 13, the support 19 having a ball bearing for supporting the axis U in rotation. The belt system must be as free of play as possible in order to guarantee precise measurement values from the linear guide 2 and to be able to react quickly with the motors. In addition, robustness is important so that enough force can be exerted on the feet to stop them, for example, on a virtual wall, which is important for implementing a force haptic system, for example.

The belt system can have standard GT2 belts (toothed belts), which are common in 3D printers. In this second embodiment of the device 1, this belt 11 runs completely around the aluminum profile (i.e. the linear guide 2) and is attached to a load cell, which is preferably arranged on the rear carriage part. The belt 11 transmits the power of the motor 13 to the linear slide 2. The belt is guided at the rear end of the linear guide 2 via a deflection roller 18, which is shown in the rear view shown in Fig. 17 (view along the X-direction from the rear end of the linear guide 2) can be seen. Many standard parts can be used in the construction. For example, the shaft of the deflection roller can consist of a cheap aluminum rod with a diameter of 8 mm. The matching motor pulleys and couplings are also commercially available. The ball bearings used for 8-millimeter shafts are also used in skateboards and are therefore readily available and cheap. In order for the system to run as quietly and with as little friction as possible, all pulleys are preferably fitted with double ball bearings.

In addition, it can be advantageous to evaluate the force that a user exerts against the linear guide 2 . This information can then be used to compensate for the friction and/or the mass of the carriage 4 and to implement haptic feedback. The movement of the linear slides 4 is transmitted to the motors and encoders via the belt system 11 . The linear axes (ie the linear slides 4) can be operated, for example, with an FOC (field oriented control) circuit board, for example with an ODrive circuit board, and at least one brushless direct current motor (BLDC motor) in order to enable haptic feedback. With a FOC control board, BLDC motors with power in excess of 5 kW can be operated like servo motors at a fraction of the cost of industrial servo motor systems. This is achieved by coupling inexpensive BLDC motors from the hobby sector together with an encoder. These motors are typically used for drones, electric skateboards, or other hobby applications. Advantages compared to a stepper motor are the high power, torque, efficiency, low noise and other functions that are possible with FOC.

A preferred FOC controller such as ODrive has a torque mode. Torque mode is a crucial feature for this device. This mode means that the engine always tries to deliver a constant torque, regardless of the engine speed. The torque, translated on one axis, then generates a force on the foot. This controllable force on the foot allows for haptic feedback. In addition to the torque mode, ODrive also supports functions such as a position mode or a speed mode.

The encoders (angle of rotation sensor) 14 are evaluated by the ODrive (measured value) and the speed and position are then each converted into a parameter (output value).

The encoders 14 preferably have a resolution of over 8000 steps per revolution. The theoretical resolution in the system can be 1/10 millimeter with these encoders. Realistically, the resolution with this implementation is in the millimeter range, which is sufficient.

For features like haptic feedback, it can be beneficial to measure power transfer. This can be done by a load cell or load cell (usually equipped with strain gauges). A load cell can measure the force that presses vertically on the load cell and can output this as an analog signal. In certain embodiments, the force on the articulated arm 6, the foot and the carriage 4 are measured. In a preferred embodiment the force is measured on the belt 11 which in this preferred embodiment is attached directly to the load cell, the load cell being attached to the carriage 4.

haptic system

Certain embodiments of the device 1 can have a haptic system. A haptic system makes it possible to feel virtual objects. In particular, the device 1 can work with force feedback, a type of haptic feedback. This feeling is created by applying forces or transmitting vibrations to the user. The games industry has been working on such technologies for a long time. Game controllers, for example, use a vibration motor that vibrates when there is a collision in the game.

Accurate motion tracking is a key focus of haptic feedback. The device 1 should preferably be able to dose force, pressure or vibration precisely in order to create a convincing illusion. Likewise, the device 1 or the game should preferably know when a virtual object (virtual item) 52 is being interacted with. It is advantageous to virtually simulate the part of the body to which you want to transfer haptic feedback.

The physics of a floor can be simulated by the forces that can be exerted on the feet. If both feet are placed, they can be virtually coupled to each other and can only move synchronously. It would also be conceivable to make the running movement with a lifted foot in the air easier than with ground contact. Such features can be easily implemented and tested.

Force Control (X-Axis)

In particular, certain embodiments can have a force haptic system. A force haptic system actually applies force to the foot and gives the feeling that one is actually pressing against a virtual object 52. This is different compared to most haptic systems, as these only act on the skin by creating pressure or vibrations. This force is generated by a force generating device, for example with the BLDC motors 13 on the linear axes 2, which can be controlled by a FOC controller. Now presses the foot in the virtual world against object, the FOC controller receives the command to translate this pressing into reality.

The motors 13 not only provide haptic feedback, they also contribute to a more natural running by increasing or decreasing the resistance of a movement. The system reduces the resistance to a minimum when the foot is raised (foot in the air). On the ground, on the other hand, it creates a natural feeling of acceleration when running. Coupling the feet together if both are parked and only allowing synchronous movements would correspond to normal walking physics and is conceivable. These functions can be easily implemented in the software and then evaluated.

The force-generating device 13 can quickly bring great force to the foot slides 4 and thus to the feet. For safety reasons, this can be limited in the software, for example to 75W per motor 13. More than 10 times as much would be possible, which should provide enough leeway to be able to bring realistic forces to the foot. The speed can also be limited, for example to 20 revolutions per second.

3D printing

Black "Purefil PLA Filament" from a Swiss manufacturer was used as the plastic filament for 3D printing. It turned out that it is important to always use the same filament, otherwise the 3D printed parts can deviate too much in quality and tolerance. Tolerance on some parts is very important as many connections prefer an interference fit. This means that, for example, all ball bearings are simply pressed into their recesses and thus sit without play.

Electronics hardware and software

The task of the microcontroller is to record all the sensors and use them to calculate the movements that are transferred to the VR environment. For example, a flexible Arduino platform can be used. Arduino is an open source development platform consisting of software and hardware. These microcontrollers can be programmed in a specially developed Arduino IDE. Alternatively, the development environment Visual Studio from Microsoft can be used with the Plugin Visual Mirco can be used. This plugin makes it possible to program several microcontrollers at the same time in one application and to debug all of them in the serial monitor. In addition, serial commands can be sent to the microcontroller. For example, a Teensy 3.2 can be used. This is an Arduino compatible microcontroller that supports the same code and has many times the processing power of an Arduino Mega.

Construction

In certain embodiments, three microcontrollers are used. This simplifies the transmission of the sensor signals and improves signal processing. In particular, the wiring can be simplified and better measured values can be guaranteed. Four wires can lead to each of the foot carriages 4 in a ribbon cable. The power supply and the serial communication can be routed therein. This can be used to transfer the data from the sensors to the foot slides 4, which can be read out by an Arduino Nano and thus digitized. This has the advantage that the analog sensors can be read with as little noise as possible and a lot of cable can be saved. Otherwise, about ten wires would have to be routed to each foot slide 4 . In addition, this would make the device 1 inflexible for further extensions.

The sensors 10 include the conductive layers 38 on the soles of the shoes (underside of the sandals 39) and on the foot plates 8,9, which determine whether the foot is planted. Sensors and actuators, in particular the motors for the haptic feedback, are preferably connected to at least one microcontroller via data interfaces. In a specific embodiment, the ODrive can be connected to the Teensy and communicate with it via TX1 and RX1. The ODrive can be fed directly with 24V DC from a power supply unit (PSU).

Communication / Interfaces

The microcontrollers are preferably connected to each other via cables or wireless interfaces and can thus exchange data. In particular, the microcontrollers can be connected to one another via RX and TX. These RX and TX pins are serial ports on the microcontrollers and allow data to be exchanged. Strings can be sent back and forth for communication, which simple are character strings (e.g. 'X5Y9' or 'Hello World'). If a first microcontroller now sends a string to a second microcontroller, this is received by the second microcontroller without interfering with its actual task. As a result, data can be exchanged efficiently and reliably in such a serial network, with possible data rates of over one million characters per second.

So that all components can communicate with each other, microcontrollers with several such interfaces are preferred. The communication between the PC and the device was also implemented via such a serial interface. This allows data for the haptic feedback to be exchanged.

As an example, the Teensy has three serial ports. This allows it to easily communicate with multiple devices at the same time. When set up, it communicates with the two Arduino Nanos, the ODrive and the PC via Serial.

Normally, motion inputs from game controllers are transmitted using a different, standardized USB protocol. This makes different games and input device manufacturers compatible with each other, but does not offer the desired functions for this application.

Motion input via mouse emulation is also possible, particularly for a system without haptic feedback.

Immersive Environment / Unreal Engine

The Unreal Engine can be used as the game engine, i.e. the development environment in which games can be developed. This has good example games in which such a serial input and output can be implemented relatively easily. A plugin called UE4Duino can be used for reading and writing the serial interface, which can be programmed graphically.

In order to know when force needs to be applied to the feet, the foot can be examined in the VR world for interactions with virtual objects. The feet can be theoretically simulated in the VR world. Since this is usually not necessary in games and is therefore not implied, this can be specially programmed. Program Sequence

The invention includes a computer game program 50 which is configured to interact with the device 1, as shown schematically in FIG. The computer game program and the device can interact in particular by sending 55 signals/control signals/regulation signals to the device 1 and/or receiving 56 signals/control signals/regulation signals from the device 1 .

In this section, the program sequence and information flow are presented as examples.

input loop:

1. Capture yaw of feet. (Arduino Nano right and left)

2. Collection of the foot information, i.e. whether it is turned off or not. (Arduino Nano right and left)

3. Serial transmission of yaw and foot information to Teensy. (Arduino Nano right and left)

4. Query the linear slide position from ODrive. (teensy)

5. Calculate yaw and virtual position shift. (teensy)

6. PC requests data. (PC / Game)

7. Serial transmission of yaw and position to PC. (teensy)

8. Zero virtual position. (teensy)

9. Implementation of the movements in the VR world. (PC/ Game)

Feedback loop / actuator loop:

1. Analyze interactions in the VR world. (PC/ Game)

2. Calculate Force Feedback. (PC / Game)

3. Serial transmission to Teensy. (PC / Game)

4. Analyze foot information and movement information. (Arduino Mega)

5. Calculate Force Feedback. (teensy)

6. Serial transmission of force commands to ODrive. (teensy)

7. Monitoring of the force on the foot via load cell. (Teensy & Arduino Nano right and left)

Possible modifications

In a third embodiment of the device 1, which is shown in FIG be allowing movement of the linear rails 2 relative to each other in the direction of the Y-axis, which can cause lateral movement in the game. 19 shows an enlarged view of such a joint. 20 shows an enlarged view of the front end of the linear guide 2, and a displacement roller 21 is attached to the front end of the linear guide 2, which facilitates movement of the linear guide 2 on the floor. The joint 20 can in particular be motor-driven by a control signal from the game 50 in order to generate feedback on the feet of the player 100 from the game 50 .

A fourth embodiment of the device 1 is also conceivable, in which the two linear guides, as shown in FIG. 21, are connected to one another with rigid connecting rods in order to prevent accidental displacement of the linear guides relative to one another.

Both the third and the fourth embodiment of the device 1 can be conceivable with or without haptic feedback.

The rotary motion can be implemented and enhanced in other different ways.

Instead of the rotary motion being processed only when dropped, it can be augmented by the inverted motion in the air. This speeds up the rotation and makes it more controlled.

Turning can be implemented when both feet are kept at an angle in a running motion. As a result, the feet do not have to be constantly rotated and a radius movement is automatically created.

It can be rotated in place by placing both feet down and sliding them anti-parallel (i.e. opposite) on the linear rails.

Movement can be facilitated by simulating body momentum with the motorized linear rails. The feet will automatically be accelerated when they are put down, as is the case with normal running.

The motors, with their high rotational inertia, can overcome the resistance that occurs when acceleration of the feet occurs, increase. As a result, the feet feel less free when moving. Possible solutions are:

• Choosing a lighter engine.

• Change the translation.

• Measure the resistance with the built-in measuring cells on the belts and compensate with the motorized linear axes.

Simulating feet in VR

The simulation of the feet in the VR world 53 can be helpful for the user for reasons of orientation. Since the device accurately records the position of the feet, this is easy to implement.

Additional functions can be implemented with the active linear axes. These functions increase the possibilities of interaction with the virtual environment. The resulting higher interaction between reality and virtual environment allows these worlds to merge more and ensures better immersion.

Simulating virtual objects

Collisions with virtual objects 52 can be simulated with the linear axes. For example, the foot is stopped as soon as you run into a virtual wall. Another example is kicking a virtual ball, with the linear axes (linear guides 2) simulating contact.

Simulate the physics of a soil

In certain embodiments, the linear slides 4 can always be moved freely. However, this does not correspond to the physics of a floor on which one stands. In other embodiments, therefore, the inertia of the body is simulated. In such a case, when you start walking, you first have to accelerate the simulated mass. When you stop, you have to brake again, as is the case in reality. This can also ensure a smooth running movement.

It is also possible to implement the friction of a floor. So the feet can be easily moved in the air and experience more resistance as soon as they are on the plates 8.9 are turned off. For example, the feet could no longer both be put down and moved as desired, which also ensures more realistic movement.

REFERENCE LIST

Device 35 cord

Linear guides/ 36 deflection rollers

Linear rails 37 nubs

Foot receptacle 38 conductive layer

Slide 39 shoe/sandal

Encoder module 40 rolls

Arm/articulated arm 41 front part of the carriage

Spring means/spring 42 rear carriage part first 43 tubes

Base part/foot plate 44 joint holder second 50 computer game program

Stand area part//foot plate 51 virtual player

Encoder tape 52 virtual item

Belt 53 virtual game environment

Pulley 54 computer system

Engine 55 Send

/ power generation device 56 reception

Angle of rotation sensor 60 bend in the arm

Arm joint 81 left part

Foot receiving joint 82 right part

Swivel 100 players/users

Deflection roller 200 chair

Bracket 300 VR glasses

Joint 400 game accessory

displacement rollers

connecting rods

Connection part A first axle

Adapter B second axis

Turntable C axis

Magnet E ground plane

Ball bearing R yaw (yaw) rotation

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Device (1) for guiding and detecting the movement of a person's feet, which device (1) has a linear guide (2) that can be placed on a floor for each foot, which linear guides (2) have a floor plane (E) with their underside Defining the device (1), and which linear guides (2) each have a carriage (4) carrying a foot receptacle (3), which carriage (4) can be moved back and forth, guided in each case along the linear guide (2), the device (1 ) further has a detection device, by means of which a measured value corresponding to the respective carriage movement of at least one of the carriages (4), but in particular both carriages (4), can be detected and made available as a respective output value, which output value of the movement of the respective foot receptacle (3) in the direction of the Linear guide (2) corresponds.

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein this is additionally designed for raising and lowering the respective foot receptacle (3) relative to the ground level, in particular wherein the respective foot receptacle (3) is arranged on an end region of an arm (6), which arm (6) is pivotably arranged with its other end area on the respective carriage (4), in particular in such a way that the arm (6) can be pivoted about a first axis (A) arranged on the carriage (4) which is in a plane relative to the floor (E) parallel plane and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the linear guide (2).

3. Device (1) according to claim 2, wherein this has at least one spring means (7) which can be tensioned when the respective foot receptacle (3) is lowered and can be relaxed when the respective foot receptacle (3) is raised.

4. The device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein this is additionally designed to incline the foot mount (3) relative to the floor level, in particular in that the respective foot mount (3) at the end region of the respective arm (6) is pivoted about a second axis (B ) is pivotable, which second axis is in a plane parallel to the ground plane and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the linear guide (2).

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the respective foot receptacle (3) is pivotable on the respective carriage (4) or on the arm (6) is arranged such that when the foot receptacle (3) is parallel to the floor plane (E), the foot receptacle (3) can be rotated in the respective plane lying parallel to the floor plane (E) and the rotation of at least one of the foot receptacles (3 ) corresponding measured value can be recorded and made available as an output value.

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the respective carriage (4) has a base on which the respective foot receptacle (3) can be placed, in particular wherein the base is divided into two parts with a first (8) and second base part (9) is formed and in particular, wherein the device (1) for each foot holder (3) has a sensor, by which it can be determined that the foot holder (3) is placed on the standing surface.

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the

detection device for detecting the movement of the respective carriage (4) has a revolving toothed belt (11) or a revolving chain connected to the carriage (4) and a rotation angle sensor (14) connected to an axis (U) of a belt wheel (12) or chain wheel , or wherein the position of the carriage (4) can be determined without contact, in particular by means of a distance measurement, by the detection device.

8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a

Force-generating device (13) is provided, through which a force can be applied to the respective carriage (4) in the direction of the linear guide (2) and as a function of a control input signal that can be applied to the force-generating device (13).

9. Device according to claims 7 and 8, wherein the

Force-generating device (13) each has an electric drive, through which the toothed belt (11) or the chain can be acted upon.

10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the linear guides (2) are connected at their rear end so that they can be displaced relative to one another and the detection device is designed to detect a measured value of the displacement and to generate a corresponding output value.

11. Use of the device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 as Input device of a computer game in which at least one of the output values of the device is used as a control signal for the computer game.

12. Use according to claim 11, wherein in the game the walking movement of a virtual player (51) or a virtual game object is controlled by the movement of the foot receptacle (3) of the device (1).

13. Use according to claim 11 or 12, wherein by rotating the foot receptacle (3) a walking movement of the virtual player (51) or the virtual game object is effected in the lateral direction.

14. Use according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a control signal or control signals for the force generating device (14) are provided by the computer game.

15. Use according to claim 14, wherein the control signal is generated as a function of the position and movement of the virtual player (51) or the virtual game object in the computer game.

16. Use according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the control signal is generated depending on the position of a virtual object (52) in the computer game.

17. Method for generating an interaction of a virtual game character (51) or a virtual object (52) with a real game character (100), wherein the real game character (100) operates a device according to one of claims 1 to 10.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, in which the real player (100) operates the foot receptacles (3) of the device (1) with his or her feet while seated.

19. Computer game comprising a device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10 and a computer game program (50).

20. The device or method for generating a running movement for a computer game, in particular according to one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the movement of the player is made on a rail system (2) which causes a movement in Forces direction of an X-axis, with the running movement in the seated position of the player (100).

21. Device or method, in particular according to claim 20, wherein the position and running movement can be detected with a mechanical arrangement of at least one linear rail (2), in particular of two linear rails (2), and of joints (15, 16).

22. The device or method according to claim 21, wherein an articulated arm (6) allows a lifting movement and tilting movement and a rolling of the foot of the player (100) over a surface.

23. The device or method according to claim 21 or 22, wherein there is a further joint (17) in the middle of the foot, which allows the turning of the foot (yaw movement), which causes a change in direction in the virtual environment (53), wherein the orientation of the player (100) in the real environment is retained, so that no rotary movement of the body is necessary in this, with the exception of the foot or feet of the player (100).

24. Apparatus or method according to any one of claims 20 to 23, wherein the linear rails (2) are motorized to exert a force on the feet, thereby enabling interaction with the virtual gaming environment (53), the interaction being the foot movement is designed as an interaction that brakes in the real environment and/or as an interaction that accelerates the foot movement in the real environment and/or as a force that compensates for the friction and mass of the device (1).

25. Device or method according to one of claims 20 to 24, wherein the linear rails (2) are connected by a joint (20) on the rear side of the device (1), whereby a movement of the linear rails (2) relative to each other in the direction of the Y axis is made possible, which causes a lateral movement in the game, in particular with the joint (20) on the rear side being motor-driven by a control signal from the game (50) in order to obtain feedback from the game (50) on the feet of the player (100) to generate.

26. Computer program product, in particular computer game program (50), which is configured to interact with a device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in particular by exchanging control signals/regulation signals with the device (1), eg by sending (55) signals/control signals/regulation signals to the device (1) and/or receiving (56) signals/control signals/regulation signals from the device (1), the computer program product being storable on a computer-readable storage medium and comprising program instructions, the program instructions being executed by a computer or a computer system (54) are executable.

27. Computer program product, in particular computer game program (50), which is configured to carry out one or more steps of a method according to one of the preceding claims.