HapSeat: A Novel Approach to Simulate Motion in Audio/Visual Experiences

Motion simulators are well-known devices designed to create a feeling of motion. They are intensively for training purposes in driving or flight simulators, and increasingly in entertainment applications such as video games, amusement parks, and “4D cinemas”.

HapSeat is a novel approach for simulating motion sensations in consumer settings. The approach is built on the hypothesis that local forces can generate a global sensation of motion. The prototype relies on three low-cost actuators in an armchair-shaped structure. Two of them stimulate the user’s hands while a third one stimulates the head. These three points of stimulation should generate a six-degree-of-freedom sensation of motion. The system is based on a novel approach for motion simulation that replaces expensive motion platforms with multiple low-cost force feedback and a new control algorithm.

In a user study designed to evaluate the quality of the simulated movement and its impact on the quality of the video-viewing experience, participants reported that the simulated motion was consistent with their real-world experiences, and they reported a sensation of self-motion. SIGGRAPH 2013 attendees are invited to experience four videos enhanced by haptic effects of motion: a horse ride, a rollercoaster ride, a spaceship flight, and a 4D movie.