Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Application of precise indoor position tracking to immersive virtual reality with translational movement support

  • Published:
Multimedia Tools and Applications Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this study, we propose an application for immersive virtual reality experiences, which integrates three-dimensional (3D) head-mounted displays (HMDs) with a precise indoor position tracking algorithm based on ultrasound. Our method provides a natural virtual reality experience with interaction by precisely matching the physical movements in the real world with those in the virtual environment, unlike other methods that require external input devices to move around in the virtual environment. Users can move within the assigned indoor space while carrying a wireless client device with the HMD, without the risk of colliding with obstacles or structures. The system is designed to provide the accurate 3D X, Y, and Z coordinate values of translational movements in real-time as well as the pitch, roll, and yaw values of rotational movements supported by the HMD, resulting in the six degrees of freedom required by immersive virtual reality. In addition, the system utilizes ultrasonic transducers in a grid format, which makes it simple to expand the position tracking coverage area, and supports simultaneous tracking of multiple users. Through experiments and a user study we show that the system obtains the accurate position of the moving objects and delivers a highly immersive virtual reality experience.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Oculus Rift. http://www.oculusvr.com

  2. Sony HMZ Series. http://www.sony.co.jp/Fun/design/activity/product/hmz_t1/01.html

  3. InterSense 900. http://www.intersense.com/pages/20/14

  4. Unity3D. http://www.unity3d.com

  5. ZigBee Alliance. http://www.zigbee.org

  6. National Instruments LabVIEW. http://www.ni.com/labview/

  7. Art Tower Mito. https://arttowermito.or.jp/gallery_en/gallery02.html?id=413

References

  1. Bahl P, Padmanabhan V (2000) RADAR: an in-building RF-based user location and tracking system. INFOCOM 2000. Nineteenth Annual Joint Conference of the IEEE Computer and Communications Societies. Proceedings. IEEE 00

  2. Bhatnagar DK (1993) Position trackers for Head Mounted Display systems: a survey. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill TR93-010 1–22

  3. Bolton J, Lambert M, Lirette D, Unsworth B (2014) PaperDude: a virtual reality cycling exergame. CHI’14 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems 475–478

  4. Chow Y (2009) A cost-effective 3D interaction approach for immersive virtual reality. Int J Recent Trends Eng Technol 1:527–529

    Google Scholar 

  5. Cruz O, Ramos E, Ramirez M (2011) 3D indoor location and navigation system based on Bluetooth. In: CONIELECOMP 2011 - 21st International Conference on Electronics Communications and Computers, Proceedings, pp 271–277

  6. Falconer DD, Adachi F, Gudmundson B (1995) Time division multiple access methods for wireless personal communications. IEEE Commun Mag IEEE Commun Mag 33:50–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Ferris B, Fox D, Lawrence N (2007) WiFi-SLAM using gaussian process latent variable models. IJCAI:2480–2485

  8. Frauenberger C, Noisternig M (2003) 3D audio interfaces for the blind. Proceedings of the 2003 International Conference on Auditory Display 1–4

  9. Fukuju Y, Minami M, Morikawa H, Aoyama T (2003) DOLPHIN: an autonomous indoor positioning system in ubiquitous computing environment. Proceedings IEEE Workshop on Software Technologies for Future Embedded Systems WSTFES 2003. doi:10.1109/WSTFES.2003.1201360

  10. Gardner W (1999) 3D audio and acoustic environment modeling. Wave Arts, Inc 1–9

  11. Hale KS, Stanney KM (2014) Handbook of virtual environments: design, implementation, and applications. CRC Press

  12. Haverinen J, Kemppainen A (2009) Global indoor self-localization based on the ambient magnetic field. Robot Auton Syst 57:1028–1035. doi:10.1016/j.robot.2009.07.018

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Hazas M, Ward A (2002) A novel broadband ultrasonic location system. In: UbiComp 2002: Ubiquitous Computing, Springer, pp 264–280

  14. Hightower J, Hightower J, Borriello G, Borriello G (2001) Location systems for ubiquitous computing. Computer 34:57–66. doi:10.1109/2.940014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Hodgson E, Bachmann ER, Vincent D, Zmuda M, Waller D, Calusdian J (2014) WeaVR: a self-contained and wearable immersive virtual environment simulation system. Behav Res Methods 296–307. doi:10.3758/s13428-014-0463-1

  16. Jr JL (2000) A discussion of cybersickness in virtual environments. ACM SIGCHI Bulletin 32

  17. Jung Y (2014) Just Like the Road Across the Earth [Exhibition Catalogue]. 04 Nov 2014–01 Feb 2015, Contemporary Art Gallery, Art Tower Mito, Mito, Ibaraki, Japan

  18. Katzourin M, Ignatoff D, Quirk L, LaViola JJ, Jenkins OC (2006) Swordplay: innovating game development through VR. IEEE Comput Graph Appl 26:15–19. doi:10.1109/MCG.2006.137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Kennedy RS, Lane NE, Berbaum KS, Lilienthal MG (1993) Simulator sickness questionnaire: an enhanced method for quantifying simulator sickness. Int J Aviat Psychol 3:203–220. doi:10.1207/s15327108ijap0303_3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Mautz R (2012) Indoor positioning technologies. Thesis submitted to ETH Zurich. doi:10.3929/ethz-a-007313554

  21. Mokka S, Väätänen A (2003) Fitness computer game with a bodily user interface. Proc Second Int Conf Entertain Comput 1:3–5

    Google Scholar 

  22. Priyantha NB, Chakraborty A, Balakrishnan H (2000) The Cricket location-support system. Proceedings of the 6th annual international conference on Mobile computing and networking - MobiCom’00 32–43. doi:10.1145/345910.345917

  23. Satyavolu S, Bruder G, Willemsen P, Steinicke F (2012) Analysis of IR-based virtual reality tracking using multiple Kinects. In: Proceedings - IEEE Virtual Reality, pp 149–150

  24. Shin J, An G, Lee K (2014) Integration of a precise indoor position tracking algorithm with an HMD-Based Virtual Reality System. Proceedings of the 2nd ACM International Workshop on Immersive Media Experiences 23–26. doi:10.1145/2660579.2660582

  25. Uddin M, Nadeem T (2013) SpyLoc: a light weight localization system for smartphones. Proceedings of the 19th annual international conference on Mobile computing & networking, pp 223–225

  26. Vorderer P, Wirth W, Gouveia FR, Biocca F, Saari T, Jäncke L, Böcking S, Schramm H, Gysbers A, Hartmann T, Klimmt C, Ravaja N, Sacau A, Baumgartner T, Jäncke P (2004) MEC Spatial Presence Questionnaire (MEC-SPQ). Short Documentation and Instructions for Application. Report to the European Community, Project Presence: MEC (IST-2001-37661)

  27. Ward A, Jones A, Hopper A (1997) A new location technique for the active office. IEEE Pers Commun 4:42–47. doi:10.1109/98.626982

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Yuan Q, Chen IM (2013) 3-D localization of human based on an inertial capture system. IEEE Trans Robot 29:806–812. doi:10.1109/TRO.2013.2248535

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Yuan Q, Chen IM, Lee SP (2011) SLAC: 3D localization of human based on kinetic human movement capture. In: Proceedings - IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, pp 848–853

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was partly supported by the MSIP (Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning), Korea, under the ITRC (Information Technology Research Center) support program (IITP-2015-H8501-15-1016) supervised by the IITP (Institute for Information & Communications Technology Promotion).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, 151-742, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Jongkyu Shin, Gwangseok An & Kyogu Lee

  2. Department of Computer Engineering, Hongik University, 94 Wausan-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 121-791, Republic of Korea

    Joon-Sang Park

  3. Department of Computer and Communications Engineering, College of Information and Communications, Korea University, Anam-Dong, Seongbuk-Gu, Seoul, 136-701, Republic of Korea

    Seung Jun Baek

Authors
  1. Jongkyu Shin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gwangseok An
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Joon-Sang Park
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Seung Jun Baek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Kyogu Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kyogu Lee.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Shin, J., An, G., Park, JS. et al. Application of precise indoor position tracking to immersive virtual reality with translational movement support. Multimed Tools Appl 75, 12331–12350 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-016-3520-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11042-016-3520-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation