Joyman: an immersive and entertaining interface for virtual locomotion

Abstract

The Joyman is an interface dedicated to the navigation in virtual worlds. It is based on the metaphor of a "human-scale joystick". By leaning himself in the corresponding direction, the user controls his virtual locomotion. The Joyman exploits the human sense of balance as a modality for interacting with virtual worlds and provides an entertaining experience with an improved feeling of immersion. Compared to force-platforms (e.g., wii-fit) the Joyman extends the possible range of motion. Based on a simple mechanical design, the device prevents users from falling: they can lean far beyond their normal limits and improve their sensations. Repealing forces assist the user to pilot the device by bringing user back to the vertical stand position. The Joyman interface meets the requirements of various virtual reality applications such as the exploration of virtual cities. It also extends to the scope of entertaining applications and video-games.