Foot-Operated Peripheral Device

A system comprising:

• a display system configured to depict an environment;
• and
• a foot-operated input device communicatively coupled to the display system and configured to provide control signals to control movement in the environment, the foot-operated input device including:
• a first footpad that is movable by tilting along an axis;
• a second footpad that is movable by tilting along the axis, wherein the first footpad and the second footpad are independently tiltable in a same direction or in an opposite direction along the axis;
• a first sole flap extending from a top surface of the first footpad and configured to tilt relative to that surface;
• a second sole flap extending from a top surface of the second footpad and configured to tilt relative to that surface;
• a set of sensors configured to detect a position of the first footpad, a position of the second footpad, a position of the first sole flap, and a position of the second sole flap;
• and
• a processor configured to generate the control signals, the generation being based on the positions detected by the set of sensors.

A method of controlling movement comprising:

• detecting a position of a first footpad that is movable by tilting along an axis;
• detecting a position of a second footpad that is movable by tilting along the axis, wherein the first footpad and the second footpad are independently tiltable in a same direction or in an opposite direction along the axis;
• detecting a position of a first sole flap, the first sole flap extending from a top surface of the first footpad and configured to tilt relative to that surface;
• detecting a position of a second sole flap, the second sole flap extending from a top surface of the second footpad and configured to tilt relative to that surface;
• and
• generating control signals from the position of the first footpad, the position of the second footpad, the position of the first sole flap, and the position of the second sole flap.