Exoskeletal platform for controlling multi-directional avatar kinetics in a virtual environment

A system for enabling a participant to control the multi-dimensional kinetics of their avatar representation, wherein the avatar representation is a projection of the participant into a virtual environment, the system comprising:

• a computing station, and
• a kinetic control device coupled to the computing station, the kinetic control device comprising
• mount, interfacing with the participant and enabling the participant to have a selected range of motion while restraining the participant from selected undesirable motions in the participant's physical environment;
• a motion base, disposed relative to the mount so as to enable contact between the motion base and the participant and, associated with such contact, providing for detection of one or more motion states of the participant, said detection creating interaction data;
• and
• a support, the support coupling the mount and the motion base and providing the relative disposition of the mount and the motion base;
• whereby the participant, when generating interaction data by moving within the physical environment, moves a location of the avatar representation within the virtual environment.

A method for enabling a participant to control the multi-dimensional kinetics of an avatar representation, wherein the avatar representation is a projection of the participant into a virtual environment, the method comprising the steps of:

• physically linking the participant to a kinetic control device;
• enabling the participant to interact with a virtual environment via one or more senses;
• constraining the participant's movements and motion to a confinement space, thereby restraining the participant from selected undesirable motions in the participant's physical environment;
• enabling the participant to transition substantially among a plurality of motion states;
• detecting the motion states;
• and
• providing interaction data representative of the detected motion states to at least one of a computing station and a network system;
• whereby the participant, when generating interaction data by moving within the physical environment, moves a location of the avatar representation within the virtual environment.

An apparatus for the input of interaction data concerning lower body movements of a participant in a virtual environment, the apparatus comprising:

• an annulus, within which the participant is located such that a plane of the annulus is normal to a longitudinal axis of the participant, said annulus allowing the participant to have a selected range of motion while restraining the participant from selected undesirable motions in the participant's physical environment;
• a motion base, located underneath the participant and in contact with the lower body of the participant, said motion base comprising at least one motion base sensor that detects a location of the lower body of the participant;
• and
• a support maintaining a position of the annulus;
• wherein the interaction data comprises the location detection of the at least one motion base sensor, and the interaction data is input to a computer system running the virtual environment;
• whereby the participant moves a multi-dimensional avatar representation of the participant in an virtual environment.