We propose a physical interface called a "Bottomless Joystick" for mid-air interaction in this Virtual Reality era. A conventional joystick is suitable for desktop gaming, especially in flight simulations. However, it cannot be used in mid-air because it requires a bottom to mount on the surface. On the other hand, the mid-air interaction device is subject to increasing demand due to the recent VR goggle/environment boom. We therefore developed Bottomless Joystick that can represent a conventional joystick function in mid-air. By utilizing two servo motors and a counterweight, our device reproduces various force feedbacks such as the heaviness of the joystick and the gun effect.
This research is supported by the National Research Foundation of the government of Singapore under a funding initiative from the Interactive Digital Media Programme Office.
Music by Chris Zabriskie
http://freemusicarchive.org/music/chris_zabriskie/
http://www.idmi.nus.edu.sg
http://www.katsumotoy.com
