Microsoft recently announced a patent application called “Intelligent keyboard attachment for mixed reality input”, which mainly introduces a method of intelligently following objects with a virtual keyboard in the holographic XR space. It is designed to improve the user’s input experience when wearing an XR headset.
This approach enables the virtual keyboard to be intelligently and anchored in front of specific virtual objects according to the user’s intent, thereby providing users with a perceivable, predictable and natural input experience.
In traditional XR devices, during the user inputting text, the virtual keyboard will appear in front of the user at a fixed angle and distance. The user can drag these virtual keyboards with the handle or both hands, move them to the appropriate position, and then enter Word. However, sometimes users hope that the virtual keyboard can move according to their intention, and can form a corresponding positional relationship with a specific virtual object similar to a physical keyboard and a screen.
For example, in a holographic desktop office scenario, users hope to display a virtual screen in front of them, and a virtual keyboard can be attached under the screen so that the keyboard and screen can be operated simultaneously in the same window.
▲ Picture source Microsoft
▲ Picture source Microsoft
This patent application from Microsoft details how the Smart Keyboard can be attached. As shown in figure, 305 represents a virtual keyboard and can interact with the virtual screen corresponding to the virtual object 403. When a virtual input device is attached to a virtual object, the user cannot input through other interaction mechanisms, such as gaze point interaction and finger beam pointing, etc. input methods will be disabled.
▲ Picture source Microsoft
▲ Picture source Microsoft
The patent also shows that the virtual input device can be stably maintained in a position coordinate, so even if the user turns his head back to deal with other matters and turns back, the virtual keyboard will still wait for the user to operate at the original position. This hierarchical positioning relationship includes distance and direction And anchor parameters such as angle.
Microsoft believes that this design can provide users with a consistent and predictable experience, and is highly scalable and customizable so that it can quickly respond to user interaction instructions and provide users with more efficient work and entertainment activities in the virtual environment. Convenient and efficient input method.
The patent application has been published in the United States Patent and Trademark Office recently. Microsoft has previously announced that it has given up the development of “Hololens 3”, Microsoft’s patent application may be integrated as a function in the next generation of Windows in the future. , It may also indicate that it is paving the way for the next generation of XR interactive hardware in the future.
