Patent ID: 6518951
Filing Date: 2003-02-11
Classification: A63F,G06F

Abstract:
A method of providing a common virtual environment to a plurality of users, at least one user being provided with an actuator for receiving mechanical input from the at least one user and for outputting mechanical feedback to the at least one user, the virtual environment comprising tactual environment objects, the method comprising:adjusting for the at least one user, in response to the mechanical input, a position of a corresponding user object with respect to the virtual environment; presenting to the at least one user, through the mechanical feedback, tactual cues as originating from the tactual environment objects and from one or more distant user objects; and allowing at least one of the users to alter a tactual property of at least one of the tactual environment objects, wherein the tactual cues corresponding to the tactual property is adjusted according to the user's modification.