217 results about "Tactile device" patented technology

A haptic device provides indirect haptic feedback and virtual texture sensations to a user by modulation of friction of a touch surface of the device in response to one or more sensed parameters and / or time. The sensed parameters can include, but are not limited to, sensed position of the user's finger, derivatives of sensed finger position such as velocity and / or acceleration, sensed finger pressure, and / or sensed direction of motion of the finger. The touch surface is adapted to be touched by a user's bare finger, thumb or other appendage and / or by an instrument such as a stylus held by the user.

A method for calibrating a surgical device is provided. The method includes acquiring first data including a position and / or an orientation of a first object disposed on the surgical device at a first location; acquiring second data including a position and / or an orientation of a second object disposed on the surgical device at a second location; determining third data including a position and / or an orientation of the first object relative to the second location; and determining a position and / or an orientation of the second object relative to the second location based at least in part on the first data, the second data, and the third data.

An electronic interactive device having a user interface with a flexible surface, a sensor configured to sense a flex gesture applied to the flexible surface, a haptic device configured to generate a haptic effect in response to the flex gesture, and a controller in signal communication with the sensor and the haptic device. The controller is configured to trigger the haptic device to provide haptic confirmation of the flex gesture and to trigger an application action associated with the flex gesture.

Systems and methods are presented for tactile communication with an operator in an arc processing system, in which a tactile device is mechanically coupled with a handheld torch to provide tactile messages to the operator according to information related to the system or to an arc processing operation being performed.

A tactile touch-sensitive device for use as an electronic input device for navigating an electronic document on a display device is described. The tactile aspect of the device provides a document location indicator, such as a protrusion or a depression, which may be perceived through the sense of touch. The device may incorporate additional features such as multiple modes of navigation, namely isotonic and isometric scrolling. Various sensors, such as force sensors and capacitive sensors, may provide the user with coarse and fine scrolling capabilities through different types of interactions with the scrollbar. The force sensors may allow the user to alter the rate of scrolling by adjusting the magnitude of force applied. Additionally, capacitive sensors may detect absolute positions of a user's finger movement and navigate through a document pursuant to those movements.

A haptic device provides indirect haptic feedback and virtual texture sensations to a user by modulation of friction of a touch surface of the device in response to one or more sensed parameters and / or time. The sensed parameters can include, but are not limited to, sensed position of the user's finger, derivatives of sensed finger position such as velocity and / or acceleration, sensed finger pressure, and / or sensed direction of motion of the finger. The touch surface is adapted to be touched by a user's bare finger, thumb or other appendage and / or by an instrument such as a stylus held by the user.

A handheld gaming machine including one or more actuators for providing vibrational cues or feedback during play of a wagering game to indicate the occurrence of a wagering-game event, such as a change in game rules, an input of a wager, and the like. The change in game rules may include a change in the odds of winning an award during the wagering game, a change in the type of award that can be awarded during the wagering game, eligibility for bonus play, or eligibility to accumulate one or more game elements associated with the wagering game. The vibration can be consistent with a wagering-game theme and can accompany or be a substitute for concurrently played audio sounds. The actuator(s) may include a haptic device such as a haptic touchscreen that overlays the display or an electromagnetic coil acting upon an unbalanced mass.

The present invention describes a system for controlling a thin flexible thermoplastic catheter. The system includes a plurality of shape memory alloy filaments attached to the distal end of the catheter, each filament having a phase and a temperature; a means for receiving a strain value for at least one of the filaments; a means for determining the phase change that will results in the strain value, whereby the phase change is dependent on the temperature and the temperature is dependent on a voltage; and a means for setting the voltage in each filament thereby resulting in movement of the catheter. In addition, a three-degrees of freedom force sensor measures the magnitude and direction of the force exerted on the tip of the catheter. The catheter can be autonomously guided or it can be interfaced to a haptic device. The catheter can also be fitted with microtools.

This invention describes an intraocular lens (IOL) design with a removable optic, which can be inserted in and removed from a haptic device. In this haptic the anterior and posterior capsules are sealed in order to have a perfect control over the lens epithelial cell proliferation which is thereby restricted to the peripheral part of the capsular bag. Additionally, a ring caliper is described as new surgical device to allow a precise sizing and centration of the anterior capsulorhexis. The removable optic allows repeatable correction of the eye focusing over time in case the optical parameters of the eye have changed due to a variety of factors. By separating the optic part from the haptic part, the optic part can easily be manufactured in any shape matching the optical errors of the eye, including the optical aberrations. The optic part can be manufactured out of any biomaterial restoring ocular accommodation. The optic part may include prismatic, astigmatic or magnification correction to improve visual performance. The optic part may consist of or include an electronic device for the purpose of artificial vision. In order to further assist the accommodative capabilities of the implant a capsular accommodation ring of specific biomechanical properties is inserted in the capsular equator.

A low-cost haptic feedback keyboard device for providing haptic feedback to a user for enhancing interactions in a displayed environment provided by a computer. The haptic keyboard device can be a keyboard having multiple keys, or can be a wrist rest or other attachment coupled to a keyboard. The device includes a housing that is physically contacted by the user and rests on a support surface. An actuator is coupled to the housing and applies a force to the housing approximately along an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the support surface, where the force is transmitted to the user contacting the housing. In one embodiment, the force is an inertial force that is output by moving an inertial mass. The keyboard device can be used in conjunction with another haptic device, such as a mouse, trackball, or joystick.

A tactile device includes a touch input surface in any number of forms including a force sensitive touch screen. In this embodiment a cover captures a transparent screen located on capacitive sensors. Touching the screen produces signals from each sensor that can be combined to identify the location of the touch and the force exerted by that touch.

A method and apparatus for controlling a haptic device. In one embodiment, the haptic device includes an actuator; an actuator sensor, producing an actuator signal indicative of the actuator velocity; a load; a load output sensor producing a load output signal indicative of the load position; and a controller in electrical communication with the load output sensor, actuator sensor and actuator. The controller controls the actuator in response to the actuator signal and the load output signal to provide a haptic response to a user. In one embodiment, the method for controlling an actuator of a haptic device includes the steps of producing an actuator signal indicative of the velocity of an actuator; producing a position signal indicative of the position of a load; and controlling the actuator in response to the actuator signal and the load output position signal to produce a haptic response to a user.

A haptic display includes at least one haptic device that can give tactile feedback instead of visible feedback. Each of the haptic devices converts a signal from a signal producing unit into force or tactile pattern. The haptic device does not require a large mass, so that it can be provided on almost any portion or part within the body of a mobile apparatus. For example, the haptic device can be embedded under a touch panel display that constitutes both input and output device. By providing the haptic devices under respective menu / function button areas displayed on the touch panel display, it is possible to stimulate the specific button in response to the user-input-operation, thereby directly providing the tactile feedback to the user's finger touching the corresponding button.