Wearable electronic device for inducing transient sensory events as user feedback
A wearable electronic device includes an electrode array for transdermal stimulation of a sensory nerve that itself innervates a body part distal to a worn location of the wearable electronic device. The transdermal stimulation is configured to induce an electrical current or voltage that evokes a sensory impression at an area innervated by the sensory nerve, not at the stimulated sensory nerve itself. In one implementation, the wearable electronic device takes a finger ring form factor worn on a proximal phalanx of an index finger. In this configuration, the wearable electronic device can stimulate a portion of a branch of the median nerve extending through the index finger. Upon stimulation of the median nerve, a user wearing the finger ring may perceive pressure applied to the user's fingertip.
1 . A wearable electronic device configured to be worn on a user's finger and communicatively coupled to a virtual environment rendered in a graphical user interface of a client device, the wearable electronic device comprising:
a housing at least partially defining an annulus having an inside annular surface and internal diameter, the housing comprising:
a rigid portion; and
a flexible portion coupled to the rigid portion, the flexible portion configured to maintain contact with the user's finger;
an array of electrodes protruding from the inside annular surface, the array of electrodes comprising an anode and a cathode; and
a processing system within the housing and operably coupled to the array of electrodes and wirelessly coupled to the client device, the processing system configured to apply a voltage signal across the anode and the cathode to stimulate an afferent nerve structure within the user's finger such that the stimulation of the afferent nerve structure evokes a referred sensory impression in an area of the user's finger distal to the array of electrodes the voltage signal:
not exceeding a user-specific stimulation threshold; and
generated in response to interaction by the user with a virtual object rendered in the virtual environment.
2 . The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the housing defines an outside annular surface;
the wearable electronic device further comprises a first tab and a second tab opposite the first tab, the first tab and the second tab coupled to the housing, each the first tab and the second tab extending from the outside annular surface of the housing; and
the internal diameter is configured to widen in response to a user pinching the first tab and the second tab towards each other.
3 . The wearable electronic device of claim 2 , wherein:
in an unworn configuration, the flexible portion is configured to bias the first tab and the second tab away from each other such that the housing defines a first internal diameter; and
in a worn configuration:
the flexible portion maintains contact with the user's finger; and
the housing defines a second internal diameter larger than the first internal diameter.
4 . The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a battery;
electronic circuitry;
a chamber configured to house the battery and the electronic circuitry; and
an array of wires distributed along a circumference of the housing, the array of wires electrically coupled to the array of electrodes and to the electronic circuitry.
5 . The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the referred sensory impression in the area of the user's finger is a user's fingertip.
6 . The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein each electrode of the array of electrodes defines a respective contact surface configured to contact the user's skin, each respective contact surface substantially parallel to the inside annular surface.
7 . The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein evoking a sense impression comprises a sense impression modality selected from:
a pressure sense impression;
a temperature sense impression;
a texture sense impression; or
a time-varying mechanical sense impression.
8 . A virtual gaming system comprising:
a wearable device configured to be worn around a user's finger, the wearable device comprising:
an array of electrodes defining a portion of an inside surface of the wearable device, the array of electrodes configured to contact the user's skin, at least one electrode from the array of electrodes configured to produce an electrical stimulus to an afferent nerve structure innervating a distal nerve structure, the electrical stimulus not exceeding a user-specific threshold; and
an adjustable housing at least partially surrounding the array of electrodes, the adjustable housing configured to bias the array of electrodes against the user's skin to main contact with the user's skin and; and
a processing system comprising a memory resource and a processing resource, the processing system operably coupled to a client device and to the array of electrodes, the client device configured to interface with the wearable device and a virtual environment, the processing system configured to execute the electrical stimulus to the median nerve thereby evoking a sensory impression in an area of the user's finger distal to the array of electrodes in response to an event in the virtual environment.
9 . The virtual gaming system of claim 8 , wherein:
the array of electrodes are circumferentially distributed along an inside annular surface defined by the adjustable housing; and
the array of electrodes protrude from the inside annular surface.
10 . The virtual gaming system of claim 8 , wherein:
the adjustable housing defines a pair of tabs extending from an outside annular surface of the adjustable housing; and
in response to a compression input to the pair of tabs, causing an expansion of an inside diameter of the adjustable housing.
11 . The virtual gaming system of claim 10 , wherein:
the array of electrodes comprises a first electrode and a second electrode;
the first electrode is configured as a cathode; and
the second electrode is configured as an anode defining a current return path from the first electrode and through the user's finger.
12 . The virtual gaming system of claim 8 , wherein each electrode of the array of electrodes defines a cylindrical profile.
13 . The virtual gaming system of claim 8 further comprising the client device.
14 . The virtual gaming system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a band configured to be worn around the user's wrist;
an anode coupled to the band; and
a flexible circuit coupling the anode to the wearable device.
15 . A wearable device for providing sensory feedback to a user within a virtual reality environment, the wearable device comprising:
an array of electrodes circumferentially distributed along an inside annular portion of the wearable device, the array of electrodes configured to transdermally apply an electrical signal to a portion of a user's median nerve, the electrical signal configured to not exceed a user-specific threshold;
an annular housing coupled to the array of electrodes, the annular housing comprising a spring configured to maintain contact between the array of electrodes and the user's skin;
a memory resource; and
a processing resource configured to cooperate with the memory resource to access at least one executable asset to instantiate an instance of software configured to execute a stimulation to the portion of the user's median nerve to evoke a sensory impression in an area distal to the array of electrodes.
16 . The wearable device of claim 15 , wherein:
the wearable device further comprises:
a wearable harness;
a battery; and
an anode, the battery and the anode coupled to the wearable harness; and
the memory resource and the processing resource are positioned within the wearable harness.
17 . The wearable device of claim 15 , wherein the instance of software is configured to receive a signal from a separate electronic device, the signal comprising an instruction to evoke the sensory impression comprising a sense impression modality and a sense impression area.
18 . The wearable device of claim 17 , wherein the separate electronic device comprises the virtual reality environment.
19 . The wearable device of claim 18 , wherein the sense impression modality is selected from:
a pressure sense impression;
a temperature sense impression;
a texture sense impression; or
a time-varying mechanical sense impression.
20 . The wearable device of claim 15 , wherein:
the sensory impression is evoked at a user's fingertip; and
the stimulation is executed in response to a user's interaction with a virtual object in the virtual reality environment.