Haptic feedback device using electro-rheological fluid

1. A haptic feedback device, comprising:

a first layer that includes a plurality of discrete fluid chambers;

a second layer coupled to the first layer, wherein the second layer includes a plurality of interconnected micro-chambers that contain an electro-rheological fluid and the plurality of interconnected micro-chambers are in fluid communication with each other; and

a plurality of electrodes positioned on opposite first and second sides of the plurality of interconnected micro-chambers.

2. The haptic feedback device of claim 1 , wherein the haptic feedback device comprises a glove configured to be worn on a hand of a person.

3. The haptic feedback device of claim 2 , wherein the glove includes a plurality of fingers and a palm and each of the plurality of discrete fluid chambers corresponds to a different one of the plurality of fingers or the palm.

4. The haptic feedback device of claim 2 , wherein:

the glove includes a plurality of fingers and a palm;

the plurality of discrete fluid chambers are divided into a plurality of subsets;

each of the plurality of subsets includes multiple discrete fluid chambers; and

each of the plurality of subsets corresponds to a different one of the plurality of fingers or the palm.

5. The haptic feedback device of claim 1 , wherein:

the second layer comprises first and second films that contain the electro-rheological fluid therebetween; and

each of the plurality of electrodes is substantially enclosed within a respective one of the first or second films.

6. The haptic feedback device of claim 1 , wherein:

each of the plurality of electrodes includes a strip of substantially conductive material;

each of a first subset of the plurality of electrodes positioned on the first side of the plurality of interconnected micro-chambers is aligned in a first direction; and

each of a second subset of the plurality of electrodes positioned on the second side of the plurality of interconnected micro-chambers is aligned in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction.

7. The haptic feedback device of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second layers comprises a resin film that includes one or more of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate (PC), polyimide, polyamide, or polyamide-imide (PAI).

8. The haptic feedback device of claim 1 , wherein the electro-rheological fluid has a yield stress greater than 100 kilopascals (kPa).

9. The haptic feedback device of claim 8 , wherein the electro-rheological fluid has a yield stress of about 200 kPa.

10. The haptic feedback device of claim 1 , wherein the electro-rheological fluid comprises solid particles dispersed in an oil.

11. The haptic feedback device of claim 10 , wherein the solid particles include at least one of: titanium oxide (“TiO 2 ”) polyaniline, microencapsulated polyaniline, poly(naphthalene quinone) radical, or poly(p-phenylene).

12. The haptic feedback device of claim 10 , wherein the oil includes silicon oil.

13. The haptic feedback device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrodes are configured to selectively and independently apply an electric field across each of the plurality of interconnected micro-chambers.

14. A system, comprising:

a haptic feedback device, wherein the haptic feedback device comprises:

a first layer that includes a plurality of discrete fluid chambers;

a second layer coupled to the first layer, wherein the second layer includes a plurality of interconnected micro-chambers that contain an electro-rheological fluid; and

a plurality of electrodes positioned on opposite first and second sides of the plurality of interconnected micro-chambers;

a pressure source hydraulically coupled to the plurality of discrete fluid chambers;

a power source electrically coupled to the plurality of electrodes; and

a control module electrically coupled to the pressure source and the power source.

15. The system of claim 14 , further comprising a fluid configured to be used by the pressure source to selectively pressurize the plurality of discrete fluid chambers included in the haptic feedback device.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the fluid comprises a gas or liquid with a substantially uniform viscosity.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the fluid includes air, water or oil.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the fluid has a viscosity between about 0 centipoise (“cP”) and about 800 cP.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the fluid has a viscosity between about 0.0018 cP and about 100 cP.

20. The system of claim 14 , wherein the control module is configured to provide a data signal to the pressure source and the power source that represents a state of contact between the person and a virtual object.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein:

the pressure source is configured to selectively pressurize a subset of the plurality of discrete fluid chambers according to the data signal; and

the power source is configured to selectively apply an electric field through a subset of the plurality of electrodes across a subset of the plurality of interconnected micro-chambers to alter an apparent viscosity of a portion of the electro-rheological fluid contained in the subset of the plurality of interconnected micro-chambers according to the data signal.

22. A method to haptically represent virtual objects in an augmented reality space, the method comprising:

selectively pressurizing a subset of a plurality of discrete fluid chambers included in a first layer of a haptic feedback device;

generating a hardness distribution in a second layer of the haptic feedback device, the second layer being coupled to the first layer; and

transmitting pressure from the first layer through the hardness distribution of the second layer to evoke a haptic sense indicative of contact with the virtual object and a force sense indicative of a hardness of the virtual object.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein generating the hardness distribution in the second layer includes selectively applying an electric field across a subset of a plurality of interconnected micro-chambers of the second layer to alter an apparent viscosity of a portion of an electro-rheological fluid contained in the subset of the plurality of interconnected micro-chambers, wherein the electro-rheological fluid is contained throughout the plurality of interconnected micro-chambers.

24. The method of claim 23 , further comprising increasing a magnitude of the applied electric field to increase a magnitude of the hardness of the virtual object perceived by a person that wears the haptic feedback device.

25. The method of claim 23 , further comprising decreasing a magnitude of the applied electric field to decrease a magnitude of the hardness of the virtual object perceived by a person that wears the haptic feedback device.

26. The method of claim 22 , wherein the haptic feedback device comprises:

a first layer that includes a plurality of discrete fluid chambers;

a second layer coupled to the first layer, wherein the second layer includes a plurality of interconnected micro-chambers that contain an electro-rheological fluid; and

a plurality of electrodes positioned on opposite first and second sides of the plurality of interconnected micro-chambers.

27. A haptic feedback device, comprising:

a first layer that includes a plurality of discrete fluid chambers;

a second layer coupled to the first layer, wherein the second layer includes a plurality of interconnected micro-chambers that contain an electro-rheological fluid; and

a plurality of electrodes positioned on opposite first and second sides of the plurality of interconnected micro-chambers, wherein the haptic feedback device comprises a glove.

28. The haptic feedback device of claim 27 , wherein the glove includes a plurality of fingers and a palm and each of the plurality of discrete fluid chambers corresponds to a different one of the plurality of fingers or the palm.

29. The haptic feedback device of claim 27 , wherein:

the glove includes a plurality of fingers and a palm;

the plurality of discrete fluid chambers are divided into a plurality of subsets;

each of the plurality of subsets includes multiple discrete fluid chambers; and

each of the plurality of subsets corresponds to a different one of the plurality of fingers or the palm.

30. The haptic feedback device of claim 27 , wherein the electro-rheological fluid has a yield stress greater than 100 kilopascals (kPA).

31. A haptic feedback device, comprising:

a first layer that includes a plurality of discrete fluid chambers;

a second layer coupled to the first layer, wherein the second layer includes a plurality of interconnected micro-chambers that contain an electro-rheological fluid; and

a plurality of electrodes positioned on opposite first and second sides of the plurality of interconnected micro-chambers, wherein:

each of the plurality of electrodes includes a strip of substantially conductive material;

each of a first subset of the plurality of electrodes positioned on the first side of the plurality of interconnected micro-chambers is aligned in a first direction; and

each of a second subset of the plurality of electrodes positioned on the second side of the plurality of interconnected micro-chambers is aligned in a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction.

32. The haptic feedback device of claim 31 , wherein:

the second layer comprises first and second films that contain the electro-rheological fluid therebetween; and

each of the plurality of electrodes is substantially enclosed within a respective one of the first or second films.

33. The haptic feedback device of claim 31 , wherein the electro-rheological fluid comprises solid particles dispersed in an oil.

34. The haptic feedback device of claim 31 , wherein the plurality of electrodes are configured to selectively and independently apply an electric field across each of the plurality of interconnected micro-chambers.