Haptically enabled flexible devices

1. A haptic effect enabled flexible device comprising:

a flexible frame;

a processor located within the flexible frame and configured to receive a data stream, wherein the data stream comprises audio content and visual content;

a flexible display coupled to the flexible frame and configured to display the visual content;

an audio output coupled to the flexible frame and configured to output the audio content;

a haptic effects subsystem configured to store a plurality of haptic instructions; and

an actuator system configured to receive a drive command generated by the processor and configured to cause a deformation of the flexible display and the flexible frame, the deformation including a plurality of bends in the flexible display and the flexible frame,

wherein the processor is further configured

to generate the drive command according to the plurality of haptic instructions, and

to synchronize the deformation of the flexible display and the flexible frame with at least one of the display of the visual content and the output of the audio content.

2. The haptic effect enabled flexible device of claim 1 , wherein execution of the plurality of haptic instructions is synchronized with the display of the visual content.

3. The haptic effect enabled flexible device of claim 1 , wherein the execution of the plurality of haptic instructions is synchronized with the output of the audio content.

4. The haptic effect enabled flexible device of claim 1 , wherein the data stream further comprises the plurality of haptic instructions.

5. The haptic effect enabled flexible device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of haptic instructions are authored prior to a receipt of the data stream.

6. The haptic effect enabled flexible device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of haptic instructions is automatically generated by the processor based on the visual content.

7. The haptic effect enabled flexible device of claim 1 , wherein a deformation occurs along three axes.

8. The haptic effect enabled flexible device of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor subsystem configured to detect an interaction.

9. The haptic effect enabled flexible device of claim 8 , wherein the interaction is a force applied to the flexible display.

10. A method of deforming a flexible device, comprising:

receiving a data stream, wherein the data stream comprises audio content and visual content;

extracting the audio content and the visual content from the data stream;

displaying the visual content on a flexible display coupled to a flexible frame;

outputting the audio content by an audio output unit;

executing, by a processor, a plurality of haptic instructions to generate a drive command to control an actuator system configured to cause a deformation of the flexible display and the flexible frame, the deformation including a plurality of bends in the flexible display and the flexible frame; and

synchronizing the deformation of the flexible display and the flexible frame with at least one of the display of the visual content and the output of the audio content.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the deformation of the flexible display and the flexible frame is synchronized with the display of the visual content.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the deformation of the flexible display and the flexible frame is synchronized with the output of the audio content.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the data stream further comprises the plurality of haptic instructions.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of haptic instructions is authored prior to the receiving of the data stream.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising generating the plurality of haptic instructions automatically by the processor based on the visual content.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the deformation occurs along three axes.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to implement haptic effects, the implementing comprising:

receiving a data stream, wherein the data stream comprises audio content and visual content;

extracting the audio content and the visual content from the data stream;

displaying the visual content on a flexible display coupled to a flexible frame;

outputting the audio content by an audio output unit;

executing a plurality of haptic instructions to generate a drive command to control an actuator system configured to cause a deformation of the flexible display and the flexible frame the deformation including a plurality of bends in the flexible display and the flexible frame; and

synchronizing the deformation of the flexible display and the flexible frame with at least one of the display of the visual content and the output of the audio content.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the data stream further comprises a plurality of haptic instructions.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18 , the implementing further comprising extracting the plurality of haptic instructions from the data stream and generating, by the processor, the drive command based on the extracted plurality of haptic instructions.

20. The haptic effect enabled flexible device of claim 1 , wherein the deformation includes a bending of the flexible display and the flexible frame to draw attention to an object of interest in the visual content.

21. The haptic effect enabled flexible device of claim 1 , wherein the deformation includes a first bending of the flexible display and the flexible frame in a first direction as a visual content event is anticipated and a second bending of the flexible display and the flexible frame in a second direction opposite the first direction as the visual content event occurs.

22. The haptic effect enabled flexible device of claim 1 , wherein the deformation includes a bending of the flexible display and the flexible frame to simulate a three dimensional effect occurring in the visual content.

23. The haptic effect enabled flexible device of claim 1 , wherein the deformation includes a bending of the flexible display and the flexible frame to accentuate events occurring in the visual content.

24. The haptic effect enabled flexible device of claim 1 , wherein the deformation includes a bending of the flexible display and the flexible frame to accentuate a surprising event in the visual content.