Fluid-actuated haptic device and methods for using thereof
View Patent ↗A haptic device is disclosed comprising at least one fluidic actuator operatively connectable with pumping means; and a plurality of movable members mechanically connected with said at least one fluidic actuator, wherein said movable members can perform a displacement upon actuation of the fluidic actuator and/or resist the movements of a body part of a user upon actuation of the fluidic actuator, to provide a tactile and/or force haptic sensation to a body part of a user. Methods for providing a haptic sensation to a user and receiving haptic input commands from a user are also disclosed.
1 . A haptic device comprising:
at least one fluidic actuator operatively connectable with pumping means; and
a plurality of movable members mechanically connected with said at least one fluidic actuator
wherein the at least one fluidic actuator is heat-sealed and cut from a single piece of thermoplastic material, the single piece of thermoplastic material forming a plurality of inflatable portions in the at least one fluidic actuator, wherein each inflatable portion of the plurality of inflatable portions is embedded between a pair of movable members of the plurality of moveable members;
wherein said movable members can
perform a displacement upon actuation of the fluidic actuator and/or
resist the movements of a body part of a user upon actuation of the fluidic actuator
to provide a tactile and/or force haptic sensation to a body part of a user.
2 . The haptic device of claim 1 wherein the device permits the movements of the body part of the user, with or without actuation of the fluidic actuator, to receive tactile and/or force haptic inputs from said body part.
3 . The haptic device of claim 1 , further comprising means for fixing the device to the body part of a user.
4 . The haptic device of claim 1 , wherein the displacement performed by the movable members is a relative movement of said movable members one to another.
5 . The haptic device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of inflatable portions is configured to provide, upon actuation, a displacement of more than one movable member.
6 . The haptic device of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of fluidic actuators configured to provide, upon actuation, a displacement of more than one movable member.
7 . The haptic device of claim 1 , wherein said movable members are mechanically interconnected between them.
8 . The haptic device of claim 7 , wherein said movable members are mechanically interconnected via joints.
9 . The haptic device of claim 8 , wherein said joints accommodate at least part of a fluidic actuator or an inflatable portion thereof.
10 . The haptic device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor located on at least one of the fluidic actuator(s) and a movable member.
11 . The haptic device of claim 1 , further comprising a housing for hosting said fluidic actuator(s).
12 . A system comprising the haptic device of claim 1 operatively connected with the pumping means.
13 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising a computer device operatively connected with said pumping means and/or said haptic device, said computer device comprising instructions to activate said pumping means to operate the fluidic actuator(s).
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein said computer device further comprises instructions for bidirectionally interacting with a user based on parameters sensed by sensors located on the haptic device.
15 . A method for providing a haptic feedback to a user comprising the steps of:
providing a system according to claim 12 ;
allowing the user to contact the haptic device with a body part; and
activating the pumping means to operate the fluidic actuator(s), thereby providing a displacement of said movable members and/or a resistance to the movements of the body part of the user, and therefore a tactile and/or force haptic sensation to the user.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of activating pumping means comprises varying a fluid flow within the fluidic actuator(s) over time, thereby providing a dynamic displacement of said movable members and therefore a dynamic haptic sensation to the body part of the user.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of activating pumping means comprises varying a fluid pressure within the fluidic actuator(s) over time, thereby providing a resistance with said movable members and therefore a haptic sensation to the body part of the user.
18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising a step of permitting the movements of the body part of the user, and therefore receiving tactile and/or force haptic inputs from the body part of the user.
19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein said body part is a hand.