Haptic effect enabled system using fluid
First Claim
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1. A haptic enabled apparatus comprising:
- a fluid including a liquid metal;
an electrolyte;
a substrate being at least partially flexible and defining a channel, the fluid and the electrolyte being positioned within at least a portion of the channel, and a portion of the substrate proximal to the fluid being stiffer than a portion of the substrate spaced from the fluid; and
wherein the fluid moves through the channel and displaces the electrolyte within the channel in response to an artificially-generated field, and a stiffness of the substrate changes in response to the fluid moving through the channel to deliver a haptic effect.
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Abstract
A haptic effect enabled system generates a haptic effect using an electric potential responsive fluid. A haptic enabled apparatus includes a fluid and a substrate. The fluid is responsive to an electric field. The substrate is at least partially flexible and defines a channel. The fluid is positioned within at least a portion of the channel. A portion of the substrate proximal to the fluid is stiffer than a portion of the substrate spaced from the fluid, thereby creating a haptic effect.
19 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A haptic enabled apparatus comprising:
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a fluid including a liquid metal; an electrolyte; a substrate being at least partially flexible and defining a channel, the fluid and the electrolyte being positioned within at least a portion of the channel, and a portion of the substrate proximal to the fluid being stiffer than a portion of the substrate spaced from the fluid; and wherein the fluid moves through the channel and displaces the electrolyte within the channel in response to an artificially-generated field, and a stiffness of the substrate changes in response to the fluid moving through the channel to deliver a haptic effect. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of automatically generating a haptic effect, the method comprising:
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generating an artificially-generated field, the artificially-generated field embodying information to communicate to a user through a haptic effect; moving fluid through a channel defined in a flexible substrate and displaces an electrolyte within the channel in response to the artificially-generated field, the fluid including a liquid metal; increasing a stiffness of at least a portion of the flexible substrate in response to the fluid moving through the channel, the increasing of the stiffness generating the haptic effect and communicating the information. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A haptic enabled apparatus wearable by a person, the apparatus comprising:
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a wearable article; a fluid, the fluid being responsive to an artificially-generated field, the fluid comprising a liquid metal and an electrolyte; a substrates operably connected to the wearable article, the substrate being at least partially flexible and defining a channel, the fluid being positioned within at least a portion of the channel and a portion of the substrate proximal to the fluid being stiffer than a portion of the substrate spaced from the fluid; first and second electrodes, the first and second electrodes positioned proximal to opposite ends of the channel; a controller electrically connected to the first and second electrodes, the controller configured to generate an electrical signal, the electrical signal embodying information to communicate through a haptic effect, the electrical signal generating the artificially-generated field when applied to the first and second electrodes; wherein, when the artificially-generated field has one polarity, an oxide is deposited on the liquid metal and the liquid metal flows through the channel in one direction and increases a stiffness of the substrate to deliver the haptic effect and communicate the information; and wherein, when the artificially-generated field has an opposite polarity, the oxide is removed from the liquid metal and the liquid metal flows through the channel in an opposite direction and the stiffness of the substrate is decreased.
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Specification