Determination of finger position

• US 20020198472A1
• Filed: 12/05/2000
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1992
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Virtual Technologies, Inc. (Immersion Corporation)
• Inventors: Kramer, James F.
• Granted Patent: US 6,866,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1071 measuring angles, e.g. using goniometers A61B5/1123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6806 Gloves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6825 Hand
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/02 Hand grip control means handles or pedals for crane control B66C13/56; for measuring the force applied to control members G01L5/22; hand-held casings for switching devices, e.g. joy-sticks H01H9/0214
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/088 with position, velocity or acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/753 using frequency selective elements, e.g. resonator
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/874 Combination of several systems for attitude determination in general G01C, control of attitude G05D1/49
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A prescription is provided which specifies constraints, e.g., the type (revolute and/or prismatic) and the number of joints which may be included between any two position-sensing elements (PSEs), where the joints connect the links of a kinematically constrained multi-articulated structure, whereby the defining parameters of the structure may be determined using the spatial placement of the two PSEs and the kinematic constraints of the multi-articulated structure, and where at least the spatial placement of one link is not directly measured. Also provided are preferred placements of PSEs and goniometers on a kinematically constrained multi-articulated structure which will allow determination of the spatial placement of the links, where at least the spatial placement of one link is not directly measured. Revolute joint models of the articulations of the entire human body, as well as preferred PSE and goniometer locations, are provided. An algorithm is provided for determining the joint angles for a finger modeled as a 4-link planar manipulator with one PSE affixed to the fingertip and one PSE affixed to the metacarpus.

Claims

9. A system for determining a finger position, the system comprising:

a finger mount adapted to be worn on a finger of a living being, the finger mount comprising one or more of a ring, a clip, a thimble, and a false fingernail;

a position sensor comprising a position sensing element on the finger mount, the position sensor being capable of generating a signal related to the spatial position of the position sensing element; and

a data processor capable of receiving the signal and generating an output signal indicative of the spatial position of the position sensing element, whereby the spatial position of the finger may be determined.

10. A system according to claim 9 wherein the finger mount comprises a ring.

11. A system according to claim 10 wherein the ring comprises an elastic band.

12. A system according to claim 9 wherein the finger mount comprises a clip comprising flexible and separable portions.

13. A system according to claim 9 wherein the finger mount comprises a thimble.

14. A system according to claim 13 wherein the thimble comprises elastic material.

15. A system according to claim 9 wherein the finger mount comprises an artificial fingernail comprising a support adhesively attachable to a fingernail on the finger.

16. A system according to claim 9 wherein the position sensing element comprises an electromagnetic energy transmitter or an electromagnetic energy receiver.

17. A system according to claim 9 further comprising a second position sensing element positionable on another link of the finger, another finger, or a wrist of the living being.

18. A system according to claim 9 wherein the finger mount is positionable on a distal link of the finger, and further comprising a second position sensing element positionable on a proximal link of the finger separated from the distal link by an intermediate link.

19. A system according to claim 18 wherein the data processor is capable of calculating the spatial position of the intermediate link without providing a position sensing element thereon.

20. A system according to claim 9 further comprising a support structure adapted to apply a force reflection to the finger.

21. A system for determining finger position and for controlling a graphic object, the system comprising:

a finger mount adapted to be worn on a finger of a living being, the finger mount comprising one or more of a ring, a clip, a thimble, and a false fingernail;

a position sensor comprising a position sensing element on the finger mount, the position sensor being capable of generating a signal related to the spatial position of the position sensing element; and

a data processor capable of receiving the signal and generating an output signal indicative of the spatial position of the position sensing element, wherein the output signal is used to control the display of a graphic object.

22. A system according to claim 21 wherein the finger mount comprises a clip comprising flexible and separable portions.

23. A system according to claim 21 wherein the finger mount comprises a thimble comprising elastic material.

24. A system according to claim 21 wherein the graphic object is a cursor capable of interacting with a virtual object or a computer program.

25. A system according to claim 21 further comprising a support structure adapted to apply a force reflection to the body part.

26. A system according to claim 27 wherein the sensing element comprises a transmitter.

28. A system according to claim 27 wherein the finger mount comprises a clip comprising flexible and separable portions.

29. A system according to claim 27 wherein the sensing element is a position sensing element.

30. A system according to claim 27 wherein the graphic object is a cursor.

31. A system according to claim 30 wherein the cursor is capable of interacting with a virtual object or a computer program.

32. A system according to claim 27 further comprising a support structure adapted to apply a force reflection to the body part.

33. A system according to claim 27 wherein the sensing element comprises a transmitter.

34. A system according to claim 33 wherein the transmitter is wireless.

27. A system for controlling a graphic object generated by a computer, the system comprising:

a finger mount adapted to be worn on a finger of a living being, the finger mount comprising one or more of a ring, a clip, a thimble, and a false fingernail;

a sensor comprising a sensing element on the finger mount, the sensor generating a signal related to the movement of the sensing element; and

a data processor receiving the signal and generating a control signal to control the graphic object generated by the computer in relation to the movement of the sensing element.