Haptic apparatus

• US 20060047342A1
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Southern California
• Original Assignee: University of Southern California
• Inventors: Khoshnevis, Behrokh
• Granted Patent: US 7,495,654 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/17.160
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves

Abstract

A haptic apparatus may include a plate element positionable to extend over an anatomical segment of a user, and an elongate member coupled to the plate element and configured to be movably mounted onto the anatomical segment so as to remain substantially vertical and substantially perpendicular to the anatomical segment while the anatomical segment undergoes a motion. The haptic apparatus may further include a motion restrictor responsive to a control signal to impede the motion of the anatomical segment by generating an opposing force along the elongate member in a direction normal to the anatomical segment, thereby providing tactile feedback to the user.

Claims

1. A haptic apparatus comprising:

a plate element positionable to extend over an anatomical segment of a user;

an elongate member coupled to the plate element and configured to be movably mounted onto the anatomical segment so as to remain substantially vertical and substantially perpendicular to the anatomical segment while the anatomical segment undergoes a motion; and

a motion restrictor responsive to a control signal to impede the motion of the anatomical segment by generating an opposing force along the elongate member in a direction normal to the anatomical segment, thereby providing tactile feedback to the user.

2. The haptic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plate element comprises an exoskeleton plate.

3. The haptic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opposing force generated by the motion restrictor comprises a bidirectional force that includes both an upward component and a downward component along the elongate member.

4. The haptic apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the motion restrictor comprises an actuator coupled to the elongate member and the anatomical segment;

and

wherein the actuator is responsive to the control signal to cause the elongate member to become engaged onto an edge of the plate element, thereby impeding further motion of the elongate member and the anatomical segment.

5. The haptic apparatus of claim 4,

wherein the elongate member comprises a toothed blade that is rotatably mountable onto the anatomical segment, and

wherein the actuator comprises a rotation actuator configured to be disposed over the anatomical segment, the rotation actuator being responsive to the control signal to activate rotation of the blade so as to engage teeth of the blade onto the edge of the exoskeleton plate.

6. The haptic apparatus of claim 5,

wherein the rotation actuator comprises at least one of a rotary solenoid and an electric motor.

7. The haptic apparatus of claim 5, wherein the rotation actuator comprises:

a linear solenoid; and

a sheathed cable operable to be pulled by the linear solenoid

8. The haptic apparatus of claim 5, wherein the rotation actuator comprises:

a rotary solenoid; and

a sheathed cable including a core element, the core element including a shaped memory wire.

9. The haptic apparatus of claim 1,

further comprising a slider block configured to couple the elongate member to the plate element.

10. The haptic apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the motion restrictor comprises a latch mechanism configured to drive one or more pins into corresponding apertures in the elongate member and the plate element when supplied with electric power.

11. The haptic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to sense the motion of the anatomical segment and to compute the relative position of the anatomical segment with respect to a virtual object, the controller further configured to generate the control signal upon detecting a collision in virtual space between the virtual object and a virtual segment representing the anatomical segment.

12. The haptic apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a position sensor configured to detect a position and a motion of the anatomical segment; and

a controller responsive to information from the position sensor relating to the detected position and motion of the anatomical segment to compute the relative position of the anatomical segment with respect to a virtual object, and to generate the control signal upon detecting a collision in virtual space between the virtual object and a virtual segment representing the anatomical segment.

13. The haptic apparatus of claim 1,

wherein the anatomical segment comprises a finger segment,

wherein the plate element is pivotable toward a palm of the user'"'"'s hand, and

further comprising a restriction mechanism configured to restrict the pivoting motion of the plate element so as to provide to the user force feedback relating to grasping of an elastic object.

14. The haptic apparatus of claim 13, wherein the restriction mechanism comprises at least one of:

a servo motor; and

a restraining cable connected to the plate element and operable to restrain the pivoting motion of the plate element.

15. The haptic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plate element comprises at least one of a carbon composite material and a polycarbonate material.

16. The haptic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plate element is sideways pivotable, and further comprising at least one sheet element attached to a base of the plate element, the at least one sheet element extending from a side of the anatomical segment and configured to transfer a sideway motion of the anatomical segment to the plate element.

17. A haptic apparatus comprising:

a plurality of assemblies, each assembly comprising;

an exoskeleton plate positionable so as to extend over an anatomical segment of a user;

an elongate member coupled to the exoskeleton plate and configured to be movably mounted onto the anatomical segment so as to remain substantially vertical and substantially perpendicular to the anatomical segment while the anatomical segment undergoes a motion; and

a motion restrictor responsive to a control signal to impede the motion of the anatomical segment by generating an opposing feedback force along the elongate member in a direction normal to the anatomical segment, thereby providing tactile feedback to the user.

18. The haptic apparatus of claim 17,

wherein in each of the plurality of haptic assemblies, the elongate member comprises a toothed blade that is rotatably mountable onto the anatomical segment, and

wherein in each of the plurality of haptic assemblies, the actuator comprises a rotation actuator configured to be disposed over the anatomical segment, the rotation actuator being responsive to the control signal to activate rotation of the blade to engage teeth of the blade onto the edge of the exoskeleton plate.

19. The haptic apparatus of claim 17,

further comprising a controller configured to sense the motion of an anatomical segment and the relative position of the anatomical segment with respect to a virtual object, the controller further configured to generate the control signal upon detecting a collision in virtual space between the virtual object and a virtual segment representing the anatomical segment.

20. A haptic apparatus comprising:

an exoskeleton plate positionable so as to extend over an anatomical segment of a user;

an elongate member coupled to the exoskeleton plate and configured to be movably mounted onto the anatomical segment so as to remain substantially perpendicular to the anatomical segment while the anatomical segment undergoes a motion; and

force feedback means responsive to a control signal for impeding the motion of the anatomical segment by generating an opposing feedback force along the elongate member in a direction normal to the anatomical segment, thereby providing tactile feedback to the user.

21. A method comprising:

movably mounting an elongate member to an anatomical segment of a user so that the elongate member remains substantially vertical and perpendicular to the anatomical segment while the anatomical segment undergoes a motion;

sensing a change in the position of the anatomical segment with respect to a virtual object during the motion; and

upon detection of an imminent collision between the anatomical segment and the virtual object, impeding further motion of the anatomical segment by generating an opposing force along the elongate member in a direction normal to the anatomical segment, thereby providing tactile feedback to the user.