Systems and Methods For Providing A Haptic Manipulandum

• US 20090073124A1
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Bailey, David W., Anastas, George, Yu, Raymond, Tashjian, Gregory
• Granted Patent: US 9,239,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/167
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a haptic manipulandum are described. In one described system, a lever arm is pivotably coupled to a housing, and configured to apply a processor-controlled force to a substantially-spherical manipulandum to provide a haptic effect. The described system may include a processor in communication with an actuator for providing the haptic effect.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an actuator configured to pivotably provide a processor-controlled force to a contacting surface in communication with a substantially-spherical manipulandum to provide a haptic effect, the actuator comprising;

a roller rotatably coupled to a lever arm configured to apply the processor-controlled force to the substantially-spherical manipulandum, the processor-controlled force generated by rotating the roller in a direction opposing the rotation of the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor-controlled force comprises a substantially-normal, processor-controlled force, the substantially-normal, processor controlled force directed substantially normal to a surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the contacting surface is configured to communicate the processor-controlled force to the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator is configured to pivotably provide the processor-controlled force to the contacting surface via the lever.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lever is configured to provide pivotable communication between the contacting surface and the substantially-spherical manipulandum.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a first actuator, the processor-controlled force comprises a first processor-controlled force, and further comprising:

a second actuator configured to provide a second processor-controlled force to the contacting surface, wherein the second processor-controlled force comprises a first component normal to a surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum and a second component tangential to the surface of the substantially-spherical manipulandum, and is associated with the first processor-controlled force.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a sensing device in communication with at least one of the substantially-spherical manipulandum, the contacting surface, the first actuator, and the second actuator.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the sensing device is configured to sense a movement of at least one of the substantially-spherical manipulandum, the contacting surface, the first actuator, and the second actuator.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a processor in communication with the sensing device and at least one of the first actuator and the second actuator, wherein the processor is configured to control the generation of at least one of the first processor-controlled force and the second processor-controlled force.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substantially-spherical manipulandum comprises a trackball.