METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONVEYING AN EMOTION

• US 20110063208A1
• Filed: 05/04/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Van Den Eerenbeemd, Jacobus Maria Antonius, Lemmens, Paul Marcel Carl, Brokken, Dirk, Crompvoets, Floris Maria Hermansz
• Granted Patent: US 8,952,888 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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

The present invention relates to a method for conveying an emotion to a person being exposed to multimedia information, such as a media clip, by way of tactile stimulation using a plurality of actuators arranged in a close vicinity of the person'"'"'s body, the method comprising the step of providing tactile stimulation information for controlling the plurality of actuators, wherein the plurality of actuators are adapted to stimulate multiple body sites in a body region, the tactile stimulation information comprises a sequence of tactile stimulation patterns, wherein each tactile stimulation pattern controls the plurality of actuators in time and space to enable the tactile stimulation of the body region, and the tactile stimulation information is synchronized with the media clip. An advantage with the present invention is thus that emotions can be induced, or strengthened, at the right time (e.g. synchronized with a specific situation in the media clip).

Claims

1. A method for conveying an emotion to a person being exposed to multimedia information, by way of tactile stimulation using a plurality of actuators arranged in a vicinity of the person'"'"'s body, the method comprising the step of providing tactile stimulation information for controlling the plurality of actuators, wherein:

the plurality of actuators are adapted to stimulate multiple body sites in a body region;

the tactile stimulation information comprises a sequence of tactile stimulation patterns, wherein each tactile stimulation pattern controls the plurality of actuators in time and space to enable the tactile stimulation of the body region; and

the tactile stimulation information is synchronized with the multimedia information.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the body region is a portion of the body selected from the group of shoulder, back, chest, torso, neck, spine, heart-area, lung-area, belly, arms.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the tactile stimulation information further comprises a set of signal shapes, wherein each signal shape provides a drive signal for an actuator.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the tactile stimulation patterns is configured for a first and a second of said plurality of actuators to be timed in a way that a “

virtual actuator”

occurs in between these actuators.

5. Method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of registering the emotional state of the person using a sensor arrangement.

9. A metadata file comprising:

media information including at least one of audio information and video information; and

tactile stimulation information;

wherein the media information and the tactile stimulation information are synchronized in time, and the tactile stimulation information comprises;

a set of signal shapes, each signal shape defining a drive signal for an actuator;

a tactile stimulation pattern, configured to control which actuators are active at a specific time, and for each active actuator specify which signal shape to apply; and

a pattern sequence controlling which tactile stimulation patterns that should be applied at a specific time, further comprising a plurality of sensors to be used with the method according to claim 5.

6. A metadata file comprising:

media information including at least one of audio information and video information; and

tactile stimulation information;

wherein the media information and the tactile stimulation information are synchronized in time, and the tactile stimulation information comprises;

a set of signal shapes, each signal shape defining a drive signal for an actuator;

a tactile stimulation pattern, configured to control which actuators are active at a specific time, and for each active actuator specify which signal shape to apply; and

a pattern sequence controlling which tactile stimulation patterns that should be applied at a specific time.

7. Metadata file according to claim 6, wherein each shape has an amplitude over time configured to induce an emotion.

8. A tactile stimulation system for conveying an emotion to a person being exposed to a media clip, the system comprising:

a control unit for processing the metadata file according to claim 6; and

a plurality of actuators arranged to be used with a method for conveying an emotion to a person being exposed to multimedia information, by way of tactile stimulation using a plurality of actuators arranged in a vicinity of the person'"'"'s body, the method comprising the step of providing tactile stimulation information for controlling the plurality of actuators, wherein;

the plurality of actuators are adapted to stimulate multiple body sites in a body region;

the tactile stimulation information comprises a sequence of tactile stimulation patterns, wherein each tactile stimulation pattern controls the plurality of actuators in time and space to enable the tactile stimulation of the body region; and

the tactile stimulation information is synchronized with the multimedia information.

10. Tactile system according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of actuators are provided in a textile garment.