Digital clay apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A method for controlling shape of a digital clay device, the method comprising:
- determining a desired position of a skeleton structure portion residing in the digital clay device;
determining a volumetric change of a fluid residing in a fluid cell, the determined volumetric change corresponding to the determined desired position of the skeleton structure portion;
opening a valve so that the fluid flows through the valve thereby causing the determined volumetric change of the fluid residing in the fluid cell; and
adjusting a position of the skeleton structure portion corresponding to the desired position of the skeleton structure portion, the position adjustment caused by a force generated by the fluid cell on the skeleton structure portion when volume of the fluid cell changes in response to the determined volumetric change of the fluid residing in the fluid cell.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for controlling the surface and/or volume of a digital clay device is provided. One embodiment, among others, is a method comprising the following steps: determining a desired position of a skeleton structure portion residing in the digital clay device, determining a volumetric change of fluid residing in a fluid cell, the determined volumetric change corresponding to the determined desired position of the skeleton structure portion, opening a valve so that the fluid flows through the valve thereby causing the determined volumetric change of the fluid, and adjusting a position of the skeleton structure portion corresponding to the desired position of the skeleton structure portion, the position adjustment caused by a force generated by the fluid cell on the skeleton structure portion when the volume of the fluid cell changes in response to the determined volumetric change of the fluid residing in the fluid cell.
19 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A method for controlling shape of a digital clay device, the method comprising:
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determining a desired position of a skeleton structure portion residing in the digital clay device; determining a volumetric change of a fluid residing in a fluid cell, the determined volumetric change corresponding to the determined desired position of the skeleton structure portion; opening a valve so that the fluid flows through the valve thereby causing the determined volumetric change of the fluid residing in the fluid cell; and adjusting a position of the skeleton structure portion corresponding to the desired position of the skeleton structure portion, the position adjustment caused by a force generated by the fluid cell on the skeleton structure portion when volume of the fluid cell changes in response to the determined volumetric change of the fluid residing in the fluid cell. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for controlling shape of a digital clay device, the method comprising:
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determining a desired position of a skeleton structure portion residing in the digital clay device; determining a volumetric change of a fluid residing in a fluid cell, the determined volumetric change corresponding to the determined desired position of the skeleton structure portion; changing volume of the fluid in the fluid cell thereby causing the determined volumetric change of the fluid residing in the fluid cell; and adjusting a position of the skeleton structure portion corresponding to the desired position of the skeleton structure portion, the position adjustment caused by a force generated by the fluid cell on the skeleton structure portion when the volume of the fluid cell changes in response to the determined volumetric change of the fluid residing in the fluid cell.
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12. A method for sensing shape of a digital clay device, the method comprising:
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determining an initial position of a skeleton structure portion residing in the digital clay device; sensing a pressure change in a fluid cell, the pressure change corresponding to an external force applied to an exterior portion of the digital clay device; opening a valve in response to the sensed pressure change such that fluid residing in the fluid cell exits the fluid cell; sensing flow of the fluid through the valve; closing the valve when the sensed pressure change is reduced to at least a predefined value, the reduced pressure change resulting from the exit of fluid from the fluid cell, such that flow of the fluid through the valve stops; determining a volumetric change in the fluid from the sensed flow after the valve is closed; and determining a change in the position of the skeleton structure portion based upon the determined volumetric change. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for sensing shape of a digital clay device, the method comprising:
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determining an initial position of a skeleton structure portion residing in the digital clay device; sensing a pressure change in a fluid cell, the pressure change corresponding to an external force applied to an exterior portion of the digital clay device; changing a volume of fluid residing in the fluid cell; ending the volume change of the fluid when the sensed pressure change corresponds to at least a predefined value, the pressure change resulting from the volume change of the fluid in the fluid cell; determining a volumetric change in the fluid from the sensed flow after ending the fluid removal; and determining a change in the position of the skeleton structure portion based upon the determined volumetric change.
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20. A system which controls a surface of a digital clay device, comprising:
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a processor system; a plurality of modules, each one of the plurality of modules further comprising; at least one fluid cell, the fluid cell configured to hold a fluid; at lease one valve, the valve controlled by the processor system; and at least one sensor coupled to the valve, the sensor configured to sense flow of the fluid through the valve such that a volumetric change of the fluid residing in the fluid cell is determinable by the processor system; and a covering having a plurality of surface portions, the covering being flexible and forming the surface of the digital clay device, each one of the surface portions coupled to selected ones of the plurality of modules such that a position of each one of the plurality of surface portions is controllable and determinable, the position of each one of the plurality of surface portions corresponding to an amount of the fluid residing in the corresponding fluid cell. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system for sensing shape of a digital clay device, comprising:
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means for determining a desired position of a skeleton structure portion residing in the digital clay device; means for determining a volumetric change of a fluid residing in a fluid cell, the determined volumetric change corresponding to the determined desired position of the skeleton structure portion; means for changing the volume of fluid in the fluid cell thereby causing the determined volumetric change of the fluid residing in the fluid cell; and means for adjusting a position of the skeleton structure portion corresponding to the desired position of the skeleton structure portion, the position adjustment caused by a force generated by the fluid cell on the skeleton structure portion when the volume of the fluid cell changes in response to the determined volumetric change of the fluid residing in the fluid cell. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A computer readable medium having a program for sensing shape of a digital clay device, the program comprising logic configured to perform:
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determining a desired position of a skeleton structure portion residing in the digital clay device; determining a volumetric change of a fluid residing in a fluid cell, the determined volumetric change corresponding to the determined desired position of the skeleton structure portion; communicating a first control signal to a valve such that the valve opens so that the fluid flows through the valve thereby causing the determined volumetric change of the fluid residing in the fluid cell; and communicating a second control signal to the valve such that the valve closes when position of the skeleton structure portion adjusts the desired position of the skeleton structure portion, the position adjustment caused by a force generated by the fluid cell on the skeleton structure portion when the volume of the fluid cell changes in response to the determined volumetric change of the fluid residing in the fluid cell.
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33. A system which senses shape of a digital clay device, comprising:
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means for determining an initial position of a skeleton structure portion residing in the digital clay device; means for sensing a pressure change in a fluid cell, the pressure change corresponding to an external force applied to an exterior portion of the digital clay device; means for adjusting volume of a fluid in the fluid cell in response to the sensed pressure change such that fluid residing in the fluid cell exits the fluid cell; means for sensing flow of the fluid from the fluid cell; means for ending flow of the fluid through the fluid cell when the sensed pressure change is reduced to at least a predefined value, the reduced pressure change resulting from the exit of fluid from the fluid cell; means for determining a volumetric change in the fluid after ending the flow of fluid; and means for determining a change in the position of the skeleton structure portion based upon the determined volumetric change of the fluid. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A computer readable medium having a program for sensing shape of a digital clay device, the program comprising logic configured to perform:
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determining an initial position of a skeleton structure portion residing in the digital clay device; sensing a pressure change in a plurality of fluid cells, the pressure change corresponding to an external force applied to an exterior portion of the digital clay device; opening at least one valve in response to the sensed pressure change such that fluid residing in the fluid cell exits the fluid cell; sensing flow of the fluid through the valve; closing the valve when the sensed pressure change is reduced to at least a predefined value, the reduced pressure change resulting from the exit of fluid from the fluid cell, such that flow of the fluid through the valve stops; determining a volumetric change in the fluid from the sensed flow after the valve is closed; and determining a change in the position of the skeleton structure portion based upon the determined volumetric change.
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37. A method for controlling shape of a surface using a digital clay device, the method comprising:
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determining a desired position of at least one surface portion; determining a volumetric change of a fluid residing in a fluid cell, the determined volumetric change corresponding to the determined desired position of the surface portion; changing volume of the fluid in the fluid cell, thereby causing the determined volumetric change of the fluid residing in the fluid cell; and adjusting a position of the surface portion corresponding to the desired position of the surface portion, the position adjustment caused by a force generated by the fluid cell when the volume of the fluid cell changes in response to the determined volumetric change of the fluid residing in the fluid cell. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A method for sensing shape of a surface using a digital clay device, the method comprising:
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determining an initial position of a surface portion; sensing a pressure change in a fluid cell, the pressure change corresponding to an external force applied to the surface portion; changing volume of the fluid in the fluid cell; sensing flow of the fluid removed from the fluid cell; ending the fluid flow when the sensed pressure change is reduced to at least a predefined value, the reduced pressure change resulting from the exit of fluid from the fluid cell; determining a volumetric change in the fluid from the sensed flow; and determining a change in the position of the surface portion based upon the determined volumetric change. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45)
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Specification