Method and system for the presentation of information via the tactile sense

• US 8,362,883 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2009
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Design Interactive, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Design Interactive, Inc.
• Inventors: Hale, Kelly S., Johnston, Matthew, Fuchs, Sven
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US12/482,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20100328051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/407.1
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/003 using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays

Abstract

Methods are provided for communicating information via a tactile sense is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises receiving input information at a controller comprising a processor. In addition, the method comprises generating a tactile sequence from the input information according to a predetermined communication structure via the controller and transmitting the tactile sequence to a display comprising a plurality of activators. Thereafter, the method comprises outputting the tactile sequence on the display. Systems are also provided for carrying out the described methods.

Claims

1. A system for communicating information via a tactile sense comprising:

a display comprising a plurality of activators;

a controller comprising a processor and a memory configured to;

receive input information, comprising at least one of an instruction, a response, location of the display relative to an object, and context information regarding a surrounding environment;

translate the input information according to a predetermined communication structure to generate a tactile sequence; and

transmit the tactile sequence to a display comprising a plurality of activators for output of the tactile sequence on the display;

wherein the generated tactile sequence is generated from an intermediate communication from the input information according to the predetermined communication structure;

wherein the predetermined communication structure comprises a category selected from one or more of a location, a core content, or a qualifier; and

wherein the qualifier comprises a number specific to an object in the surrounding environment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the tactile sequence comprises a plurality of tactile symbols, and wherein the controller is further configured to associate components of the intermediate communication with respective ones of the plurality of tactile symbols to generate the tactile sequence.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the location comprises at least one of a direction component, and the direction component and a distant component, and wherein the core content comprises at least one of an instruction, context of the surrounding environment, an object, a status update, and a response.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the display comprises an article of clothing to be worn by a user, and wherein the article of clothing comprises a front array of activators, a back array of activators, a right activator disposed on a right side of a lower row of the front array and the back array and, and a left activator disposed on a left side of a lower row of the front array and the back array, wherein the right activator and the left activator define a circular belt on a bottom portion of the display.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an input device configured to provide the input information to the controller.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the input device is a global positioning system.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the input device comprises a plurality of sensors, and further comprising a query interface configured to request that the input information be sent from the sensors to the controller.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the number comprises a designation for the object, a direction to the object, and/or a space to the object.

9. A method for communicating information via a tactile sense comprising:

receiving input information, comprising at least one of an instruction, a response, location of a display relative to an object in direction and space, and context information regarding a surrounding environment, at a controller comprising a processor;

generating a tactile sequence from the input information according to a predetermined communication structure via the controller;

transmitting the tactile sequence to the display comprising a plurality of activators; and

outputting the tactile sequence on the display;

wherein the generating a tactile sequence comprises generating an intermediate communication from the input information according to the predetermined communication structure;

wherein the predetermined communication structure comprises a category selected from one or more of a location, a core content, or a qualifier; and

wherein the qualifier comprises providing a number of a specific object in the surrounding environment.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the number of the specific object comprises a designation for the specific object, a direction to the specific object, and/or a space to the specific object.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the tactile sequence comprises a plurality of tactile symbols, and wherein the generating a tactile sequence further comprises associating components of the intermediate communication with respective ones of the plurality of tactile symbols to generate the tactile sequence.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the location comprises at least one of a direction component, and the direction component and a distant component.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the core content comprises at least one of an instruction, context information regarding the surrounding environment, an object, a status update, and a response.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the display comprises an article of clothing to be worn by a user, and wherein the article of clothing comprises a front array of activators, a back array of activators, a right activator disposed on a right side of a lower row of the front array and the back array and, and a left activator disposed on a left side of a lower row of the front array and the back array, wherein the right activator and the left activator define a circular belt on a bottom portion of the display.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the display is worn by a user, and wherein the receiving input information comprises input information from an input device located at a distance from the controller.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the input device is a global positioning system.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the input device comprises one or more sensors to determine at least one of a current location of the display, a current position of the display, and a current environmental state surrounding the display, and further comprising requesting the input information from the sensors via a query interface.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the controller further comprises a memory.