Multidirectional controller with shear feedback
First Claim
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1. A multidirectional controller with shear feedback, comprising:
- a stationary body;
a movable body;
a tactor disposed in connection with the movable body or the stationary body, such that the tactor has at least one degree of freedom of motion with respect to the body in connection with which it is disposed and has a contact surface that is operable to engage a target area of a user'"'"'s skin;
an opening defined in an outer surface of the moveable body or the stationary body, an uppermost portion of the contact surface of the tactor being within the opening or recessed below the opening;
a restraint adjacent to and disposed in the outer surface, the restraint restraining the user'"'"'s skin adjacent the target area, the restraint having an upper edge and a lower edge with a sloped surface therebetween, the opening being located at the lower edge of the restraint; and
an actuator capable of moving the tactor.
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Abstract
A multidirectional control system with shear feedback, comprising at least one stationary body, a plurality of tactors disposed within the at least one movable body or the at least one stationary body. In some embodiments, a moveable body is included, such that the tactors have at least one degree of freedom of motion with respect to the stationary body or the moveable body within which they are disposed and are operable to engage target areas of a user'"'"'s skin; and a plurality of actuators capable of moving the tactors.
125 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A multidirectional controller with shear feedback, comprising:
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a stationary body; a movable body; a tactor disposed in connection with the movable body or the stationary body, such that the tactor has at least one degree of freedom of motion with respect to the body in connection with which it is disposed and has a contact surface that is operable to engage a target area of a user'"'"'s skin; an opening defined in an outer surface of the moveable body or the stationary body, an uppermost portion of the contact surface of the tactor being within the opening or recessed below the opening; a restraint adjacent to and disposed in the outer surface, the restraint restraining the user'"'"'s skin adjacent the target area, the restraint having an upper edge and a lower edge with a sloped surface therebetween, the opening being located at the lower edge of the restraint; and an actuator capable of moving the tactor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A multidirectional controller with shear feedback, comprising:
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a stationary body; a tactor disposed in connection with the stationary body, such that the tactor has at least one degree of freedom of motion with respect to the stationary body and has a contact surface that is operable to engage a target area of a user'"'"'s skin; an opening defined in an outer surface of the moveable body or the stationary body, an uppermost portion of the contact surface of the tactor being disposed within the opening or recessed below the opening; a restraint adjacent to and disposed in the outer surface, the restraint restraining the user'"'"'s skin surrounding the target area, the restraint having an upper edge and a lower edge with a sloped surface therebetween, the opening being located at the lower edge of the restraint, wherein the sloped surface surrounds the opening; and an actuator capable of moving the tactor. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of providing a directional feedback, comprising:
directing a computer system to instruct at least one tactor of a multidirectional controller to move from an original location to an instructed location, such that the direction of a vector determined by the original location and the instructed location of the at least one tactor is the direction that corresponds to the directional feedback intended to be provided to the user, the multi directional controller including; a stationary body; a movable body, the at least one tactor being disposed in connection with the movable body or the stationary body, such that the at least one tactor has at least one degree of freedom of motion with respect to the body in connection with which it is disposed and has a contact surface that is operable to engage a target area of a user'"'"'s skin; an opening defined in an outer surface of the moveable body or the stationary body, an uppermost portion of the contact surface of the at least one tactor being within the opening or recessed below the opening; a restraint adjacent to and disposed in the outer surface, the restraint restraining the user'"'"'s skin adjacent the target area, the restraint having an upper edge and a lower edge with a sloped surface therebetween, the opening being located at the lower edge of the restraint; and an actuator capable of moving the at least one tactor. - View Dependent Claims (26)
Specification