Gloved human-machine interface

• US 9,104,271 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aaron Olowin, Blake Hannaford, Richard Adams
• Original Assignee: Aaron Olowin, Blake Hannaford, Richard Adams
• Inventors: Hannaford, Blake, Adams, Richard, Olowin, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kumar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Onyekaba, Amy C
• Application Number:
  US13/484,554
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0426 tracking fingers with respect to a virtual keyboard projected or printed on the surface virtual keyboards on touch screens G06F3/04886
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a method and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise and/or relate to: tracking movement of a gloved hand of a human; interpreting a gloved finger movement of the human; and/or in response to interpreting the gloved finger movement, providing feedback to the human.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

tracking movement of a gloved hand of a human relative to a predetermined reference point, the gloved hand wearing a protective glove comprising;

a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers comprising a pressure layer that defines a hand side and an opposing distal side, wherein, when in operation, a gas that is disposed on the hand side of the pressure layer is maintained at a gas pressure that creates a predetermined pressure differential with respect to an ambient pressure exerted on the distal side, the pressure differential sufficient to substantially stiffen the pressure layer; and

a sensory output transducer operatively located adjacent to, and mechanically coupled to, the distal side of the pressure layer;

automatically interpreting an actual gloved finger movement of the human relative to the gloved hand as a predetermined finger movement for operating an input device communicatively coupled to an information device, the interpreting of the actual gloved finger movement distinct from the tracking of the movement of the gloved hand; and

in response to interpreting the actual gloved finger movement, via the sensory output transducer and across the substantially stiffened pressure layer, automatically providing feedback to the human.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the feedback though the pressure layer of the protective glove to skin of the human.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a movement of a cursor on a display, the movement corresponding to the predetermined finger movement.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rendering a character on a display, the character corresponding to the predetermined finger movement.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the human with a haptic sensation of a position of the gloved hand on a keyboard.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the human with a haptic sensation of striking a key on a keyboard.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the human with a haptic sensation of pressing a button on a computer mouse.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

via a haptic sensation, providing the human with an alert.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the feedback is provided to at least one finger of the human.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the protective glove is comprised by a space suit.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the input device is a pointing device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the input device is a character generator.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the sensory output transducer is a vibrotactile actuator.

14. A system comprising:

a hand movement tracking circuit operatively configured to track movement of a gloved hand of a human relative to a predetermined reference point, the gloved hand wearing a protective glove comprising;

a plurality of layers, the plurality of layers comprising a pressure layer that defines a hand side and an opposing distal side, wherein, when in operation, a gas that is disposed on the hand side of the pressure layer is maintained at a gas pressure that creates a predetermined pressure differential with respect to an ambient pressure exerted on the distal side, the pressure differential sufficient to substantially stiffen the pressure layer; and

a sensory output transducer configured to be operatively located adjacent to, and mechanically coupled to, the distal side of the pressure layer;

a finger movement interpretation circuit operatively configured to interpret an actual gloved finger movement of the human relative to the gloved hand as a predetermined finger movement for operating an input device communicatively coupled to an information device, the finger movement interpretation circuit distinct from the hand movement tracking circuit; and

a sensory feedback circuit operatively configured to, in response to interpreting the actual gloved finger movement, via the sensory output transducer and across the substantially stiffened pressure layer, provide feedback to the human.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the protective glove is a component of a protective suit.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the protective glove is a component of a space suit.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the sensory output transducer is a tactile sensory output transducer.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the sensory output transducer is a tactile actuator.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the sensory output transducer is a vibrotactile actuator.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the sensory output transducer is a vibrational actuator mounted on or adjacent to the pressure layer of the protective glove.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the sensory output transducer is a vibrational actuator mounted in a position operatively configured to be adjacent to a finger of the protective glove.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the sensory output transducer is operatively configured to provide tactile feedback regarding one or more control inputs received by the information system.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the sensory output transducer is operatively configured to not interfere with use of the protective glove by the human for grasping or manipulating.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the sensory output transducer is a resonant actuator comprising at least one of an electromagnetic actuator, a piezoelectric actuator, and an electro-active polymer.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein:

vibrations induced by the sensory output transducer are transported by the pressure layer of the protective glove to skin of the human and provide tactile feedback to the human of one or more control inputs to the information device.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the hand movement tracking circuit comprises at least one of an optical tracker, a magnetic tracker, a radio-frequency tracker, and an acoustic tracker.

27. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the finger movement interpretation circuit comprises at least one finger motion sensing transducer comprising at least one of a finger flexion sensor, an accelerometer, a magnetic field sensor, an optical sensor, and an electromyography sensor.

28. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the system is operatively configured to render, on a display communicatively coupled to the information device, at least one of a cursor movement event, a cursor placement event, a clicking event, a dragging event, a scrolling event, a selecting event, and a keying event.

29. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

at least one tracking target integrated into the protective glove, the at least one tracking target comprising at least one of a light emitter, a magnet, a radio-frequency coil, and a sound emitter.

30. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the system is operatively configured to interpret a change in a position of the gloved hand, and/or a position of one or more fingers of the gloved hand, as corresponding to one or more predetermined key strikes.

31. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the system is operatively configured to provide the human with a haptic sensation that the gloved hand of the human is utilizing the input device.

32. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the system is operatively configured to provide the human with a haptic sensation substantially indicating that the gloved hand of the human is utilizing a keyboard.

33. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the system is operatively configured to provide the human with a haptic sensation substantially indicating that the gloved hand of the human is utilizing a computer mouse.

34. A system comprising:

a protective glove for a hand of a human, the protective glove comprising;

a plurality of layers, each of the plurality of layers operatively configured to substantially surround the hand, the plurality of layers comprising a pressure layer that defines a hand side and an opposing distal side, wherein, when in operation, a gas that is disposed on the hand side of the pressure layer is maintained at a gas pressure that creates a predetermined pressure differential with respect to an ambient pressure exerted on the distal side, the pressure differential sufficient to substantially stiffen the pressure layer; and

a sensory output transducer configured to be operatively located adjacent to, and mechanically coupled to, the distal side of the pressure layer; and

a sensory feedback circuit operatively configured to provide tactile feedback through the substantially stiffened pressure layer to the hand of the human, the tactile feedback operatively configured to simulate a control input received by and for an information system communicatively coupled to the protective glove.