870results about How to "Easy to Feedback" patented technology

The invention relates to an instrument for surgery, in particular minimally invasive surgery. The instrument includes means for feeding back a force which is exerted on the working element of the instrument to the operating element. These means include at least a first force sensor for measuring the force which is exerted on the working element, a control unit and a first actuator. On the basis of a signal which originates from the first force sensor, the control unit controls at least the first actuator in order to control the operating element. Furthermore, the means preferably include a first position sensor for measuring a position of the working element with respect to the frame. The control unit advantageously determines an impedance which the working element is subject to as a result of the presence of a tissue or the like, on the basis of which impedance the control unit controls at least the first actuator.

Transducers and transducer modules having the transducers are disclosed. An embodiment discloses a transducer that includes a conductive layer having a U-shaped slit toward its swing end. The slit is configured to enhance a haptic feedback or an acoustic propagation, or adjust a resonant mode.

A method and system for physiological gating is disclosed. A method and system for detecting and predictably estimating regular cycles of physiological activity or movements is disclosed. Another disclosed aspect of the invention is directed to predictive actuation of gating system components. Yet another disclosed aspect of the invention is directed to physiological gating of radiation treatment based upon the phase of the physiological activity. Gating can be performed, either prospectively or retrospectively, to any type of procedure, including radiation therapy or imaging, or other types of medical devices and procedures such as PET, MRI, SPECT, and CT scans.

A touch sensitive apparatus and method of operation to improve visual feedback and visual perception of tactile input to an operator. The apparatus includes a touch screen device or display having a touch overlay, a processor and stored program instructions in a memory in which a three-dimensional graphical image, such as a key element, is created in the apparatus and shown on the display as an input device or keypad to the processor. Each key element includes a beveled surface surrounding a flat surface. When a displayed key element is touched by a probe, such as a finger, the screen area about the displayed key element and the finger, visually enlarges or "splats" confirming the selection of the particular key. Concomitantly or simultaneously, the key element detents or depresses within the key pad, changes color and bevel size further verifying the key selection to the operator thereby creating a sense of key movement and visual perception of tactile input to the operator aiding in the operation of the key pad. The simultaneous visual key enlargement, visual detenting and change in key color and bevel size upon key selection in a touch sensitive apparatus improves the feedback to the operator in the selection and confirmation of a key element actuated by the operator.

A method and apparatus for providing force feedback to a user operating a human / computer interface device in conjunction with a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed by a host computer system. A physical object, such as a joystick or a mouse, controls a graphical object, such as a cursor, within the GUI. The GUI allows the user to interface with operating system functions implemented by the computer system. A signal is output from the host computer to the interface device to apply a force sensation to the physical object using one or more actuators. This desired force sensation is associated with at least one of the graphical objects and operating system functions of the graphical user interface and is determined by a location of the cursor in the GUI with respect to targets that are associated with the graphical objects. The graphical objects include icons, windows, pull-down menus and menu items, scroll bars (“sliders”), and buttons. The force sensation assists the user to select a desired operating system function or physically informs the user of the graphical objects encountered by the cursor within the GUI. A microprocessor local to the interface apparatus and separate from the host computer can be used to control forces on the physical object.

Comprehensive methods and systems are described for creating, managing, searching, personalizing, and monetizing a knowledge system defined over a corpus of digital content. Systems and methods are described in which a user can initiate in-depth searches of subject matter and can browse, navigate, pinpoint, and select relevant contexts, concepts, and documents to gain knowledge. Systems and methods are described in which knowledge can be personalized through tagged, personalized context, and personalized context can be shared within social and professional networks, securely and confidentially and with the desired access control. Systems and methods are described in which products and services can be advertised in context and advertising can be selected through a bidding process. Systems and methods are described by which a user can navigate contexts and concepts to obtain relevant information, products and services.

The present invention includes various embodiments of a BSA system that facilitates the collection of relevant health-related data on a continuous basis, integrates such data with pertinent personal and aggregate information, enables users to purchase (directly and indirectly) health-related goods and services, and provides credit, discounts and other economic benefits in connection with such purchases that are determined dynamically based upon the nature and extent of users' interaction with the system. The BSA system facilitates a dynamic feedback process by continually monitoring user interaction and medical and financial behavior, which results in dynamic adjustments to their credit levels and offers of discounts and other promotions, which in turn incentivizes users to continue participating in the process (thereby modifying their system interactions and behavior, and thus perpetuating this feedback loop). As a result, users are incentivized to actively participate in the process and thereby enhance their wellness while reducing healthcare costs.

The invention relates to improved solutions for information retrieval, wherein the information is represented by digitized text data. This data is further presumed to be organized in terms (431-438), documents and document corpora, where each document contains at least one term (431-438) and each document corpus contains at least one document. Based on a concept vector (420-424), which conceptually classifies the contents of each document, a term-to-concept vector is generated for each term (431-438) in the document corpus. The term-to-concept vector describes a relationship between the term (431) and each of the concept vectors (420-424). On basis of the term-to-concept vectors for the document corpus, a term-term matrix is generated which describes a term-to-term relationship between all the terms (431-438) in the document corpus. The term-term matrix may then be processed and used for retrieving information from the document corpus, such as the fact that a first term (431) is related to a second term (436).

A wireless repeater that can be remotely controlled and reconfigured, either locally or from a remote control center, after it has been installed in a customer's premises. The reconfigurable parameters and controllable settings include the frequency channel profile for the unit and the associated display profile, frequency channel selection, power level and on-off status, feedback circuit parameters, and system firmware. The communication ports for accessing the functionality of the unit include a wireless transmitter / receiver, such as an on-board wireless telephone chip, and a USB port. Once the unit has been connected to a personal computer through the USB port, the unit can be assigned an Internet IP address and addressed as network node on the Internet.

A biofeedback system including an elongated member, for feeding back sounds indicative of swing tempo of the elongated member is provided. The system comprises a plurality of acceleration measuring devices adapted to measure accelerations at a plurality of locations along the elongated member; a first microcontroller for processing the measured acceleration signals to reduce effects of gravity and forming a digital number related to an angular rotational speed raised to a power; said digital number comprising a plurality of bits; a second microcontroller for receiving the digital number and associating the bits with a plurality of groups each having an associated tonal composition and amplitude value indicative of bit content and for forming commands indicative of the tonal composition and amplitude value; and a synthesizer responsive to commands and producing an audio signal; and means for outputting the audio signal.

A multisensory interface for a tele-robotic surgical control system. The invention allows the surgeon to use natural gestures and motions to control the actions of end effectors in the robotic surgical apparatus. Multiple feedback mechanisms are provided to allow the physician a more intuitive understanding of what is being controlled, along with a greater situational awareness. Prior art robotic end effectors are inserted into the patient through a small incision—as is already known in the art. The invention presents an improved method of controlling these effectors.

A display arrangement comprises an image display device having a first camera directed towards positions adopted by users viewing the display; one or more further cameras directed towards other respective locations; a face detector for detecting human faces in images captured by the cameras; and means for detecting those faces which appear in images captured by both the first camera and at least one of the further cameras.

A method for steering control of a vehicle having an actuator which turns steered wheels of the vehicle. The steering control method comprises obtaining a location of a target point at a look-ahead distance away from the vehicle based on a maneuver the vehicle is performing, predicting a forward location of the vehicle at the look-ahead distance away from the vehicle, determining a distance between the location of the target point and the forward location, computing a normalized error by dividing the distance with the look-ahead distance, and determining a steering control command based on an integration of the normalized error. The actuator then turns the steered wheels of the vehicle according to the steering control command so as to steer the vehicle to perform various maneuvers.

Methods and apparatus are provided that help users learn to play one or more instruments by employing simplified note recognition techniques, improved feedback, and a simplified keyboard tablature. In one aspect, users are encouraged to play specified notes within a specified time frame. The pitch and duration can be represented in any suitable manner, but are advantageously displayed together as a single icon (232A–232F). Preferably, the icon has an elongated shape in which the horizontal length correlates with duration of the note, and its vertical position on a display correlates with a pitch of the note. Notes can thus be represented by elongated lines, bars, ellipses, or even missiles or arrows. In another aspect, an improved musical tablature effectively clusters juxtaposed black keys (412A, 412C, 412E) and white keys (412B, 412D) on a display for easier visualization.

A method and system for physiological gating is disclosed. A method and system for detecting and predictably estimating regular cycles of physiological activity or movements is disclosed. Another disclosed aspect of the invention is directed to predictive actuation of gating system components. Yet another disclosed aspect of the invention is directed to physiological gating of radiation treatment based upon the phase of the physiological activity. Gating can be performed, either prospectively or retrospectively, to any type of procedure, including radiation therapy or imaging, or other types of medical devices and procedures such as PET, MRI, SPECT, and CT scans.

A method and a system for use in connection with programming of an industrial robot, the programming comprises teaching the robot a path having a number of waypoints located on or in the vicinity of an object to be processed by the robot. The system comprises: means for obtaining information about the waypoints of the path in relation to the object, a storage unit (16), for storing the obtained information, a simulation unit (18), simulating the robot path based on the obtained information about the waypoints and a model of the robot, a graphics generator (23), generating a graphical representation of the simulated robot path, and a display member (12) displaying a view comprising the object and said graphical representation of the robot path projected on the object.

A golf training club comprising optical sensors, electronics and a display to provide visual feedback related to how a golfer strikes a golf ball. The club includes a shaft having a grip end and a tip distal from the grip end. The club has a club head affixed to the shaft proximate the tip that has a face for striking a golf ball. The optical sensors are embedded in the head and generate signals representative of the contact between the face and ball. The electronics, mounted within the shaft's grip end, process the sensor signals to determine the location of the contact between the face and ball. The display is operable to show such location. The electronics also process the sensor signals to determine whether the ball is tending to slice or hook by detecting lateral movement of the ball during contact with the face.

The control for an ablation catheter provides increased ablation catheter operation feedback and increased options for programmable control of the ablation catheter for clinicians. The control for an ablation catheter has a microcontroller containing memory, an input and output coupled to the microcontroller, a movement program, a comparison program, and an annunciating program. The movement program processes position information from the input to calculate ablation catheter movement. The comparison program compares ablation catheter movement to a predetermined control data.

One-to-many comparisons of callers' words and / or voice prints with known words and / or voice prints to identify any substantial matches between them. When a customer communicates with a particular entity, such as a customer service center, the system makes a recording of the real-time call including both the customer's and agent's voices. The system segments the recording to extract different words, such as words of anger. The system may also segment at least a portion of the customer's voice to create a tone profile, and it formats the segmented words and tone profiles for network transmission to a server. The server compares the customer's words and / or tone profiles with multiple known words and / or tone profiles stored on a database to determine any substantial matches. The identification of any matches may be used for a variety of purposes, such as providing representative feedback or customer follow-up.

A solution for improved monitoring and control of jobs in grid and batch computing systems provides a centralized server's batch manager which is only responsible for workload balancing and job initiation and completion, all other command and status information are communicated directly between the plurality of submitter's systems and the plurality of client systems that are processing their respective workloads. The computing system and communication process utilizes event-driven peer to peer communications between submitter's systems and client systems and enables more detailed status and control information to be passed without overloading the centralized server, and by avoiding polling also provides more immediate feedback of results. Multiple process threads are employed on both the submitter's and client systems, and a user interface consolidates and displays results to the submitter allow commands to be sent to processes running on client batch systems.

A mobile electronic device with a virtual input device. The virtual input device includes an optical sensor for detecting movement of a user's fingers over a work surface and an acoustic or vibration sensor, for detecting an impact of the user's fingers on the work surface. A processor, coupled to the optical sensor and to the acoustic sensor, processes the detected signals as input for the electronic device. The user's fingers can be shown on the display overlaid by a virtual mask. The virtual mask may show a keyboard of menu items.

A backpack assembly for a self contained breathing apparatus comprises a plurality of components positioned in housings that define a body for the backpack assembly. The body is assembled to a back frame. A pivoting and swiveling hip plate is connected to the back frame in multiple distinct positions to provide a customizable and comfortable fit for the wearer.

The invention discloses a household information acquisition and user emotion recognition equipment, which comprises a shell, a power supply, a main controller, a microcontroller, multiple environmental sensors, a screen, a microphone, an audio, multiple health sensors, a pair of robot arms and a pair of cameras, wherein the microphone is arranged on the shell; the power supply, the main controller, the microcontroller, the environmental sensors, the audio and the pair of cameras are arranged symmetrically relative to the screen respectively on the left and right sides; the robot arms are arranged on the two sides of the shell; the main controller is in communication connection with the microcontroller, and is used for controlling the microcontroller to control the movements of the robot arms through motors of the robot arms; the power supply is connected with the main controller and the microcontroller, and is mainly used for providing energy for the main controller and the microcontroller. According to the household information acquisition and user emotion recognition equipment, the intelligent speech recognition technology, the speech synthesis technology and the facial expression recognition technology are integrated, thus the use of the household information acquisition and user emotion recognition equipment is more convenient, and the feedback is more reasonable.

An adaptive interface is provided that is capable of brokering requests from a diverse set of customer host systems to a diverse set of backend servers (or backend device or backend automation system) controlling product dispensing devices and / or systems. The interface may be fully configurable and extensible (i.e., there is a lot of control over the behavior, and the interface can support future features without requiring code changes). Two areas of extensibility of the interface may be adapting to new message formats from the same or new host systems, and supporting new backend services.