Haptic device, motion instruction apparatus, haptic method, motion instruction method, and program

Abstract

To provide a technique for presenting haptic sense equivalent to target motion to a user by stimulating the skin of the user on the basis of information on current motion of the user.SOLUTION: A haptic device 1 for presenting haptic sense to a user by presenting a stimulus on the skin of the user includes: a sensor 10 which is arranged on the skin of the user to acquire information on motion of the user; a stimulator 20 which is arranged on the skin of the user to stimulate the skin of the user; and a control unit 30 which controls the stimulator 20 on the basis of the information on the motion of the user acquired by the sensor 10. The detection direction of the sensor 10 and the direction of a stimulus applied by the stimulator 20 form a finite angle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a force feedback device, a motion teaching device, a force feedback method, a motion teaching method, and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] In application fields such as virtual reality and telepresence, it is necessary to give users a high sense of presence, so it is desirable to be able to present the sensation of force. Conventional motion platforms require people to actually move or tilt. In response to this, we have proposed a device that can present the sense of force, such as the sense of movement associated with three-dimensional movement, by stimulating the user's skin instead of having the user actually move (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In fields such as sports and traditional techniques, the transfer of highly skilled experts' skills is an issue. It is expected that effective skill transfer will be possible if the expert's physical sensations can be directly transmitted to the user. To achieve this, a wearable device has been disclosed that induces the physical sensations of the exercise instructor by presenting a force sensation to the user's skin, thereby teaching physical exercises (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2021049296 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2022145258 [Non-patent literature]

[0005] [Non-Patent Document 1] ZG Xiao and C. Menon, “A review of force myography research and development,” Sensors, vol. 19, no. 20, p. 4557, 2019. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, in the devices described in Patent Document 1 or Patent Document 2, the stimulation by the stimulation element that stimulates the user's skin itself affects the output of the sensor that measures the user's physical movement information, so the sensor may not be able to measure the physical movement information accurately. Therefore, these devices have room for improvement in terms of providing accurate feedback to the user of the target physical movement to be presented or taught.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a technology that can accurately obtain information on a user's current physical movement and stimulate the user's skin based on such information, thereby presenting the user with a target force sense or teaching the user an exercise. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, a force sense presentation device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a force sense presentation device for presenting a force sense to a user by presenting a stimulus to the user's skin, and includes a sensor arranged on the user's skin to acquire information on the user's motion, a stimulating element arranged on the user's skin to stimulate the user's skin, and a control unit that controls the stimulating element based on the information on the user's motion acquired by the sensor. The detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulus provided by the stimulating element form a finite angle.

[0009] In some embodiments, the sensing direction of the sensor and the stimulation direction provided by the stimulation element may be substantially orthogonal.

[0010] In one embodiment, the sensor may be a pressure sensor that detects pressure in a direction generally perpendicular to the surface of the user's skin, and the stimulation element may provide stimulation in a direction generally parallel to the surface of the user's skin.

[0011] In some embodiments, the sensor and stimulation element may be integrated.

[0012] In some embodiments, the sensor and stimulation element may be positioned adjacent to each other.

[0013] In one embodiment, the stimulation element is a rotational stimulation element that stimulates the skin by rotational motion, and the rotational stimulation element may contact the user's skin in a plane perpendicular to its axis of rotation and twist the skin to impart shear strain to the skin.

[0014] In one embodiment, the stimulation elements may apply shear strain to the user's skin in a translational direction parallel to the surface of the skin.

[0015] In one embodiment, the control unit may control the stimulation element based on a result of comparing the user's movement acquired by the sensor with a predetermined target movement.

[0016] In some embodiments, multiple pairs of sensors and stimulation elements may be provided, with the control unit controlling each of the stimulation elements individually according to an algorithm to provide a desired force sensation to the user.

[0017] In one embodiment, the sensor may be a pressure sensor that detects pressure in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the user's skin. In this case, the rotational stimulation element rotates around the direction of the pressure from the skin detected by the pressure sensor to twist the user's skin and to apply high-frequency vibration perpendicular to the velocity vector of the rotational motion.

[0018] Another aspect of the present invention is an exercise teaching device for teaching an exercise to a user by presenting a stimulus to the user's skin. The exercise teaching device includes a sensor arranged on the user's skin to acquire information on the user's exercise, a stimulating element arranged on the user's skin to stimulate the user's skin, a teaching exercise determination unit that determines a teaching exercise to be taught to the user based on the information on the user's exercise acquired by the sensor, and a control unit that controls the stimulating element to give the user a stimulus corresponding to the exercise determined by the teaching exercise determination unit. The detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulus given by the stimulating element form a finite angle.

[0019] In one embodiment, the control unit may control the stimulation element such that the smaller the difference between the user's movement and the taught movement, the smaller the stimulation applied to the user's skin.

[0020] In one embodiment, the control unit may control the stimulation element so that the magnitude of the stimulation applied to the user's skin becomes zero when the difference between the user's movement and the taught movement is smaller than a predetermined threshold.

[0021] In one embodiment, the control unit may control the stimulation element to provide a particular stimulation to the user's skin when the difference between the user's movement and the taught movement is less than a predetermined threshold.

[0022] In one embodiment, the control unit may control the stimulation element to provide different stimulation to the user's skin depending on whether the difference between the user's movement and the taught movement is positive or negative.

[0023] The exercise teaching device according to an embodiment may further include an instructor sensor that acquires real-time information on the exercise of an instructor who teaches the user an exercise. In this case, the instruction exercise determination unit may determine the instruction exercise based on a result of comparing the information on the user's exercise acquired by the sensor with the exercise of the instructor acquired by the instructor sensor.

[0024] Another aspect of the present invention is a haptic feedback method for teaching a user to move by presenting a stimulus to the user's skin. The method includes the steps of acquiring information on the user's movement using a sensor arranged on the user's skin, controlling a stimulating element arranged on the user's skin based on the information on the user's movement acquired by the sensor using a controller, and applying a stimulus to the user's skin using the stimulating element. The sensing direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulus applied by the stimulating element form a finite angle.

[0025] Yet another aspect of the present invention is a program. The program causes a computer to execute a motion teaching method including the steps of acquiring information on a user's motion using a sensor arranged on the user's skin, controlling a stimulation element arranged on the user's skin based on the information on the user's motion acquired by the sensor using a controller, and applying a stimulus to the user's skin using the stimulation element. The detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulus applied by the stimulation element form a finite angle.

[0026] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for teaching a user to exercise by presenting a stimulus to the user's skin. The method includes a step of acquiring information on the user's exercise using a sensor arranged on the user's skin, a step of determining a teaching exercise to be taught to the user based on the information on the user's exercise acquired by the sensor, a control step of controlling a stimulation element arranged on the user's skin so as to give the user a stimulus corresponding to the exercise determined in the teaching exercise determination step, and a step of giving a stimulus to the user's skin using the stimulation element. The detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulus given by the stimulation element form a finite angle.

[0027] Yet another aspect of the present invention is a program. The program causes a computer to execute a method including the steps of: acquiring information on a user's motion using a sensor arranged on the user's skin; determining a teaching motion to be taught to the user based on the information on the user's motion acquired by the sensor; controlling a stimulation element arranged on the user's skin so as to give the user a stimulus corresponding to the motion determined in the teaching motion determination step; and applying a stimulus to the user's skin using the stimulation element. The detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulus applied by the stimulation element form a finite angle.

[0028] Any combination of the above components, and any transformation of the present invention into an apparatus, method, system, recording medium, computer program, etc., are also effective as aspects of the present invention. Effect of the Invention

[0029] According to the present invention, by applying stimulation to the user's skin based on information about the user's current exercise, it is possible to present the user with a target force sense and teach the user exercise. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] 1 is a functional block diagram of a force feedback device according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] 1 is a photograph of a unit including a sensor and a stimulation element. [Diagram 3] 1 is a perspective view of a stimulation element seen from the side of the surface that comes into contact with the user's skin. [Figure 4] 1A to 1C are schematic diagrams illustrating the operation of the haptic device when worn by a user. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram of an exercise teaching device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a functional block diagram of an exercise teaching device according to a third embodiment. [Figure 7] 13 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a force feedback method according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 8] 13 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of an exercise teaching method according to a sixth embodiment. [Figure 9] 1 is a graph showing the relationship between a user's FMG value and grip strength. [Figure 10] 13 is a graph showing changes over time in a user's grip strength, in terms of actual measured values ​​and evaluation values ​​based on a fitting function. [Figure 11] 13 is a graph showing the change over time of each rotational stimulation element when the maximum rotation angle is set to 6 degrees, 12 degrees, 18 degrees, 24 degrees, and 30 degrees. [Figure 12] 13 is a graph showing the results of evaluation of the relative strength of stimuli by 10 users and their averages. [Figure 13] 13 is a graph showing the relationship between the difference between the grip strength target value and the grip strength evaluation value and the rotation angle when the maximum rotation angle is set to 30 degrees. [Figure 14] 13 is a graph showing the results of grip strength evaluation values ​​and actual grip strength measurements when the grip strength target value is 30 N. [Figure 15] 13 is a graph showing the results of grip strength evaluation values ​​and actual grip strength measurements when the grip strength target value is 50 N. [Figure 16] 13 is a graph showing the results of grip strength evaluation values ​​and actual grip strength measurements when the grip strength target value is 70 N. [Figure 17] ...Schematic diagram of a chaise longue with stimulation elements arranged on the backrest and seat. [Figure 18] 18 is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of strain on the skin of a user U caused by the stimulation element of FIG. 17. [Figure 19] Schematic diagram of a haptic device to be worn on the left and right thighs and left and right lower legs of a user. [Figure 20] 20 is a schematic diagram showing a user wearing the haptic device of FIG. 19. [Figure 21] Schematic diagram showing a stimulation component that stimulates the user's skin. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] The present invention will be described below based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. In the embodiments and modified examples, identical or equivalent components, steps, and parts are given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations are omitted as appropriate. The dimensions of the parts in each drawing are enlarged or reduced as appropriate for ease of understanding. Some parts that are not important for explaining the embodiments are omitted in each drawing. Terms including ordinal numbers such as first and second are used to describe various components, but these terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from other components, and the components are not limited by these terms.

[0032] Before describing specific embodiments, the present inventor will explain the basic findings. As a result of his own research, the inventor has found that applying shear deformation (deformation along the direction of the skin) to the skin of a person's buttocks can reproduce the sensation of acceleration induced when riding a vehicle and the sensation of vertical movement when going over uneven surfaces.

[0033] For example, when a driver sits in a car seat and accelerates or decelerates or turns the steering wheel, a part of the driver's buttocks undergoes shear deformation in the front-rear and left-right directions. The inventors focused on this phenomenon and discovered that by providing a seat with multiple contacts that move independently in the front-rear and left-right directions in a planar distribution, and simply applying shear deformation to the subject's buttocks, it is possible to induce and reproduce the sensation of acceleration in the front-rear and left-right directions.

[0034] In addition, when a person rides in a car and overcomes a step or undulation, the body moves and displaces in the vertical direction. It has been found that the sensation of such vertical movement can also be reproduced by shear deformation of the skin. For example, when the buttocks move vertically from the seating surface of the seat, the peak of the pressure distribution distributed near the ischium displaces toward the tailbone. The inventors have focused on this phenomenon and found that it is possible to induce a sensation associated with being pushed up from the seating surface by simply presenting the displacement of the peak position of the pressure distribution by shear deformation of the skin of the buttocks. Furthermore, the inventors have found that it is possible to induce and reproduce the sensation of overcoming an undulation by simply presenting to the buttocks the shear force in the forward direction that occurs when overcoming an undulation.

[0035] The reason why such a sensation is induced is considered to be as follows. First, when such a shear force is applied to the skin, a distribution of mechanical quantity per unit volume, for example, a distribution of strain energy, is formed on the skin. That is, when a person moves while in contact with a sheet or the like, strain is generated at each point on the skin. The temporal and spatial distribution of this strain energy density (hereinafter referred to as "strain energy density distribution") is considered to reflect the characteristics of the type, magnitude, direction, etc. of the movement. The frequency of neuronal firing of the mechanoreceptors inside the skin that control the sense of force is determined by the change in this strain energy density distribution. Therefore, it is considered that by stimulating the skin of a person so as to form a change in the strain energy density distribution corresponding to various movements on the skin, it is possible to induce the sensation that the person is performing such a movement, or the sensation of what kind of movement the person is about to perform, without actually moving the person.

[0036] The part of the skin to which the stimulation is applied is not limited to the buttocks, but may be any part that allows the formation of a strain energy density distribution corresponding to the desired movement, such as the back, abdomen, head, upper arm, forearm, wrist, finger, thigh, lower leg, ankle, toes, neck, trunk, or waist. The distribution of mechanical quantities corresponding to the desired movement (hereinafter referred to as "mechanical distribution") is not limited to the strain energy density distribution, but also includes the distribution of strains (e.g., principal strain, equivalent strain, etc.), the distribution of forces (e.g., shear force, normal force, etc.), and the distribution of stresses (i.e., force per unit area, e.g., pressure, principal stress, Mises stress, etc.).

[0037] In the following description, the sensation that a person feels as if he or she is moving or displaced in space is referred to as "self-motion sensation." This self-motion sensation is not limited to the kinesthesia felt when the person is actually moving, such as when riding in a vehicle. For example, when an object in contact with the skin is moving, the person feels as if the person is moving relative to the object. In the present description, such sensations, that is, the kinesthesia felt when the person is not actually moving, are also included in self-motion sensation.

[0038] In this specification, "presenting a force sensation" refers to presenting the magnitude and direction of a force that a person feels.

[0039] In the field of sports, playing musical instruments, driving vehicles, craftsmanship, and other technical fields involving movement, if the physical sensations of a highly skilled motor instructor can be taught to a user for each individual muscle, model techniques can be accurately and efficiently imparted. Such model information can be acquired and accumulated by measuring or estimating the motor instructor's movements. Based on such information, the user can learn the correct movement and use of muscles by stimulating the skin adjacent to the surface of the user's muscles so as to form a mechanical distribution on the skin that generates the desired force sensation. Conversely, it is also conceivable to use such means to induce the motor instructor to feel the physical sensations of the user while he or she is moving. By understanding the user's physical sensations in this way, the motor instructor is expected to be able to provide more accurate guidance for motion instruction.

[0040] When a user exercises, the state of that exercise is reflected in the state of the skin in a specific part of the body. For example, when a user grips an object, the muscles in the forearm contract and swell. Therefore, pressure is generated on the skin of the user's forearm according to the grip strength. By detecting this skin state, the user's current exercise state can be evaluated. By comparing this evaluation value with a predetermined target value (i.e., the force sense to be presented or the movement to be taught), and applying a stimulus to the user's skin based on this comparison value, it is possible to provide the user with an accurate force sense presentation and movement instruction.

[0041] [First embodiment] 1 is a functional block diagram of a haptic device 1 according to a first embodiment. The haptic device 1 presents a force to a user by presenting a stimulus to the user's skin. As described below, the haptic device 1 presents a force to a user by presenting a stimulus to the user's skin. The haptic device 1 includes a sensor 10, a stimulation element 20, and a control unit 30.

[0042] A finite angle is formed between the detection direction of the sensor 10 and the direction of the stimulation provided by the stimulation element 20. For example, the detection direction of the sensor 10 and the direction of the stimulation provided by the stimulation element 20 may be substantially perpendicular to each other.

[0043] The sensor 10 is placed on the skin S of a user to acquire information on the user's movement. The sensor 10 may be any sensor that can detect the condition of the user's skin and acquire information on the user's movement based on the detected condition. A suitable example of the sensor 10 is a pressure sensor such as an FSR (Force Sensing Register) sensor.

[0044] FMG (Force Myography) uses an application that monitors user actions such as a pressure sensor to non-invasively measure muscle activity such as muscle contraction. Specifically, some applications use a pressure sensor to detect changes in skin swelling and hardness associated with muscle contraction (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 2). For example, to estimate hand force / torque such as grip strength, an FMG signal can be acquired by using an FSR (Force Sensing Register) sensor attached to the arm. Compared to conventional surface myoelectric potential measurement (sEMG), FMG can be detected without being affected by the skin surface. For this reason, FMG is considered to be suitable for measuring exercise accompanied by sweating. In this embodiment, the output of the sensor 10 generates an FMG signal.

[0045] The stimulation element 20 is placed on the user's skin to provide stimulation to the user's skin. The stimulation element 20 may provide stimulation to the user's skin by mechanical methods such as rotational motion, pulling in a shear direction, compression, and suction. The stimulation element 20 may be capable of providing stimulation by itself. Alternatively, the stimulation element 20 may be capable of providing stimulation (e.g., a force sensation) by forming a predetermined mechanical distribution on the skin in cooperation with a set of multiple stimulation elements.

[0046] When the stimulation element 20 is an element group consisting of a plurality of stimulation elements, the interval between adjacent stimulation elements may be an interval that allows the presentation of a spatially continuous force sensation. In this case, the interval between adjacent stimulation elements may be an interval that allows the ranges of the force sensation presented by the adjacent stimulation elements to overlap. Alternatively, the interval between adjacent stimulation elements may be an interval that is within the range of the two-point discrimination threshold in the skin region.

[0047] The two-point discrimination threshold is the minimum distance at which two points on the body surface can be distinguished as separate when a stimulus is applied to those points. This is an index of the spatial resolution of human skin. In other words, the smaller the two-point discrimination threshold, the higher the spatial resolution of the skin. The two-point discrimination threshold varies depending on the part of the skin, being small on the fingertips, lips, and tongue tips, and large on the legs, arms, back, and shoulders. For example, it is 3-4 mm on the fingertips and 6-7 mm on the upper lip, while it is 37-39 mm on the forearm and 40-60 mm on the back.

[0048] By spacing adjacent stimulation elements so that the ranges of the haptics presented by the adjacent stimulation elements overlap, or are within the range of the two-point discrimination threshold in the skin area, the user feels as if the stimulation provided to multiple different points on the skin by the stimulation elements was provided to a single point. This allows the stimulation elements to present a spatially continuous haptic sensation to the user. According to this embodiment, a continuous and widespread haptic sensation can be presented using a finite number of stimulation elements. Therefore, the user can experience a more realistic and diverse kinesthesia.

[0049] It is desirable to arrange the sensor 10 and the stimulation element 20 as close as possible. For example, the sensor 10 and the stimulation element 20 may be integrated. Alternatively, the sensor 10 and the stimulation element 20 may be arranged adjacent to each other.

[0050] It is desirable that the point on the user's skin where the sensor 10 acquires motion information and the point on the user's skin where the stimulation element 20 applies stimulation are as close as possible. More specifically, it is most desirable that the point on the user's skin where the sensor 10 acquires motion information and the point on the user's skin where the stimulation element 20 applies stimulation coincide with each other.

[0051] When the sensor 10 is a pressure sensor, the sensor 10 may detect pressure in a direction substantially perpendicular to the user's skin surface. In this case, the stimulation element 20 may provide stimulation in a direction substantially parallel to the user's skin surface. In other words, in this case, the detection direction of the sensor 10 and the direction of stimulation provided by the stimulation element 20 are substantially perpendicular to each other.

[0052] FIG. 2 is a photograph of a unit 100 including a sensor 10 and a stimulating element 20. That is, in this example, the sensor 10 and the stimulating element 20 are integrated into one unit 100. The unit 100 includes four sets of a servo motor 41, a sensor 10, a stimulating element 20, and a servo horn 40. The rotation of the servo motor 41 is applied to the stimulating element 20 as a rotational motion via the servo horn 40. The sensor 10, the stimulating element 20, and the servo horn 40 are each disk-shaped with approximately the same diameter (about 20 mm) and are integrated on the same axis. In this embodiment, the protrusion of the servo horn is not particularly necessary and may be removed. Note that FIG. 2 shows the structure of one set in an exploded view.

[0053] The unit 100 is substantially square. A set of a sensor 10, a stimulating element 20, and a servo horn 40 is disposed at each of the four corners of the unit 100. Fig. 2 shows the four sets of the sensor 10, the stimulating element 20, and the servo horn 40 attached to the holder 50 at intervals of 40 mm and 45 mm from each other.

[0054] Each of the sensors 10 is a disk-shaped FSR sensor with a diameter of about 20 mm. The sensor 10 is disposed between the stimulation element 20 and the servo horn 40 and coaxially with the stimulation element 20 and the servo horn 40. Since the unit 100 is provided with four sensors 10, four-channel signals representing information from each sensor can be obtained.

[0055] As described above, each of the stimulation elements 20 is a disk-shaped rotating stimulation element with a diameter of about 20 mm. If the material of the stimulation element 20 is too hard, it will not fit the body, and pain will occur due to contact with the edge of the stimulation element 20, and slippage between the stimulation element 20 and clothing will easily occur. Conversely, if the material of the stimulation element 20 is too soft, it will be difficult to transmit rotational force. Taking these characteristics into consideration, in this embodiment, chloroprene rubber sponge is used as the material of the stimulation element 20.

[0056] However, when a sponge such as a chloroprene rubber sponge is used for the stimulation element 20, the pressure on the skin may be affected by deformation of the sponge. It is believed that such an effect can be eliminated by using a more suitable non-compressible material instead of the sponge. Alternatively, the effect of sponge deformation on the pressure may be evaluated and eliminated by software.

[0057] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the stimulation element seen from the side of the surface in contact with the user's skin. In this figure, the four stimulation elements attached to the holder 50 are distinguished by 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d. The stimulation elements 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d are each given a rotational motion independently by a servo motor. That is, the stimulation elements 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d are rotational stimulation elements that stimulate the skin by rotational motion. The stimulation elements 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d (all rotational stimulation elements) each independently contact the skin on a surface perpendicular to its rotation axis and twist the skin, thereby forming a strain energy density distribution on the skin.

[0058] In particular, when providing a stimulus to the user's skin to present a force sensation to the skin adjacent to the surface of the muscle, it is more effective if the stimulus is not provided by suction, electrical stimulation, temperature stimulation, pressure, or translational motion along the shear direction of the skin, but by rotational motion. The reasons are as follows. First, in such a form, it is assumed that the stimulus is provided to the skin through clothing. In this case, for example, stimuli such as suction, electrical stimulation, or temperature stimulation cannot be directly applied. Second, a stimulus by pressure is not suitable for presenting a force sensation because it causes an impediment to the user's movement. Furthermore, third, when attempting to provide a stimulus by translational motion along the shear direction of the skin, it is necessary to convert the rotational motion of the motor that serves as the power source into translational motion. For this reason, in a form in which stimulating elements are densely arranged on the skin, the mechanism becomes complicated. In this respect, the presentation of a stimulus by rotational motion can be applied to the embodiment without the above-mentioned problems.

[0059] As described above, the stimulation applied to the user's skin is most effective when it is rotational, but is not necessarily limited to this. Depending on the application, the stimulation element may, for example, apply shear strain to the user's skin in a translational direction parallel to the skin surface.

[0060] In the examples of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the sensor 10 is a pressure sensor that detects pressure in a direction substantially perpendicular to the user's skin surface. Meanwhile, the stimulation element 20 is a rotational stimulation element that stimulates the skin by rotational motion, and contacts the user's skin to twist the skin, thereby applying shear strain to the skin. In other words, the stimulation element 20 applies stimulation in a direction substantially parallel to the user's skin surface. In this way, the detection direction of the sensor 10 and the direction of stimulation applied by the stimulation element 20 are substantially orthogonal. This allows the detection by the sensor 10 and the stimulation by the stimulation element 20 to function independently. In this way, the detection direction and the stimulation direction are substantially orthogonal to each other, making it possible to prevent (or minimize) the mutual influence of the deformation or displacement of the skin caused by the stimulation element 20 on the detection by the sensor 10.

[0061] The detection direction of the sensor 10 and the direction of the stimulation provided by the stimulation element 20 do not necessarily have to be perpendicular to each other, but may be at a finite angle within a range in which the above-mentioned mutual influence is not a problem or within a range in which the mutual influence can be eliminated. The range depends on the embodiment. As a method for eliminating the mutual influence, signal processing may be performed on the detection output of the sensor.

[0062] The control unit 30 controls the stimulation element 20 based on the information of the user's movement acquired by the sensor 10. The control unit 30 may be configured using known computer hardware and software. In the example of Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, the control unit 30 controls the rotation angle, rotation direction, rotation speed, or time until the rotation speed is reached of each of the stimulation elements 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d.

[0063] 4 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the force feedback device 1 when worn by a user U. In this example, the unit 100 shown in FIG. 2 is attached to the right forearm of the user U using an armband. To facilitate understanding, FIG. 2 shows the sensor 10 and the stimulation element 20 extracted from the unit 100. The configuration in FIG. 4 is intended to present the user U with a force feedback equivalent to an optimal grip force when gripping a force gauge F.

[0064] When the user U grips the force gauge F with his / her right hand, the forearm muscles contract in response to the grip force, causing the muscle part to bulge and generating pressure on the skin of the forearm. The sensor 10 detects this pressure as information on the movement of the user U. The pressure detected by the sensor 10 is transmitted to the control unit 30 as an FMG value. The control unit 30 calculates an evaluation value of the current grip force of the user using a correlation function f(s) that represents the correlation between the FMG value s and the grip force. The correlation function f(s) is obtained by simultaneously acquiring many measured values ​​of the FSR sensor attached to the upper arm of the user and the measured values ​​of the grip force meter for a plurality of pressure values ​​in advance, and applying multiple regression analysis, for example, to determine a regression coefficient. The control unit 30 compares the calculated grip force evaluation value with the given grip force target value. Based on the comparison result, the control unit 30 gives a control signal (feedback signal) to the stimulation element 20 to control the stimulation element 20.

[0065] According to this embodiment, a technique can be provided that presents the user with a force sensation equivalent to a target motion by providing a stimulus to the user's skin based on information on the user's current motion. In particular, by making a finite angle between the detection direction of the sensor 10 and the direction of the stimulus provided by the stimulating element 20, it is possible to prevent (or minimize) the effect of the deformation or displacement of the skin caused by the stimulating element 20 on the detection of the sensor 10. This solves the conventional problem that the stimulating element that provides a stimulus to the user's skin affects the sensor that measures the user's motion information, so that the sensor cannot measure correct body movement information and cannot accurately feed back the target motion to be presented to the user.

[0066] In this embodiment, the control unit 30 controls the stimulation element 20 so that the smaller the difference between the grip strength evaluation value and the grip strength target value, the smaller the stimulation applied to the skin of the user U. According to this embodiment, the user U can learn the target exercise by correcting his / her own exercise so that the stimulation applied to the skin is as small as possible.

[0067] In another embodiment, when the difference between the grip strength evaluation value and the grip strength target value is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the control unit 30 controls the stimulation element 20 so that the magnitude of the stimulation applied to the skin of the user U becomes 0. According to this embodiment, the user U can know that the target exercise has almost been mastered when the magnitude of the stimulation applied to the skin becomes 0.

[0068] In another embodiment, when the difference between the grip strength evaluation value and the grip strength target value is smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the control unit 30 controls the stimulation element 20 to apply a specific stimulus to the skin of the user U. According to this embodiment, the user U can know that the target exercise has almost been mastered by receiving the specific stimulus to the skin.

[0069] In one embodiment, the control unit 30 controls the stimulating element 20 to give different stimuli to the skin of the user U depending on whether the difference between the grip evaluation value and the grip target value is positive or negative. For example, when the difference between the grip evaluation value and the grip target value is positive (i.e., when the user's grip is too strong compared to the grip target value), the control unit 30 gives the user a stimulus to twist the skin to the right. Conversely, when the difference between the grip evaluation value and the grip target value is negative (i.e., when the user's grip is too weak compared to the grip target value), the control unit 30 controls the stimulating element 20 to give the user a stimulus to twist the skin to the left. According to this embodiment, the user U can know how to correct his / her exercise (in this example, whether to weaken or strengthen the grip) from the type of stimulus given to the skin.

[0070] In one embodiment, the force feedback device 1 is provided with a plurality of pairs each consisting of a sensor 10 and a stimulation element 20. The control unit 30 controls each of the stimulation elements 20 individually according to an algorithm that provides a predetermined force feedback to the user U. According to this embodiment, an optimal algorithm is applied to each stimulation element, and the stimulation elements can be individually controlled, thereby realizing more accurate force feedback.

[0071] [Variations] Below, modified examples of the first embodiment will be described. In the drawings and explanations of the modified examples, the same or equivalent components and members as those in the first embodiment will be given the same reference numerals. Explanations that overlap with the embodiment will be omitted as appropriate, and the explanation will focus on the configurations that differ from the first embodiment.

[0072] [Second embodiment] FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of a motion teaching device 2 according to a second embodiment. The motion teaching device 2 includes a sensor 10, a stimulation element 20, a control unit 30, and a teaching motion determination unit 60. That is, the motion teaching device 2 further includes the teaching motion determination unit 60 in addition to the haptic feedback device 1 of FIG. 1. The other configuration of the motion teaching device 2 is the same as that of the haptic feedback device 1. The motion teaching device 2 teaches a user a motion (e.g., a model motion) by presenting a stimulus to the user's skin. As described below, the motion teaching device 2 teaches a user a motion by presenting a stimulus to the user's skin.

[0073] The sensor 10, the stimulation element 20, and the control unit 30 of the motion teaching device 2 are the same as the respective components of the force feedback device 1 of FIG. 1, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0074] The taught exercise determination unit 60 acquires information on the user's exercise from the sensor 10, and determines the taught exercise to be taught to the user based on the acquired information. The taught exercise determination unit 60 may, for example, store a model body exercise and compare it with the user's exercise information to determine the taught exercise so that the user's exercise is as close as possible to the model body exercise. Alternatively, the taught exercise determination unit 60 may acquire and store the user's body information when the user is in the best condition, and compare it with the user's current exercise information to determine the taught exercise so that the user's exercise is as close as possible to the best condition.

[0075] In this embodiment, the smaller the difference between the user's motion and the teaching motion, the smaller the stimulation given to the user's skin is controlled by the stimulation element 20. According to this embodiment, the user can learn the teaching motion by correcting his / her own motion so that the stimulation given to the skin is as small as possible.

[0076] In another embodiment, the control unit 30 controls the stimulation element 20 so that when the difference between the user's movement and the taught movement is smaller than a predetermined threshold, the magnitude of the stimulation applied to the user's skin becomes 0. According to this embodiment, the user can know that the taught movement has been almost mastered by the magnitude of the stimulation applied to the skin becoming 0.

[0077] In another embodiment, the control unit 30 controls the stimulation element 20 to give a specific stimulus to the user's skin when the difference between the user's movement and the teaching movement is smaller than a predetermined threshold. According to this embodiment, the user can know that the teaching movement has almost been mastered by receiving the specific stimulus to the skin.

[0078] According to this embodiment, a technique can be provided for teaching the user a target exercise by providing stimulation to the user's skin based on the user's current exercise information. In particular, by making a finite angle between the detection direction of the sensor 10 and the direction of the stimulation provided by the stimulation element 20, it is possible to prevent (or minimize) the effect of the deformation or displacement of the skin caused by the stimulation element 20 on the detection of the sensor 10. This solves the conventional problem that the stimulation element providing stimulation to the user's skin affects the sensor that measures the user's exercise information, so that the sensor cannot measure correct body movement information and cannot accurately feed back the target exercise to be taught to the user.

[0079] [Third embodiment] 6 is a functional block diagram of an exercise teaching device 3 according to a third embodiment. The exercise teaching device 3 includes a sensor 10, a stimulation element 20, a control unit 30, a teaching exercise determination unit 60, and an instructor sensor 70. That is, the exercise teaching device 2 further includes the instructor sensor 70 in addition to the exercise teaching device 2 in FIG. 5. The other configurations of the exercise teaching device 3 are the same as those of the exercise teaching device 2.

[0080] The instructor sensor 70 acquires information on the movement of the exercise instructor T in real time. The instructor sensor 70 is, for example, a biosensor or a pressure sensor attached to various parts of the body of the exercise instructor T. The movement of the exercise instructor T is the muscle movement when the exercise instructor demonstrates a skill, and therefore becomes a teaching movement that is a model for the user.

[0081] The instructor sensor 70 transmits the acquired information on the motion of the motion instructor T to the taught motion determination unit 60. The taught motion determination unit 60 compares the information on the user's motion acquired by the sensor 10 with the motion of the motion instructor acquired by the instructor sensor 70. The taught motion determination unit 60 transmits the comparison result to the control unit 30. The control unit 30 controls the stimulation element 20 based on the comparison result. As a result, a mechanical distribution is formed on the user's skin based on the information on the motion of the motion instructor acquired moment by moment.

[0082] The less skilled the user is at the target movement, the greater the difference between the user's movement and the movement of the instructor. Therefore, by measuring this difference in real time and controlling the stimulation element based on the difference, the user can correct his / her own movement and approach the model taught movement.

[0083] According to this embodiment, the exercises of a model instructor can be learned in real time, and model exercises can be taught to the user based on this.

[0084] In one embodiment, the motion information of the motion instructor may include the motion instructor's myoelectric potential, muscle tension, skin deformation, etc. In this case, the instructor sensor 70 includes a myoelectric potential sensor, a muscle strength measuring device, a skin strain measuring device, etc. According to this embodiment, the motion information of the motion instructor can be obtained from various motion information or biological information.

[0085] [Fourth embodiment] 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of a haptic feedback method according to a fourth embodiment. This haptic feedback method includes step S1 of acquiring information on a user's motion using a sensor placed on the user's skin, step S2 of controlling a stimulation element based on the information on the user's motion acquired by the sensor using a controller, and step S3 of applying a stimulation to the user's skin using the stimulation element placed on the user's skin. The detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulation applied by the stimulation element form a finite angle.

[0086] According to this embodiment, by applying a stimulus to the user's skin based on the information of the user's current motion, it is possible to present the user with a force sensation equivalent to the motion to be targeted. In particular, by making a finite angle between the detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulus applied by the stimulating element, it is possible to prevent (or minimize) the effect of the deformation or displacement of the skin caused by the stimulating element on the detection of the sensor. This solves the conventional problem that the stimulating element that applies a stimulus to the user's skin affects the sensor that measures the user's motion information, so that the sensor cannot measure correct body movement information and cannot accurately feed back the target motion to be presented to the user.

[0087] [Fifth embodiment] The fifth embodiment is a program. This program causes a computer to execute the haptic feedback method shown in Fig. 7. That is, this program causes a computer to execute the haptic feedback method including step S1 of acquiring information on the user's motion using a sensor arranged on the user's skin, step S2 of controlling a stimulation element based on the information on the user's motion acquired by the sensor using a controller, and step S3 of applying a stimulation to the user's skin using the stimulation element arranged on the user's skin. The detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulation applied by the stimulation element form a finite angle.

[0088] [Sixth embodiment] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the exercise teaching method according to the sixth embodiment. This exercise teaching method includes a step S1 of acquiring information on the user's exercise using a sensor placed on the user's skin, a step S4 of determining an exercise to be taught to the user based on the information on the user's exercise acquired by the sensor, a step S2 of controlling a stimulation element based on the information on the user's exercise acquired by the sensor using a controller, and a step S3 of applying a stimulation to the user's skin using the stimulation element placed on the user's skin. The detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulation applied by the stimulation element form a finite angle.

[0089] According to this embodiment, a technique can be provided that teaches the user the target exercise by providing stimulation to the user's skin based on the user's current exercise information. In particular, by making a finite angle between the detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulation provided by the stimulation element, it is possible to prevent (or minimize) the effect of the deformation or displacement of the skin caused by the stimulation element on the detection of the sensor. This solves the conventional problem that the stimulation element that provides stimulation to the user's skin affects the sensor that measures the user's exercise information, so that the sensor cannot measure correct body movement information and cannot accurately feed back the target exercise to be taught to the user.

[0090] [Seventh embodiment] The seventh embodiment is a program. This program causes a computer to execute the haptic feedback method shown in Fig. 8. That is, this program causes a computer to execute a method including a step S1 of acquiring information on a user's motion using a sensor arranged on the user's skin, a teaching motion determination step S4 of determining a teaching motion to be taught to the user based on the information on the user's motion acquired by the sensor, a step S2 of controlling a stimulation element based on the information on the user's motion acquired by the sensor using a controller, and a step S3 of applying a stimulation to the user's skin using a stimulation element arranged on the user's skin. The detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulation applied by the stimulation element form a finite angle.

[0091] According to this embodiment, a method for teaching a user a target exercise by providing stimulation to the user's skin based on information on the user's current exercise can be implemented as a computer-executable program. In particular, by making a finite angle between the detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulation provided by the stimulation element, it is possible to prevent (or minimize) the effect of the deformation or displacement of the skin caused by the stimulation element on the detection of the sensor. This solves the conventional problem that the stimulation element providing stimulation to the user's skin affects the sensor that measures the user's exercise information, so that the sensor cannot measure correct body movement information and the target exercise to be presented cannot be accurately fed back to the user.

[0092] [Demonstration experiment] The present inventors conducted the following three experiments to verify the effectiveness of the present invention. These experiments were conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

[0093] (Experiment 1) The purpose of the experiment 1 is to verify whether the grip evaluation value presented by the force feedback device of the embodiment is correct. FIG. 9 shows the relationship between the FMG value (in this experiment, the average value of four pressure sensors was used) when a user grips the force gauge and the grip of the user. The black circles are the actual measured values ​​of the grip and the grip value. As shown in the figure, it can be seen that there is a strong correlation between the FMG value and the grip. The solid line is a fitting curve (fitting function) that is approximated by a quadratic function. The average coefficient of determination of the fitting curve was derived from the regression function and was 0.958. This shows that the fitting curve approximates the correlation between the FMG value and the grip almost accurately.

[0094] Figure 10 shows the change over time in the grip strength of the user described above, in terms of actual measured values ​​and evaluation values ​​based on the fitting function described above. As shown in the figure, it can be seen that the actual measured values ​​and evaluation values ​​match very well.

[0095] (Experiment 2) The purpose of Experiment 2 is to verify whether the haptic device of the embodiment can present various stimulus intensities. If it is possible to present a stimulus that the user can appropriately feel, it is believed that it is possible to present a correct haptic sensation to the user based on a control signal from the controller.

[0096] The magnitude of the rotational angle of the rotational stimulation element is considered to correspond to the intensity of the stimulation given to the user. In this experiment, five types of maximum rotational angles (6 degrees, 12 degrees, 18 degrees, 24 degrees, and 30 degrees) were set, and the rotational stimulation element was changed over time as shown in Figure 11. The user was asked to evaluate the relative intensity of the stimulation felt when receiving the above five types of stimulation using integer values ​​from 0 to 20, assuming that the reference stimulation intensity at the reference rotational angle (15 degrees) was 10.

[0097] In Figure 12, the dotted lines show the evaluation results of the relative intensity of the stimulation by 10 users. The thick solid line in the middle is the average of the 10 users. As shown in the figure, the greater the rotation angle, the stronger the stimulation intensity felt by each user. Therefore, it is expected that the stimulation intensity felt by the user can be controlled by the rotation angle of the rotating element.

[0098] The variation for each user shown in Fig. 1 may be measured in advance, and calibration may be performed to correct this variation. Furthermore, this calibration may be based not on actual measurements, but on the attributes of the user, such as sex, age, weight, height, etc.

[0099] (Experiment 3) Experiment 3 aims to verify whether a user who is given a stimulus can adjust his or her movement (in this example, grip strength) based on information from the sensor.

[0100] In this experiment, the smaller the absolute value of the difference between the user's grip strength target value and the grip strength evaluation value, the smaller the rotation angle of the rotational stimulation element (i.e., the smaller the stimulation given to the user). Specifically, the maximum rotation angle was set to 30 degrees, and the profile shown in Figure 13 was used.

[0101] Figure 14 shows the results of the grip strength evaluation value and the grip strength actual measurement value when the grip strength target value was 30 N. Figure 15 shows the results when the grip strength target value was 50 N. Figure 16 shows the results when the grip strength target value was 70 N. Both figures show the behavior during the last 5 seconds of the experiment.

[0102] As shown in the figure, it can be seen that the grip evaluation value reaches the target region (the region of the grip target value ±5 N) in all cases where the grip target value is 30 N, 50 N, or 70 N. Therefore, it is expected that a user who is given a stimulus based on information from the sensor will be able to correctly adjust his or her grip strength.

[0103] The mechanical distribution formed on the skin by the stimulation elements may be a strain energy density distribution. Alternatively, the mechanical distribution may be a distribution of strain, which may be a principal strain or an equivalent strain. Alternatively, the mechanical distribution may be a distribution of force, which may be a shear force or a normal force. Furthermore, the mechanical distribution may be a distribution of stress, which may be either a pressure, a principal stress or a Mises stress.

[0104] The above-mentioned embodiment is an example of application to force feedback and motion teaching, in which a user is given a grip force target value so that the user can correctly adjust his / her own grip force. As one modification, the above-mentioned sensors and stimulation elements may be provided on multiple surfaces. In this case, the multiple stimulation elements may be controlled independently so that the desired force feedback and motion teaching can be performed based on the pressure from each sensor. The arrangement, number and control of these multiple sensors and stimulation elements can be set according to the desired force feedback and motion teaching.

[0105] In the example of Fig. 4, the haptic device 1 is attached to the upper arm of the user U. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the haptic device may be attached to any part of the user's body that can form a strain energy density distribution corresponding to the desired movement, such as the buttocks, back, abdomen, head, wrists, fingers, thighs, lower legs, ankles, toes, neck, trunk, or waist.

[0106] 17 is a schematic diagram of a chaise longue C with a plurality of stimulation elements 20 arranged on the backrest and seat. The stimulation elements 20 stimulate parts of the body of a user U, including the buttocks, back, and thighs, to provide a sense of force or teach an exercise.

[0107] Fig. 18 is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of strain on the skin of the user U caused by the stimulation element 20 of Fig. 17. According to this embodiment, it is possible to present a force sense or teach an exercise to a wide area of ​​the body of the user U while the user U is in a relaxed state.

[0108] Fig. 19 is a schematic diagram of a haptic device 1A to be worn on the left and right thighs and the left and right lower legs of a user. The haptic device 1A includes a unit 100 including mechanisms for providing haptic sensation, three on each of the left and right thighs and one on each of the left and right lower legs. As shown enlarged on the right side of Fig. 19, in the unit 100, stimulation elements 20a to 20d are attached to a holder 50 and integrated with a sensor. Details of the unit 100 have been described with reference to Figs. 2 and 3.

[0109] Fig. 20 is a schematic diagram showing a user U wearing the force sense supply device 1A of Fig. 19. According to this embodiment, a force sense can be supplied by applying a stimulus particularly to the thighs and lower legs of the user.

[0110] In the above, a force feedback device to be attached to the left and right thighs and the left and right lower legs of a user has been described using Figures 18 and 19, but it goes without saying that this may be replaced with the above-mentioned exercise instruction device.

[0111] FIG. 21 shows a further modified example of a stimulation component 90 for stimulating the user's skin S. The stimulation component 90 includes a pressure sensor pad 80 and a stimulation element 20e. The pressure sensor pad 80 detects the swelling and changes in hardness of the skin caused by muscle contraction using a pressure sensor. The stimulation element 20e functions as a rotational stimulation element, and applies a twist to the user's skin by rotating around the direction of the pressure from the skin detected by the pressure sensor pad 80. The stimulation element 20e further applies high-frequency vibration perpendicular to the velocity vector direction of the above-mentioned rotational motion.

[0112] According to this embodiment, a mixed stimulus that combines a low-frequency rotational motion that twists the skin with a high-frequency vibration perpendicular to this rotational motion can be used to provide a more accurate force sense presentation or motor teaching.

[0113] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. These embodiments are merely examples, and it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the claims of the present invention, and that such modifications and changes are also within the scope of the claims of the present invention. Therefore, the descriptions and drawings in this specification should be treated as illustrative rather than restrictive.

[0114] Any combination of the above-described embodiments and modifications is also useful as an embodiment of the present invention. A new embodiment resulting from the combination has the combined effects of each of the combined embodiments and modifications. [Explanation of symbols]

[0115] 1...force sense presentation device, 1A...force sense presentation device, 2. Motion teaching device, 3. Motion teaching device, 10 Sensor, 20··Stimulator element, 20a··Stimulator element, 20b Stimulator element, 20c...Stimulation element, 20d··Stimulator element, 20e··Stimulator element, 30...Control section, 40··Servo horn, 41 Servo motor, 50··Holder, 60...Teaching motion determination unit, 70 ··Instructor sensor, 80··pressure sensor pad, 90··Stimulating parts, 100 units, C· Chaise longue, F··Force gauge, S··Skin, T···Teaching, U User, S1: acquiring information about a user's movement; S2 controlling the stimulation element; S3: Applying a stimulus to the user's skin.

Claims

1. 1. A force feedback device for providing a force feedback to a user by providing a stimulus to the user's skin, comprising: A sensor disposed on the skin of the user to acquire information on the user's movement; A stimulation element disposed on the skin of the user to stimulate the skin of the user; A control unit that controls the stimulation element based on information about the user's motion acquired by the sensor; Equipped with A force feedback device, characterized in that the detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulation provided by the stimulation element form a finite angle.

2. 2. The force feedback device according to claim 1, wherein the detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulation provided by the stimulation element are substantially perpendicular to each other.

3. The sensor is a pressure sensor that detects pressure in a direction substantially perpendicular to a skin surface of the user; The force feedback device according to claim 2 , wherein the stimulation element applies a stimulus in a direction substantially parallel to a surface of the user's skin.

4. The force feedback device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor and the stimulation element are integrated together.

5. The force feedback device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor and the stimulation element are disposed adjacent to each other.

6. The stimulation element is a rotational stimulation element that stimulates the skin by a rotational motion, 4. The force feedback device according to claim 3, wherein the rotational stimulation element applies shear strain to the skin by contacting the user's skin in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis and twisting the skin.

7. The force feedback device according to claim 3 , wherein the stimulation element applies a shear strain to the user's skin in a translational direction parallel to a surface of the skin.

8. 4. The force feedback device according to claim 3, wherein the interval between adjacent stimulation elements is such that the ranges of the force feedback provided by the adjacent stimulation elements overlap each other.

9. The force feedback device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the stimulation element based on a result of comparing the user's movement acquired by the sensor with a predetermined target movement.

10. A plurality of pairs each composed of the sensor and the stimulation element are provided, The force feedback device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls each of the stimulation elements individually in accordance with an algorithm that provides a predetermined force feedback to the user.

11. The sensor is a pressure sensor that detects pressure in a direction substantially perpendicular to a skin surface of the user; The force feedback device according to claim 6, characterized in that the rotational stimulation element twists the user's skin by rotating around the direction of pressure from the skin detected by the pressure sensor, and also imparts high-frequency vibrations perpendicular to the velocity vector direction of the rotational motion.

12. An exercise teaching device for teaching a user an exercise by presenting a stimulus to the user's skin, A sensor disposed on the skin of the user to acquire information on the user's movement; A stimulation element disposed on the skin of the user to stimulate the skin of the user; an instruction motion determination unit that determines an instruction motion to be taught to the user based on information on the user's motion acquired by the sensor; a control unit that controls the stimulation element so as to give the user a stimulation corresponding to the exercise determined by the taught exercise determination unit; Equipped with 11. An exercise teaching device, comprising: a sensor for detecting a movement of the subject; a stimulation element for stimulating the subject; and a sensor for sensing the movement of the subject.

13. The exercise teaching device according to claim 12 , wherein the control unit controls the stimulation element so that the smaller the difference between the user's exercise and the taught exercise, the smaller the stimulation applied to the user's skin.

14. The exercise instruction device according to claim 12, characterized in that the control unit controls the stimulation element so that the magnitude of the stimulation applied to the user's skin becomes 0 when the difference between the user's movement and the taught movement is smaller than a predetermined threshold.

15. The exercise teaching device according to claim 12, wherein the control unit controls the stimulation element to provide a specific stimulation to the user's skin when a difference between the user's exercise and the taught exercise is smaller than a predetermined threshold.

16. The exercise instruction device according to claim 12 , wherein the control unit controls the stimulation element so as to apply different stimulation to the skin of the user depending on whether a difference between the user's exercise and the taught exercise is positive or negative.

17. Further comprising an instructor sensor for acquiring in real time information on the exercise of an instructor who teaches the exercise to the user; The exercise instruction device according to claim 16, characterized in that the instruction exercise determination unit determines the instruction exercise based on a result of comparing the information of the user's exercise acquired by the sensor with the exercise instructor's exercise information acquired by the instructor sensor.

18. 1. A force feedback method for providing a force feedback to a user by providing a stimulus to the user's skin, comprising: acquiring information about the user's movement using a sensor disposed on the user's skin; using a controller to control stimulation elements disposed on the skin of the user based on information of the user's movement acquired by the sensor; applying stimulation to the user's skin using the stimulation element; Including, A force feedback method, characterized in that the detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulation provided by the stimulation element form a finite angle.

19. A program for presenting a force sensation to a user by presenting a stimulus to the user's skin, acquiring information about the user's movement using a sensor disposed on the user's skin; using a controller to control stimulation elements disposed on the skin of the user based on information of the user's movement acquired by the sensor; applying stimulation to the user's skin using the stimulation element; Including, A program for causing a computer to execute a method, characterized in that the detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulation provided by the stimulation element form a finite angle.

20. 1. An exercise teaching method for teaching a user an exercise by presenting a stimulus to the user's skin, comprising: acquiring information about the user's movement using a sensor disposed on the user's skin; a teaching motion determination step of determining a teaching motion to be taught to the user based on information of the user's motion acquired by the sensor; a control step of controlling a stimulation element arranged on the skin of the user so as to give a stimulation corresponding to the exercise determined in the instruction exercise determination step to the user; applying stimulation to the user's skin using the stimulation element; Including, A movement teaching method, characterized in that the detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulation provided by the stimulation element form a finite angle.

21. 1. A program for teaching a user an exercise by presenting a stimulus to the user's skin, comprising: acquiring information about the user's movement using a sensor disposed on the user's skin; a teaching motion determination step of determining a teaching motion to be taught to the user based on information of the user's motion acquired by the sensor; a control step of controlling a stimulation element arranged on the skin of the user so as to give a stimulation corresponding to the exercise determined in the instruction exercise determination step to the user; applying stimulation to the user's skin using the stimulation element; Including, A program for causing a computer to execute a method, characterized in that the detection direction of the sensor and the direction of the stimulation provided by the stimulation element form a finite angle.

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