Electrovibration Touch Panel Haptic Feedback for Industrial Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Operators often perform half-blind operations on touch-sensitive control panels in industrial systems, leading to errors due to the lack of visual feedback, necessitating the use of more expensive and cumbersome key devices to prevent accidental parameter adjustments.
Innovation Solution
A touch-sensitive control panel utilizing electrovibration to generate adjustable frictional forces, allowing operators to perceive and correct finger movements without visual attention, thereby preventing errors through haptic feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a touch-sensitive control panel is used, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but operating errors increase due to lack of tactile feedback
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements haptic feedback by generating frictional forces through electrovibration when the operator touches the control panel. This tactile feedback allows the operator to perceive their actions without visual attention, preventing operating errors while maintaining the simplicity of touch-sensitive control panels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses electrovibration to generate controlled frictional forces on the touch-sensitive control panel surface. This mechanical vibration effect provides tactile feedback to the operator, enabling safe operation without visual feedback while keeping the device structure simple.
2Reliability
If a conventional key device is used instead of touch-sensitive control panel, then operating errors are reduced, but device complexity and size increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical key devices with a touch-sensitive control panel that generates haptic feedback through electrovibration. This substitution maintains the reliability of tactile feedback while reducing device complexity and eliminating the need for mechanical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state of the control panel surface by dynamically adjusting frictional forces through electrovibration. This allows the touch-sensitive panel to provide tactile feedback similar to conventional key devices without requiring mechanical structures, thereby reducing complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If frictional force is increased to prevent finger slippage, then operation accuracy is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to increased resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent dynamically adjusts the frictional force on the control panel surface based on operational needs. The electrovibration system can modulate friction in real-time, providing increased friction when precision is needed and reduced friction for ease of movement, thereby resolving the contradiction between precision and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses periodic electrovibration to generate controlled frictional forces. By applying alternating voltage at specific frequencies, the system creates periodic friction patterns that guide finger movement with appropriate resistance, improving precision without permanently increasing operational difficulty.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables safe and accurate operation of industrial systems by providing tactile feedback on parameter adjustments, reducing errors and eliminating the need for additional sensors or hardware, while allowing for adjustable haptic feedback through varying AC voltage frequencies.
Implementation Method 1
generates an adjustable friction or frictional force that the operator can perceive based on electrovibration
Implementation Method 2
an alternating voltage is applied to an electrode with an insulating layer located thereon, a frictional force or friction being generated when the finger of an operator is touched and moved
Data Source
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Figure 2
AI summary
The device has an operator control panel (BF) for producing operator-perceptible frictional force based on electrical vibration when an operator moves a finger on a panel surface in which an operator command is generated by touching an operator control element (B101) with the finger and associated with finger movement, where the force is produced when another element is touched and movement occur is lower than the force produced in response to touch and the movement in a panel region bordering the latter element. A display panel displays information relating to a technical system. The operator command is a control command for the technical system. The element is a control slider and a dial. The panel region is a setpoint range region (P1) and a region of parameter values outside the setpoint range (P2). The operator control panel is a touch-sensitive operator control panel in form of a touchscreen display such as capacitive touchscreen display or optical/multitouch screen display, for operating the technical system.