Exo-tendon Glove with Tendon-like Cables for Precise Motion Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current virtual reality systems fail to provide immersive experiences for users by not effectively capturing precise hand and finger movements and haptic sensations, limiting the sense of touch and interaction with virtual objects.
Innovation Solution
A glove system with anchoring finger caps, tendon-like cables, and return force providers that measure and transmit precise hand movements and haptic feedback, allowing for accurate motion capture and tactile sensations through vibrating motors, enabling users to interact with virtual objects with a sense of touch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a head-mounted display is used to provide visual immersion, then the visual field of view is covered, but the sense of touch and hand interaction remains limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the interaction system into separate functional components: HMD for visual immersion, glove for tactile feedback, and controller for motion capture. Each component handles a specific sensory modality, allowing independent optimization without compromising overall immersion quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces haptic actuators as intermediary devices between the user's hand and the virtual environment. These actuators transmit tactile sensations through the glove material, serving as a mediator that bridges the gap between virtual objects and physical touch perception.
2Ease of operation
If traditional game controllers are used for gesture input, then movement tracking is achieved, but precise finger motion capture and haptic sensation relay are not provided
Solution Approach 1:
The glove divides finger motion capture into individual sensor units for each finger, with separate tendon-like cables and measuring devices tracking each digit's movement independently. This segmentation enables precise measurement of individual finger motions rather than treating the hand as a single unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical control systems with a tendon-like cable mechanism that uses flexible cables running through the glove material. This mechanical substitution allows for more accurate and natural finger motion tracking while maintaining ease of operation.
3Device complexity
If cloud-based gaming systems are used for remote processing, then game execution is offloaded, but complete immersion including hand and finger sensation is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the immersion experience into distinct sensory channels: visual processing handled by HMD, tactile feedback handled by glove actuators, and motion control handled by finger sensors. This segmentation allows cloud-based processing to handle complex game logic while local devices provide immediate sensory feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a closed-loop feedback system where finger motion sensors capture user input, transmit it to the cloud for processing, and receive haptic feedback signals that are immediately transmitted back through the actuators. This continuous feedback loop maintains immersion despite distributed processing architecture.
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 glove system provides a complete virtual reality immersion experience by accurately recreating hand movements and haptic sensations, allowing users to interact with virtual objects with precision and realism, enhancing the overall VR experience.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of tendon-like cables configured to transmit the flexion/extension as well as abduction/adduction data to a plurality of measuring devices for processing
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of return force providers to ensure flexion and tension in the tendon-like cable elements
Implementation Method 3
relay the sensations of shape and structure of an object within the hand upon the alignment of the finger caps in the palm
Data Source
AI summary
Motion capture and haptic glove systems/methods and devices are provided in this invention. In one embodiment of the invention a motion capture and haptic glove system is described, comprising: A glove portion to be worn on top of a user's hand, the glove having finger portions for the fingers and thumb of the user; a plurality of anchoring finger caps circumscribed around the extremities of the finger portions; a plurality of anchor points configured to generate sensor data identifying a flexion/extension and an abduction/adduction of the finger portions; a plurality of tendon-like cables configured to transmit the flexion/extension and the abduction/adduction data to a plurality of measuring devices for processing; a plurality of return force providers to ensure flexion and tension in the tendon-like cable elements; and a housing structure residing on the forearm and connected to the glove portion via the plurality of tendon-like cables.