Finger-Mounted Haptic Sensors for Comfortable Mixed-Reality Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic devices for user input and feedback, such as computer mice and force-feedback gloves, can be cumbersome, uncomfortable, or provide inadequate haptic feedback, limiting their convenience and effectiveness in virtual reality systems.
Innovation Solution
Finger-mounted devices equipped with sensors and haptic output mechanisms that gather user input and provide tactile feedback, allowing for intuitive interaction with virtual and real-world objects through sensors like inertial measurement units, force sensors, and haptic actuators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If computer mice and force-feedback gloves are used for control, then user input capability is provided, but the devices become cumbersome and uncomfortable
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the input device into multiple independent finger-mounted units, each equipped with its own sensors. This segmentation allows each unit to be small and comfortable while collectively providing comprehensive input capability across multiple fingers, resolving the contradiction between convenience and functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential sensing functions from bulky traditional input devices and concentrates them into minimal finger-mounted units. By taking out only the necessary sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, force sensors) and mounting them on fingers, the system eliminates unnecessary bulk while preserving input capability.
2Reliability
If traditional input devices are used, then basic control is achieved, but haptic feedback is inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sensing functions (inertial measurement, force sensing, touch sensing) into a single integrated finger-mounted device. This consolidation provides comprehensive feedback capability without requiring multiple separate devices, resolving the contradiction between feedback quality and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
Each finger-mounted device is designed to perform multiple functions: detecting finger position, measuring applied force, detecting touch input, and providing haptic feedback. This multi-functionality ensures reliable comprehensive feedback while using a single universal device type across all fingers, avoiding the need for complex specialized devices.
3Area of stationary object
If finger-mounted devices cover the entire finger, then sensor coverage is maximized, but the finger pad is not left free for natural interaction
Solution Approach 1:
The finger-mounted device is designed with non-uniform coverage: it covers the dorsal surface and sides of the finger where sensors are needed, but deliberately leaves the finger pad exposed. This local differentiation in coverage provides both maximum sensor coverage for input detection and preserved finger pad accessibility for natural interaction with external objects.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system may include finger devices. A touch sensor may be mounted in a finger device housing to gather input from an external object as the object moves along an exterior surface of the housing. The touch sensor may include capacitive sensor electrodes. Sensors such as force sensors, ultrasonic sensors, inertial measurement units, optical sensors, and other components may be used in gathering finger input from a user. Finger input from a user may be used to manipulate virtual objects in a mixed reality or virtual reality environment while a haptic output device in a finger device provides associated haptic output. A user may interact with real-world objects while computer-generated content is overlaid over some or all of the objects. Object rotations and other movements may be converted into input for a mixed reality or virtual reality system using force measurements or other sensors measurements made with the finger devices.