Finger-Sensing Vibration Actuators for Individualized Tactile Feedback
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for generating tactile stimulation on touch screens fail to provide individualized effects to each finger, especially when multiple points are touched, and cannot simulate stereoscopic tactile feedback without relative motion.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with vibration actuators placed on opposing sides of a finger, controlled by sensors to detect position and direction, generating vibrations with specific intensity and duration to create illusory stimulation, allowing for individualized tactile feedback on each finger, even at single points and with multiple contacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional touch screen methods control the entire touch screen to provide tactile feedback, then tactile stimulation can be provided across the screen, but individualized effects to each finger cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The touch screen is divided into multiple independent vibration regions, each capable of generating vibration independently. This segmentation allows different fingers touching different regions to receive individualized tactile feedback, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and device complexity by organizing the system into modular, independently controllable units.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the touch screen are equipped with independent vibration actuators that can be controlled individually. This local quality approach enables each touched region to provide customized tactile feedback based on its specific position and the virtual object being interacted with, achieving individualized effects for each finger while maintaining overall system manageability.
2Ease of operation
If conventional methods require relative motion (drag or slide) to provide tactile stimulation, then tactile feedback can be generated, but single-point touches cannot provide stimulation
Solution Approach 1:
Vibration actuators are pre-positioned across the touch screen in multiple independent regions. When a user touches any region, the corresponding actuator is immediately activated to provide tactile feedback, eliminating the need for preliminary motion. This preliminary preparation of vibration capabilities across all regions enables both single-point and multi-point touches to generate immediate tactile stimulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically activates specific vibration regions based on the user's touch position and motion state. Whether the user performs a single-point touch, drag, or slide, the system adapts by activating the appropriate vibration actuators in real-time, providing tactile feedback for all interaction types without requiring predefined motion patterns.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional methods control the entire touch screen for tactile effects, then uniform tactile feedback is provided, but different tactile stimulations cannot be provided to multiple contact points simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The touch screen is segmented into multiple independently controllable vibration regions, each with its own actuator. This segmentation enables the control system to address multiple contact points simultaneously by activating specific regions independently, providing differentiated tactile feedback for each finger while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
Each vibration region on the touch screen is equipped with independent control capabilities, allowing local customization of tactile feedback. When multiple fingers touch different regions, each region can provide distinct tactile stimulation tailored to its specific virtual object, achieving multi-point tactile differentiation while keeping the control system organized through localized control units.
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
Enables realistic stereoscopic tactile simulation by generating distinct vibrations for each finger, providing individualized feedback and simulating the texture and shape of virtual objects, enhancing user interaction with virtual models.
Implementation Method 1
vibration actuators apply vibration to the finger with intensity and duration determined by the position and the pointing direction of the finger
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for generating tactile stimulation includes vibration actuators disposed on opposing sides of a finger, and a sensor configured to detect a position and a pointing direction of the finger, wherein the vibration actuators apply vibration to the finger with intensity and duration determined by the position and the pointing direction of the finger detected by the sensor, and wherein illusory stimulation is generated within the finger by the vibration generated by the vibration actuators.