Haptic Stimulator Using Piezoelectric Polymer for Sensate Skin Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Upper limb amputees and users of remote teleoperation devices lack the sense of touch, which is essential for grasping objects, navigating in the dark, and detecting hazards, and current entertainment systems fail to stimulate this sense effectively, while blind individuals could benefit from enhanced tactile feedback.
Innovation Solution
A haptic stimulator using a multilayer sheet with a piezoelectric or electroactive polymer layer that vibrates in response to an AC signal, applied to a substrate, providing tactile feedback through sensate skin, incorporating polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) materials and designs like interdigitated electrodes and bistable structures to achieve efficient vibration and displacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional prosthetics are used for upper limb amputees, then visual appearance and basic grip strength are improved, but the sense of touch is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary haptic stimulator device that transfers tactile information from objects contacted by the prosthetic hand back to the user's residual limb skin. This mediator system includes vibration motors or piezoelectric actuators that convert contact forces into tactile feedback signals, allowing the user to perceive touch sensations through their sensate skin while maintaining the mechanical grip strength of the prosthetic.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the missing biological tactile feedback system with an artificial haptic feedback system using vibration motors or piezoelectric actuators. These devices convert mechanical contact forces into vibrational signals that stimulate the user's skin mechanoreceptors, substituting the natural neural feedback pathway with an electromechanical feedback loop.
2Productivity
If visual and auditory senses are stimulated in entertainment systems, then user engagement is improved, but the sense of touch remains unused
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies haptic stimulators to entertainment systems, virtual reality headsets, and gaming controllers, enabling these devices to provide tactile feedback in addition to visual and auditory stimulation. This multi-sensory approach enhances user engagement by making entertainment systems universally capable of stimulating multiple human senses simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses vibration motors and piezoelectric actuators to generate mechanical vibrations that stimulate the user's skin. These vibrational signals can convey information about virtual object textures, forces, and interactions, adding a tactile dimension to visual and auditory entertainment experiences.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If remote teleoperation devices are used in hazardous environments, then operator safety is improved, but tactile feedback is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces haptic feedback actuators as intermediaries in remote teleoperation systems, transferring tactile information from remote environments back to the operator. These actuators provide force feedback and vibration signals that convey information about remote object properties and contact forces, enabling safe operation in hazardous environments while maintaining tactile awareness.
4Loss of information
If artificial vision systems present images through visual display, then information delivery is improved, but haptic stimulation potential is unused
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies haptic stimulators to blind individuals' communication devices, enabling these systems to deliver information through both visual displays and tactile feedback. This multi-channel information delivery system allows blind users to access visual information through touch, enhancing the versatility and adaptability of assistive technology.
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 haptic stimulator effectively simulates touch by generating vibrations that can be felt on the skin, enhancing the sense of touch for amputees, improving user experience in virtual reality and entertainment, and providing tactile feedback for blind individuals through programmable and scalable actuating elements.
Implementation Method 1
A haptic stimulator includes a multilayer sheet with either a piezoelectric or electroactive polymer layer adapted to mechanically deform upon application of a voltage to the polymer
Implementation Method 2
a piezoelectric or electroactive polymer layer adapted to mechanically deform upon application of a voltage to the polymer
Implementation Method 3
a source of electrical stimulation coupled to drive the electrodes on the polymer layer with an AC signal to vibrate the polymer layer
Data Source
AI summary
A haptic stimulator includes a multilayer sheet with a piezoelectric or electroactive polymer layer adapted to mechanically deform upon application of voltage, the multilayer sheet secured to a substrate, and a source of electrical stimulation coupled to drive electrodes on the polymer layer with an AC signal to vibrate the polymer layer. In particular embodiments, the polymer contains polyvinylidene fluoride, and electrodes are patterned to control local electric fields. Another haptic stimulator has first and second electrodes with an air gap and an insulating sheet between first and second electrodes, with an AC voltage driver connecting to the electrodes. In a method of providing haptic stimulation to skin an alternating current supply drives first and second electrodes, the electrodes disposed upon either a piezoelectric or electroactive polymer sheet, vibrating the polymer layer by driving the electrodes; and coupling vibrations of the polymer layer to the sensate skin.