Tactile Sensory Substitution System for Non-Invasive Environmental Data Encoding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional devices for supporting individuals with vision or hearing impairments are invasive, costly, and limited in their ability to effectively encode and process complex information, leading to deficiencies in sensory substitution and boosting technologies.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that uses multi-domain encodings to provide complex information through tactile output devices, allowing users to receive and process information from their environment by transforming environmental data into tactile stimuli, enabling sensory substitution and boosting for impaired individuals and enhancing sensory experience for non-impaired users.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional invasive devices (retinal implants, cochlear implants) are used to support individuals with sensory impairments, then sensory information can be delivered to the user, but the devices require surgical implantation, are risky, expensive, and limited in availability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensory information deliveryVSAvoidsurgical risks and invasiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces invasive mechanical/surgical implantation with non-invasive sensory substitution systems that use wearable devices to convert visual or auditory information into tactile feedback through the skin, eliminating surgical risks while maintaining information delivery capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces intermediary wearable devices that act as mediators between the environment and the user's sensory system, converting information from impaired senses into tactile signals that can be perceived through intact skin areas

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If traditional sensory substitution devices are used, then some sensory information can be provided, but the density and complexity of information that can be processed is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensory information provisionVSAvoidinformation processing capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses multi-dimensional tactile encoding schemes that map information across multiple tactile dimensions (spatial distribution, vibration frequency, amplitude, temporal patterns) to dramatically increase the density and complexity of information that can be transmitted through the tactile interface

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If traditional sensory devices are used, then basic sensory support is provided, but the cost and ease of use are poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesensory supportVSAvoidcost and accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs wearable tactile devices that use inexpensive haptic actuators and sensors, replacing expensive implantable devices with affordable, replaceable consumer-electronic-style components that can be manufactured at lower cost

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentUS11660246B2Method and system for providing information to a user

Publication Date: 2023.05.30 ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL(COMPAGNIE GENERALE D OPTIQUE)

AI summary

A method for providing information to a user, preferably including: determining environmental information; determining a set of features based on the information; determining output parameters based on the features; and controlling a sensory output system to generate outputs based on the output parameters. A sensory output device, preferably including a plurality of sensory output actuators. A system for providing information to a user, preferably including one or more: sensory output devices, sensors, and computing systems.