Haptic communication using inside body illusions
AssigneeFacebook, Inc.
InventorAli Israr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments relate to operating multiple cutaneous actuators to provide the sensation of motions or actions occurring within the body. A part of receiving user's body (e.g., limb or head) is placed between the cutaneous actuators. The cutaneous actuators are operated in sequence, causing the illusion of motions or actions occurring inside the body part, as opposed to patches of skin where the cutaneous actuators are located. By differing the time interval between the activation of the cutaneous actuators and/or amplitude of vibrations generated by the cutaneous actuators.
Claims18
A method, comprising:
- sending a first actuator signal to a first cutaneous actuator on a first patch of a user's skin to cause the first cutaneous actuator to produce vibrations on the first patch of the skin;
- and
- sending a second actuator signal to a second cutaneous actuator on a second patch of the user's skin to cause the second cutaneous actuator to produce vibrations on the second patch of the skin, a part of the user's body positioned between the first cutaneous actuator and the second cutaneous actuator,
- wherein the first and second actuator signals have a temporal relationship or relative amplitudes that produce a physical sensation that is perceived to occur within the interior of the part of the user's body in-between the first cutaneous actuator and the second cutaneous actuator;
- and
- wherein the first actuator signal includes a predetermined number of first pulses and the second actuator signal includes a predetermined number of second pulses subsequent to the first pulses.
A haptic system comprising:
- a first cutaneous actuator configured to mount on a first patch of a user's skin;
- a second cutaneous actuator configured to mount on a second patch of the user's skin with a part of the user's body between the first cutaneous actuator and the second cutaneous actuator;
- and
- a signal generator operably communicating with the first and second cutaneous actuator, the signal generator configured to:
- send a first actuator signal to cause the first cutaneous actuator to produce vibrations on the first patch of the user's skin, and
- send a second actuator signal to cause the second cutaneous actuator to produce vibrations on the second patch of the user's skin,
- wherein the first and second actuator signals have a temporal relationship or relative amplitudes that produce a physical sensation that is perceived to occur within the interior of the part of the user's body in-between the first cutaneous actuator and the second cutaneous actuator;
- and
- wherein the first actuator signal includes a predetermined number of first pulses and the second actuator signal includes a predetermined number of second pulses subsequent to the first pulses.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, the instructions when executed by a processor cause the processor to:
- send a first actuator signal to a first cutaneous actuator on a first patch of a user's skin to cause the first cutaneous actuator to produce vibrations on the first patch of the skin;
- and
- send a second actuator signal to a second cutaneous actuator on a second patch of the user's skin to cause the second cutaneous actuator to produce vibrations on the second patch of the skin, a part of the user's body positioned between the first cutaneous actuator and the second cutaneous actuator,
- wherein the first and second actuator signals have a temporal relationship or relative amplitudes that produce a physical sensation that is perceived to occur within the part of the user's body between the first cutaneous actuator and the second cutaneous actuator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.