Multibend shape sensor
AssigneeTactual Labs Co.
InventorsPaul Henry Dietz, Fereshteh Shahmiri
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multibend sensor comprises a reference strip having a first plurality of electrodes, wherein each of the first plurality of electrodes is adapted to receive a signal; a sliding strip having a second plurality of electrodes, wherein each of the second plurality of electrodes is adapted to transmit at least one signal, wherein the sliding strip moves with respect to the reference strip; and measurement circuitry adapted to process signals received by the first plurality of electrodes, wherein the processed signals provide information regarding the relative position of the sliding strip to the reference strip.
Claims16
A multibend sensor, comprising:
- a reference strip having a first plurality of electrodes, wherein each of the first plurality of electrodes is adapted to receive a signal;
- a sliding strip having a second plurality of electrodes, wherein each of the second plurality of electrodes is adapted to transmit at least one signal, wherein the sliding strip moves with respect to the reference strip, wherein an end portion of the reference strip and an end portion of the sliding strip are secured together by a common end portion, wherein the common end portion effects the movement of the sliding strip with respect to the reference strip;
- and
- measurement circuitry adapted to process signals received by the first plurality of electrodes, wherein the processed signals provide information regarding the relative position of the sliding strip to the reference strip.
A multibend sensor, comprising:
- a plurality of reference strips having a first plurality of electrodes, wherein each of the first plurality of electrodes is adapted to receive a signal;
- a plurality of sliding strips having a second plurality of electrodes, wherein each of the second plurality of electrodes is adapted to transmit at least one signal, wherein at least one of the plurality of sliding strips moves with respect to at least one of the plurality reference strips, wherein an end portion of the reference strip and an end portion of the sliding strip are secured together by a common end portion, wherein the common end portion effects the movement of the sliding strip with respect to the reference strip;
- and
- measurement circuitry adapted to process signals received by the at least one of the first plurality of electrodes, wherein the processed signals provide information regarding the relative position of the sliding strip to the reference strip.
A sensor for measuring a spinal bend, comprising:
- a housing adapted to conform to the shape of a spine, comprising:
- a reference strip having a first plurality of electrodes, wherein each of the first plurality of electrodes is adapted to receive a signal;
- a sliding strip having a second plurality of electrodes, wherein each of the second plurality of electrodes is adapted to transmit at least one signal, wherein the sliding strip moves with respect to the reference strip, wherein an end portion of the reference strip and an end portion of the sliding strip are secured together by a common end portion, wherein the common end portion effects the movement of the sliding strip with respect to the reference strip;
- and
- measurement circuitry adapted to process signals received by the first plurality of electrodes, wherein the processed signals provide indication of movement of the sliding strip with respect to the reference strip, wherein the measured movement is related to spinal shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.