# US 12,179,341 B2 · Simulation manipulator > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,179,341 B2 - Document ID: US12179341B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/362,593 - Filed: 2023-07-31 - Published: 2023-11-23 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2023-07-28 - Assignees: Google Inc. - Applicants: Google LLC - Inventors: Chihhao Lee; Hsu Chung; Yenming Liu; Lin Chi Lin; Hung-Ren Yu; Chen Chao Huang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12179341B2 ## CPC - B25J 15/08: having finger members (B25J15/02, B25J15/04 take precedence) - B25J 11/00: Manipulators not otherwise provided for - B25J 15/12: with flexible finger members - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING ## Abstract This document describes systems and techniques for simulating the touch of a human finger in manipulating an interface device, such as a touchscreen included in a mobile phone or other computing device. The systems and techniques include an artificial finger configured to be received and manipulated by a robotic actuator to simulate surface engagement, mechanical force, and electrical conductivity of a human finger engaging the touchscreen at varied touch angles and/or mechanical pressures. The systems and techniques thereby provide for rigorous and repeatable testing of an electrical and mechanical response of the touchscreen to simulated user inputs without involving a human test operator. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: an artificial finger including: a rigid central member extending in a first direction, including a curvature in a transverse direction to approximate phalanges of an extended human finger, and defining an interior channel configured to receive an electrical conductor configured to electrically couple a conductive element with a coupling; and a compressible outer layer disposed around at least a portion of the rigid central member and shaped to approximate a form of the extended human finger and including the conductive element, the conductive element spanning at least a distal pad and a tip of the artificial finger; and the coupling, the coupling joined with the artificial finger and configured to be received by a robotic actuator to enable the robotic actuator to mechanically manipulate the artificial finger and to electrically couple the conductive element with a conductive portion of the robotic actuator. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rigid central member is configured to be partially deflectable in the transverse direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rigid central member is formed of a first material including an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 48 hardness scale Type D material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the compressible outer layer is formed of a second material including an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 48 hardness scale Type A material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive element includes the conductive material, the conductive material including graphene or carbon nanotubes. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive element: includes a covering disposed over the distal pad and the tip of the artificial finger; or is integrated into the compressible outer layer of the artificial finger. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the rigid central member and the compressible outer layer is formed using three-dimensional (3D) printing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein at least one of the rigid central member and the compressible outer layer is formed using selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printing, fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing, or stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the coupling includes the electrical conductor electrically coupled to the conductive element and extending to an electrical contact on the coupling, the electrical contact on the coupling configured to engage the conductive portion of the robotic actuator. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: the robotic actuator, the robotic actuator having a socket into which the coupling is received.