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US 12,336,429 B2Granted
Thermotactile stimulation prosthesis
AssigneeThe Johns Hopkins University
InventorsRama Venkatasubramanian, Luke E. Osborn, Robert S. Armiger, Meiyong Himmtann, Jonathan M. Pierce
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Abstract
A thermotactile stimulation prosthesis includes a prosthesis extremity having a prosthesis interface configured for attachment to a human limb, and a thermoelectric actuator array coupled to the prosthesis interface and configured to establish a noninvasive thermoneural human-machine interface capable of providing sensations of temperature to the human limb.
Claims16
A thermotactile stimulation prosthesis comprising:
- a prosthesis extremity having a prosthesis interface configured for attachment to a human limb;
- and
- a thermoelectric actuator array coupled to the prosthesis interface and configured to establish a noninvasive thermoneural human-machine interface capable of providing sensations of temperature to the human limb,
- wherein the thermoelectric actuator array comprises a plurality of thin-film thermoelectric (TFTE) actuators configured to generate one or both of a heating effect and a cooling effect in response to an electrical current,
- wherein the plurality of TFTE actuators each include a p-type controlled hierarchical engineered superlattice structure (CHESS), and an n-type CHESS, and wherein each of the p-type CHESS and the n-type CHESS comprises a thin-film thermoelectric material having a material thickness, and
- wherein the p-type CHESS and the n-type CHESS each include superlattice periods of varying thickness and associated layers of varying thickness to scatter a range of phonons.
3 more elements
An interactive reality device comprising:
- a hollow shell configured to fit with a human appendage, the hollow shell including an outer shell surface and an inner shell surface, the inner shell surface opposing the outer shell surface, surrounding an inner void configured to receive the human appendage;
- and
- a plurality of a plurality of thin-film thermoelectric (TFTE) actuators disposed on the inner shell surface, the plurality of TFTE actuators configured to establish a noninvasive thermoneural human-machine interface capable of providing sensations of temperature to the human appendage,
- wherein the TFTE actuators of the plurality of TFTE actuators each include a p-type controlled hierarchical engineered superlattice structure (CHESS), and an n-type CHESS,
- wherein each of the p-type CHESS and the n-type CHESS comprises a thin-film thermoelectric material having a material thickness, and
- wherein the p-type CHESS and the n-type CHESS each include superlattice periods of varying thickness and associated layers of varying thickness to scatter a range of phonons.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.