Systems and methods of generating low-frequency and persistent haptics using low-voltage and high-pressure flexible electroosmotic actuators

A system comprising:

• a wearable device;
• and
• an array of electroosmotic actuators,
• wherein each electroosmotic actuator of the array of electroosmotic actuators comprises:
• at least one flexible printed circuit board having a plurality of electrodes;
• a fluid-filled reservoir;
• and
• individually-controlled pouches in fluid communication with the fluid-filled reservoir, a respective individually-controlled pouch associated with two electrodes of the plurality of electrodes,
• wherein the at least one flexible printed circuit board, the fluid-filled reservoir, and the individually-controlled pouches are disposed in a plurality of layers to form a flexible structure with a non-zero thickness of less than 2 millimeters (mm), and the array of electroosmotic actuators is coupled to a portion of the wearable device, such that when the wearable device and the array of electroosmotic actuators are worn on a portion of a user's body, the system is configured to:
• in response to receiving, at the wearable device, instructions to provide haptic feedback to the user via a respective electroosmotic actuator of the array of electroosmotic actuators, causing, the respective electroosmotic actuator to generate a haptic response,
• wherein causing, the electroosmotic actuator to generate the haptic response includes:
• providing a voltage less than 700 V to the two electrodes of the plurality of electrodes such that fluid from the fluid-filled reservoir moves into the respective individually-controlled pouch of the individually-controlled pouches, thereby causing haptic feedback to the portion of the user's body on which the wearable device and the electroosmotic actuator are worn.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a wearable device, cause the wearable device to:

• in response to receiving instructions to provide haptic feedback to a user via an electroosmotic actuator of an array of individually controlled electroosmotic actuators coupled to a portion of the wearable device, cause, the electroosmotic actuator to generate a haptic response,
• wherein causing, the electroosmotic actuator to generate the haptic response includes:
• providing a non-zero voltage less than 700 V to a portion of a flexible structure of the electroosmotic actuator, such that:
• fluid from a fluid-filled reservoir coupled to the flexible structure moves into a respective individually-controlled pouch of the flexible structure, thereby causing haptic feedback to be provided to the user, wherein the respective individually-controlled pouch of the individually-controlled pouches has a non-zero thickness between 0.05 millimeters (mm) and 0.7 mm.