Back to results
US 2012/0268368 A1Published application
Method, Apparatus, and Article for Force Feedback Based on Tension Control and Tracking Through Cables
AssigneeMimic Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey J. Berkley, Marc Vollenweider, Seahak Kim
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A haptic interface system includes a cable based haptic interface device and a controller. The controller receives information related to movement of a grip in real-space and generates a stereoscopic output for a display device. The stereoscopic output includes images of a virtual reality tool whose motions mimic motions of the real-space grip.
Claims27
A cable based user interface, comprising:
- a first plurality of translational effecter devices and a second plurality of translational effecter devices, each translational effecter device of the first plurality of translational effecter devices and of the second plurality of translational effecter devices having an electric motor and a spool, the electric motor configured to controllably provide torque to the spool for rotating and counter-rotating the spool;
- a first plurality of cable segments and a second plurality of cable segments, each one of the cable segments of the first plurality of cable segments coupled to a spool of a respective translational effecter device of the first plurality of translational effecter devices, and each one of the cable segments of the second plurality of cable segments coupled to a spool of a respective translational effecter device of the second plurality of translational effecter devices;
- a first grip and a second grip, the first grip having the first plurality of cable segments coupled thereto, and the second grip having the second plurality of cable segments coupled thereto;
- a structure having a front user side and an opposed rear side separated from the front user side by a longitudinal distance, the structure defining a transverse width extending generally between opposed right and left sides of the structure, the structure providing an open workspace volume located between the front user side and the rear side and between the right and left sides of the structure, the open workspace volume sized to receive a right-hand and a left-hand of a user positioned at the front user side of the structure, the structure defining a first plurality of points and a second plurality of points, each point of the first plurality of points configured to have a respective cable segment of the first plurality of cable segments extending therefrom to the first grip, and each point of the second plurality of points configured to have a respective cable segment of the second plurality of cable segments extending therefrom to the second grip;
- and
- a grip-dock configured to receive at least a portion of at least one of the first grip and the second grip.
3 more elements
A cable based user interface, comprising:
- a plurality of translational effecter devices, each translational effecter device having an electric motor and a spool, the electric motor configured to controllably provide torque to the spool for rotating and counter-rotating the spool;
- a plurality of cable segments, each one of the cable segments coupled to a spool of a respective translational effecter device of the plurality of translational effecter devices;
- a grip configured to be held by a hand of user and having the plurality of cable segments coupled thereto;
- and
- a grip-dock configured to receive at least a portion of the grip and having a grip-detector configured to detect the grip received by the grip-dock and provide a grip-docked signal in response to detection of the grip.
2 more elements
A cable based user interface, comprising:
- a first grip configured to be gripped by a first hand of a user and a second grip configured to be gripped by a second hand of the user;
- a structure having a base with a front user side and an opposed rear side separated from the front user side by a longitudinal distance, the structure defining a transverse width with the base extending generally between opposed right and left sides of the structure, the structure providing an open workspace volume located above the base and between the right and left sides of the structure, the open workspace volume sized to receive the first and the second grips and the first and the second hands of the user positioned at the front user side of the structure;
- and
- a grip-dock located on the structure and configured to receive at least a portion of at least one of the first grip and the second grip, the grip-dock having a grip-detector configured to detect a grip received by the grip-dock and provide a grip-docked signal in response to detection of the grip received by the grip-dock.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.