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US 2022/0409996 A1Published application
Mobile Haptic Robots
AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC
InventorsMar GONZALEZ FRANCO, Eyal OFEK, Michael Jack SINCLAIR, Ryo SUZUKI
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Abstract
The present concepts relate to devices that can approximate virtual objects when touched by a user. One example device can include a location assembly configured to sense a location of the device on a surface and configured to move the robotic device on the surface and a shape assembly secured to the location assembly and configured to adjust a height and a pitch of an upper surface of the robotic device.
Claims21
A system, comprising:
- a virtual reality device capable of generating an image comprising
- a virtual object for a user;
- multiple independently controllable robots;
- and,
- a module configured to receive a prediction that the user is reaching for the virtual object at a location, the module configured to identify a subset of the multiple robots to utilize to approximate the virtual object, to cause the subset of the multiple robots to move to the location and to change shape to be engaged by the user based at least in part upon information about the virtual object.
2 more elements
A robotic device, comprising:
- a location assembly configured to sense a location of the robotic device on a surface and to move the robotic device on the surface;
- and,
- a shape assembly secured to the location assembly and configured to adjust a height and a pitch of an upper surface of the robotic device.
A device implemented method, comprising:
- receiving information about a user reaching for a virtual object at a location in three-dimensional (3D) space;
- obtaining shape information about the virtual object;
- selecting individual robots from a swarm of robots to approximate the virtual object;
- causing the individual robots to move toward the location;
- and,
- causing the individual robots to change shape to approximate the virtual object.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.