Apparatus for providing vibrotactile sensory substitution of force feedback

An apparatus for an operator to control an effector that is remote from the operator to interact with an environment that is also remote form the operator by operator manipulation of an input device in an environment local to the operator, said apparatus comprising:

• a. with respect to at least one force arising between the remote effector and the remote environment, said force acting along a direction, at least one means for sensing said direction of said at least one force;
• b. means for generating a force feedback signal that corresponds to the direction along which said sensed force acts, said feedback signal being characterized by at least one component having a frequency and amplitude;
• c. means for transmitting said force feedback signal from said remote environment to the location of said operator;
• d. means for transducing said force feedback signal into a vibrotactile sensory substitution signal to which the operator is sensitive;
• and
• e. means for presenting said transduced vibrotactile sensory substitution signal to a vibrotactile sensory system of the operator that is receptive to said sensory substitution signal.

An apparatus for an operator to control an effector that is remote from the operator to interact with an environment that is also remote from the operator by operator manipulation of an input device in an environment local to the operator, said apparatus comprising:

• a. with respect to at least one force arising between the remote effector and the remote environment, said force acting at a location of the effector, at least one means for sensing said location at which said force acts;
• b. means for generating a force feedback signal that corresponds to the location of said sensed force;
• c. means for transmitting said force feedback signal from said remote environment to the location of said operator;
• d. means for transducing said force feedback signal into a vibrotactile sensory substitution signal to which the operator is sensitive;
• and
• e. means for presenting said transduced vibrotactile sensory substitution signal to a vibrotactile system of the operator that is receptive to said sensory substitution signal.

An apparatus for an operator having a vibrotactile system to receive information regarding an environment remote from the operator, said apparatus comprising:

• a. an input device located in an environment local to the operator;
• b. an effector located in the remote environment;
• c. means for generating a signal in response to manipulation of the input device;
• d. means for manipulating said effector in response to said signal representative of manipulation of the input device;
• e. at least one means for sensing a force arising between the effector and the remote environment;
• f. means for generating a force feedback signal that corresponds to said sensed force;
• g. means for transmitting said force feedback signal from said remote environment to the location of said operator;
• h. means for transducing said force feedback signal into a vibrotactile sensory substitution signal to which the operator is sensitive;
• and
• i. means for presenting said transduced sensory substitution signal to a vibrotactile system of the operator that is receptive to said vibrotactile sensory substitution signal.