Six-degrees-of-freedom movement sensor having strain gauge mechanical supports

A motion sensor comprising:

• a central member;
• a user-manipulable member;
• and
• a plurality of sensors disposed between the central member and the user-manipulable member, the sensors being affixed to the user-manipulable member to mechanically bias the user-manipulable member to a quiescent position, relative to a position of the central member, the sensors including means, responsive to manipulation of the user-manipulable member by a user, the manipulation displacing the user-manipulable member from the quiescent position and causing tension on the sensors, for producing a plurality of respective signals related to the tension on the sensors;
• the sensors including a first pair of sensors, the sensors of the pair being disposed to cross each other, and coaxially along a first axis;
• whereby, from the respective signals, calculations may be made to determine a motion of the user-manipulable member by the user according to three translational and three rotational degrees of freedom.

A motion sensor comprising

• a central member;
• a user-manipulable member;
• a plurality of sensors disposed between the central member and the user-manipulable member, the sensors being affixed to the user-manipulable member to mechanically bias the user-manipulable member to a quiescent position, relative to a position of the central member, the sensors including means, responsive to manipulation of the user-manipulable member by a user, the manipulation displacing the user-manipulable member from the quiescent position and causing tension on the sensors, for producing a plurality of respective signals related to the tension on the sensors;
• and
• a holding member, disposed on the central member, having holders for holding respective ones of the sensors in respective positions, each one of the sensors being stretched between its respective holder of the holding member and the position on the user-manipulable member to which the sensor is affixed, the respective holders for sensors of a pair being positioned to hold the sensors of the pair such that the sensors of the pair cross each other;
• whereby, from the respective signals, calculations may be made to determine a motion of the user-manipulable member by the user according to three translational and three rotational degrees of freedom.