High bandwidth force feedback interface using voice coils and flexures

An interface apparatus for interfacing motion of a user manipulable object with a host computer system displaying visual images on a screen, said interface apparatus comprising:

• a user manipulatable object movable in a degree of freedom by a user and being physically contacted by said user;
• a gimbal mechanism coupled to said user manipulatable object and providing at least one degree of freedom to said user manipulatable object, said gimbal mechanism including a plurality of members;
• a microprocessor, separate from said host computer system, for communicating with said host computer system via a communication interface by receiving host commands from said host computer system, said microprocessor being controlled by software instructions;
• an actuator physically coupled to said user manipulatable object and electrically coupled to said microprocessor for applying a force to said user manipulatable object along a degree of freedom in accordance with a microprocessor command from said microprocessor, said microprocessor command being derived, at least in part, from at least one of said host commands, wherein said actuator includes a coil portion and a magnet portion which move linearly relative to each other and which use a magnetic field in applying said force;
• and
• a sensor for detecting a position of said user manipulatable object along said degree of freedom and outputting sensor signals to said host computer system, said sensor signals including information representative of said position of said user manipulatable object.

An interface apparatus for interfacing motion of a user manipulable object with an electrical system, said interface apparatus comprising:

• a gimbal mechanism including a plurality of members and providing two degrees of freedom to a user-manipulable object coupled to said gimbal mechanism;
• a first degree of freedom actuator coupled to said gimbal mechanism, said first degree of freedom actuator including a first voice coil actuator for applying a force to said user-manipulable object in said first degree of freedom using a magnetic field;
• a second degree of freedom actuator coupled to said gimbal mechanism, said second degree of freedom actuator including a second voice coil actuator for applying a force to said user-manipulable object in said second degree of freedom using a magnetic field;
• and
• at least one sensor for detecting motion of said user-manipulable object along said first and second degrees of freedom and outputting sensor signals to said electrical system;
• whereby said actuators and said sensor provide an electromechanical interface between said user-manipulable object and said electrical system.

An interface apparatus for interfacing motion of a user manipulable object with an electrical system, said interface apparatus comprising:

• a user-manipulable object moveable in two degrees of freedom and physically contacted by a user;
• a first degree of freedom actuator coupled to said user-manipulable object, said first degree of freedom actuator including a first voice coil actuator for applying a force to said user-manipulable object in said first degree of freedom using a magnetic field;
• a second degree of freedom actuator coupled to said user-manipulable object, said second degree of freedom actuator including a second voice coil actuator for applying a force to said user-manipulable object in said second degree of freedom using a magnetic field;
• and
• at least one sensor for detecting motion of said user-manipulable object along said first and second degrees of freedom and outputting sensor signals to said electrical system;
• whereby said actuators and said sensor provide an electromechanical interface between said object and said electrical system.

An interface apparatus for interfacing motion of a user manipulable object with a host computer system displaying visual images on a screen, said interface apparatus comprising:

• a user manipulatable object movable in two degrees of freedom by a user and physically contacted by said user;
• a microprocessor, separate from said host computer system, for communicating with said host computer system via a communication interface by receiving host commands from said host computer system;
• a plurality of actuators physically coupled to said user manipulatable object and electrically coupled to said microprocessor for applying a force to said user manipulatable object in said two degrees of freedom in accordance with a microprocessor command from said microprocessor, wherein said actuator includes a coil portion and a magnet portion which move linearly relative to each other and which use a magnetic field in applying said force;
• and
• a sensor for detecting a position of said user manipulatable object along said degrees of freedom and outputting sensor signals to said host computer system, said sensor signals including information representative of said position of said user manipulatable object.