Force reflecting haptic interface

An apparatus for generating a signal representative of force comprising:

• a. a receiver for receiving a signal representative of the location of a user reference point relative to a user reference frame;
• b. a geometry model residence for storing a representation of:
• i. a non-local reference frame;
• ii. the user reference frame, relative to said non-local reference frame;
• and
• iii. the conformation of a, non-local environment comprising a diagonal-type, spring-type element, relative to said non-local reference frame;
• c. a comparator for comparing the location of the user reference point relative to the non-local environment;
• d. a force generator for generating a signal representative of a force, based on the location of the user reference point relative to the non-local environment and a set of force rules, including spring-force rules which specify a diagonal element output force signal in response to a location signal of said user reference point indicative of a deflected conformation of said diagonal-type element;
• and
• e. a non-local environment reaction calculator that makes changes to the representation of the conformation of the non-local environment based on the signal representative of force and the set of force rules, said diagonal element spring-type rule specifying a change in the representation of the cross-sectional area of a selected region of said diagonal-type element.

A method for generating a signal representative of force, said method comprising the steps of:

• a. receiving a signal representative of the location of a user reference point relative to a user reference frame;
• b. storing a representation of:
• i. a non-local reference frame;
• ii. the user reference frame, relative to said non-local reference frame;
• and
• iii. the conformation of a, non-local environment comprising a diagonal-type, spring-type element, relative to said non-local reference frame;
• c. comparing the location of the user reference point relative to the non-local environment;
• and
• d. generating a signal representative of a force, based on the location of the user reference point relative to the non-local environment and a set of force rules, including spring-force rules which specify a diagonal element output force signal in response to a location signal of said user reference point indicative of a deflected conformation of said diagonal-type element;
• e. changing the representation of the conformation of the non-local environment based on the signal representative of force and the set of force rules, said diagonal element spring-type rule specifying a change in the representation of the cross-sectional area of a selected region of said diagonal-type element.

An apparatus for physically exchanging a force with a user in a user-local environment, comprising:

• a user connection element;
• and
• a linkage physically linking said user connection element to a reference, said linkage providing at least six independent degrees of freedom to said user connection element, said linkage comprising:
• an actuator system powering at least three of the at least six independent degrees of freedom of said user connection element relative to the reference;
• wherein at least three of the at least six independent degrees of freedom of said user connection element are free-of-power relative to the reference.

An apparatus for physically exchanging a force with a user in a user-local environment, comprising:

• a user connection element comprising a rod;
• and
• a linkage physically linking said user connection element to a reference, said linkage providing at least four independent degrees of freedom to said user connection element, said linkage comprising:
• an actuator system powering at least three of the at least four independent degrees of freedom of said user connection element relative to the reference;
• wherein at least one of the at least four independent degrees of freedom of said user connection element is free-of-power relative to the reference.

An apparatus for physically exchanging a force with a user in a user-local environment, comprising:

• a user connection element comprising a rod;
• and
• a linkage physically linking said user connection element to a reference, said linkage providing at least five independent degrees of freedom to said user connection element, said linkage comprising:
• an actuator system powering at least three of the at least five independent degrees of freedom of said user connection element relative to the reference;
• wherein at least two of the at least five independent degrees of freedom of said user connection element are free-of-power relative to the reference.

An apparatus for physically exchanging a force with a user in a user-local environment comprising:

• a user connection element comprising a rod;
• and
• a linkage physically linking said user connection element to a reference, said linkage providing at least five independent degrees of freedom to said user connection element, said linkage comprising:
• an actuator system powering at least four of the at least five independent degrees of freedom of said user connection element relative to the reference;
• wherein at least one of the at least five independent degrees of freedom of said user connection element are free-of-power relative to the reference.

An apparatus for physically exchanging a force with a user in a user-local environment, comprising:

• a user connection element comprising a rod;
• and
• a linkage physically linking said user connection element to a reference, said linkage providing at least six independent degrees of freedom to said user connection element, said linkage comprising:
• an actuator system powering at least five of the at least six independent degrees of freedom of said user connection element relative to the reference;
• wherein at least one of the at least six independent degrees of freedom of said user connection element are free-of-power relative to the reference.

A method for physically exchanging a force between an apparatus and a user in a user-local environment, comprising the steps of:

• a. providing an apparatus comprising:
• i. a user connection element;
• and
• ii. a linkage physically linking said user connection element to a reference, said linkage providing at least six independent degrees of freedom to said user connection element, said linkage comprising:
• an actuator system powering at least three of the at least six independent degrees of freedom of said user connection element relative to the reference, three of the at least six independent degrees of freedom remaining free-of-power relative to the reference;
• b. connecting said user connection element to a body member of a user;
• and
• c. powering the at least three of the at least six independent degrees of freedom of said user connection element.

An apparatus for physically exchanging a force with a user in a user-local environment comprising:

• a user connection element;
• and
• a linkage physically linking said user connection element to a reference, said linkage providing at least two independent degrees of freedom to said user connection element, said linkage comprising:
• an actuator system comprising an ironless armature motor, said actuator system powering at least one of the at least two independent degrees of freedom of said user connection element relative to the reference, wherein at least one of the at least two independent degrees of freedom of said user connection element is free-of-power relative to the reference.