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US 7,573,461 B2Granted
Physically realistic computer simulation of medical procedures
AssigneeImmersion Corporation
InventorLouis B. Rosenberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for interfacing the movement of a shaft with a computer includes a support, a gimbal mechanism having two degrees of freedom, and three electromechanical transducers. When a shaft is engaged with the gimbal mechanism, it can move with three degrees of freedom in a spherical coordinate space, where each degree of freedom is sensed by one of the three transducers. A fourth transducer can be used to sense rotation of the shaft around an axis.
Claims19
A method, comprising:
- generating a graphical simulation on a computer coupled to a display;
- manipulating a user controlled object coupled to an interface including a mechanism, the mechanism configured to allow movement of the user controlled object in at least three rotary degrees of freedom all intersecting at a single common pivot point, the common pivot point between a first end and a second end of the user controlled object, wherein the first end of the user controlled object is contacted by a user;
- sensing movement of the user controlled object in a linear degree of freedom as the user controlled object is slidably moved through the mechanism of the interface;
- transmitting position information of the sensed movement to the computer;
- updating the displayed graphical simulation in response to the updated position information;
- transmitting a force command from the computer to the interface based on the updated position information;
- and
- generating a force on the user controlled object in response to the force command.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- generating a graphical simulation on a computer coupled to a display;
- sensing movement of a user controlled object coupled to an interface having a mechanism, wherein the mechanism is configured to allow movement of the user controlled object in at least three rotary degrees of freedom all intersecting at a single common pivot point, the common pivot point between a first end and a second end of the user controlled object, wherein the first end of the user controlled object is contacted by a user, wherein the sensed movement is in a rotary degree of freedom;
- transmitting position information of the sensed movement to the computer, wherein the sensed linear movement is of the user controlled object sliding through the mechanism of the interface;
- updating the displayed graphical simulation in response to the updated position information;
- transmitting a force command from the computer to the interface based on the updated position information;
- and
- generating a force on the user controlled object to be felt by the user in response to the force command.
4 more elements
An interface apparatus comprising:
- means for engaging a user controlled object having a first end and a second end, the first end in contact with and physically manipulatable by a user, wherein the means for engaging is configured to allow movement of the user controlled object in at least three rotary degrees of freedom all intersecting at a single common pivot point, the common pivot point between the first end and the second end of the user controlled object;
- means for sensing movement of the user controlled object in at least one degree of freedom when the user controlled object is slidably moved in a linear direction through the means for engaging;
- means for outputting data indicative of the linear movement to a computer running a graphical user interface program, wherein the computer is configured to update the graphical user interface program in response to receiving the data;
- and
- means for outputting a force to the user controlled object to be felt by the user in response to receiving a control signal from the computer system, wherein the force is applied in the degree of freedom.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.