Abstract: An exoskeleton device is provided for measuring positions of links and angles of joints of an animate body, where the body comprises a plurality of links joined by intervening joints. The device is affixed at a first mobile terminus of said animate body and a second fixed terminus, having device links displaced from animate links, where the device links are connected by device joints and having sensor means for measuring the angle of the device joints. Using the signals from the sensor means, one can determine the position of the terminal device link and based on knowledge of the animate body structure, calculate the animate angle joints.

Abstract: An interface device and method for interfacing instruments to a vascular access simulation system serve to interface peripherals in the form of mock or actual medical instruments to the simulation system to enable simulation of medical procedures. The interface device includes a catheter unit assembly for receiving a catheter needle assembly, and a skin traction mechanism to simulate placing skin in traction or manipulating other anatomical sites for performing a medical procedure. The catheter needle assembly and skin traction mechanism are manipulated by a user during a medical procedure. The catheter unit assembly includes a base, a housing, a bearing assembly and a shaft that receives the catheter needle assembly. The bearing assembly enables translation of the catheter needle assembly, and includes bearings that enable the shaft to translate in accordance with manipulation of the catheter needle assembly.

Abstract: A low-cost force feedback interface device for providing low cost force feedback for enhancing interactions and manipulations in a graphical environment provided by a computer. One embodiment provides a mouse movable in a planar workspace and providing output sensor signals representative of that movement. Mouse button movement is detected to send command signals to the host computer, and an actuator coupled to the button applies an output force in the degree of freedom of the button. In a different embodiment, a force feedback pointing device includes a cylindrical member that may be rotated about an axis and translated along that axis to provide sensor signals to control a position of a graphical object such as a cursor. A command sensor detects motion of the cylindrical member perpendicular to the translation, such as when the cylindrical member is pressed down by the user. An actuator applies an output force in the perpendicular degree of freedom of the cylindrical member.

Abstract: A low-cost haptic feedback device that provides spatially-based sensations such as textures in correlation with a displayed graphical environment. The device includes a housing, a sensor device, and an actuator for applying a force to the user. A local processor reports relative sensor data to the host processor and receives force information from the host processor. The host force information causes a texture sensation to be output by the actuator, the texture sensation providing forces to the user at least approximately spatially correlated with predefined locations in the graphical environment as determined by a local processor. In some embodiments, the local processor can model a position of the cursor while the cursor interacts with the texture field, where the modeled position is used for determining the force output to the user, and the force information from the host can include a gating command to activate or deactivate the texture sensation when the cursor enters or exits the texture field.

Abstract: A haptic feedback planar touch control used to provide input to a computer. A touch input device includes a planar touch surface that inputs a position signal to a processor of the computer based on a location of user contact on the touch surface. The computer can position a cursor in a displayed graphical environment based at least in part on the position signal, or perform a different function. At least one actuator is also coupled to the touch input device and outputs a force to provide a haptic sensation to the user contacting the touch surface. The touch input device can be a touchpad separate from the computer's display screen, or can be a touch screen. Output haptic sensations on the touch input device can include pulses, vibrations, and spatial textures. The touch input device can include multiple different regions to control different computer functions.

Abstract: A sensing system is provided for measuring various joints of a human body for applications for performance animation, biomechanical studies and general motion capture. One sensing device of the system is a linkage-based sensing structure comprising rigid links interconnected by revolute joints, where each joint angle is measured by a resistive bend sensor or other convenient goniometer. Such a linkage-based sensing structure is typically used for measuring joints of the body, such as the shoulders, hips, neck, back and forearm, which have more than a single rotary degree of freedom of movement. In one embodiment of the linkage-based sensing structure, a single long resistive bend sensor measures the angle of more that one revolute joint. The terminal ends of the linkage-based sensing structure are secured to the body such that movement of the joint is measured by the device.

Abstract: A man-machine interface which provides tactile feedback to various sensing body parts is disclosed. The device employs one or more vibrotactile units, where each unit comprises a mass and a mass-moving actuator. As the mass is accelerated by the mass-moving actuator, the entire vibrotactile unit vibrates. Thus, the vibrotactile unit transmits a vibratory stimulus to the sensing body part to which it is affixed. The vibrotactile unit may be used in conjunction with a spatial placement sensing device which measures the spatial placement of a measured body part. A computing device uses the spatial placement of the measured body part to determine the desired vibratory stimulus to be provided by the vibrotactile unit. In this manner, the computing device may control the level of vibratory feedback perceived by the corresponding sensing body part in response to the motion of the measured body part. The sensing body part and the measured body part may be separate or the same body part.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for commanding force effects using suites or categories to allow an application program higher level control over force sensations output by a force feedback interface device. An application program associates a force suite with one or more individual force effects and the suite association is provided to a library available to the application program on the host computer, such as an Application Programming Interface (API). A set of rules is also provided to the library, the rules determining how to apply the force effects in the suite based on a status of the application program. The application program commands at least one force effect in the suite and reports the status of the application program to the library, where the library applies the rules based on the reported status to cause a force sensation based on the commanded force effect to be output by a force feedback interface device coupled to the host computer.

Abstract: A man-machine interface is disclosed which provides force information to sensing body parts. The interface is comprised of a force-generating device (106) that produces a force which is transmitted to a force-applying device (102) via force-transmitting means (104). The force-applying device applies the generated force to a sensing body part. A force sensor associated with the force-applying device and located in the force applicator (126) measures the actual force applied to the sensing body part, while angle sensors (136) measure the angles of relevant joint body parts. A force-control unit (108) uses the joint body part position information to determine a desired force value to be applied to the sensing body part. The force-control unit combines the joint body part position information with the force sensor information to calculate the force command which is sent to the force-generating device.

Abstract: A hybrid haptic feedback system in which a host computer and haptic feedback device share processing loads to various degrees in the output of haptic sensations, and features for efficient output of haptic sensations in such a system. A haptic feedback interface device in communication with a host computer includes a device microcontroller outputting force values to the actuator to control output forces. In various embodiments, the microcontroller can determine force values for one type of force effect while receiving force values computed by the host computer for a different type of force effect. For example, the microcontroller can determine closed loop effect values and receive computed open loop effect values from the host; or the microcontroller can determine high frequency open loop effect values and receive low frequency open loop effect values from the host. Various features allow the host to efficiently stream computed force values to the device.

Abstract: Method and system for checking and verifying the positions of components on an object such as a circuit board using a position tracking device. A component of the object, positioned at a particular location on the object, is selected by the user using the position tracking device. Reference information about a correct component positioned at the location of the selected component is displayed or otherwise provided, and the displayed reference information is compared with the selected component to determine if the selected component is of the correct type and value. In one embodiment, the selecting is accomplished by moving a probe tip of a probe apparatus within a predetermined distance of the selected component and activating a control, such as a button. The user can initiate a verify signal or a failure signal depending on whether the selected component matches the reference information.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for generating a transition in a laser control signal at a precise point in time. A write strategy processor is configured to input a sequence of data and to determine a transition in a laser control signal from the sequence of data. The transition is specified by a number of pulse clock units and a delay. A write pulse generator is configured to input the number of pulse clock units and the delay and to generate a transition by creating a signal having a transition at the time specified by the number of pulse clock units and delaying the transition by the specified delay.

Abstract: An optical disc drive apparatus includes mechanics, optics, electronic circuitry, and software code for implementing a method of disc rotation. One such method includes the changing of the rotational rate of a storage medium by applying a force to the storage medium to change the rotational rate from an initial rotational rate toward a first upper limit. The first upper limit is between the initial rotational rate and a desired rotational rate. A first signal is generated when the rotational rate exceeds the first upper limit. A second signal is generated when the rotational rate exceeds a lower acceptable limit of the desired rotational rate. The application of force is then terminated. To terminate the application of force, a second upper limit may be set at an upper acceptable limit of the desired rotational rate, a lower limit may be set at the lower acceptable limit of the desired rotational rate, and the application of force may be terminated when the rotational rate is greater than the lower limit.

Abstract: An apparatus for moving a carriage assembly from an initial position to a target position relative to a storage medium rotating at a circumferential velocity. The apparatus includes a suspended body having a center of mass and a lens defining an optical axis. The center of mass being disposed substantially on the optical axis. The carriage assembly suspends the suspended body and has a center of mass on the optical axis proximate the center of mass of the suspended body. A drive producing a plurality of balanced and symmetrical forces moves the carriage assembly from the initial position to the target position. A processor determines a velocity trajectory relative to the radial distance of the initial position and the target position to the center of the medium, the circumferential distance between the initial position and the target position, and the initial circumferential velocity of the medium.

Abstract: An apparatus for the suppression of electromagnetic emissions from an electronic device. The apparatus includes a die cast metallic container having a continuous wall, a shoulder formed on the continuous wall, a plurality of rounded corners, and a neck portion. The neck portion and shoulder mate with a deep drawn metallic cap. A source of electromagnetic emissions is disposed in the interior space defined by the container and the cap, and a flex strip source passes through a groove formed in an external wall of the container to supply the source. The container is adapted for use in an optical disc system and provides a mount for a semiconductor laser modulated at a radio frequency on the order of 450 MHz. The container also holds auxiliary electronics. A conductive tape seals the assembly so that electromagnetic emissions of the laser are confined within the interior space.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for retrieving densely stored data from various types of magnetic media. A medium is scanned to provide an input signal. The input signal is conditioned through differentiation, equalization and partial integration. Positive and negative signal peak detectors are connected to the conditioned signal, and a threshold signal is generating corresponding to an average or midpoint of the measured positive and negative signal peaks. An output signal is generated by comparing the conditioned signal and the threshold signal. The DC component of the input signal is accounted for by feeding back the output signal and adjusting the threshold signal based on the duty cycle of the output signal.

Abstract: A laser driver for controlling an electrical current supplied to a laser in an optical disc system. The laser driver includes pass transistors for delivering electrical current to the laser, an operational amplifier for setting a reference voltage on the bases of the pass transistors, and a CMOS buffer for applying a drive voltage to emitter circuits of the pass transistors. The drive voltage has a first voltage level and a second voltage level, and the electrical current is supplied to the emitter circuits only when the drive voltage is at the first voltage level. The laser driver further includes a switch for switching the drive voltage between the first voltage level and the second voltage level so that electrical power is consumed only when the laser is energized and enhanced rise and fall switching characteristics are thereby achieved.

Abstract: A data generator assembly for use in retrieving stored data from an information storage medium. The data generator assembly includes a positive peak detector for receiving a preprocessed signal having a predetermined waveform including positive peaks, negative peaks, and a DC component. The positive peak detector is utilized to measure and track the positive peaks to output a positive peak signal. A negative peak detector measures and tracks the negative peaks to output a negative peak signal. The data generator assembly also includes a voltage divider for averaging the negative peak signal and the positive peak signal and generating a threshold signal representing the approximate peak-to-peak midpoint of the preprocessed signal which varies with the DC component. A comparator is provided for comparing the preprocessed signal with the threshold signal. The comparator generates an output data waveform signal indicative of the stored data on information storage medium.

Abstract: A first write encoder encodes digital data in a first high density format. A second write encoder encodes digital data in a second low density, i.e. ANSI format. A first read decoder decodes digital data from the first format. A second read decoder decodes digital data from the second format. A disk drive receives a replaceable 90 millimeter optical disk. A read/write head reads encoded data from and writes encoded data to a 90 millimeter optical disk received by the drive. In a first mode, the first encoder is connected between a source of digital data and the read/write head, and the first decoder is connected between the read/write head and utilizing apparatus. In a second mode, the second encoder is connected between the source and the read/write head, and the second decoder is connected between the read/write head and the utilizing apparatus. Control electronics switches between the first and second modes, depending upon the format in which data is recorded on the disk received by the disk drive.

Abstract: A first write encoder encodes digital data in a first, high-density format. A second write encoder encodes digital data in a second, low-density (i.e., ANSI) format. A first read decoder decodes digital data from the first format. A second read decoder decodes digital data from the second format. A disk drive receives a replaceable 90 millimeter optical disk. A read/write head reads encoded data from and writes encoded data to a 90 millimeter optical disk received by the drive. In a first mode, the first write encoder is connected between a source of digital data and the read/write head, and the first read decoder is connected between the read/write head and the utilizing apparatus. In a second mode, the second write encoder is connected between the source and the read/write head, and the second read decoder is connected between the read/write head and the utilizing apparatus.