Abstract: The disclosed haptic vibrotactile actuator may include a textile comprising a first major surface and a second, opposite major surface, an electrode coupled to the first major surface of the textile across at least a majority of a surface area of a first surface of the electrode, and a flexible electroactive material electrically coupled to a second, opposite surface of the electrode. Various other related methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A virtual reality system enables a user to interact with virtual objects. The system includes a fiducial ring, an imaging device and a console. The fiducial ring includes a ring body that includes a plurality of fiducial markers that each correspond to a different location on the ring body. An imaging device is configured to capture one or more images of the fiducial ring. The console receives the images that include an image of one or more fiducial markers. Based on the received images of the fiducial markers, the console determines a location on the fiducial ring that corresponds to the imaged fiducial marker. The console determines a position of the fiducial ring based on the determined location of the fiducial marker on the fiducial ring. The console provides content to a head mounted display (HMD) based on the determined position of the fiducial ring.

Abstract: The disclosed flexible vibrotactile devices may include a dielectric support material, at least one flexible electroactive element coupled to the dielectric support material, a first conductive electrode material, and a second conductive electrode material. The dielectric support material may include at least one hole therethrough for securing the flexible vibrotactile device to a textile by threading at least one fiber through the at least one hole. Various other related methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system for vibration-driven sensing may include a wearable dimensioned to be donned by a user of an artificial reality system. The system may also include a vibration sensor that is incorporated into the wearable and generates an electrical response that corresponds to a vibration detected at the wearable. The system may further include at least one processing device communicatively coupled to the vibration sensor. The processing device may determine, based at least in part on the electrical response generated by the vibration sensor, that the user has made a specific gesture with at least one body part. In response to this determination, the processing device may generate an input command for the artificial reality system based at least in part on the specific gesture made by the user. Various other systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system may include a wearable dimensioned to be donned by a user of an artificial reality system. The system may also include an energy measuring device incorporated into the wearable. The energy measuring device may measure an electrical energy differential between a body of the user and a surface. The system may further include at least one processing device communicatively coupled to the energy measuring device. The processing device may detect, based at least in part on the electrical energy differential measured by the energy measuring device, an interaction between the user and the surface. In response to this detection, the processing device may generate an input command for the artificial reality system based at least in part on the interaction detected between the user and the surface. Various other systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A fluidic device comprises a channel, a gate, and one or more additional elements. The channel is configured to transport a fluid from a source to a drain. The gate includes a chamber with an adjustable volume that affects fluid flow within the channel by displacing a wall of the channel toward an opposite wall of the channel based in part on fluid pressure within the chamber exceeding a threshold pressure. A high pressure state of the gate corresponds to a first chamber size and a first flow rate of the fluid. A low pressure state of the gate corresponds to a second chamber size that is smaller than the first chamber size and a second flow rate that is greater than the first flow rate. The additional elements are configured to reduce the threshold pressure past which the chamber decreases the cross-sectional area of the channel.

Abstract: A virtual reality system enables a user to interact with virtual objects. The system includes a fiducial ring, an imaging device and a console. The fiducial ring includes a ring body that includes a plurality of fiducial markers that each correspond to a different location on the ring body. An imaging device is configured to capture one or more images of the fiducial ring. The console receives the images that include an image of one or more fiducial markers. Based on the received images of the fiducial markers, the console determines a location on the fiducial ring that corresponds to the imaged fiducial marker. The console determines a position of the fiducial ring based on the determined location of the fiducial marker on the fiducial ring. The console provides content to a head mounted display (HMD) based on the determined position of the fiducial ring.

Abstract: A system for vibration-driven sensing may include a wearable dimensioned to be donned by a user of an artificial reality system. The system may also include a vibration sensor that is incorporated into the wearable and generates an electrical response that corresponds to a vibration detected at the wearable. The system may further include at least one processing device communicatively coupled to the vibration sensor. The processing device may determine, based at least in part on the electrical response generated by the vibration sensor, that the user has made a specific gesture with at least one body part. In response to this determination, the processing device may generate an input command for the artificial reality system based at least in part on the specific gesture made by the user. Various other systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An eye tracking unit that includes one or more transmitters that transmit a signal (e.g., a radar signal or an ultrasonic sound) at an eye, one or more receivers that receive a reflection of the signal generated by interaction of the signal with the eye, and an eye orientation estimation module that estimates an orientation of the eye based on the reflected signal received by the one or more ultrasonic receivers and based on a model of the eye. The eye tracking unit may be part of a head-mounted display (HMD) that includes a display element configured to display content to a user wearing the HMD. The model of the eye may be trained by displaying a visual indicator on the electronic element and detecting a reflected signal corresponding to the eye looking at the visual indicator.

Abstract: A wearable device comprises one or more deformable signaling pathways wherein each deformable signaling pathway is configured to enable an electrical connection between two devices electrically connected to each other via the deformable signaling pathway. Deformable signaling pathways enable the conduction of electrical signals between various circuit elements similar to one or more circuit elements such as electronic traces or wires. A deformable signaling pathway includes one or more conductive elements surrounded by a conductive gel. Both the conductive gel and the one or more conductive elements are encased in an elastomeric shell. The elastomeric shell is attached to terminals (e.g., one on either end). The one or more connectors are attached to one another such that the one or more connectors span the length of the elastomeric shell and form a low resistance contact between the terminals of the deformable signaling pathway.

Abstract: A fluidic device comprises a channel, a gate, and one or more additional elements. The channel is configured to transport a fluid from a source to a drain. The gate includes a chamber with an adjustable volume that affects fluid flow within the channel by displacing a wall of the channel toward an opposite wall of the channel based in part on fluid pressure within the chamber exceeding a threshold pressure. A high pressure state of the gate corresponds to a first chamber size and a first flow rate of the fluid. A low pressure state of the gate corresponds to a second chamber size that is smaller than the first chamber size and a second flow rate that is greater than the first flow rate. The additional elements are configured to reduce the threshold pressure past which the chamber decreases the cross-sectional area of the channel.

Abstract: An apparatus for directional acoustic sensing may include a wearable dimensioned to be donned by a user of an artificial reality system. The wearable may include a signal generator that propagates an acoustic wave via a body of the user toward a specific body part. The wearable may also include an acoustic sensor that detects an acoustic reflection of the acoustic wave propagated by the signal generator. The wearable may further include at least one processing device that is communicatively coupled to the acoustic sensor. The processing device may determine that the specific body part has made physical contact with an object based at least in part on the acoustic reflection. In response, the processing device may generate an input command for the artificial reality system that accounts for the specific body part making physical contact with the object. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A virtual reality system enables a user to interact with virtual objects. The system includes a fiducial ring, an imaging device and a console. The fiducial ring includes a ring body that includes a plurality of fiducial markers that each correspond to a different location on the ring body. An imaging device is configured to capture one or more images of the fiducial ring. The console receives the images that include an image of one or more fiducial markers. Based on the received images of the fiducial markers, the console determines a location on the fiducial ring that corresponds to the imaged fiducial marker. The console determines a position of the fiducial ring based on the determined location of the fiducial marker on the fiducial ring. The console provides content to a head mounted display (HMD) based on the determined position of the fiducial ring.

Abstract: A wearable device (such as a glove or other control adapted to be worn on a portion of a body) includes multiple magnetic field generators at various locations on the wearable device and a magnetic flux sensor at a predetermined position relative to the wearable device. A position determines spatial positions of locations of the wearable device based on magnetic fields generated by various magnetic field generators and detected by the magnetic flux sensor. In some embodiments, the magnetic field generators have known positions relative to each other. Additionally, each magnetic field generator may generate a magnetic field in response to an input signal having a particular attribute, allowing the magnetic flux sensor to identify magnetic fields generated by different magnetic field generators.

Abstract: A deformation sensing apparatus comprises a transmitter coupled to a propagation channel, and a receiver coupled to the same first end of the propagation channel. The propagation channel of the deformation is a transmission line, where a signal is transmitted by the transmitter and reflected signals are measured by the receiver responsive to the transmitted signals. A bend in the propagation channel results in a change in impedance of the transmission line at a location of the bend, resulting in a reflection of the signal from the location of the bend. The time delay of the reflected signals corresponds to the distance along the length of the channel where a bending of the propagation channel occurs. The amplitude of the reflected signal corresponds to a bend angle.

Abstract: A deformation sensing apparatus comprises an elastic substrate, a first strain-gauge element formed on a first surface of the elastic substrate, and configured to output a first signal in response to a strain applied in a first direction, and a second strain-gauge element formed on a second surface of the elastic substrate opposite to the first surface, and configured to output a second signal in response to a strain applied in the same first direction.

Abstract: The disclosed haptic vibrotactile actuator may include a textile comprising a first major surface and a second, opposite major surface, an electrode coupled to the first major surface of the textile across at least a majority of a surface area of a first surface of the electrode, and a flexible electroactive material electrically coupled to a second, opposite surface of the electrode. Various other related methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A fluidic device controls fluid flow in channel from a source to a drain. In some embodiments, the fluidic device comprises a channel and a gate. The channel is configured to transport a fluid from the source to the drain. The gate controls a rate of fluid flow in the channel in accordance with the fluid pressure within the gate. Specifically, the gate is configured to induce a first flow rate of the fluid in the channel in accordance with a low pressure state of the gate, and a second flow rate of the fluid in the channel in accordance with a high pressure state of the gate. In certain embodiments, the first flow rate is greater than the second flow rate. In alternative embodiments, the second flow rate is greater than the first flow rate.

Abstract: A system may include a wearable dimensioned to be donned by a user of an artificial reality system. The system may also include an energy measuring device incorporated into the wearable. The energy measuring device may measure an electrical energy differential between a body of the user and a surface within an environment occupied by the user. The system may further include at least one processing device communicatively coupled to the energy measuring device. The processing device may detect, based at least in part on the electrical energy differential measured by the energy measuring device, an interaction between the user and the surface within the environment. In response to this detection, the processing device may generate an input command for the artificial reality system based at least in part on the interaction detected between the user and the surface. Various other systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for directional acoustic sensing may include a wearable dimensioned to be donned by a user of an artificial reality system. The wearable may include a signal generator that propagates an acoustic wave via a body of the user toward a specific body part. The wearable may also include an acoustic sensor that detects an acoustic reflection of the acoustic wave propagated by the signal generator. The wearable may further include at least one processing device that is communicatively coupled to the acoustic sensor. The processing device may determine that the specific body part has made physical contact with an object based at least in part on the acoustic reflection. In response, the processing device may generate an input command for the artificial reality system that accounts for the specific body part making physical contact with the object. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.