Abstract: A method of determining contact on a user of a virtual reality and/or augmented reality device includes a first device including a plurality of transducers and a control circuit coupled to the plurality of transducers. The method includes activating one or more of the first plurality of transducers and generating waves that couple into at least a portion of a first appendage of a user wearing the first wearable device. The method further includes at a second wearable device having a second plurality of transducers, receiving at least a portion of the waves generated by the first plurality of transducers when the first appendage of the user is within a threshold distance from the second wearable device.

Abstract: A haptic glove includes a glove body including a glove digit corresponding to a phalange of a user hand. The glove digit has a pair of flexible tendons, including a first and a second tendon, which are parallel to a bend centerline that bisects a surface of the glove digit. The first and second tendons are positioned respectively on opposite sides of the bend centerline. The haptic glove further comprises an actuator coupled to the glove body and the first and second tendons, the actuator configured to actuate the tendons to control movement of the glove digit.

Abstract: A sensor records information about skin stretch perceived by a user based on an interaction with a real object. The sensor includes a mechanical housing configured to be worn on a finger of a user, and a mechanism coupled to the mechanical housing. The mechanism includes a first bearing that rotates in a first direction in response to an interaction with a surface. The mechanism also includes a second bearing coupled to the first bearing, such that rotation of the first bearing causes the second bearing to rotate in a direction opposite to the first direction. The second bearing is in contact with a portion of the finger, and includes a feedback surface that simulates a force associated with the interaction with the surface. The sensor includes a controller configured to monitor rotation of the second bearing and record skin stretch information responsive to the interaction with the surface.

Abstract: A method creates haptic stimulations on a user of an artificial reality system. The system includes a head-mounted display (HMD) and a wearable device. The HMD includes a display and speakers. The wearable device includes a plurality of transducers that can each generate waves to provide haptic feedback to a user. The system displays media content on the display and, in accordance with the displayed media content, determines a virtual object location in the displayed media content corresponding to a physical object location. The system provides, to the user, audio directed to the virtual object location. The system activates one or more transducers to provide haptic feedback at a target location on the user, distinct from the physical object location, to produce haptic feedback whose perceptual interpretation is at the physical object location based on a combination of the displayed media, the provided audio, and the haptic feedback.

Abstract: A method for large scale integration of haptic devices is described. The method comprises forming a first elastomer layer of a large scale integration (LSI) device on a substrate according to a specified manufacturing process, the first elastomer layer having a plurality of fluid based circuits, the first elastomer layer adhering to a plurality of formation specifications. The method further comprises curing the first elastomer layer. Additionally, one or more additional elastomer layers of the LSI device are formed with the first elastomer layer according to the specified manufacturing process, the one or more additional elastomer layers having a plurality of fluid based circuits, the one or more additional elastomer layers adhering to the plurality of formation specifications.

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: An apparatus for creating haptic stimulations is provided. The apparatus includes one or more pods coupled to a garment, each pod including: (i) an internal structure, and (ii) an airtight bladder surrounding the internal structure, where the bladder is pneumatically coupled to a pneumatic device that is configured to control a pressurized state of the bladder. Each pod is configured to: (i) have a first degree of flexibility when the bladder of the pod is in a first pressurized state; and (ii) have a second degree of flexibility, less than the first degree of flexibility, when the bladder of the pod is in a second pressurized state different from the first pressurized state. Each pod provides a haptic stimulation to a wearer of the garment when the corresponding bladder is in the second pressurized state.

Abstract: A tracking sensor integration system presented herein collects sensor data obtained for each time frame by a plurality of sensors attached to a wearable garment placed on a user's hand. A controller coupled to the tracking sensor integration system calculates a measurement gain based at least in part on collected sensor data, and determines prediction for a pose of the user's hand for the current time frame using the collected sensor data and a plurality of estimation parameters for the current time frame. The controller then updates the estimation parameters for the current time frame, based in part on the measurement gain and the prediction for the pose of the user's hand. The controller determines an estimated pose for the user's hand, based in part on the updated estimation parameters and the collected sensor data.

Abstract: A method of creating localized haptic stimulations on a user includes a wearable device including a plurality of transducers that can each generate one or more waves that propagate away from the wearable device through a medium. The method includes activating two or more transducers of the plurality of transducers, selecting values for characteristics of waves to be generated by the two or more transducers based at least in part on a known impedance of the medium. The method further includes generating, by the two or more transducers, waves that constructively interfere at a target location to create a haptic stimulation on a user of the wearable device, the waves having the selected values.

Abstract: A method of creating haptic stimulations and anatomical information includes a wearable device including a plurality of transducers that can each generate one or more waves. The method includes activating one or more first transducers of the plurality of transducers based on an instruction received from a remote device. Waves generated by the activated one or more first transducers provide a haptic stimulation. The method further includes activating one or more second transducers of the plurality of transducers. Waves generated by the activated one or more second transducers provide anatomical information of a user of the wearable device when the waves are received by one or more transducers of the plurality of transducers.

Abstract: A fluidic device controls fluid flow in channel from a source to a drain. In some embodiments, the fluidic devices comprises a gate, a channel, and an obstruction. The gate comprises at least one chamber whose volume increases with fluid pressure. A high pressure state of the gate corresponds to a first chamber size and a low pressure state of the gate corresponds to a second chamber size that is smaller than the first chamber size. The obstruction controls a rate of fluid flow within the channel based on the fluid pressure in the gate. The obstruction induces at most a first flow rate of fluid in the channel in accordance with the low pressure state of the gate, and at least a second flow rate of the fluid in the channel in accordance with the high pressure state of the gate.

Abstract: A liquid lens structure has an adjustable and continuous range of optical power. The liquid lens structure comprises a substrate layer and a deformable membrane which enclose a volume of liquid. The substrate layer is at least partially transparent in the optical band. The deformable membrane comprises a ground layer, two membrane layers, and two conductive layers. Each of the two conductive layers control electrical voltage applied to one of the membrane layers in reference to the ground layer, wherein each membrane layer deforms in response to applied electrical voltage. The deformation of the two membrane layers adjusts a curvature of the deformable membrane which provides the adjustable continuous range of optical power to the liquid lens structure.

Abstract: A wearable device to be worn on a body part includes a magnetic field generator, a magnetic field sensor, and a controller. The controller instructs the magnetic field generator to generate a magnetic field, instructs magnetic field sensor to measure a sensor signal, and to determine a position of the body part based on the measured sensor signal. The magnetic field sensor can include multiple sensor elements with known or solved positions relative to one another. The wearable device can be a glove. The controller may determine a bend angle of a finger or an angle between two fingers.

Abstract: A wearable device to be worn on a body part includes deformation sensors and a controller. The controller instructs the deformation sensors to measure deformation forces. The controller determines a position of the body part based on the measured deformation forces and a transfer function that maps deformation forces to positions of a same or corresponding body part. The transfer function is generated based on measurements from calibration and deformation sensors to sense corresponding positions of the body part and deformation forces. A calibration sensor may include a magnetic field generator and a magnetic flux sensor. The wearable device may be a glove and the body part may be a hand.

Abstract: A fluidic device controls fluid flow in channel from a source to a drain. The fluidic device may be combined with other fluidic devices to form different types of logic devices g an inverter, OR gate, etc.). And the logic devices may be incorporated into an artificial reality system (e.g., as part of a haptic assembly). In some embodiments, a fluidic device includes a gate, a channel, and a wedge. The wedge controls a rate of fluid flow within the channel based on a fluid pressure in the gate. The wedge induces a first flow rate of 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, the second flow rate greater than the first flow rate.

Abstract: A control for a virtual reality (VR) system environment includes a portion and an additional portion each configured to contact different portions of a user's body. As one of the portions of the user's body moves towards the other potion of the user's body, the corresponding portion of the material contacting the moving portion of the user's body also moves towards the other portion of the material contacting the other portion of the user's body. Different positions of the portion and the additional portion relative to each other may correspond to different instructions that cause the VR system environment to perform different actions. In some embodiments, the control includes one or more feedback mechanisms providing the user with tactile feedback that simulates interactions with one or more virtual objects presented by the VR system environment.

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: An input interface configured to be worn on a portion of a user's body includes tendons coupled to various rigid cuffs in the input interface. The tendons include one or more activation mechanisms that, when activated, retract the tendons, which repositions a rigid cuff into a position relative to the user's body that restricts or prevents some form of movement of the user's body. Various activation mechanisms may be included in the tendons in various embodiments.

Abstract: The disclosure describes a fluidic oscillator. The fluidic oscillator is configured to oscillate between a closed state and an open state. The fluidic oscillator comprises an oscillator conduit forming an oscillator chamber comprising an inlet and an outlet wherein the inlet and the outlet are configured to enable fluid flow through the oscillator chamber. An inner chamber of the oscillator chamber further includes a flexible element wherein a rate of fluid flow through the oscillator chamber results in a deformation in the flexible element. In other elements, the fluid oscillator further comprises two fluidic gates comprising a deformable chamber wherein changes in a control pressure of a control fluid in the deformable chamber results in a deformation in a volume of the oscillation chamber.

Abstract: An input interface configured to be worn on a portion of a user's body includes tendons coupled to various sections of the glove. A tendon includes one or more activation mechanisms that, when activated, prevent or restrict a particular range of motion. Additionally, a tendon may be coupled to a plate that is coupled to one or more additional tendon, so when an activation mechanism included in the tendon is activated, the one or more additional tendons coupled to the plate that are also coupled to the tendon move, stiffening the additional tendons as well as the tendon.