Abstract: In aspects, methods and apparatus are provided for generating a haptic effect for a three-dimensional (3D) environment that is experienced virtually by a user. The methods may be performed by a processor, and includes receiving media data that describes the 3D environment, wherein the media data includes haptic data which describes a haptic characteristic associated with at least one object, structure, or event in the 3D environment. The method further includes performing a haptic decoding operation and a haptic rendering operation. The decoding operation may include extracting the haptic data from the media data. The haptic rendering operation may include generating a drive signal and communicating the drive signal to a haptic output device to cause the haptic output device to generate a haptic effect at a user peripheral device. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for control of actuators are provided. In aspects, the systems, methods, and devices provided herein enable the generation of sharp cutoff haptic effects of both limited and extended duration. The systems, methods, and devices use open loop braking signals to generate the sharp cutoff haptic effects. The braking signals are determined based on predictions of system response made according to driving signals used to cause the haptic effects in the actuators. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: In aspects, zoned haptic effects are provided by assigning a plurality of zones corresponding to each of a plurality of zone actuators for providing haptic effects. A desired haptic response is provided for zones selected for actuation, and the response by the zone actuators is detected. Adjacent and non-adjacent zones are assigned for the detected zones as being driven by any of the plurality of zone actuators. Vibration on the adjacent and non-adjacent zone is suppressed in accordance with control parameters associated with the respective adjacent and non-adjacent zones. If a duration of the provided haptic effect has not passed, the suppression of vibration in the adjacent and non-adjacent zones is maintained and if the duration has passed, the suppression of vibration is terminated. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention enable novel methods, non-transitory mediums, and systems for encoding and generating haptic effects. According to the various embodiments, a media object is retrieved. The media object is analyzed to determine one or more time periods for rendering haptic effects. The haptic effects for rendering during the time periods are determined. The haptic effects are encoded as a haptic effect pattern that identifies a start time and duration for each of the haptic effects.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for localizing one or more effects in a haptic interface with a user interface having a primary zone and at least one secondary zone are provided. When a desired haptic effect is generated within the primary zone, unwanted resultant haptic effects in the at least one secondary zone may be suppressed. A primary actuator is located in the primary zone, and at least one secondary actuator is located in the at least one secondary zone. At least one controller selectively and controllably generates the haptic effect produced by the primary actuator in the primary zone, and selectively and controllably actuates the at least one secondary actuator within the at least one secondary zone to generate a suppression effect therein. The at least one secondary actuator can be used to localize and/or amplify the haptic effect through constructive and/or destructive interference. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: A system includes a first electronic device and a second electronic device. The first electronic device includes a sensor configured to sense or property experienced by the first electronic device, and a transmitter configured to transmit a signal based on output from the sensor. The second electronic device is in signal communication with the first electronic device. The second electronic device includes a receiver configured to receive the transmitted signal, a detector configured to determine an object that a user of the second device is focusing on, a processor configured to generate a haptic signal representative of the transmitted signal if it is determined that the object the user is focusing on corresponds with a location of the first electronic device, and a haptic output device configured to receive the haptic signal and generate a haptic effect to the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for integrating environmental haptic effects in virtual reality are disclosed. One illustrative system described herein includes a sensor for detecting an environmental condition, the environmental condition associated with an environmental haptic effect, and generating a sensor signal. The system also includes a virtual reality display configured to output a virtual reality effect. The system also includes a processor coupled to the sensor and a virtual reality display, the processor configured to: receive the sensor signal, determine a modification to the virtual reality effect based in part on the sensor signal, and transmit a display signal associated with the modification to the virtual reality display. Another illustrative system includes a sensor for detecting an environmental condition, the environmental condition associated with an environmental haptic effect, and generating a sensor signal, and a virtual reality display configured to output a virtual reality effect.

Abstract: Systems and methods for multi-level closed loop control of haptic effects are disclosed. One illustrative system for multi-level closed loop control of haptic effects includes a haptic output device configured to output a haptic effect, a sensor configured to sense the output of the haptic output device and generate a sensor signal, and a processor in communication with the sensor. The processor is configured to: receive a reference signal, receive the sensor signal, determine an error based at least in part on the reference signal and the sensor signal, generate a haptic signal based at least in part on the reference signal and the error, and transmit the haptic signal to a haptic output device configured to output a haptic effect based on the haptic signal.

Abstract: Rendering haptics in a haptically-enabled headphone system includes generating a haptic signal at the haptically-enabled headphone system based on non-audio data and rendering a haptic effect specified in the haptic signal using a haptic output device within the haptically-enabled headphone system.

Abstract: One illustrative system disclosed herein includes a processor configured to receive a sensor signal from a neural interface configured to detect an electrical signal associated with a nervous system. The processor is also configured to determine an interaction in with a virtual object in a virtual environment based on the sensor signal. The processor is also configured to determine a haptic effect based at least in part on the interaction with the virtual object in the virtual environment. The processor is also configured to transmit a haptic signal associated with the haptic effect. The illustrative system further includes a haptic output device configured to receive the haptic signal and output the haptic effect.

Abstract: A user interface device having a haptic actuator, a sensor, a storage device, and a control circuit is presented. The sensor is configured to measure movement output by the haptic actuator. The control circuit is configured to apply a first drive signal to the haptic actuator to generate a first haptic effect, and to receive a sensor measurement that describes movement of the haptic actuator in response to the first drive signal, and to generate or update, based on the measurement, an actuator model that describes how the haptic actuator moves in response to drive signals. The control circuit is further configured to generate a second drive signal based on a desired movement for a second haptic effect and based on the actuator model, and to control the haptic actuator to generate the second haptic effect by applying the second drive signal to the haptic actuator.

Abstract: One illustrative device disclosed herein includes a proximity sensor capable of detecting a non-contact interaction with a touch-sensitive device and outputting a first sensor signal. The device also includes a touch sensor for detecting a touch on the touch-sensitive device and outputting a second sensor signal. The disclosed device also includes a processor configured to receive the first and second sensor signals, generate a haptic output signal based at least in part on the first and second sensor signals, transmit the haptic output signal to a haptic output device. The haptic output device in the disclosed device then outputs the haptic effect.

Abstract: A haptic-enabled system, non-transitory computer-readable medium, and method for controlling a haptic actuator are presented. The haptic-enabled system comprises the haptic actuator, a movement sensor, and a control circuit. The control circuit is configured to: generate a driving portion of a drive signal; apply the driving portion of the drive signal to the haptic actuator to generate movement of one or more portions of the haptic-enabled system; determine (e.g., measure) the movement of the one or more portions of the haptic-enabled system; determine a time-varying correction signal for reducing the movement; generate a braking portion of the drive signal based on a combination of the time-varying correction signal and a defined offset; and apply the braking portion of the drive signal to the haptic actuator. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: A system includes a video recorder configured to record video data, a sensor configured to sense movement of an object and output sensor data representative of the movement of the object, a transformer configured to transform the sensor data into a haptic output signal, a haptic output device configured to generate a haptic effect to a user based on the haptic output signal, a display configured to display a video, and a processor configured to synchronize the video data and the haptic output signal, and output the video data to the display and the haptic output signal to the haptic output device so that the haptic effect is synchronized with the video displayed on the display.

Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention enable novel methods, non-transitory mediums, and systems for encoding and generating haptic effects. According to the various embodiments, a media object is retrieved. The media object is analyzed to determine one or more time periods for rendering haptic effects. The haptic effects for rendering during the time periods are determined. The haptic effects are encoded as a haptic effect pattern that identifies a start time and duration for each of the haptic effects.

Abstract: Devices and methods for providing localized haptic effects are provided. The devices include a haptically enabled display device having one or more haptic actuators. The one or more haptic actuators are located in a non-viewing area of a display screen of a haptically enabled display device and cause localized haptic effects in a viewing area of the display screen. The haptically enabled display device includes a processor configured to determine haptic control signals for activating the haptic actuators. The haptic control signal activates the one or more haptic actuators to provide a localized haptic effect at a target location in the viewing area, remote from the non-viewing area location of the one or more haptic actuators.

Abstract: Systems and methods for multi-user shared virtual and augmented reality-based haptics are disclosed. One illustrative method for multi-user shared virtual and augmented reality-based haptics includes determining a position of an object; determining a viewpoint of at least one observer with respect to the object; determining a haptic effect to be output based at least in part on the position and the viewpoint; and outputting the haptic effect.

Abstract: A haptic device includes a display configured to display an image, a haptic output device configured to generate a haptic effect to a user when the user interacts with the display, and a processor configured to receive information related to the image displayed on the display. The processor is also configured to create a friction based haptic effect map associated with the image displayed on the display, and generate a signal to the haptic output device to output the haptic effect when the user interacts with the display when the image is displayed on the display, the haptic effect being configured to simulate a feel of the image in three dimensions.

Abstract: Systems and methods for multi-directional haptic effects for haptic surfaces are disclosed. One exemplary system includes one or more resonant actuators coupled to a surface, the one or more resonant actuators configured to generate a haptic effect comprising vibrations in a plurality of nonparallel directions, the haptic effect configured to displace the surface, and the vibrations being within a two-dimensional plane that is substantially parallel to the surface; a processor in communication with the one or more resonant actuators; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the processor to: detect an event; generate at least one haptic drive signal based on the event; and transmit the at least one haptic drive signal to the one or more resonant actuators, the one or more resonant actuators further configured to receive the at least one haptic drive signal and responsively output the haptic effect.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for encoding haptic tracks are provided. A method includes receiving the haptic track, and identifying, within the haptic track, at least one of first portions of the haptic track that are representative of haptic silences or second portions that are representative of haptic effects. The method includes segmenting the haptic track into haptic silence chunks associated with one or more of the first portions that are sequentially positioned in the haptic track and haptic effects chunks associated with one or more of the second portions that are sequentially positioned in the haptic track. The method includes generating an encoded haptic track comprising at least one of a haptic silence block or a haptic effect block. The method includes outputting the encoded haptic track for playback. Numerous other aspects are provided.