Abstract: One variation of a system includes: a substrate including an aperture and a multi-layer inductor; and a cover layer arranged over the substrate and cooperating with the aperture to define a housing. Additionally, the system includes a fingerprint reader arranged within the housing and configured to permeate through the cover layer to scan a fingerprint applied over the cover layer. A magnetic element is arranged facing the multi-layer inductor and configured to inductively couple the multi-layer inductor. The system further includes a controller configured to: read electrical values from the multi-layer inductor; and register a fingerprint input on the cover layer based on the electrical values. Additionally, the controller can: read fingerprint values from the fingerprint reader to generate a fingerprint image; and trigger a first oscillating voltage across the multi-layer inductor to oscillate the cover layer in response to the fingerprint image deviating from a target fingerprint image.

Abstract: One variation of a method for detecting an input at a touch sensor—including a force-sensitive layer exhibiting variations in local resistance responsive to local variations in applied force on a touch sensor surface and a set of drive and sense electrodes—includes: driving a drive electrode with a drive signal; reading a sense signal from a sense electrode; detecting a alternating-current component and a direct-current component of the sense signal; in response to a magnitude of the direct-current component of the sense signal falling below a threshold magnitude, detecting an input on the touch sensor surface during the scan cycle based on the alternating-current component of the sense signal; and, in response to the magnitude of the direct-current component of the sense signal exceeding the threshold magnitude, detecting the input on the touch sensor surface during the scan cycle based on the direct-current component of the sense signal.

Abstract: One variation of a system for a human-computer interface includes: a substrate; a post; and a controller. The substrate includes: a first region including a drive electrode concentric with a normal axis; and a second region arranged opposite the first region. The second region includes a set of sense electrodes arranged: radially about the normal axis; along a first axis orthogonal to the normal axis; and along a second axis orthogonal to the normal axis and the first axis. The post is arranged over the first region. The controller is configured to: read a set of electrical values from the set of sense electrodes; and based on the set of electrical values, interpret a first displacement of the drive electrode relative the set of sense electrodes along the first axis, and interpret a second displacement of the drive electrode relative to the set of sense electrodes along the second axis.

Abstract: One variation of a system for tracking stylus inputs on a touch sensor surface includes: a touch sensor surface, and a touch sensor arranged under the touch sensor surface. The touch sensor includes a substrate and a set of drive and sense electrode pairs. The system further includes an excitation inductor arranged under the touch sensor surface and a stylus. The stylus includes: a body; a conductive stylus tip; and a stylus inductor configured to inductively couple to the excitation inductor to induce a voltage at the conductive stylus tip. The system includes a controller configured to: drive the excitation inductor with an alternating voltage signal; detect a set of self-capacitance values across the substrate; and detect a stylus location of a stylus input for the conductive stylus tip on the touch sensor surface based on the set of self-capacitance values and the second set of self-capacitance values.

Abstract: One variation of a system includes: a substrate including an aperture and a multi-layer inductor; and a cover layer arranged over the substrate and cooperating with the aperture to define a housing. Additionally, the system includes a fingerprint reader arranged within the housing and configured to permeate through the cover layer to scan a fingerprint applied over the cover layer. A magnetic element is arranged facing the multi-layer inductor and configured to inductively couple the multi-layer inductor. The system further includes a controller configured to: read electrical values from the multi-layer inductor; and register a fingerprint input on the cover layer based on the electrical values. Additionally, the controller can: read fingerprint values from the fingerprint reader to generate a fingerprint image; and trigger a first oscillating voltage across the multi-layer inductor to oscillate the cover layer in response to the fingerprint image deviating from a target fingerprint image.

Abstract: One variation of a keyboard system includes: a substrate including an array of inductors; a tactile layer arranged over the substrate defining an array of key locations over the array of inductors; an array of magnetic elements, each arranged within the tactile layer at a key location configured to inductively couple to an adjacent inductor and configured to move relative to the adjacent inductor responsive to application of a force on the tactile layer at the key location; and a controller configured to read electrical values from the inductors. In response to detecting a change in electrical value at a first inductor, the controller also configured to: register a first keystroke of a first key type associated with a first key location defined over the first inductor; and drive an oscillating voltage across the first inductor to oscillate the tactile layer over the substrate during a haptic feedback cycle.

Abstract: One variation of a tram system includes: a chassis; a latch configured to selectively engage a latch receiver mounted to an aircraft; an alignment feature adjacent the latch and configured to engage an alignment receiver mounted to the aircraft and to communicate acceleration and braking forces from the chassis into the aircraft; an optical sensor facing upwardly from the chassis; a drivetrain configured to accelerate and decelerate the chassis along a runway; and a controller configured to detect an optical fiducial arranged on the aircraft in optical images recorded by the optical sensor adjust a speed of the drivetrain to longitudinally align the alignment feature with the alignment receiver based on positions of the optical fiducial detected in the optical images, trigger the latch to engage the latch receiver once the aircraft has descended onto the chassis, and trigger the drivetrain to actively decelerate the chassis during a landing routine.

Abstract: Facilitating dynamic adjustment of a click/unclick threshold corresponding to a force-based tactile sensor is presented herein. A system can comprise a tactile sensor comprising force-based sensor(s); and a motion detection component that can determine a rate of change of a movement that has been detected via a group of sensors comprising the force-based sensor(s), and based on the rate of change of the movement, modify a defined sensitivity of the force-based sensor(s) with respect to detection of a click and/or unclick event corresponding to the tactile sensor. Further, the motion detection component can decrease the defined sensitivity with respect to detection of the click and/or unclick event in response to the rate of change being determined to satisfy a defined condition representing an increase in the speed at which the stylus or the finger has moved across the tactile sensor.

Abstract: One variation of a system for tracking stylus inputs on a touch sensor surface includes: a touch sensor surface, and a touch sensor arranged under the touch sensor surface. The touch sensor includes a substrate and a set of drive and sense electrode pairs. The system further includes an excitation inductor arranged under the touch sensor surface and a stylus. The stylus includes: a body; a conductive stylus tip; and a stylus inductor configured to inductively couple to the excitation inductor to induce a voltage at the conductive stylus tip. The system includes a controller configured to: drive the excitation inductor with an alternating voltage signal; detect a set of self-capacitance values across the substrate; and detect a stylus location of a stylus input for the conductive stylus tip on the touch sensor surface based on the set of self-capacitance values and the second set of self-capacitance values.

Abstract: One variation of a system includes a substrate including: a first layer including a first spiral trace coiled in a first direction; a second layer arranged below the first layer and including a second spiral trace coiled in a second direction and cooperating with the first spiral trace to form a multi-layer inductor; and a sensor layer including an array of drive and sense electrode pairs. The system also includes: a cover layer arranged over the substrate and defining a touch sensor surface; and a first magnetic element arranged below the substrate and defining a first polarity facing the multi-layer inductor. The system further includes a controller configured to drive an oscillating voltage across the multi-layer inductor to oscillate the substrate in response to detecting an input on the touch sensor surface based on electrical values from the set of drive and sense electrode pairs.

Abstract: One variation of a method includes: defining a first capacitance gradient of capacitance thresholds spanning a capacitive touch sensor; defining a first pressure gradient of pressure thresholds spanning a pressure sensor; reading a capacitance value from the capacitive touch sensor proximal a first location; detecting presence of a first input at the first location in response to the capacitance value exceeding a capacitance threshold assigned to the first location; reading a pressure value from the pressure sensor proximal the first location; detecting presence of a second input proximal the first location in response to the pressure value exceeding a pressure threshold; in response to detecting the first input and detecting the second input: merging the first input and the second input into a confirmed touch input; and generating a first touch image representing the first location and the pressure value of the confirmed touch input.

Abstract: Touch sensor technologies are provided. In some embodiments, a touch sensor device includes an array of conductive members. The touch sensor device also includes a first routing trace electrically coupled to a first conductive member of the array of conductive members. The touch sensor device also includes a second routing trace electrically coupled to a second conductive member of the array of conductive member. The first and second routing traces extend to a connector integrated into the touch sensor device. The touch sensor device further includes a resistor that electrically couples the first routing trace and the second routing trace. A third conductive member of the array of conductive members is placed between the first and second conductive members. By incorporating a resistor, density of conductive members (sense lines and/or drive lines) can be increased without increasing density of routing traces to the connector.

Abstract: A touch sensor detector system and method incorporating an interpolated sensor array is disclosed. The system and method utilize a touch sensor array (TSA) configured to detect proximity/contact/pressure (PCP) via a variable impedance array (VIA) electrically coupling interlinked impedance columns (IIC) coupled to an array column driver (ACD), and interlinked impedance rows (IIR) coupled to an array row sensor (ARS). The ACD is configured to select the IIC based on a column switching register (CSR) and electrically drive the IIC using a column driving source (CDS). The VIA conveys current from the driven IIC to the IIC sensed by the ARS. The ARS selects the IIR within the TSA and electrically senses the IIR state based on a row switching register (RSR). Interpolation of ARS sensed current/voltage allows accurate detection of TSA PCP and/or spatial location.

Abstract: One variation of a method for modifying haptic feedback response includes, during a set-up period: at a calibration system, applying a target selection force, to a target location on a surface of a touch sensor; at the touch sensor, triggering vibration cycles across haptic actuators to oscillate the touch sensor surface; capturing a haptic waveform representing oscillations at the first target location on the surface during the vibration cycles; interpreting a vibration cycle for the haptic actuators corresponding to a target haptic intensity at the target location based on the haptic waveform. The method also includes, during a deployment period, following the set-up period: detecting a force magnitude for a touch input applied proximal the target location on the surface; and in response to the force magnitude exceeding the target selection force, triggering the vibration cycle at the haptic actuators to oscillate the surface at the target haptic intensity.

Abstract: A system and method for fabricating a selectively-adhered force sensor comprising a flexible membrane constrained at a multitude of points within the sensor active area. The system comprising a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising: facilitating application of a conductive layer to a first surface; and facilitating curing of the conductive layer to the first surface.

Abstract: One variation of a method for characterizing inputs includes: scanning an array of sense electrodes at a first resolution to generate a first force image; detecting a first force input in the first force image; in response to a first geometry dimension of the first force input exceeding a first threshold, characterizing the first force input as a non-stylus input type; in response to the first geometry dimension of the first force input remaining below the first threshold: scanning the array of sense electrodes at a second resolution; detecting a second force input in a second force image; and, in response to a ratio of a force magnitude of the second force input to a geometry dimension of the second force input exceeding a second threshold, characterizing the first force input as a stylus input type; and outputting a location and a type of the first force input.

Abstract: One variation of a system for a touch sensor includes: a substrate; a cover layer; a spacer element; a second electrode; and a controller. The substrate includes: a support location arranged on the substrate; and a first electrode arranged proximal the support location. The cover layer defines a touch sensor surface arranged over the substrate. The spacer element: is coupled to the substrate at the support location; and yields to displacement of the substrate downward responsive to forces applied to the touch sensor surface. The second electrode: is arranged opposite the first electrode to define a nominal gap; and is configured to effect electrical values of the first electrode responsive to displacement of the substrate. The controller is configured to: read a set of electrical values from the first sense electrode; and interpret a first force magnitude of a first touch input based on the set of electrical values.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a touch sensor includes: at a calibration system during a calibration routine, applying a probe, at a target selection force, to a sequence of locations on a touch sensor surface of a touch sensor; at the touch sensor, capturing a sequence of touch images representing magnitudes of forces detected on the touch sensor surface during the calibration routine; fusing the sequence of touch images into a response map representing magnitudes of forces detected on the touch sensor surface by the touch sensor responsive to application of the target selection force on the touch sensor surface by the probe during the calibration routine; generating a force compensation map defining threshold forces for detecting selections at the target selection force on the touch sensor surface based on the response map.

Abstract: One variation of a touch sensor system includes a set of touch layers: spanning a first area; and including a set of electrodes. The system further includes a set of inductor layers: arranged below the set of touch layers; spanning a second area less than the first area; and including a set of spiral traces defining an inductor. The system also includes a magnetic element arranged below the set of inductor layers and defining a first polarity facing the inductor. The system further includes a controller configured to: read a set of electrical values from the set of electrodes; interpret a force magnitude of a touch input based on the set of electrical values; and in response to the force magnitude exceeding a force magnitude, drive an oscillating voltage across the inductor to induce alternating magnetic coupling between the inductor and the magnetic element.

Abstract: One variation of a system for a haptic actuator includes: a substrate; a baseplate; a magnetic element; and a set of spacer elements. The substrate includes: a first layer including a first spiral trace coiled in a first direction; and a second layer. The second layer is arranged below the first layer and includes a second spiral trace: coiled in a second direction opposite the first direction; and coupled to the first spiral trace to form an inductor. The substrate further includes terminals arranged about a periphery of the substrate and coupled to the inductor. The baseplate is arranged opposite the substrate. The magnetic element is: arranged on the baseplate; and defines a first polarity facing the inductor. The first set of spacer elements are: interposed between the baseplate and the substrate; arranged proximal edges of the baseplate; and defines a nominal gap between the magnetic element and the inductor.