Abstract: A haptic device is disclosed comprising at least one fluidic actuator operatively connectable with pumping means; and a plurality of movable members mechanically connected with said at least one fluidic actuator, wherein said movable members can perform a displacement upon actuation of the fluidic actuator and/or resist the movements of a body part of a user upon actuation of the fluidic actuator, to provide a tactile and/or force haptic sensation to a body part of a user. Methods for providing a haptic sensation to a user and receiving haptic input commands from a user are also disclosed.

Abstract: A planar actuator device, including a base plate including a first, second, and third pair of planar coils, each pair of planar coils having an inner coil and an outer coil, each pair of planar coils arranged along a first, second, and third linear motion axis, respectively, the first, second, and third linear motion axis arranged in a star configuration, and an actuation mechanism including a first, second, and third planar legs and a centerpiece, the first, second and third planar legs pivotably connected to the centerpiece, the planar legs including a first, second, and third sliding element and a first, second, and third middle section, respectively, a sliding element and middle section of a respective leg pivotably connected to each other, each sliding element including a permanent magnet.

Abstract: A fully wearable system used for communication and information transfer between two users or between a user and a machine to render an effective and intuitive physical interface for combined input and output functions, the fully wearable system including a bidirectional wearable skin including distributed actuator and sensing elements, the actuator and sensing elements including a multimodal actuation layer and a sensing layer, the bidirectional wearable skin being flexible and stretchable, and a portable control device for controlling the distributed actuator and sensing elements, and reading signals from the sensing layer, the portable control device is configured to perform pixilated actuation for both micro- and macrostimulation of a body of a wearer by an actuation frequency and stimulation amplitude.

Abstract: A planar actuator device, including a base plate including a first, second, and third pair of planar coils, each pair of planar coils having an inner coil and an outer coil, each pair of planar coils arranged along a first, second, and third linear motion axis, respectively, the first, second, and third linear motion axis arranged in a star configuration, and an actuation mechanism including a first, second, and third planar legs and a centerpiece, the first, second and third planar legs pivotably connected to the centerpiece, the planar legs including a first, second, and third sliding element and a first, second, and third middle section, respectively, a sliding element and middle section of a respective leg pivotably connected to each other, each sliding element including a permanent magnet.

Abstract: A fully wearable system used for communication and information transfer between two users or between a user and a machine to render an effective and intuitive physical interface for combined input and output functions, the fully wearable system including a bidirectional wearable skin including distributed actuator and sensing elements, the actuator and sensing elements including a multimodal actuation layer and a sensing layer, the bidirectional wearable skin being flexible and stretchable, and a portable control device for controlling the distributed actuator and sensing elements, and reading signals from the sensing layer, the portable control device is configured to perform pixilated actuation for both micro- and macrostimulation of a body of a wearer by an actuation frequency and stimulation amplitude.

Abstract: A planar actuator device, including a base plate including a first, second, and third pair of planar coils, each pair of planar coils having an inner coil and an outer coil, each pair of planar coils arranged along a first, second, and third linear motion axis, respectively, the first, second, and third linear motion axis arranged in a star configuration, and an actuation mechanism including a first, second, and third planar legs and a centerpiece, the first, second and third planar legs pivotably connected to the centerpiece, the planar legs including a first, second, and third sliding element and a first, second, and third middle section, respectively, a sliding element and middle section of a respective leg pivotably connected to each other, each sliding element including a permanent magnet.

Abstract: A surgical instrument having an elongated arm and a distal end mounted with a pivot joint on the elongated arm. A drive shaft substantially coaxial with the elongated arm forms a universal joint facing the pivot joint. A distal tool is securely fastened on the drive shaft and rotatively mounted on and in the extension of the distal end of the elongated arm, such that the distal tool has two rotational degree of freedom, distinct and independent of each other, one being around an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated arm and the other being around an axis substantially collinear to an own axis of the distal tool. The elongated arm includes a plurality of linking elements mounted in series to form the pivot joint. The universal joint is a Cardan joint.

Abstract: The invention relates to a surgical instrument (100; 200) comprising: an elongated arm (111; 207) according to a longitudinal axis and having a distal end (105; 204) mounted with a pivot joint on the elongated arm according to an axis substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis; a drive shaft (103; 3), substantially coaxial with the elongated arm, comprising means forming a universal joint (104; 206) facing the pivot joint; and, distal tool (9) securely fastened on the drive shaft and rotatively mounted on and in the extension of the distal end of the elongated arm, such that the distal tool has two rotational degrees of freedom, distinct and independent of each other, one being around an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated arm and the other being around an axis substantially collinear to an own axis of the distal tool, characterized in that the means forming a universal joint comprise a flexible drive sleeve (104; 206).

Abstract: The invention relates to a surgical instrument (100; 200) comprising: an elongated arm (111; 207) according to a longitudinal axis and having a distal end (105; 204) mounted with a pivot joint on the elongated arm according to an axis substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis; a drive shaft (103; 3), substantially coaxial with the elongated arm, comprising means forming a universal joint (104; 206) facing the pivot joint; and, distal tool (9) securely fastened on the drive shaft and rotatively mounted on and in the extension of the distal end of the elongated arm, such that the distal tool has two rotational degrees of freedom, distinct and independent of each other, one being around an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated arm and the other being around an axis substantially collinear to an own axis of the distal tool, characterised in that the means forming a universal joint comprise a flexible drive sleeve (104; 206).

Abstract: The invention relates to a surgical instrument (1) comprising: an elongated arm (11; 307) according to a longitudinal axis and having a distal end (2; 305) mounted with a pivot joint on the elongated arm according to an axis substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis; a drive shaft (3) substantially coaxial with the elongated arm comprising means forming a universal joint facing the pivot joint; and, a distal tool (9) securely fastened on the drive shaft and rotatively mounted on and in the extension of the distal end of the elongated arm, such that the distal tool has two rotational degree of freedom, distinct and independent of each other, one being around an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated arm and the other being around an axis substantially collinear to an own axis of the distal tool; characterised in that the elongated arm comprises a plurality of linking elements mounted in series to form the pivot joint and in that the means forming a universal joint