Abstract: A man-machine interface which provides tactile feedback to various sensing body parts is disclosed. The device employs one or more vibrotactile units, where each unit comprises a mass and a mass-moving actuator. As the mass is accelerated by the mass-moving actuator, the entire vibrotactile unit vibrates. Thus, the vibrotactile unit transmits a vibratory stimulus to the sensing body part to which it is affixed. The vibrotactile unit may be used in conjunction with a spatial placement sensing device which measures the spatial placement of a measured body part. A computing device uses the spatial placement of the measured body part to determine the desired vibratory stimulus to be provided by the vibrotactile unit. In this manner, the computing device may control the level of vibratory feedback perceived by the corresponding sensing body part in response to the motion of the measured body part. The sensing body part and the measured body part may be separate or the same body part.

Abstract: A man-machine interface which provides tactile feedback to various sensing body parts is disclosed. The device employs one or more vibrotactile units, where each unit comprises a mass and a mass-moving actuator. As the mass is accelerated by the mass-moving actuator, the entire vibrotactile unit vibrates. Thus, the vibrotactile unit transmits a vibratory stimulus to the sensing body part to which it is affixed. The vibrotactile unit may be used in conjunction with a spatial placement sensing device which measures the spatial placement of a measured body part. A computing device uses the spatial placement of the measured body part to determine the desired vibratory stimulus to be provided by the vibrotactile unit. In this manner, the computing device may control the level of vibratory feedback perceived by the corresponding sensing body part in response to the motion of the measured body part. The sensing body part and the measured body part may be separate or the same body part.

Abstract: A man-machine interface is disclosed which provides force information to sensing body parts. The interface is comprised of a force-generating device (106) that produces a force which is transmitted to a force-applying device (102) via force-transmitting means (104). The force-applying device applies the generated force to a sensing body part. A force sensor associated with the force-applying device and located in the force applicator (126) measures the actual force applied to the sensing body part, while angle sensors (136) measure the angles of relevant joint body parts. A force-control unit (108) uses the joint body part position information to determine a desired force value to be applied to the sensing body part. The force-control unit combines the joint body part position information with the force sensor information to calculate the force command which is sent to the force-generating device.

Abstract: A man-machine interface is disclosed which provides force information to sensing body parts. The interface is comprised of a force-generating device (106) that produces a force which is transmitted to a force-applying device (102) via force-transmitting means (104). The force-applying device applies the generated force to a sensing body part. A force sensor associated with the force applies device and located in the force applicator (126) measures the actual force applies to the sensing body part, while angle sensors (136) measure the angles of relevant joint body parts. A force-control unit (108) uses the joint body part position information to determine a desired force value to be applies to the sensing body part. The force-control unit combines the joint body part position information with the force sensor information to calculate the force command which is sent to the force-generating device.