Abstract: The disclosed radar system may include a radar mechanism comprising a transmitter and at least one receiver. The radar system may also include a signal generator that generates a frequency-modulated radar signal. In addition, the radar system may include at least one frequency multiplier that, after multiplying a frequency of the frequency-modulated radar signal by a certain factor, synchronously passes the frequency-modulated radar signal to (1) the transmitter to be transmitted to at least one transponder located on a wearable device and (2) a processing device communicatively coupled to the receiver. The processing device may (1) detect a signal returned to the receiver from the transponder in response to the frequency-modulated radar signal and (2) calculate a distance between the transponder and the receiver based at least in part on an analysis of the signal returned from the transponder and the frequency-modulated radar signal received from the frequency multiplier.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include transmitting, by at least one radar device, to at least one transponder located within a physical environment surrounding a user, a frequency-modulated radar signal that has a first type of polarization, and receiving, by the at least one radar device, signals that have a second type of polarization, the second type of polarization being different than the first type of polarization, detecting, by a processing device communicatively coupled to the at least one radar device, a signal that has the second type of polarization and was returned to the at least one radar device from the at least one transponder in response to the frequency-modulated radar signal, and calculating, by the processing device, a distance between the at least one transponder and the at least one radar device. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include one or more multi-purpose connectors, one or more microfluidic devices, systems and methods for securing board-to-board connections, one or more embedded micro-coaxial wires in one or more rigid substrates, one or more miniature, micro-coaxial-to-board interconnect frogboards, and/or one or more artificial reality applications thereof. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A fluidic device comprises a channel, a gate, and one or more additional elements. The channel is configured to transport a fluid from a source to a drain. The gate includes a chamber with an adjustable volume that affects fluid flow within the channel by displacing a wall of the channel toward an opposite wall of the channel based in part on fluid pressure within the chamber exceeding a threshold pressure. A high pressure state of the gate corresponds to a first chamber size and a first flow rate of the fluid. A low pressure state of the gate corresponds to a second chamber size that is smaller than the first chamber size and a second flow rate that is greater than the first flow rate. The additional elements are configured to reduce the threshold pressure past which the chamber decreases the cross-sectional area of the channel.

Abstract: The disclosed fluidic devices may include a valve chamber in a valve body, a fluid inlet into the valve chamber, a piston positioned within the valve chamber, a first fluid outlet for passing fluid out of the valve chamber when the piston is in a first position, a second fluid outlet for passing fluid out of the valve chamber when the piston is in a second position, a first piezoelectric actuator positioned and configured for moving the piston from the first position to the second position, and a second piezoelectric actuator positioned and configured for moving the piston from the second position to the first position. Various other methods, systems, and devices are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed apparatus may include at least one transponder that (1) is located on a wearable device worn by a user and (2) retransmits signals received at the transponder after shifting frequencies of the received signals to a certain frequency range. The apparatus may also include at least one radar device that (1) transmits a frequency-modulated radar signal to the transponder and (2) receives signals whose frequencies are within the certain frequency range. In addition, the apparatus may include a processing device that (1) detects a signal returned to the radar device from the transponder, (2) calculates, based on the returned signal, a distance between the transponder and the radar device, and then (3) determines, based on the distance between the transponder and the radar device, a current physical location of at least a portion of the user. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A radar system may include (1) a wearable device, (2) a set of radar devices secured to the wearable device, wherein the set of radar devices (A) transmit radar signals to at least one transponder and (B) receive the radar signals, (3) an error-mitigation device secured to the wearable device, wherein the error-mitigation device provides data for mitigating position errors in triangulation calculations involving the radar signals, and (4) at least one processing device communicatively coupled to the set of radar devices and the error-mitigation device, wherein the processing device (A) calculates, based at least in part on roundtrip flight times of the radar signals and the data, distances between the set of radar devices and the transponder and (B) triangulates, based at least in part on the distances, a three-dimensional location of the transponder relative to the wearable device. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An example device may include a transmitter, such as a radio-frequency (RF) transmitter, a receiver and a controller. The receiver may include a mixer that generates a beat signal from a received signal and a local oscillator signal. A transmitted signal may include a linear frequency ramp and may be incident on an object, inducing the received signal. The device may include a controller configured to detect a frequency and phase of the beat signal. The device may determine an absolute distance to the object using the beat frequency and a distance component using the beat signal phase. The distance component may be used to increase the precision of an object distance measurement relative to the absolute distance alone. The distance component may be used to detect relatively small movements of the object, such as micron-scale movements. Various other methods, systems and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed radar system may include a radar mechanism comprising a transmitter and at least one receiver. The radar system may also include a signal generator that generates a frequency-modulated radar signal. In addition, the radar system may include a delay mechanism that (1) receives the frequency-modulated radar signal from the signal generator and (2) after a certain period of delay, passes the frequency-modulated radar signal to the transmitter to be transmitted to a transponder located on a wearable artificial reality device. The radar system may also include a processing device that (1) receives the frequency-modulated radar signal from the signal generator, (2) detects a signal returned to the receiver from the transponder, and (3) calculates a distance between the transponder and the receiver based at least in part on an analysis of the signal returned from the transponder and the frequency-modulated radar signal received from the signal generator.

Abstract: A radar system may include a wearable device dimensioned to be worn by a user of an artificial reality system. The radar system may also include at least one radar device that is secured to the wearable device and transmits at least one frequency-modulated radar signal to at least one transponder located within a physical environment of the user. The radar system may further include at least one processing device communicatively coupled to the radar device. The processing device may detect a signal returned to the radar device from the transponder in response to the frequency-modulated radar signal and then calculate, based at least in part on a frequency of the returned signal, a distance between the transponder and the radar device. Various other devices, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include transmitting, by at least one radar device, a frequency-modulated radar signal to at least one transponder located within a physical environment surrounding a user, detecting, by a processing device communicatively coupled to the at least one radar device a signal returned to the at least one radar device from the at least one transponder in response to the frequency-modulated radar signal, determining a beat frequency of the returned signal by performing a zero-crossing analysis of the returned signal in the time domain, and calculating, based at least in part on the beat frequency of the returned signal, a distance between the at least one transponder and the at least one radar device. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A fluidic device comprises a channel, a gate, and one or more additional elements. The channel is configured to transport a fluid from a source to a drain. The gate includes a chamber with an adjustable volume that affects fluid flow within the channel by displacing a wall of the channel toward an opposite wall of the channel based in part on fluid pressure within the chamber exceeding a threshold pressure. A high pressure state of the gate corresponds to a first chamber size and a first flow rate of the fluid. A low pressure state of the gate corresponds to a second chamber size that is smaller than the first chamber size and a second flow rate that is greater than the first flow rate. The additional elements are configured to reduce the threshold pressure past which the chamber decreases the cross-sectional area of the channel.

Abstract: A fluidic-device valve may include a valve guide having a guide wall surrounding a central axis. The guide wall may include a first guide section, a second guide section, and an interior surface that defines a valve cavity extending longitudinally along the central axis from the first guide section to the second guide section. The valve may also include a valve member having a ferromagnetic material disposed within the valve cavity, and the valve member may extend longitudinally along the central axis. The valve member may also have a first plug section and a second plug section and may define a fluid conduit between the first plug section and the second plug section. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: A fluidic device controls fluid flow in channel from a source to a drain. In some embodiments, the fluidic device comprises a channel and a gate. The channel is configured to transport a fluid from the source to the drain. The gate controls a rate of fluid flow in the channel in accordance with the fluid pressure within the gate. Specifically, the gate is configured to induce a first flow rate of the 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. In certain embodiments, the first flow rate is greater than the second flow rate. In alternative embodiments, the second flow rate is greater than the first flow rate.

Abstract: A fluidic-device valve having a valve guide with a guide wall surrounding a central axis. The guide wall may include a first guide section, a second guide section, and an interior surface that defines a valve cavity extending longitudinally along the central axis. The valve may also include a valve member disposed within the valve cavity, and the valve member may extend longitudinally along the central axis between a first end and a second end of the valve member. The valve member may be movable within the valve cavity in a first axial direction along the central axis to position a fluid conduit defined by the valve member at a first location by increasing a pressure applied to the second end of the valve member by a pressure source coupled to the second guide section. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed fluidic device may include (1) a channel configured to transport fluid from a source to a drain and (2) a gate configured to modulate fluid flow through the channel. The gate may modulate fluid flow by bending a gate actuation membrane that alternates between an initial configuration that does not interfere with a cross section of the channel and a bent configuration that causes the cross section to reversibly compress. The gate actuation membrane may include an undulation that facilitates the bending of the gate actuation membrane.

Abstract: The disclosed apparatus may include at least one radar device that transmits a frequency-modulated radar signal to a plurality of transponders located on a wearable device worn by a user. The apparatus may also include a processing device that (1) directs at least one of the plurality of transponders to be in an active state that enables the transponder to receive and transmit signals, (2) detects, while the transponder is in the active state, a signal returned to the radar device from the transponder in response to the frequency-modulated radar signal, (3) calculates, based at least in part on the returned signal, a distance between the transponder and the radar device, and (4) determines, based at least in part on the distance between the transponder and the radar device, a current physical location of at least a portion of the user. Various other apparatuses, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: An optical sensor measures displacement of a haptic plate that provides haptic sensation to a user. The optical sensor comprises a light source, a plurality of optical detectors, and a controller. The light source is configured to illuminate a surface of the haptic plate in which a haptic wave propagates causing displacement of portions of the haptic plate in one or more directions. The plurality of optical detectors is configured to detect light reflected from the surface of the haptic plate. At least two optical detectors of the plurality of optical detectors are positioned relative to the light source such that an amount of light received at each of the optical detectors is based at least in part on a direction of displacement of the haptic plate. The controller is configured to monitor the haptic wave using the detected light from the plurality of optical detectors.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming a fluidic device using a layered construction strategy may include (1) forming a first component for the fluidic device out of a first material, (2) forming a second component for the fluidic device out of a second material that is different than the first material, and (3) after forming the first and second components, forming the fluidic device by assembling a variety of components including the first component and the second component.

Abstract: A system includes a locatable glove and a pose determination device. The locatable glove includes a glove body worn over a hand of a user, and a plurality of positioning transponders. The positioning transponders are coupled to the glove body at various positions on the glove body, and each re-radiates a received signal, the re-radiated signal unique to the positioning transponder. The pose determination device includes a plurality of antennas and a controller. The antennas are each configured to receive the unique signals re-radiated by the positioning transponders. The antennas are physically separated from each other. The controller is communicatively coupled to the plurality of antennas, and is configured to determine, for each of the received unique signals, a location of the position on the locatable glove of the positioning transponder corresponding to the unique signal.