U.S. patent application number 17/282402 was filed with the patent office on 2021-10-14 for active texture presentation apparatus driven by high-density flexible electromagnetic coil array.
The applicant listed for this patent is Beihang University. Invention is credited to Yuan Guo, Dangxiao Wang, Ziqi Wang, Yuru Zhang.
Application Number | 20210318756 17/282402 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005866160 |
Filed Date | 2021-10-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210318756 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wang; Dangxiao ; et
al. |
October 14, 2021 |
Active Texture Presentation Apparatus Driven by High-Density
Flexible Electromagnetic Coil Array
Abstract
Disclosed is a texture presentation apparatus driven by a
high-density flexible electromagnetic coil array, including a
surface layer and a driving layer. The surface layer is in direct
contact with the fingertip of a finger to ensure interaction safety
of a user, is capable of adjusting the friction force when the
finger touches and slides on the surface layer, and has a shielding
and protection effect on the driving layer; the driving layer
includes a stretchable soft substrate and a plurality of micro
driving units, each micro driving unit is independently
controllable, the driving layer adjusts the microscopic geometric
morphology of a texture surface; the texture presentation apparatus
is capable of implementing multi-scale fine texture presentation;
when the fingertip comes into contact with the surface layer, the
texture presentation apparatus controls, based on different surface
textures of an object to be simulated in a virtual environment.
Inventors: |
Wang; Dangxiao; (Beijing,
CN) ; Guo; Yuan; (Beijing, CN) ; Wang;
Ziqi; (Beijing, CN) ; Zhang; Yuru; (Beijing,
CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Beihang University |
Beijing |
|
CN |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005866160 |
Appl. No.: |
17/282402 |
Filed: |
October 10, 2019 |
PCT Filed: |
October 10, 2019 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/CN2019/110369 |
371 Date: |
April 2, 2021 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/016 20130101;
G06F 2203/04809 20130101; G06F 3/045 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/01 20060101
G06F003/01; G06F 3/045 20060101 G06F003/045 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 17, 2019 |
CN |
201910307279.0 |
Claims
1. A texture presentation apparatus driven by a high-density
flexible electromagnetic coil array, comprising: a surface layer
and a driving layer, wherein the surface layer is in direct contact
with the fingertip of a finger to ensure interaction safety of a
user, is capable of adjusting the friction force when the finger
touches and slides on the surface layer, and has a shielding and
protection effect on the driving layer; the driving layer comprises
a stretchable soft substrate and a plurality of micro driving
units, each micro driving unit is independently controllable, and
the driving layer adjusts the microscopic geometric morphology of a
texture surface; the texture presentation apparatus is capable of
implementing multi-scale fine texture presentation; when the
fingertip comes into contact with the surface layer, the texture
presentation apparatus controls, based on different surface
textures of an object to be simulated in a virtual environment,
each independently controllable micro driving unit in the driving
layer to change geometric features of textures presented by the
texture presentation apparatus in real time, to realize
macroscopic, mesoscopic, and microscopic multi-scale fine texture
simulation.
2. The texture presentation apparatus driven by a high-density
flexible electromagnetic coil array according to claim 1, wherein
the micro driving units are a micro-scale electromagnetic coil
array.
3. The texture presentation apparatus driven by a high-density
flexible electromagnetic coil array according to claim 2, wherein
the driving layer further comprises an electronic circuit, an upper
micro-scale magnetic powder unit array, and a lower micro-scale
magnetic powder unit array.
4. The texture presentation apparatus driven by a high-density
flexible electromagnetic coil array according to claim 3, wherein
the micro-scale electromagnetic coil array, the electronic circuit,
the upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit array, and the lower
micro-scale magnetic powder unit array are all embedded in the
stretchable soft substrate; and the upper micro-scale magnetic
powder unit array is located on the top of the stretchable soft
substrate, the micro-scale electromagnetic coil array is located in
the middle of the stretchable soft substrate, and the lower
micro-scale magnetic powder unit array is located at the bottom of
the stretchable soft substrate.
5. The texture presentation apparatus driven by a high-density
flexible electromagnetic coil array according to claim 2, wherein a
micro-scale electromagnetic coil is made of a silver-plated
material through micro-nano processing technology.
6. The texture presentation apparatus driven by a high-density
flexible electromagnetic coil array according to claim 3, wherein
the upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit array and the lower
micro-scale magnetic powder unit array serve as a texture unit and
a latching unit, respectively.
7. The texture presentation apparatus driven by a high-density
flexible electromagnetic coil array according to claim 3, wherein
the upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit array and the lower
micro-scale magnetic powder unit array are made by mixing silica
gel and magnetic powder particles; the magnetic powder particles in
the mixed material are evenly distributed; and in a preparation
process of the upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit array and the
lower micro-scale magnetic powder unit array, an external magnetic
field is used to ensure that all magnetic powder particles have
magnetic pole directions of upper N and lower S.
8. The texture presentation apparatus driven by a high-density
flexible electromagnetic coil array according to claim 1, wherein
during simulation of a soft object that is deformable on a large
scale, the micro driving units can realize the deformation and
extension along with the stretchable soft substrate.
9. The texture presentation apparatus driven by a high-density
flexible electromagnetic coil array according to claim 3, wherein
the driving layer uses an instantaneous active magnetic field
generated by the micro-scale electromagnetic coil array together
with a steady-state passive magnetic field of the lower micro-scale
magnetic powder unit array to reduce power consumption generated by
the micro-scale electromagnetic coil array, avoiding a problem of
heat generation under high current.
10. The texture presentation apparatus driven by a high-density
flexible electromagnetic coil array according to claim 4, wherein
when the micro-scale electromagnetic coil array is energized in a
forward direction, the upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit array
moves downward under an adsorption force generated by an
instantaneous strong magnetic field from the micro-scale
electromagnetic coil array, driving the surface layer to deform and
form pits, to simulate a surface geometrical morphology of the
object to be simulated in the virtual environment; after the
micro-scale electromagnetic coil array is powered off, deformation
of the surface layer is maintained by the adsorption force of the
lower micro-scale magnetic powder unit array and the upper
micro-scale magnetic powder unit array; when the surface layer
needs to be restored to a flat state, the micro-scale
electromagnetic coil array enables a reverse energization mode, and
the upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit array moves upward under
a repulsive force generated by the instantaneous strong magnetic
field of the micro-scale electromagnetic coil array, making the
surface layer return to a zero-deformation state; the micro-scale
electromagnetic coil array is powered off, and the surface layer
stays in the flat state.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a tactile texture
presentation apparatus, and in particular, to an active texture
presentation apparatus driven by a high-density flexible
electromagnetic coil array.
BACKGROUND
[0002] In order to enhance immersive interaction with a virtual
world, many tactile interaction devices have been developed.
Existing devices are mostly wearable or handheld devices. Wearable
devices can support multi-finger, multi-gesture and dexterous
grasping operations, but most of them have defects such as a heavy
weight and difficulty in wearing. Handheld devices do not need to
be worn, but they are inflexible and unstretchable and cannot
implement multi-scale fine texture presentation. As virtual reality
(VR) and robots require more realistic tactile feedback, there is
an urgent need to develop new feedback apparatuses to meet the
demands of bare-hand interaction without wearing, and multi-haptic
(such as softness, texture, and shape) feedback. With a VR helmet,
users can feel good haptic feedback in the virtual world, making
the users' interaction with the virtual environment smoother and
more realistic.
SUMMARY
[0003] The present disclosure aims to overcome the defects of the
prior art and provides a texture presentation apparatus driven by a
high-density flexible electromagnetic coil array, to enhance a
user's immersion in a virtual reality interaction and allow the
user to touch and operate virtual objects by bare hands in an
intuitive and direct manner. The apparatus is flexible and
stretchable and can implement multi-scale fine texture
presentation.
[0004] The technical solution in the present disclosure is as
follows: A texture presentation apparatus driven by a high-density
flexible electromagnetic coil array includes a surface layer and a
driving layer. The surface layer is in direct contact with the
fingertip of a finger to ensure interaction safety of a user, is
capable of adjusting the friction force when the finger touches and
slides on the surface layer, and has a shielding and protection
effect on the driving layer; the driving layer includes a
stretchable soft substrate and a plurality of micro driving units,
each micro driving unit is independently controllable, and the
driving layer adjusts the microscopic geometric morphology of a
texture surface; the texture presentation apparatus is capable of
implementing multi-scale fine texture presentation; when the
fingertip comes into contact with the surface layer, the texture
presentation apparatus controls, based on different surface
textures of an object to be simulated in a virtual environment,
each independently controllable micro driving unit in the driving
layer to change geometric features of textures presented by the
texture presentation apparatus in real time, to realize
macroscopic, mesoscopic, and microscopic multi-scale fine texture
simulation.
[0005] Further, the micro driving unit may be a micro-scale
electromagnetic coil array.
[0006] Further, the driving layer may further include an electronic
circuit, an upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit array, and a
lower micro-scale magnetic powder unit array.
[0007] Further, the micro-scale electromagnetic coil array, the
electronic circuit, the upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit
array, and the lower micro-scale magnetic powder unit array are all
embedded in the stretchable soft substrate; and the upper
micro-scale magnetic powder unit array is located on the top of the
stretchable soft substrate, the micro-scale electromagnetic coil
array is located in the middle of the stretchable soft substrate,
and the lower micro-scale magnetic powder unit array is located at
the bottom of the stretchable soft substrate.
[0008] Further, a micro-scale electromagnetic coil may be made of a
silver-plated material through micro-nano processing
technology.
[0009] Further, the upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit array
and the lower micro-scale magnetic powder unit array may serve as a
texture unit and a latching unit, respectively.
[0010] Further, the upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit array
and the lower micro-scale magnetic powder unit array may be made by
mixing silica gel and magnetic powder particles; the magnetic
powder particles in the mixed material are evenly distributed; and
in a preparation process of the upper micro-scale magnetic powder
unit array and the lower micro-scale magnetic powder unit array, an
external magnetic field is used to ensure that all magnetic powder
particles have magnetic pole directions of upper N and lower S.
[0011] Further, during simulation of a soft object that is
deformable on a large scale, the micro driving units can realize
the deformation and extension along with the stretchable soft
substrate.
[0012] Further, the driving layer may use an instantaneous active
magnetic field generated by the micro-scale electromagnetic coil
array together with a steady-state passive magnetic field of the
lower micro-scale magnetic powder unit array to reduce power
consumption generated by the micro-scale electromagnetic coil
array, avoiding a problem of heat generation under high
current.
[0013] Further, when the micro-scale electromagnetic coil array is
energized in a forward direction, the upper micro-scale magnetic
powder unit array moves downward under an adsorption force
generated by an instantaneous strong magnetic field from the
micro-scale electromagnetic coil array, driving the surface layer
to deform and form pits, to simulate a surface geometrical
morphology of the object to be simulated in the virtual
environment; after the micro-scale electromagnetic coil array is
powered off, deformation of the surface layer is maintained by the
adsorption force of the lower micro-scale magnetic powder unit
array and the upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit array; when
the surface layer needs to be restored to a flat state, the
micro-scale electromagnetic coil array enables reverse energization
mode (the micro-scale electromagnetic coil array is energized in a
reverse direction), and the upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit
array moves upward under a repulsive force generated by the
instantaneous strong magnetic field of the micro-scale
electromagnetic coil array, making the surface layer return to a
zero-deformation state; the micro-scale electromagnetic coil array
is powered off, and the surface layer stays in the flat state.
[0014] The present disclosure has the following beneficial effects:
The micro units are embedded in the silica gel substrate to make
the texture presentation apparatus flexible and stretchable.
Through the micro-scale electromagnetic coil array, dynamic
presentation and detail rendering of macroscopic, mesoscopic, and
microscopic multi-scale texture are realized with high spatial
resolution, fine control accuracy, and wide adjustment range. By
combining the instantaneous active magnetic field generated by the
electromagnetic coil with the steady-state passive magnetic field
of the flexible magnetic powder array, magnetic field strength is
optimized, so that the micro-scale electromagnetic coils can be
used to produce a large enough normal texture structure change,
reducing the power consumption of the electromagnetic coils, and
avoiding the problem of heat generation under high current.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an overall structure of a
texture presentation apparatus.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a driving layer with
no texture presented.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of implementing texture
presentation by an active magnetic field of a driving layer.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of implementing texture
presentation by a passive magnetic field of a driving layer.
[0019] In the figures, 1. finger; 2. texture presentation
apparatus; 3. object to be simulated; 4. surface layer; 5. driving
layer; 6. deformation and extension; 7. electronic circuit; 8.
upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit array; 9. stretchable soft
substrate; 10. magnetic powder particle; 11. lower micro-scale
magnetic powder unit array; 12. micro-scale electromagnetic coil
array; and 13. pit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] The following clearly and completely describes the technical
solutions of the present disclosure with reference to accompanying
drawings. Apparently, the described embodiments are merely some
rather than all of the embodiments of the present disclosure. All
other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art
based on the embodiments of the present disclosure without creative
efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present
disclosure.
[0021] In the description of the present disclosure, it should be
noted that orientations or position relationships indicated by
terms "center", "top", "bottom", "left", "right", "vertical",
"horizontal", etc. are orientation or position relationships as
shown in the drawings, and these terms are just used to facilitate
description of the present disclosure and simplify the description,
but not to indicate or imply that the mentioned device or elements
must have a specific orientation and must be established and
operated in a specific orientation, and thus, these terms cannot be
understood as a limitation to the present disclosure. Moreover, the
terms such as "first", "second" and "third" are used only for the
purpose of description and are not intended to indicate or imply
relative importance.
[0022] In the description of the present disclosure, it should be
noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited,
meanings of terms "install", "connected with", and "connected to"
should be understood in a board sense. For example, the connection
may be a fixed connection, a removable connection, or an integral
connection; may be a mechanical connection or an electrical
connection; may be a direct connection or an indirect connection by
using an intermediate medium; or may be intercommunication between
two components. A person of ordinary skill in the art may
understand specific meanings of the foregoing terms in the present
disclosure based on a specific situation.
[0023] A texture presentation apparatus 2 driven by a high-density
flexible electromagnetic coil array includes a surface layer 4 and
a driving layer 5. The surface layer 4 is located on the upper, and
the driving layer 5 is located on the lower. The surface layer 4 is
in direct contact with the fingertip of a user finger 1 to ensure
interaction safety of a user, is capable of adjusting the friction
force when the finger 1 touches and slides on the surface layer 4,
and has a shielding and protection effect on the driving layer 5.
The driving layer 5 includes a plurality of micro driving units,
each micro driving unit can be independently controllable, and the
driving layer 5 can adjust the microscopic geometric morphology of
a texture surface. The texture presentation apparatus 2 can realize
multi-scale fine texture presentation. When the fingertip of the
finger 1 comes into contact with the surface layer 4, the texture
presentation apparatus 2 controls, based on different surface
textures (such as stone, wood, cloth, or silk) of an object to be
simulated in a virtual environment, each independently controllable
micro driving unit in the driving layer 5 to change geometric
features of textures presented by the texture presentation
apparatus in real time, to realize macroscopic (1-10 mm),
mesoscopic (0.5-1 mm), and microscopic (0.1-0.5 mm) multi-scale
fine texture simulation.
[0024] A substrate material is flexible and stretchable. During
simulation of a soft object that is deformable on a large scale,
the micro driving units can realize the deformation and extension 6
along with the stretchable soft substrate.
[0025] The micro driving units are a micro-scale electromagnetic
coil array 11. The driving layer 5 further includes an electronic
circuit 7, an upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit array 8, and a
lower micro-scale magnetic powder unit array 12. The micro-scale
electromagnetic coil array 11, the electronic circuit 7, the upper
micro-scale magnetic powder unit array 8, and the lower micro-scale
magnetic powder unit array 12 are all embedded in the stretchable
soft substrate 9. The upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit array
8 is located on the top of the stretchable soft substrate 9, the
micro-scale electromagnetic coil array 11 is located in the middle
of stretchable soft substrate 9, and the lower micro-scale magnetic
powder unit array 12 is located at the bottom of stretchable soft
substrate 9. Through the power-on/off of the micro-scale
electromagnetic coil array 11 and the "relay" control of a passive
magnetic field of the lower micro-scale magnetic powder unit the
array 12, the deformation of the upper micro-scale magnetic powder
unit array 8 is realized, thereby changing the surface textures of
the texture presentation apparatus 2.
[0026] The micro-scale electromagnetic coil 11 is made of
silver-plated material through micro-nano processing technology,
and has the characteristics of being stretchable, low resistance,
and high current. The upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit array
8 and the lower micro-scale magnetic powder unit array 12 are made
by fully mixing silica gel and magnetic powder particles 10 through
a planetary mixer, ensuring that the magnetic powder particles 10
in the mixed material are evenly distributed. In a preparation
process of the upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit array 8 and
the lower micro-scale magnetic powder unit array 12, an external
magnetic field such as a permanent magnet or an electromagnetic
coil is used to ensure that all magnetic powder particles 10 have
magnetic pole directions of upper N and lower S. The upper
micro-scale magnetic powder unit array 8 and the lower micro-scale
magnetic powder unit array 12 serve as a texture unit and a
latching unit, respectively.
[0027] The micro-scale electromagnetic coils 11 in the driving
layer 5 can be actively controlled individually. When the
micro-scale electromagnetic coil array 11 is not powered on, the
upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit array 8 (texture unit) is in
a flat state, and the texture presentation apparatus 2 presents no
texture. The driving layer 5 uses an instantaneous active magnetic
field generated by the micro-scale electromagnetic coil array 11
together with a steady-state passive magnetic field of the lower
micro-scale magnetic powder unit array 12 to reduce power
consumption of the electromagnetic coils, avoiding a problem of
heat generation under high current.
[0028] When the micro-scale electromagnetic coil array 11 is
energized in a forward direction, the upper micro-scale magnetic
powder unit array 8 moves downward under an adsorption force
generated by the instantaneous strong magnetic field from the
micro-scale electromagnetic coil array 11, driving the surface
layer to deform and form pits 13, to simulate a surface geometrical
morphology of the object to be simulated in the virtual
environment.
[0029] After 100 milliseconds, the micro-scale electromagnetic coil
array 11 is powered off, and the deformation of the surface layer
is maintained by the adsorption force of the lower micro-scale
magnetic powder unit array 8 (texture unit) and the upper
micro-scale magnetic powder unit array 12 (latching unit). When the
surface layer needs to be restored to the flat state, the
micro-scale electromagnetic coil array 11 enables reverse
energization mode, and the upper micro-scale magnetic powder unit
array 8 (texture unit) moves upward under a repulsive force
generated by the instantaneous strong magnetic field from the
micro-scale electromagnetic coil array 11, pushing the surface
layer to return to a zero-deformation state. After 100
milliseconds, the micro-scale electromagnetic coil array 11 is
powered off, and the surface layer stays in the flat state.
[0030] The foregoing embodiments are preferred embodiments of the
present disclosure. However, the embodiments of the present
disclosure are not limited by the foregoing embodiments. Any other
changes, modifications, replacements, combinations and
simplifications made without departing from the spirit and
principle of the present disclosure should all be equivalent
replacement manners, and fall within the protection scope of the
present disclosure.
* * * * *