Electric tactile sense presentation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9483923-B2
Application number	US-201514715857-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2015
Priority date	May 21, 2014
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

A tactile sense presentation device is provided which is simple in structure, and is able to give a real tactile sense to a human body by causing electrical stimulation to effectively act thereon, while holding original human tactile sense. The electric tactile sense presentation device includes an electrode substrate adapted to be worn on a human body so as to be in contact with a skin, and a multitude of electrodes formed on a contact surface of the electrode substrate for contact with the skin to present a tactile sense by means of electrical stimulation, wherein the electrode substrate is composed of a flexible circuit body which is flexible to enable a portion thereof in contact with a real object to flexibly deform so as to conform to deformation of the skin, and it is configured such that electrical stimulation by the electrodes is superimposed on the tactile sense of a human being, while maintaining the human tactile sense.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric tactile sense presentation device comprising:
an electrode substrate with a contact surface adapted to be worn so as to be in contact with a skin; and
a multitude of electrodes formed on the contact surface of said electrode substrate for contact with the skin to present a tactile sense by means of electrical stimulation;
wherein said electrode substrate is composed of a flexible circuit body which is flexible to enable a portion thereof in contact with a real object to flexibly deform so as to conform to deformation of the skin, whereby it is configured such that the electrical stimulation by said electrodes is superimposed on the tactile sense of a human being, while maintaining the human tactile sense,
wherein said electrode substrate is flexible and has a slit formed therein to promote deformation thereof, and
wherein said electrodes are disposed on the contact surface of said electrode substrate such that in a plan view, four electrodes are located at four vertexes of a rhombus shape formed by two pair of equilateral triangles respectively disposed in reverse relation to each other so as to form a unit pattern of said electrodes, and said slit is formed in said electrode substrate along an axis direction between electrodes at opposed vertexes of one of the two pair of equilateral triangles in the rhombus shape of the unit pattern of said electrodes.

2. The electric tactile sense presentation device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said electrical stimulation is made by low frequency cathode and anode pulses.

3. The electric tactile sense presentation device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the location of wearing said electrode substrate is a fingertip.

4. The electric tactile sense presentation device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the location of wearing said electrode substrate is a palm of a hand.

5. The electric tactile sense presentation device as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressure distribution sensor that is combined with said electrode substrate so as to detect a contact portion of said electrode substrate which is in contact with the real object;
wherein electrical stimulation is selectively provided from electrodes in the contact portion detected by said pressure distribution sensor.

6. The electric tactile sense presentation device as set forth in claim 5 , wherein said pressure distribution sensor is arranged at a real object side of said electrode substrate separately therefrom.

7. The electric tactile sense presentation device as set forth in claim 5 , wherein said pressure distribution sensor is integrally formed with said electrode substrate.

8. The electric tactile sense presentation device as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising:
a cable unit that is drawn around from said electrode substrate, and is provided with an expandable and contractible portion.

Assignees

• Nippon Mektron Kk

Inventors

• Ozaki Kazuyuki
• Muromoto Shingo
• Kimura Taisuke
• Tachi Susumu
• Minamizawa Kouta
• Sato Katsunari

Classifications

• G06F3/014

  Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves · CPC title

• G08B6/00 Primary

  Tactile signalling systems, e.g. tactile personal calling systems · CPC title

• G06F2203/0331

  Finger worn pointing device · CPC title

• G06F3/016

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• G06F3/045

  using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact · CPC title