US3914800A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fluid mechanical tactile oscilloscope to augment the five senses
Assignee: Medical Research Institute
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Filing: 1974-06-06
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Granted: 1975-10-28
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Expires: 1994-06-06
Abstract
Abstract A tactile imaging interface to the human body is disclosed for operation in combination with an input transducer (typically a solid-state image sensor), and suitable conversion electronics. A fluid jet, preferably discharging water, is deflected by electromechanical motors (typically a galvanometer) such as is used to drive pen motors and modulated in discharge pressure to impinge its resultant discharge jet on a thin flexible membrane in contact with a mechanically sensitive skin area. The conversion electronics drive the galvanometer motor controls for deflection and modulate the jet discharge in response to the input transducer which is typically an image sensor receiving an image. By the expedient of providing the transducer (or image sensor) and jet with either a conventional raster scan or a preferred cursive scan, or cursively tracing a stored, raster scanned image (by a cursive tracing algorithm in an analog or digital computer), or slowly tracing fast oscilloscope wave forms onto the skin by the use of a conventional sampling amplifier, transduced information supplementing or replacing a sensory modality (typically lost vision) is transmitted to the human tactile nervous system through the membrane.
Inventors
- 👤 Carter C Collins
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 19:57
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09B; G09B21/00; G09B21/001; G09B21/003; A; A61; A61F; A61F9/00; A61F9/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
IN the combination of apparatus for supplementing or replacing the sensory modalities of a person including an input transducer for receiving the information modulated physical energy appropriate to the modality to be supplemented, a tactile imaging interface for the human body for imparting said transduced sensory information to a person, and means for driving said tactile image interface responsive to said transduced sensory information, the improvement to said tactile imaging interface comprising: a fluid jet capable of deflection; means for supplying pressure modulated fluid to said discharge jet; means for deflecting said jet responsive to said means for driving; and, a flexible membrane for contacting the skin of said person on one side and having the impingement of said jet on the other side to permit the impact of said jet to transmit through said flexible membrane, a tactile stimulation to the skin of said person.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
IN the combination of apparatus for supplementing or replacing the sensory modalities of a person including an input transducer for receiving the information modulated physical energy appropriate to the modality to be supplemented, a tactile imaging interface for the human body for imparting said transduced sensory information to a person, and means for driving said tactile image interface responsive to said transduced sensory information, the improvement to said tactile imaging interface comprising: a fluid jet capable of deflection; means for supplying pressure modulated fluid to said discharge jet; means for deflecting said jet responsive to said means for driving; and, a flexible membrane for contacting the skin of said person on one side and having the impingement of said jet on the other side to permit the impact of said jet to transmit through said flexible membrane, a tactile stimulation to the skin of said person.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein said means for supplying fluid to said jet supplies water to said jet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The combination of claim 2 and wherein said means for supplying fluid to said jet includes means for supplying a liquid to said jet, a sump communicated to said membrane for receiving fluid after impingement upon said membrane, and a pump having an intake at said sump and a discharge to said jet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination of claim 1 and wherein said fluid jet is capable of orthogonal, two-dimensional deflection and said driving means orthogonally deflects said jet responsive to said transduced sensory mode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
115 words
A mechanical-cutaneous interface apparatus for transmitting to a human patterned tactile stimulation to supplement or replace a natural sensory modality comprising: a fluid jet; means for supplying a flow of fluid to said jet; means for deflecting said fluid jet responsive to image generated sweep and deflection electrical impulses; means for receiving sweep and deflection electrical impulses attached to said apparatus and communicated to said deflection means; and, a flexible membrane for contact with the skin of a person on one side, and disposed for impact of said jet on the opposite side to transmit through said flexible membrane patterned, dimensional spatio-temporal tactile stimulation of peripheral receptors to the central nervous system of said human.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
115 words
A mechanical-cutaneous interface apparatus for transmitting to a human patterned tactile stimulation to supplement or replace a natural sensory modality comprising: a fluid jet; means for supplying a flow of fluid to said jet; means for deflecting said fluid jet responsive to image generated sweep and deflection electrical impulses; means for receiving sweep and deflection electrical impulses attached to said apparatus and communicated to said deflection means; and, a flexible membrane for contact with the skin of a person on one side, and disposed for impact of said jet on the opposite side to transmit through said flexible membrane patterned, dimensional spatio-temporal tactile stimulation of peripheral receptors to the central nervous system of said human.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The invention of claim 5 and said means for supplying said fluid jet includes means for modulating the intensity or pressure of said fluid jet responsive to an image intensity electrical impulse.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention of claim 6 and wherein said means for intensity modulation of said fluid jet includes a linear or proportional valve having a first discharge to said jet and a second discharge away from said jet.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention of claim 6 and including means for continuous tone modulation of said fluid jet, including a fluid chamber with communicating diaphragm driven by a linear, high-frequency, response motor to pressure modulate the jet issuing therefrom.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
The invention of claim 6 and wherein said means for modulating said fluid jet includes a flexible diaphragm for receiving the flow of fluid to said jet and means for expanding and contracting said diaphragm to reduce and accelerate respectively the flow of fluid to said jet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The invention of claim 5 and wherein said means for supplying fluid to said jet includes means for supplying water and surface active agent to said jet.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention of claim 5 wherein said means for deflecting said fluid jet includes a cursive tracing algorithm which permits pictorial information from a television camera to be traced as a continuous outline onto the skin of said human.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
150 words
In combination a television camera; a fluid jet; means for supplying a video modulated flow of fluid to said jet; means for deflecting said jet over the surface of a membrane for contact with the skin of a person on one side, and adapted for impingement of said jet on the other side to impart to the skin of said person a tactile Image; means for sweeping operatively connected to said television camera and said means for deflecting said jet for producing the corresponding sweep of said television camera and said jet; means for detecting local image intensity, point for point, at said television camera operably connected to said means for supplying a correspondingly modulated flow of fluid to said jet to provide said jet with a flow of fluid responsive to and reproducing, point for point, said image intensity on the skin of a human at the output interface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
150 words
In combination a television camera; a fluid jet; means for supplying a video modulated flow of fluid to said jet; means for deflecting said jet over the surface of a membrane for contact with the skin of a person on one side, and adapted for impingement of said jet on the other side to impart to the skin of said person a tactile Image; means for sweeping operatively connected to said television camera and said means for deflecting said jet for producing the corresponding sweep of said television camera and said jet; means for detecting local image intensity, point for point, at said television camera operably connected to said means for supplying a correspondingly modulated flow of fluid to said jet to provide said jet with a flow of fluid responsive to and reproducing, point for point, said image intensity on the skin of a human at the output interface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The invention of claim 12 and wherein said means for sweeping is adapted to provide a raster scan.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The invention of claim 12 and wherein said means for sweeping is adapted to provide a cursive scan of the outlines of an image.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
The invention of claim 12 and wherein said television camera is a vidicon.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
16 words
The invention of claim 12 and wherein said television camera is a solid-state photo-electric image sensor.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3628193A
Cited
US3562408A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-10-27 | 1979-04-28 | 1979-10-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-10-27 | 1983-04-28 | 1983-10-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-10-27 | 1987-04-28 | 1987-10-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |