EP3811355A1

EP3811355A1 - Tangible cellular structure, associated method

Info

Publication number: EP3811355A1
Application number: EP19731309.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mikael Bitton
Original assignee: Studio B26
Current assignee: Bitton Mikael; Studio B26
Priority date: 2018-06-22
Filing date: 2019-06-21
Publication date: 2021-04-28
Also published as: US20210280100A1; FR3082985B1; US11710427B2; WO2019243589A1; FR3082985A1; CN112639938A

Abstract

A tangible structure (1) characterised in that it comprises: • a set of detachable and parallel rods (Ti), each rod (Ti) comprising a head; • a set of drive devices (30), each drive device (30) comprising a motor element generating a rotation movement on a transverse shaft for transferring a translation movement to a rod (Ti), said drive device (30) being controlled in order to transfer a movement to the rod (Ti) at a given speed and in a given direction; • a system (115) for holding the drive devices (30) that rigidly connects said drive devices (30) together; • a computer determining a set of control setpoints, each control setpoint being transmitted to a drive device (30) on the basis of a first digital setpoint.

Description

CELL TANGIBLE STRUCTURE, ASSOCIATED METHOD

FIELD

The field of the invention relates to three-dimensional mobile structures in particular for animating physical surfaces intended to display interactive images. More particularly, the field of the invention relates to so-called "tangible" surfaces. The field of the invention finds applications in particular in the production of animated advertising media and all types of surfaces whose three-dimensional geometry can be associated with information to be disseminated.

STATE OF THE ART

Currently, tangible surfaces exist and are preferably produced to offer the display of interactive content for the user allowing him to appreciate a three-dimensional representation of content defined in two dimensions. Tangible screens allow you to define a new experience, and can be used for many applications such as advertising media.

Known solutions are often complex as described in the inFORM solution developed by MIT and disclosing a solution in which the animation of the tangible surface is achieved by the individual actuation of different elements.

Also known is the patent application US2016 / 0133203 published on May 12, 2016 which describes a tangible structure for producing interactive advertising media.

The disadvantage of these solutions is the installation of motor and actuation means individually to animate each removable element. These devices are complex and often require building structures on a case-by-case basis for unique applications.

The energy required and the complexity of the driving architecture to be implemented impose structures limiting the number of driving elements. Furthermore, the dimensions of the elements of existing solutions prevent the miniaturization of solutions of the tangible structure type. There is therefore limits to form tangible surfaces which correspond to complex images and high definitions.

There is therefore a need to define a new solution which can be miniaturized and whose control system allows the activation of a positioning of each removable element individually favoring the installation of a large number of these removable elements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a tangible structure comprising:

^■ A set of movable and parallel rods, each rod having a head;

^■ A set of drive devices, each drive device comprising a motor element generating a rotational movement to a transverse shaft for transmitting a translational movement to a rod, said drive device being controlled in order to transmit a movement to the rod at a given speed and in a given direction;

^■ A system for holding the training devices making said training devices integral with one another;

^■ A computer determining a set of control instructions, each control instruction being transmitted to a training device from a first digital instruction.

An advantage is to simply produce structures making it possible to define a mobile interface by actuating a plurality of rods which can be independently controlled according to a given digital instruction.

The term “movable rod” or equally “removable rod” means a rod that moves. Preferably, the displacement of the rod is limited in degree of freedom so that it is limited to a longitudinal displacement. This longitudinal displacement is achievable in both directions from a given direction.

According to one embodiment, the holding system is a plate comprising a plurality of openings, each opening allowing the passage of a rod. An advantage is to maintain all the frames / cells in which the drive devices are arranged. Another advantage is to make it possible to define guides extending the openings. The plates make it possible to compact the structure of the invention.

According to one embodiment, the drive devices are direct current geared motors. An advantage is the simplicity and the cost of the solution.

According to one embodiment, each drive device comprises a pressing element driven by the motor element in turn driving a rod by friction. An advantage is a gain in control of the movement of the rod. Mechanical rotations make it possible to define movements faithful to the instructions. In addition, the parts can be easily changed individually. According to one embodiment, each pressing element is a roller. An advantage is an increased simplicity of the implementation of the solution.

According to one embodiment, each drive device comprises a bevel gear system comprising two toothed wheels allowing the transmission of the rotation of the motor shaft to a rotation of a transverse shaft, said rotation of the transverse shaft causing the rotation of the roller, said roller being secured to the transverse shaft. An advantage is to allow the configuration of a desired reduction ratio. Furthermore, the robustness of such a gear ensures a low failure rate.

According to one embodiment, the rods are made of a polymer material. An advantage is to define a light, inexpensive and low-consumption solution. Another advantage is to define a solution improving friction with a roller in order to obtain precise movements of each rod.

According to one embodiment, each drive device is integrated in a frame of substantially parallelepiped shape and comprising two guides each comprising an opening adapted to receive a rod in order to direct the translational movements of a rod, said rod passing through said frame . One advantage is to protect the solution and improve the robustness of the structure. According to one embodiment, the drive devices are arranged so that they each have at least one side face in contact with an adjacent side face of another frame. An advantage is to improve the mechanical rigidity of the structure and to avoid inter-part play.

According to one embodiment, the rods are provided at their end with an elastic head formed from a material including: {elastomer, polymer, resin}. An advantage is not to damage / attack a surface to be deformed.

According to one embodiment, the tangible structure comprises a deformable surface whose deformation is driven by the rods, each of the heads of which is in contact with said surface. One advantage is to allow surface deformation for various applications.

According to one embodiment, each rod has a section of between 1 mm ² and 1 m ² . One advantage is to define solutions for different applications.

According to one embodiment, the tangible structure comprises a second guide plate having a plurality of openings and parallel to the first plate and spaced by a predefined distance making it possible to sandwich the drive devices, said second plate being arranged so that each rod passes through the two plates. An advantage is to strengthen the robustness of the solution. According to one embodiment, the first and / or the second plate are formed in a matrix defining the cells / frames of each drive device.

According to one embodiment, the tangible structure comprises a plurality of light sources, said sources being controlled by a light instruction, each being arranged:

^■ at one end of a rod head, or;

^■ in a thickness of the deformable surface.

An advantage is to allow the definition of interactive screens. One advantage is to match a number of rods with a number of pixels in an image.

According to one embodiment, the rod head comprises a group of LEDs, each LED being controllable individually or collectively. Data relating to the property of a color can be used to control the kinematics of Ti rods. Jointly or alternatively, depth data can be used. According to one embodiment, a contour data calculated from a shape, contour or contrast detection algorithm is used to control the stroke of a rod Ti.

An advantage is to propose a plurality of combinations of parameters in order to control the tangible structure differently. For example, the color of each LED in a cell can be controlled individually while controlling the stroke of a rod from an additional parameter such as shape, contour or depth data.

According to one embodiment, the tangible structure comprises a heating source and a means of activating the heat to be applied to a material arranged in contact with the ends of the rods. One advantage is that it makes it possible to produce complex surfaces, in particular for uses in medicine.

According to one embodiment, the first digital instruction is:

^■ at least one digital datum;

^■ pixel values of a digital image and / or a pixel distribution of said image;

^■ digital information comprising text and / or numbers.

An advantage is to allow the tangible structure to be coupled with any source of digital data to create useful media, especially for the citizen of a modernizing city.

According to one embodiment, the computer coordinates the generation of the control setpoint with the generation of the light setpoint from the same first digital setpoint. One advantage is to allow the tangible structure to be coupled with any digital image source to generate interactive visual effects.

According to another aspect, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional object comprising the steps of:

^■ positioning and maintaining a thermosetting material on a structure of the invention;

^■ activation of the tangible structure by means of a rod control instruction in order to form a three-dimensional shape deforming the thermosetting material held at the end of each rod;

^■ activation of a heating source of the thermosetting material beyond a predefined temperature threshold making it possible to polymerize the thermosetting material;

^■ cooling and removal of the material.

An advantage is the simplicity of manufacture thanks to the definition of a shape defined by the movement of the rods. One advantage is that it allows complex surfaces to be produced.

According to another aspect, the invention relates to a method for generating a three-dimensional shape by activating a plurality of rods of a tangible structure, said rods being arranged parallel to each other, said method comprising the following steps :

^■ Reception of an image;

^■ Calculation of a plurality of race indicators for a plurality of set of pixels of the image, each race indicator being calculated for a given rod of the structure as a function of the properties of each set of pixels;

^■ Guidance of all the rods by means of each drive device, said drive devices each generating an engine setpoint from a control setpoint (C _PN ) deduced from the stroke indicators.

An advantage is to realize facades or advertising media having a visually attractive power.

According to one embodiment, the reception of an image is carried out by a communication interface or a memory of the structure; all the pixels associated with a rod have a single pixel and the guidance is performed at constant speed. An advantage is to be compatible with a large number of equipment. The command can be generated by a remote device. Thus, the structure can be controlled remotely.

According to one embodiment, each control instruction generates, in addition, an electrical instruction each controlling a light source arranged at the end of each rod and activating a property of the light emitted by each of them. According to another aspect, the invention relates to a computer program product comprising a computer and a memory for implementing the steps of the method of the invention. In addition, the invention relates to a medium comprising a memory comprising software instructions which, when executed, make it possible to carry out the steps of the method.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the detailed description which follows, with reference to the appended figures, which illustrate:

^■ Figure 1: a perspective view of an embodiment of a structure of the invention in which the rods evolve in translation;

^■ Figure 2: a top view of an embodiment of a structure of the invention comprising a hundred rods;

^■ Figure 3: a side view of an embodiment of a structure of the invention;

^■ Figures 4 and 5: an embodiment of a drive system of a structure of the invention in two positions of a rod having translated;

^■ Figure 6: an embodiment of a drive system of a structure of the invention seen in perspective;

^■ Figure 7: an embodiment of a drive system of a structure of the invention seen from the front;

^■ Figure 8: a perspective view of an embodiment of a structure of the invention comprising two holding plates;

^■ Figure 9: a pixelated image that can define a reference image to activate the structure according to one embodiment of the invention;

^■ Figure 10: the main steps of an embodiment of the method of the invention;

^■ Figure 1 1: a structure of the invention comprising a screen defining a deformable surface;

^■ Figure 12: an embodiment of a rod having a tip according to an embodiment of the invention; ^■ Figure 13: a top view of an embodiment of a structure of the invention comprising a computer and electronic modules activating the drive devices;

^■ Figure 14A: a top view of an embodiment of a portion of the tangible surface on which are represented arrays of LEDs,

^■ Figure 14B: a sectional view of a tangible screen from Figure 14A showing a portion of four rods equipped with LEDs and with different strokes.

DESCRIPTION

In the remainder of the description, the expression “tangible structure” is understood to mean a structure the geometry of which can be modified using a digital or electrical control in order to form a three-dimensional shape, in particular intended for disseminating information such as an image.

FIG. 1 represents an embodiment of a tangible structure of the invention comprising a plurality of removable rods Ti arranged parallel to each other. The Ti rods are moved thanks to a plurality of drive devices 30 each forming an autonomous cell. According to one embodiment, each cell is dedicated to the displacement of a single rod Ti. The movement of a rod Ti is animated in a longitudinal movement generated by a motor element of a drive device. According to one embodiment, a system for holding the rods comprises at least one plate making it possible to guide the rods during their movement, in particular thanks to a plurality of openings. In the case of Figures 1 and 2, the holding system comprises a plate 1 15 having through openings for the passage of the rods Ti. In the case of Figure 8, the holding system comprises two plates 1 15, 1 16 parallel defining an intermediate space in which the drive devices are embedded. The rods Ti then have a degree of freedom according to a translational movement. In this way, the parallelism of the rods Ti between them is preserved.

According to one embodiment, the plate (s) 1 15 and / or 116 can / (wind) be added so as to be superimposed on the drive devices 30. According to another example, the one or more plates 1 15, 1 16 can be directly produced within the same frame as the frames 35 defining the cells of the drive devices 30. For example, this can be the case, when the frames 35 are made within the same molded or thermoformed or machined part from a 3D printer. In the latter case, the matrix forms on its lower part and / or its upper part a plane which performs the function of retaining plate 1 15 and / or 1 16. In the latter case the upper and / or lower plane forming the plates is drilled so as to allow free movement of translation of the rods. Each opening can be extended, for example in the same material as the matrix, by a tubular guide.

FIG. 3 represents a profile view of an embodiment of the structure 1 of the invention. Each Ti rod evolves in translation within a cell.

According to one embodiment, each drive device 30 of the invention comprises a frame 35 adapted to the envisaged application. The built

35 protects electrical and mechanical equipment against impact. It can be designed waterproof to prevent water infiltration inside. This is particularly interesting in the context of external applications of the tangible structure 1 of the invention. In addition, the frame allows better stiffening of the structure. When the walls of the frames of two drive devices cooperate with each other, the structure is reinforced.

An advantage of an arrangement as shown in FIG. 3 of the frames 35 of the driving devices 30 is to strengthen the structure, to gain bulk and to reduce the overall play.

The frame 35, forming a housing, also plays the role of both bearings for the axis and also of guiding the rod Ti.

According to one embodiment, each frame 35 is extended by guides forming bearings. According to one embodiment, a first guide

36 extends the upper part of a frame 35 and a second guide 36 'extends the lower part of the frame 35. The guides can form, according to an exemplary embodiment, a tubular portion in which a rod Ti moves in translation. Guides can be from a few millimeters to several centimeters in length.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the cells are all made in one piece, for example plastic or elastomer defining a matrix in which a plurality of frames 35 are arranged next to each other. The matrix can be thermoformed and / or molded.

FIG. 6 represents a drive device 30 comprising a motor 31, such as a geared motor. The motor 31 makes it possible to drive a motor shaft 310 in rotation. The motor shaft 310 is rotated according to a control instruction C _P N making it possible, for example, to define a speed of rotation and a duration of rotation. The motor shaft 310 drives a transverse shaft 33 thanks to a gear system 32.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the movement is generated by a direct current geared motor 31, the output motor shaft 310 of which transmits the rotational movement to a concurrent axis 33 relative to the motor shaft. Preferably, this axis is a transverse axis 33 perpendicular to the axis of the motor shaft 310.

According to one example, the transverse shaft 33 drives a plastic / polymer pressure roller. The friction pressure roller carries out the friction drive of the rod Ti. According to one embodiment, the pressure force can be provided by an assistance device in order to limit the forces to be supplied by the motor. In addition, the pressure force can be assisted by at least one spring. In one example, two small tension springs (not shown) taken on the axis of the roller, for example on each side of the roller make it possible to reinforce the pressure force of the latter.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the transmission of rotation from the motor shaft 310 to the transverse shaft takes place by means of a bevel gear system: two bevel gears, one connected to the motor shaft and the other wheel is connected to the axle. The rotation of the axis makes it possible to set the roller 34 in motion, the latter transmits the rotational movement and transforms it by friction with the rod Ti into a linear movement.

rods

The rods are preferably made of a plastic material, such as polycarbonate or polypropylene. According to one embodiment, they have a diameter of between 1 mm and a few cm. According to one embodiment, the diameter of the rods is preferably between 1 mm and 1 cm. In an exemplary embodiment, the diameter is 5mm.

According to different embodiments, the length of the rods Ti depends on the application case. For small areas and applications tactile, Ti rods can have a length of a few millimeters to several centimeters. According to applications, for example in an urban environment to provide building or advertising surfaces, the Ti rods can have a length of a few centimeters to several meters.

In other embodiments, the rods are designed from a metallic material such as aluminum, iron, steel, etc. For example, the Ti rods of hardened stainless steel with a nominal diameter of M5.2 allow good resolution to be obtained while retaining good resistance to bending due to axial forces.

tip

According to one embodiment, each rod Ti is provided with an EM tip, for example, composed of an elastomeric material, polymer or a resin. The tip is fixed to a Ti rod by tightening or molding or by a process of transformation of a thermosetting material. According to one embodiment, the end pieces form sheaths which are positioned at the end of each of the rods Ti.

When the rod is itself made of a plastic material, its end can serve as a tip.

According to one embodiment, the interior of the end piece EM is threaded, which makes it possible for example to ensure better retention of the end piece on a threaded rod. The thread of the rod can for example be carried out on an extreme portion of the latter.

According to one embodiment, the end caps EM forming the heads of the rods Ti each comprise a hemispherical end, for example made of rubber. The hemispherical shape and the material of the tip make it possible in particular to deform the deformable display interface when it is used, without attacking it.

According to one embodiment, the EM end piece comprises a light source arranged at the inner end of the EM end piece. A LED or OLED type diode can be used for this purpose. When a light source is inserted inside the end cap EM, a wire connection can be connected to the rod Ti so that it makes it possible to supply the diodes with current. To this end, the conductive Ti rods allow charges to be conveyed from a power source, for example arranged within the frame of the drive device or even in contact with one of the plates 115, 116.

According to one example, the light source disposed at the end of each rod head Ti comprises an array of LEDs. These can be combined with an elastic head having a polymeric material. However, according to another example, each rod Ti can be provided with a light source not combined with an elastic head.

In the embodiment where an EM head of a rod Ti comprises a plurality of LEDs, a “cell” is the set of LEDs which form the light source of the rod Ti.

According to terminology in the field of tangible structures, such a cell can also be called "Voxel". In the latter case, the term "Voxel" designates the construction of a volumetric pixel by the generation of an optical effect for the observer due to the mobility of the rods and the relative strokes of each rod. The voxel can be made up of a cell with a single LED or a plurality of LEDs.

In an exemplary embodiment, a light source arranged at the end piece EM of a rod Ti may include dimensions of 25 × 25 mm comprising 16 pixels RGB LEDs. Said LEDS are, for example, controlled simultaneously. Instructions are issued so as to achieve a joint movement of a plurality of Ti rods. This control makes it possible to obtain a dynamic effect associated with the production of images. This dynamic effect generates a three-dimensional visual effect for the observer. The Ti rods are, for example, driven by an amplitude of movement going from a neutral position to a deployed position which can go up to 260 mm. The stroke length can be adapted according to the configuration of the holding means, for example, by adding perforated plates or by separating them by a sufficient distance in order to produce extended strokes.

FIG. 12 represents an exemplary embodiment in which the end pieces extend over a length of the order of 5% to 15% of the size of the rods Ti.

- Training medium

The rods Ti are moved longitudinally thanks to the drive devices 30. Figures 4 and 5 show a rod moving longitudinally within a drive device 30. The maximum stroke of a rod is limited to the dimensions of said rod Ti.

- Motor

According to one embodiment, a drive means comprises a motor 31. FIG. 6 represents an exemplary embodiment of a motor 31 arranged within the frame 35 of a drive device 30. The motor 6 is powered by a power source not shown. According to one embodiment, a single power source can be used to power all of the motors 31 of each drive device 30. Each motor 31 drives a motor shaft 310 in rotation. The motor shaft 310 is configured to drive a transmission device, for example, having gears. According to one embodiment, the rotation transmission takes place by means of a bevel gear system. The latter comprises two bevel gears, one connected to the motor shaft 310 and the other wheel is connected to the transverse axis 33.

FIG. 7 represents a front view of the perspective view of FIG. 6.

According to an exemplary embodiment, the motor 31 of each drive device 30 is a stepping motor with a torque greater than a predefined threshold. According to one example, the motors 31 are direct current geared motors.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a damping device can also be arranged so as to limit the speed of movement of the rods when the translation of a rod comes into abutment with the stroke of the rod Ti.

- Plate

According to one embodiment, the plate 1 15 or 1 16 is planar. According to one embodiment, the plate 1 15 and / or 1 16 has through openings for guiding the rods Ti.

The presence of one or more plates 1 15, 1 16 in particular prevents the introduction of mechanical play which can cause a force deforming the rods.

- Parallel plates According to one embodiment, the clutch system 2 of the invention comprises two parallel plates 115, 11 16 having through openings in order to allow the rods to pass. The plates make it possible to hold certain elements and provide a guide function for the Ti rods. The plates 1 15 and 1 16 thus prevent the rods Ti from bending under their own weight.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a geared motor 31, such as a DC motor, is associated with a transverse shaft to animate in rotation a cam or a roller 34.

The plate 1 15 can be drilled so as to allow the rods Ti. The geared motor 31 can be activated from the control setpoint C _P N. The activation of the geared motor 31 makes it possible to control a rotation of the motor shaft 310 and therefore, in fine, the roller 34. The rotation of the roller 34, or of a cam, can be configured so as to cause a displacement of a rod Ti by friction. In this case, the friction pressure roller 34 carries out the friction drive of the rod Ti. Alternatively, springs can be used. The pressure effort will be less bulky with two small tension springs (not shown). In addition, the forces applied to each spring can be reduced.

The size can be optimized so that the drive devices 30 are supported between two plates 115 and 116 holding. In order to optimize the overall dimensions, the drive devices 30 can be arranged in contact with each other, for example by one or more of their planar lateral surface.

Within a drive device, the arrangement of the gear motor 31, of the motor shaft 310, of the gear system and of the transverse shaft 33 and of the roller 34 makes it possible to confine the whole in a reduced minimal space. . The dimensions of the shafts 310 and 33 and the power of the geared motor 31 can be dimensioned with the rod Ti to be driven.

FIG. 2 represents a top view of an embodiment of a plate 115 of the structure of the invention. The Ti rods are arranged so as to form a matrix comprising rows and columns of Ti rods. The rods Ti are moved in translation in openings 125 in the plate 115. The diameter of the opening 125 is adjusted to the diameter of the rods. One advantage is to be able easily transpose an input image whose shapes we want to reproduce to all the Ti rods.

According to an example, registers each control a plurality of rods Ti. FIG. 13 illustrates an example of electrical connection making it possible to control the rods by means of registers 40. The registers 40 are then electrically connected 42 to each gearmotor co-located with a rod with which it is associated.

To this end, the electrical command is generated according to a given programming comprising information relating to a duration to an information of time.

Shift registers can be used for the electronic control of the gearmotors 31 by the generation of a control current. In this case, a register can control one or more geared motors 31 according to their configuration. According to one embodiment, the shift registers used are 8-bit integrated circuits, that is to say that each register makes it possible to control 8 motors 31.

A plurality of electrical commands can then be generated at times determined by a computer according to a given control instruction Cpii. The electrical setpoint can include for each geared motor 31 a period during which it actuates the motor. The speed of the motor 31 and the direction of rotation of the motor shaft 310 are then determined by the electrical setpoint Ci.

Other configurations can be envisaged, for example to control a greater number of geared motors 31 from another electronic card having a greater number of integrated circuits.

According to one embodiment, a control and piloting system for the motors 31 can be provided by an electronic component. According to an exemplary embodiment, bridges H are used for driving the motors 31. The components can be used to activate the DC motors in rotation. For example, a single L293d component constitutes two H-bridges, which makes it possible to drive two separate motors, in both directions and independently of each other.

According to one embodiment, all of the components driving the motors are arranged in PCBs making it possible to connect them to each motors 31. According to one embodiment, all of the components are controlled by a microcontroller and a computer.

According to one embodiment, the use of an electronic card making it possible to perform various more general functions can be used. For example, the card performing a first function serving for the supply of the various elements of the structure 1 can be used. In particular, a voltage regulation to generate a given speed of the motor or a value of the light setpoint of a possible diode located at the end of a rod, or even an electrical setpoint aiming to heat an electrical resistance at the end of each rod can be ensured by this electronic card.

According to one example, a printed circuit board, of the PCB type, allows computerized, individual and independent control for each rod Ti.

Generation of three-dimensional images

According to one embodiment, the structure 1 of the invention makes it possible to generate a three-dimensional image by controlling the color and the light intensity of each light source at the end of each rod Ti. In addition, the control of the brightness of the diodes can be carried out jointly with the control of the travel of each rod Ti, in particular by means of the same control command at the input.

According to one example, a control of a colorimetric parameter such as the brightness, the contrast, the hue, the saturation or the sharpness or a combination of these parameters is carried out individually for each light source and possibly for each elementary source composing the light source of a rod head Ti, such as an LED of a cell.

FIG. 9 represents an image 8 comprising a plurality of pixels 81, 82 which in this example represents a drawing 80 in black and white of a deer of 38x23 pixels. The invention relates to any type of image, regardless of its format, resolution or the number of colors applied to the image.

In this example, a particular configuration of the structure makes it possible to assign a certain number of rods to a given number of pixels. A first configuration makes it possible to assign a pixel to a rod. The displacement of each rod Ti therefore corresponds to the representation of a pixel.

In the case of FIG. 9, each rod Ti of the structure 1 is driven according to a piloting instruction addressed to each drive device in order to reproduce the patterns of image 9.

According to an example, if the rods are all in a default position, the motors of each drive means 30 drive all of the rods Ti in a direction Di with a stroke which can be configured according to the value of the pixel.

The rods Ti corresponding to the pixels of black color are driven over a given distance so as to form the three-dimensional image 80 representative of a deer. The stroke of the corresponding rods can correspond, for example, to the maximum stroke, ie 100% of the total stroke of the rod Ti. The other rods Ti corresponding to the white pixels 82 are either held in their default position, or driven to a maximum folding position, or 0% of the possible positive travel. Thus, the structure 1 makes it possible to animate all of the rods Ti to form a three-dimensional image.

According to another configuration, each rod Ti can correspond to a set of pixels. In the case of FIG. 9, each rod Ti could be associated with 4 pixels forming a square, for example like the squares 83 represented at the bottom of the image. Rules can be defined for example when pixels of different colors are in the same square 83. For example, if 3 black pixels are in a grouping 83 of 4 pixels associated with a rod Ti, the rod Ti can be considered as a black pixel and have a maximum stroke of 100% of the possible stroke. Alternatively, a run of a length pro rata to the number of pixels can be performed. In the case of 3 black pixels, the rod Ti would have a stroke of 75% of the maximum possible stroke. In the case where two black pixels are present in an array 83 of 4 pixels, a stroke of 50% of the total possible stroke could be programmed. In the case of a single black pixel present in an array 83 of 4 pixels associated with a rod, a stroke of 25% of the total stroke could be programmed.

Figures 14A and 14B show a portion of a tangible screen of the invention. This portion illustrates 24 Ti rods each comprising a head. In this example, each head comprises a light source, ie a light cell comprising a plurality of diodes such as LEDs. Here a 4x4 matrix, or 16 LEDs, make it possible to form the light cell arranged at the head of each Ti rod. In other words, each light cell of each rod Ti comprises a set of elementary light sources. According to an example, each LED is electrically controllable individually. Thus, the cell of a rod Ti can be nuanced by controlling all the diodes of the light source.

According to one example, the stems can be grouped for the purpose of feeding. In this case, a tangible screen can include different groups of rods, called modules. Each module can be associated with a computer such as a microcontroller or an FGPA in order to supply and control the rods of the same group. In the latter case, an electronic component coordinates the different electrical instructions applied to the different modules. This configuration allows a distributed architecture to optimize the layout of the rooms and reduce supply constraints. An interest is to make the tangible screen of the invention modular to allow better maintenance.

FIG. 14A represents a first group G1 of diodes distributed over 4 rods Ti. This example illustrates that the rods Ti can be controlled in a translational movement according to image information such as a depth datum. Such data can be obtained using a depth map associating each pixel with a depth data. This data can, for example, be obtained by means of two images. Thus, the rods which include a group G1 LED can be positioned at different stroke lengths.

Groups G2 and G3 illustrate two other cases in which diodes comprising the same colorimetric information are nevertheless positioned at different lengths.

As an alternative to the depth datum, the rods Ti can also be controlled by another datum extracted from an image, such as metadata describing a shape of the image, specific areas or contours of a shape. It can be a contour of a shape obtained by the analysis of a regular difference in contrast or brightness of areas of the image. According to one embodiment, a shape detection algorithm can be implemented. Thus, it is possible to dissociate the depth effects mobilizing the kinematics of the rods and the color effects by controlling the diodes individually.

Figure 14B shows a sectional view along the axis A-A 'of Figure 14A, illustrating 4 Ti rods deployed at different lengths. Each rod is provided with a cell of which only the first 4 LEDs are represented.

In one example, the LEDs of a cell will receive an individualized color control instruction. Thus, a cell will include LEDs with different color states to produce color, shade and other effects that improve the aesthetic appearance of the visual. In this case, it is a set of diodes of a cell which forms a voxel for an observer who will observe a 3D effect.

According to other configurations, the cells include several tens of LEDs, for example, 48 LEDs per cell.

According to one example, an artificial intelligence algorithm, or "machine learning", is used to generate an instruction for steering the rods from data extracted from an image. For example, a neural network can be trained to recognize shapes and detect contour lines.

An example of application is the generation of a three-dimensional effect by the association of a shape of an object represented on an image with the animation of a set of rods Ti corresponding to the shape of the object. In another example, a depth map also provides 3D effects. According to another configuration, each pixel can be associated with a plurality of rods Ti. Thus, the command allowing to animate a rod Ti pertaining to a pixel is the same for the other rods Ti relating to the same pixel.

All the configurations of associations between pixels and Ti rods are possible depending in particular on the definition of image 8 and the number of Ti rods.

According to one embodiment, a step of resizing or adapting the image to the size of the structure 1 is carried out. In the example of Figure 9, the image includes 38x23 pixels. If the structure 1 comprises a square distribution comprising for example 100 × 100 rods, an adaptation can be carried out so as to associate a distribution of the rods adapted to a distribution of pixels in the two dimensions of the image.

When the image has gray levels or a wide range of colors, a configuration can be defined between the travel of each Ti rod and the level of hue, saturation or brightness of each pixel of image 8.

The color of the diode and the stroke of the rod Ti can be associated with ranges of definitions for each pixel of an image. According to one example, a correspondence table can be configured between RGB codes and a pair {RGB; courseji of the structure.

According to an exemplary embodiment, an animation can be configured by programming durations during which the rods Ti are maintained in a given position. For example, an animation aimed at changing certain pixels in image 80.

Use of a deformable surface

According to one embodiment, an image is displayed by a deformable surface 60, the deformations of which are caused by the movements of the rods Ti. Figure 1 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of such a deformable surface 60 forming an extensible skin. The deformable surface 60 is then a removable screen making it possible to add a volume effect to the displayed image. The device of the invention can advantageously be integrated into a frame 50 adapted to form a screen support comprising for example means for fixing to a facade.

In this case, the diodes can be integrated either at the end of each of the rods Ti, or in the thickness of the deformable surface 60. When the light source is arranged in the thickness of the screen defining the surface deformable 60, the latter can advantageously be made of transparent material. According to another embodiment, the LEDs can be arranged on the surface of the screen 60. The screen is therefore not necessarily transparent since the LEDs directly illuminate the field of the observer.

According to another embodiment, the image can be displayed by rear projection on the screen. In this embodiment, a projection device is arranged so as to project an image onto the surface deformable forming the screen. According to one embodiment, an association is made between the travel of each rod Ti is the color of a region of the image comprising at least one pixel.

According to this embodiment, and according to an exemplary implementation, the projected image may include a deformation aimed at compensating for the deformations of the image due to stretching of the deformable surface 60. For this, the image used to generate a control instruction Cpil of the rods Ti can also be used to calculate local correction factors to be applied to the projected image so that once projected it is faithful to the image which would have been projected on an undeformed surface.

These solutions both allow display by controlling the light rendering for each pixel and by the controlled mobility of each rod Ti.

When a deformable surface 60 is used, the reproduction or generation of the three-dimensional shape is activated by the deformation of said surface 60 using Ti rods which are moved in translation by means of the driving devices 30.

In this case, the heads of the rods Ti exert a pressure force on the deformable surface 60 forming the display interface. According to an exemplary embodiment, the rods Ti exert an axial force on the display interface. According to other examples, other configurations of angles with an interface can be envisaged.

According to one embodiment, EM heads of Ti rods with a hemispherical rubber end allow the interface to be deformed without attacking it.

One possible application of the invention is the production of screen support for the generation of video images to produce interactive animations. According to one example, media supports can be produced to produce interactive urban supports. According to one embodiment, the device of the invention comprises a means of attachment to a window, a concrete surface or a plastic surface. According to an exemplary embodiment, the screen support of the invention comprises a communication interface making it possible to receive images from an image broadcasting system. Process

According to another aspect, the invention relates to a method for generating a three-dimensional image formed by a tangible structure 1 comprising a plurality of rods Ti arranged parallel to each other. The structure 1 comprises means for guiding each of the rods Ti, for example, by means of a structure 1 previously described.

FIG. 10 represents the main steps of the process of the invention.

The method comprises a first step of receiving IM of an image. The IM image is, for example, a black and white image or a color image. The IM image can be defined in a .jpeg or .tiff format or any other image format. The IM image can be extracted from a video file. Thus the process can be repeated for a succession of IM images from a video file in order to animate the tangible structure for a period of time. An advantage and produce interactive dynamism effects.

According to one embodiment, calculation steps can be carried out by a computer K or several computers. The calculations can correspond to the calculation of the images to be extracted or even to the calculation of the strokes of each rod according to a control instruction C _P N.

The method includes a step of extracting image properties, in particular from the pixels of the image. The properties can relate to the hue, the brightness and the saturation or the RGB code according to the frame of definition used of an image.

According to one embodiment, the method comprises a step aimed at automatically determining areas of the image having common properties, in particular relating to pixels. According to another example, the calculation is carried out for each pixel independently of the others.

The method comprises a memory comprising a predefined configuration which associates for a grouping of pixel properties a stroke of a predefined rod.

According to one embodiment, the configuration comprises an association between properties of pixels included in a predefined range and data relating to the length of a race. Depending on the size of the structure including the number of rods Ti and their length and of the size of the image, different configurations can be used.

According to one embodiment, according to the ratio: number of pixels / number of rods, an association configuration is automatically taken into account by the method. A report table can be saved in memory to optimize the association between pixels and rods.

The method includes determining a set of stroke indicators, each indicator being associated with a given rod for a given period of time. According to one embodiment, the stroke indicator determines the portion of the rod Ti which is kept projecting beyond a plate 115 or 116. Another reference can be defined to define the projecting part of the rod Ti. According to one embodiment, the travel indicator defines a time indicator corresponding to the instant from which the rod Ti is held in its position.

The method includes a GUI guidance aiming to move the rods Ti to a point corresponding to a position deduced from the piloting instruction Cpii and therefore the digital instruction Ci.

The time indicators can then be used to maintain the rods Ti in a position in the direction of translation from their starting position. According to one embodiment, the rods move at constant speed and the maintenance of a rod according to a time indicator can be activated in the same time frame. The motor 31 stops the drive of the motor shaft 310 which in turn no longer drives the drive shaft 33 which in turn stops the rotation of the roller 34. The rod is then in a position reached and can remain in this position until the motor receives a new control instruction C _P N. Thus, the three-dimensional image produced by the rods Ti restores an aspect of a given image IM from which properties have been extracted.

The method includes an activation of a CLUM light setpoint simultaneously with the stopping of each stroke of the rod Ti, making it possible to generate, in addition to the three-dimensional shape, a corresponding image. The CLUM light setpoint for lighting each diode can alternatively be generated at the same time for all the rods Ti independently of the point of reaching the position associated with the setpoint in order to coordinate lighting simultaneously at each end of rods Ti whatever the stroke to be performed.

According to another example, the light setpoint CLUM is emitted a predefined period of time, for example a few ms, before reaching a position to be reached by the rod Ti.

According to one embodiment, the control setpoint C _P N is generated as a function of input data, called the first digital setpoint Ci. The first digital setpoint Ci can take different forms depending on the applications of the invention.

According to a first example, the first digital instruction Ci can be at least binary data such as the information of the color of a traffic light.

According to a second example, the first digital setpoint Ci corresponds to pixel values of a digital image IM and / or of a distribution of pixels of said image IM. In this case, the display of moving pictures can be performed. When the structure 1 of the invention comprises diodes controlled by a CLUM light instruction, the structure 1 makes it possible to animate a three-dimensional shape. Advantageously, the control setpoint C _P N and the light setpoint CLUM are processed jointly by the computer K in order to coordinate the three-dimensional animation and the colorimetric animation of the displayed image.

According to a third example, the first instruction Ci is digital information comprising text and / or numbers. For example, the digital information may correspond to the arrival time of a bus. This information can then be interpreted by a blind person.

The invention is compatible with any type of information delivered as an input in order to generate a control setpoint C _P N enabling the drive device to be actuated to activate an engine speed associated with it. The input information can also be used to generate a CLUM light setpoint on the diodes.

The first instruction Ci can be received by means of a wired or wireless communication interface or be prerecorded in a memory present in the structure of the invention.

Applications for advertising and event media An advantage of the method of the invention is to generate three-dimensional images, for example, to form facades of buildings or advertising media.

Different embodiments can be envisaged, in particular in relation to the choice of the dimensions of the tangible structure 1 to be used, the length and the section of the rods Ti, the speed of animation and the use of light sources.

Depending on the choices made, the tangible structure 1 of the invention can define structures intended for different uses. According to a first embodiment, the structures 1 are small in size to generate local single user experiences such as interactive animations on screens in hotel rooms or cabins. According to another embodiment, the structures are large, and can form interactive surfaces causing a collective animation experience. It can be animated event supports or generative supports of images or building facades.

Rapid prototyping applications

According to one embodiment of the invention, the device of the invention can be used to manufacture a three-dimensional surface from a material of the thermosetting type. One advantage is to rapidly produce prototypes having a three-dimensional surface to be produced, for example a surface defining a mannequin. The invention is particularly applicable to the uses of rapid prototyping. In this embodiment, the material is arranged on the device and is deformed by the movements of the rods Ti which are guided for example from a control instruction C _P N. The control instruction C _P N can, for example , be generated from an analysis of a digital or analog image which will be digitized. The image can be a three-dimensional image or a two-dimensional image.

The device therefore generates a displacement of the rods Ti to form a three-dimensional image. The material in contact with the rods is deformed, for example, by a plastic deformation or a reversible deformation to take the three-dimensional shape imposed by the travel of each rod. The three-dimensional surface is therefore deformed by stretching. The thermosetting material is then heated. To this end, a means of activating the heat can be automatically activated when the rods are arranged in a certain position after the translational movement. According to an alternative, the activation means is activated manually after an adjustment by an operator having previously checked the correct arrangement of the rods Ti and the deformation of the material. The settings can, for example, correspond to a temperature level and to a duration of application of the temperature.

According to one embodiment, the material forming the three-dimensional surface is heated by a heating means which makes it possible to reach an overall temperature at the surface of the material necessary to cause the polymerization of the material. The material is then cooled, either naturally or by means of a device generating a temperature on the surface of the material below a given threshold.

According to one embodiment, the heating means is arranged at the ends of each rod Ti. The thermosetting material is then locally heated to the extent that the surface polymerizes locally and sufficiently to give a rigid appearance to the structure. In order to impart heat to the end of the rod, an electrical wire can be integrated into the rod. An insulating sheath can, for example, insulate the electric wire from the plastic material of the rod. When the rod Ti is made of metallic material, the heat can be directly communicated by the rod Ti.

The materials used can be those obtained by copolymerization of styrene in the presence of a reactive unsaturated polyester, aminoplast and epoxy resins, vulcanized elastomers, etc.

An interest is to allow applications for rapid prototyping such as vacuum forming and molding of mechanical parts.

An example of application may relate to the production of three-dimensional surfaces which are difficult to mold, such as a portion of the human body or the envelope of an organ. These can be used for example in learning exercises for surgeons. In this case, an MRI, a scanner or an image of a body can be used in order to generate a control instruction C _P N of the rods Ti. According to another example, the production of “custom-made” masks or surface molds can be ensured by means of the device of the invention.

Other applications can be envisaged for producing objects with specific three-dimensional shapes from the device of the invention.

Applications for blind people

According to another use of the device, the latter can be configured to define tactile surfaces for blind people. As an example of an embodiment, the device of the invention can define interactive supports for blind people making it possible to deliver information, such as a price, an indication that a traffic light is red or green, a bus timetable. in a station, a menu of a restaurant menu or any other type of information that could be displayed in an urban environment or in a home. To this end, the device of the invention can be controlled by receiving a control instruction C _P N of the rods Ti which is generated by the interactive device delivering information such as a red light or a bus timetable . To this end, according to one embodiment, the device of the invention comprises a wireless communication interface of Bluetooth or Wifi type so as to pair with a third-party device that can transmit information such as binary information, text, an image or a sound.

According to another application for the blind, the tangible structure 1 of the invention makes it possible to provide tactile animation to accompany an audio story, for example, read out loud to be heard. The generation of three-dimensional shape can then replace the visible image to illustrate a story. The structure can then be, for example, of size substantially close to a digital tablet.

According to another application, the structure of the invention makes it possible to provide an educational experience for discovering shapes such as flowers or any other object.

According to an application, the tangible surface of the invention is used to move objects. The displacement of the rods is then actuated according to an instruction making it possible to define a surface with slopes and ascents, necks or flared shapes.

Claims

1. Tangible structure (1) characterized in that it comprises:

^■ A set of mobile and parallel rods (åTi), each rod (Ti) comprising a head (Te);

^■ A set of drive devices (30), each drive device (30) comprising a motor element (31) generating a rotational movement to a transverse shaft (33) to transmit a translational movement to a rod (Ti ), said drive device (30) being controlled so as to transmit a movement to the rod (Ti) at a given speed and in a given direction;

^■ A holding system (1 15) of the drive devices (30) making said drive devices (30) integral with each other;

^■ A computer (41) determining a set of control instructions (CTÎ), each control instruction (CTÎ) being transmitted to a drive device from a first digital instruction.

2. Tangible structure (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that each drive device (30) comprises a pressing element (34), such as a roller, driven by the motor element (31) causing its turn a rod (Ti) by friction.

3. Tangible structure (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that each drive device (30) comprises a bevel gear system (32) comprising two toothed wheels allowing the transmission of the rotation of the motor shaft (310) to a rotation of a transverse shaft (33), said rotation of the transverse shaft causing the rotation of the roller (34), said roller (34) being secured to the transverse shaft (33 ).

4. Tangible structure (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rods (Ti) are made of a polymer material.

5. Tangible structure (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each drive device (30) is integrated in a frame of substantially parallelepiped shape and comprising two guides (36, 36 ') comprising each an opening adapted to receive a rod (Ti) in order to direct the translational movements of a rod (Ti), said rod (Ti) passing through said frame (35).

6. Tangible structure (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the rods (Ti) are provided at their end with an elastic head (EM) formed of a material among which: {elastomer , polymer, resin}.

7. tangible structure (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a deformable surface whose deformation is driven by the rods (Ti) each of whose heads (EM) is in contact with said surface.

8. Tangible structure (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that:

^■ the holding system is a plate (1 15) having a plurality of openings (125), each opening allowing the passage of a rod (Ti).

^■ And in that it comprises a second guide plate (1 1 6) comprising a plurality of openings and parallel to the first plate (1 15) and spaced by a predefined distance making it possible to sandwich the devices for drive (30), said second plate (1 1 6) being arranged such that each rod (Ti) passes through the two plates (1 15, 1 1 6).

9. Tangible structure (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of sources light sources, said sources being controlled by a light setpoint (CLUM), each of the sources being arranged:

^■ at one end of a rod head (EM) (Ti), or;

^■ in a thickness of the deformable surface,

the computer (K) coordinating the generation of the control setpoint (C _P N) with the generation of the light setpoint (CLUM) from the same first digital setpoint (Ci).

10. Tangible structure (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it comprises a heating source (SCHAUD) and a means of activating the heat to be applied to a material arranged in contact with the ends rods (Ti).

1 1. Tangible structure (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the first digital instruction (Ci) is:

^■ at least one digital datum;

^■ pixel values of a digital image (IMG) and / or a distribution of pixels of said image (IMG);

^■ digital information comprising text and / or numbers.

12. Method of manufacturing a three-dimensional object comprising the steps of:

^■ positioning and maintaining a thermosetting material on a structure according to claim 10;

^■ activation of the tangible structure (1) by means of a control instruction (C _P N) of the rods in order to form a three-dimensional shape deforming the thermosetting material maintained at the end of each rod (Ti);

^■ cooling and removal of the material.

13. Method for generating a three-dimensional shape by activating a plurality of rods (åTi) of a tangible structure (1), said rods (Ti) being arranged parallel to each other, said method comprising the steps following:

■ Reception (IM) of an image (8) produced by a communication interface or a memory of the structure;

^■ Calculation (K) of a plurality of stroke indicators for a plurality of sets (83) of pixels (80, 81) of the image (8), each stroke indicator being calculated for a rod (Ti) data of the structure (1) as a function of the properties of each set (83) of pixels (80, 81);

^■ guidance (GUI) of all the rods (Ti) by means of each drive device (30), said drive devices (30) each generating an engine setpoint (CM) from a control setpoint (C _PN ) deduced from the stroke indicators, each control instruction (Ca) generating, in addition, an electrical instruction (C) each controlling a light source arranged at the end of each rod and activating a property of the light emitted by each of them.