WO1987000656A1

WO1987000656A1 - Application of a cybernetic device

Info

Publication number: WO1987000656A1
Application number: PCT/NO1986/000049
Authority: WO
Inventors: Warren M. Brodey
Original assignee: Brodey Warren M
Priority date: 1985-07-12
Filing date: 1986-07-08
Publication date: 1987-01-29
Also published as: NO157119B; EP0229149A1; NO157119C; AU6133986A; NO852816L

Abstract

An application of a cybernetic device in the form of a hand operated member, e.g. a control lever, where one or several pads or bellows are provided on said member and are each arranged to influence or be influenced by, resp. certain areas of a human hand when said member is used.

Description

APPLICATION OF A CYBERNETIC DEVICE

The present invention relates to an application of a cybernetic device, and to a device in a cybernetic system.

There are known cybernetic devices based on the principle that the device should provide a two-way communication between the user of the device and the system to which said device is connected. From US-PS 3 818 487 a pliable control structure is known comprising a number of pads or bellows that are arranged side-by-side so as to cooperate and influence each other and at the same time arranged to receive and transmit signals from and to a system cooperating with said control structure.

The application of a number of pads or bellows arranged side- by-side for direct mutual influence is, in many connections an awkward and unrational approach, not the least, because additional equipment is needed for each group of bellows, and because communication between the bellows and a superior control system may be relatively complicated.

It is an object of the present invention to disclose an application of a cybernetic device that can be implemented in a relatively simple manner as well as showing obvious ad¬ vantages in connection with "touch dialogue" systems.

The invention, thus relates to an application of a cybernetic device formed as a hand controlled member, e.g. a lever, said member having one or more separate pads or bellows each arranged for influencing or being influenced by, resp. certain areas of a human hand when said member is used.

Said pads or bellows being mounted separately and being mutually independent are so called sensitive cells capable of expanding and contracting on an electronic command or directly due to an external influence. The application of a cybernetic device in the shape of a control lever provided with separate pads or bellows will be especially useful in connection with computer dialogs, robot control, or control of machines, industrial processes, artificial limbs etc.

An arrangement comprising a cybernetic system according to the invention would comprise a hand controlled member provided with one or several separate pads or bellows each of which being arranged for influencing or being influenced by, resp. certain areas of a human hand.

The invention will now be disclosed with reference to the drawing that shows how the present application may be implemented.

Fig. 1 is an elevation in perspective of a bellows, shown in a warm expanded state, and in a -cold flat state, respectively.

Fig. 2, like Fig. ^'1, is an elevation in perspective of another embodiment of a bellows in a warm expanded state and in a cold flat state, respectively.

Fig. 3 is an elevation in perspective of a control lever pro¬ vided with separate bellows.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of said control lever, shown in Fig. 3.

Communication between human beings and between man and machine can be established on many levels, e.g. via vision, hearing and the sense of smell . Computers and robots are gaining ground in our everyday life, since they are not only used in the professional areas, but increasingly in our homes as well. A computer usually receives instructions by the aid of key¬ strokes carried out by the user. The computer gives information to the operator almost exclusively by display. This is a very poor utilization of the versatile human senses, not least the senses represented by human hand. One of the many possibilities of the human hand is that it can at the same time, give and receive signals. This important information has, until now, not been fully utilized in connection with communication between man and machine. Today the human hand is often used for pressing buttons, and the possibilities of the human hand as a mέans of communication is, thus, not fully used. Users of data terminals will, e.g. easily have reduced efficiency if they only use the information channels that have to do with the perception ability of their eyes as well as keying by using the finger tips. In other words, the possibilities of the human hand to emit and at the same time receive signals have not been exploited pre¬ viously, although this might be advantageous not only in ordinary circumstances, but in an emergency as well. In emergency the natural (early learned) reflexes tend to take over.

An embodiment of the kind of hand transmitted communication that may be used in connection with the present indention is shown in Figure 1. The bellows or cell per se is designated 1, and it is shown in a warm expanded state to the left,' whereas it is shown in a cold flat state to the right. The cells used consist of small pad of a thin and strong plastic film containing a few drops of a liquid with a low boiling point. Inside said pad conductive paths consisting of an electroconductive material are printed. Said conductive paths may have different electric resistance and may be used as signal paths, heating elements and sensors. In Figure 1 said conductive paths are designated 2 and the connections of said conductive paths will be discussed in more detail in connection with Figures 3 and 4.

If power is transmitted through a heating element in cell 1 the heat will evaporate the liquid in said cell and, thus expand the cell. Cooling will cause condensation of the liquid, and the pad or cell will collapse again. The rate of movement and pressure in the pad depend on the current in the conductive path and the velocity of heat exchange. As mentioned above, some of the conductive paths may comprise sensors arranged for detecting and transmitting information on external pressure influence.

In Figure 2 another embodiment of a cell or bellows la is shown. This cell is provided with a special heat sensor 3, mainly for testing the cell function for the application in question.

Like biological cells, which have an inheren system of adjustment and management attending to maintain the internal state and balance relative to the surroundings, the above mentioned cells will also comprise members constituting such a control/management mechanism. Such a mechanism is achievable by control via a separate electronic circuit or by the aid of a program in a computer .

The heating element can suitably be made self-regulating by the aid of a resistance coat selected to make resistance increasing' proportionally with temperature. "In a more advanced embodiment of .a. bubble said bubble can be provided with an integrated sensor and a control circuit on the surface. Said cell is then controllable by signals, e.g. from a computer.

In Figure 3 an embodiment of the application according to the present invention is shown. Here, 5 is a hand lever pro¬ vided with four separate pads or bellows 6a, 6b, 6c, and 6d. Said first mentioned cells or bellows 6a-6c are adapted to three fingers 7a, 7b, and 7c respectively of a human hand 8 and the fourth cell 6d is adapted to the palm 7d of said hand 8.

The cells or bellows 6a-6d may be designed as disclosed in connection with Figures 1 and 2, i.e. as small pad produced from a gas tight plastic film and containing a liquid having a low boiling point, e.g'. freon.

As most clearly appearing from Figure 4, conductive paths 9a, 9b, 9c, and 9d respectively are connected with each cell 6a-6d. Said conductive paths are collected in a common cable 10 communicating with the system in connection with which said hand lever is to be used and which may, besides, be monitored by a computer, in turn, communicating with the cells 6a-6d on the hand lever 5.

Each plastic cell 6a-6d is provided with a graphite based plastic paint which is heated to expand the associated cell by passage of current via connected conductive paths. Cooling of the cells is achieved by the aid of an electronic heat exchanger (thermionic unit), and at the same time excess heat is removed by the aid of an electric miniature blower 11, blowing air through the interior void 12 in lever 5.

Inside each cell there is also provided a pressure gauge changing the electric resistance with pressure. This is possible when each separate cell when expanding is exposed to a counter-pressure from the area of the hand 8 with which it communicates. Thus, an expansion of a cell will be sensed by the user as a pressure _^against that area of the hand covering said cell, and the degree of counter-pressure from the hand in said area will provide feedback to the central that transmitted the "heat signal" telling that the signal is perceived and that the user transmits a feedback about this fact. The user may, then, have a certain time limit at his disposal to carry out certain functions in order to normalize the condition that caused the message via said special cell. If such a correction has not been carried out before said time limit the same cell will be expanded once more and, possibly, be more expanded in order to warn about a condition needing attention from the user.

Each cell is also provided with a heat sensor, i.e. a small thermistor, the electric resistance of which varies with temperature. By making the thermistor cooperate with said pressure gauge and the electric miniature blower the cells, by the aid of suitable control members, may be made quite similar to biological cells as regards self-regulation or ^•internal maintenance.

It is to be understood that the present application is not, necessarily, limited to the hand operated member shown in Figures 3 and 4, i.e. a hand operated control lever. The separate pads or bellows may, e.g. be mounted in a function key board permitting two-way communication between the user of said key board and the unit with which the user communicates. Such a unit may be a control system or it may be a direct transmission to another operator, so that a two-way sensing communication may be achieved over a great distance. It may be mounted in. a glove.

Furthermore, a hand controlled member of the kind disclosed above may be used in connection with computer games and computer graphics. The object of communication can then be a three-dimensional control of the image on a display device.

It should also be understood that the present application can be adapted to control in automatic process and production installations, where in addition to information by eye and ear, feedback from the installation is also possible directly to a human hand.

In warehouses or supermarkets a hand carried code reader can be provided with the above mentioned separate pads or bellows for communication betweed the user and the tasks said user has to do in said market.

If such an application is used with a mouse in connection with computer aided construction or computer aided production, resp. more channels of information may be achieved which will make working conditions more simple and easy.

The present application will also be useful for alarm systems, a very reliable system, thus, being achievable. Also, the present application can be utilized in connection with staff training permitting improved communication between pupil and teacher of pupil and teaching machine. It is useful for communication to the deaf student.

Furthermore, the present application will be suitable in connection with all kinds of remote control, e.g. in connection with underwater digging and lif ing/lowering goods outside the operator's visual field. By the aid of the above disclosed hand controlled member it will be possible, in addition to a general view via TV monitors and the like, to obtain a general view of what the TV cameras unveil as well as of what happens or is present under the sea bed by digging there.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An application of a cybernetic device in the form of a hand operated member, e.g. a lever, herein said lever is provid¬ ed with one or more separate pads or bellows each of which is arranged to influence or be influenced by, resp, certain areas of a human hand when said member is used.

2. An application as defined in claim 1, wherein said member is a control lever.

3. An application as defined in claim 1, wherein said member is a key of a keyboard.

4. An application as defined in claim 1, wherein said member is a mouse in a CAD/CAM system.

5. An application as defined in claim 1, wherein said member is, a hand carried code reader.

6. A device in a cybernetic system, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that it comprises a hand operated member that is provided with one or several separate pads or bellows each of which is arranged to influence or to be influenced by resp. certain areas of a human hand.

7. A device as defined in claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that it is formed as a holl¬ ow body which on its surface carries one or several separate pads , where groups of conductors connecting the individual bellows with a central control system in connection with which the device is used are extended through said hollow.

8. A device as defined in claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that it consists of a key, e.g. a key of a keyboard, one single pad or bellows being prov¬ ided on top of said key.

9. A device as defined in claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that it comprises a mouse for a computing system, especially a CAD/CAM system with separate pads applied.

10. A device as defined in one of claims 6-9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that each separate pad is formed from a gas tight plastic film and contains a liquid having a low boiling point, said plastic cells being coated with a graphite based plastic coat and comprising a pressure sensor changing the electric resistance in accordance with the pressure, and a heat sensor with a varying electric resistance in dependence of the temperature.