The operating unit comprises an actuator, which mechanically excites an operating element. The actuator comprises a support strip made of a resilient material. Piezo elements, which are connected to the support strip in a shear-resistant manner, are located on both outer surfaces of the support strip. As a result of the alternate arrangement of the piezo elements, the support strip assumes an undulating form when moving out of its inactivated state. One side of the support strip is mechanically connected to the operating element and the other side is mechanically connected to a counterbalance. The support strip itself is mechanically fixed in the housing. In its inactivated state, the operating element and the counterbalance are at a different distance from one another than in the undulating activated state, wherein they move in opposite directions and thus lead to a compensation of dynamic forces acting on the housing.

An operating unit for a vehicle, e.g., an infotainment system for controlling diverse vehicle components, can include a housing and an operating element mounted in a spring-elastic manner on and/or in the housing along a vertical axis of movement extending substantially orthogonally to the operating surface and along a lateral axis of movement extending substantially transversely to the vertical axis of movement. The operating unit can also include at least one sensor for detecting an actuating movement of the operating element in the direction of the vertical axis of movement and an actuator arranged in and/or on the housing for the feedback movement of the operating element at least also in the lateral axis of movement during a detected actuating movement of the operating element, and a spring frame for the spring-elastic mounting of the operating element.

An input device for an electronic device includes a gesture input device enabling a user to input a gesture by touching, and physically rotating, a rotation sensor sensing the physical rotation of the gesture input device, and a controller controlling the gesture input device. The gesture input device has a concave, downwardly inclined shape, and includes a curved section in a center portion of the gesture input device, and an inclined section around the curved section, and the inclined section includes a touch sensor configured to sense a user's touch input, and at least one rib raised or lowered according to a control signal from the controller.

In one embodiment, one or more suspension systems of a vehicle may be used to mitigate motion sickness by limiting motion in one or more frequency ranges. In another embodiment, an active suspension may be integrated with an autonomous vehicle architecture. In yet another embodiment, the active suspension system of a vehicle may be used to induce motion in a vehicle. The vehicle may be used as a testbed for technical investigations and/or as a platform to enhance the enjoyment of video and/or audio by vehicle occupants. In some embodiments, the active suspensions system may be used to perform gestures as a means of communication with persons inside or outside the vehicle. In some embodiments, the active suspensions system may be used to generate haptic warnings to a vehicle operator or other persons in response to certain road situations.

The invention relates to a method for operating an operating system in which an operating action of a user is detected in a detection region of a detection unit, feedback data are generated using the detected operating action and transmitted to a feedback device, and a haptically-perceptible output signal is output in a transmission region by the feedback device using the feedback data. The transmission region and the detection region are arranged at a distance from each other. The invention furthermore relates to an operating system with a detection unit that has a detection region in which an operating action of a user is detectable, a control unit by means of which feedback data can be generated using the detected operating action, and a feedback device to which the feedback data can be transmitted. In this case, the feedback device has a transmission region in which a haptically-perceptible output signal can be output using the feedback data. The transmission region and the detection region are arranged at a distance from each other.

A human-machine interface device includes a touch panel having a front surface intended to be visible to a user and a rear surface, the touch panel being configured to detect an interaction of the user with the touch panel and being resiliently deformable, and a plurality of actuators arranged behind the touch panel, each actuator being controllable between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration wherein the actuator deforms an area of the touch panel located opposite the actuator by forming a bump protruding from the front surface of the touch panel. The human-machine interface device has at least one configuration wherein several actuators in the extended position together define a single control element protruding from the front surface of the touch panel.

A method and a system for user interaction with a hologram includes displaying the hologram inside a passenger compartment of the vehicle, after displaying the hologram inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle, monitoring a vehicle user inside the passenger compartment of the vehicle to determine whether the vehicle user provided a user command, determining that the vehicle user provided the user command, and in response to determining that the vehicle user provided the user command, manipulating the hologram in accordance with the user command.

An actuator housing intended to provide haptic feedback in a vehicle includes a container having a recess configured to accommodate an oscillating actuator and an insertion opening that opens into the recess, and a cover configured to at least partially close the insertion opening of the container. The container and the cover are mounted so as to be able to move in translation relative to each other and configured such that, when the oscillating actuator is accommodated in the recess, the oscillation of the oscillating actuator causes the cover to move in translation relative to the container, generating haptic vibration in a direction of movement.

A vehicle control system for controlling braking in a vehicle may include a braking system operably coupled to one or more wheels of the vehicle to provide brake inputs to the one or more wheels responsive to a torque request generated based on pedal position. The system may further include a pedal position sensor operably coupled to a brake pedal to determine the pedal position responsive to actuation of the brake pedal by a driver of the vehicle, a pedal feel simulator operably coupled to the brake pedal to provide tactile feedback to the driver via a pedal force applied to the brake pedal, an accelerometer for determining a rate of velocity reduction of the vehicle during the actuation of the brake pedal, and a feedback augmenter operably coupled to the pedal feel simulator to provide a pedal force offset to increase the pedal force provided to the brake pedal based on the rate of velocity reduction.

A driver assistance system for a vehicle and a method are provided, being adapted to provide alerts to a driver in certain situations, e.g. if a foreign object is invisible for the driver or if there is an increased danger for a collision. The alert level is adapted to depend on the position and/or the direction of movement of the at least one foreign object and/or the direction of movement of the vehicle, which are measured by at least one sensor.