Disclosed is a sensory flooring system. The flooring system comprises a plurality of flooring segments and, for each flooring segment, one or more electrode portions. Each electrode portion is responsive to a force applied to the flooring segment and at least one electrode portion of a said flooring segment forms an electrode with at least one electrode portion of another said flooring segment. Moreover, each flooring segment comprises a unique encoding of the one or more electrode portions. Also disclosed is a sensory floor such a sensory flooring system, a receiver for receiving an electrical output from the one or more electrodes formed by said one or more electrode portions of the flooring segments, and a processor for analysing the electrical output and identifying the flooring segment by which the electrical output was produced.

The present disclosure describes smart glasses that support variable magnification of an operating field and hands-free operations in dentistry. One or more operations and functions efficiently achieved via the smart glasses comprise: receiving, with smart glasses, a user-initiated request for a specific operation; activating, using the smart glasses, a camera with initial settings; generating a floating image through a micro-projector and a specifically-coated prism coupled to the camera; receiving a user input to adjust a camera setting to adjust the floating image; and dynamically controlling, using the smart glasses, the camera for the specific operation.

A method for engaging and disengaging a surgical instrument of a surgical robotic system including receiving a sequence of user inputs from one or more user interface devices of the surgical robotic system; determining, by one or more processors communicatively coupled to the user interface devices and the surgical instrument, whether the sequence of user inputs indicates an intentional engagement or disengagement of a teleoperation mode in which the surgical instrument is controlled by user inputs received from the user interface devices; in response to determining of engagement, transition the surgical robotic system into the teleoperation mode; and in response to determining of disengagement, transition the surgical robotic system out of the teleoperation mode such that the user interface devices are prevented from controlling the surgical instrument.

A method for engaging and disengaging a surgical instrument of a surgical robotic system including receiving a sequence of user inputs from one or more user interface devices of the surgical robotic system; determining, by one or more processors communicatively coupled to the user interface devices and the surgical instrument, whether the sequence of user inputs indicates an intentional engagement or disengagement of a teleoperation mode in which the surgical instrument is controlled by user inputs received from the user interface devices; in response to determining of engagement, transition the surgical robotic system into the teleoperation mode; and in response to determining of disengagement, transition the surgical robotic system out of the teleoperation mode such that the user interface devices are prevented from controlling the surgical instrument.

Foot-gesture-based movement control method for a game character includes a four-way movement start control process, including: determining the game character being in a non-moving state; obtaining foot tilt angles and tilt states of left and right feet of a user; determining a tilt state change of each foot of the user; and generating movement start controls in first, second, third, and fourth directions for the game character, respectively when the right foot is detected changing from a leveled state to a positively tilted state and changing from a leveled state to a negatively tilted state, the left foot is detected changing from a leveled state to a positively tilted state and changing from a leveled state to a negatively tilted state.

A foot pedal device configured to provide force feedback to an operator during ophthalmic surgery is described. The foot pedal device includes a processor and a memory containing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to transmit, in response to a movement of a moveable member, a control signal to a surgical console for initiating an action of an ophthalmic surgery tool coupled with the surgical console. The foot pedal device includes a force feedback mechanism configured to selectively apply a resistance force in opposition to the movement of the movable member. The memory contains instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive, from the surgical console, a trigger signal, and send a force feedback signal to the force feedback mechanism. The force feedback mechanism is configured to apply the resistance force to the movable member upon receiving the force feedback signal.

Aspects of the invention include a computer peripheral device comprising an input element that operates based on a performance characteristic, an electropermanent magnet (EPM) assembly including a permanent magnet configured to generate a magnetic field and a magnetizing assembly configured to set an intensity of the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet, and a magnetorheological (MR) material coupled to the input element. The MR material has a viscosity that changes based on the magnetic field and affects the performance characteristic of the input element.

A brazing system includes a touch screen display and a controller circuit board having a processor and a memory. The controller circuit board is configured to be manually set by an operator to support a single torch configuration or a multiple torch configuration. The single torch configuration includes a first integrated software having first computer-executable instructions stored in the memory and configured to execute on the processor, and the multiple torch configuration includes a second integrated software having second computer-executable instructions stored in the memory and configured to execute on the processor. The multiple torch configuration supports the independent setting up of multiple brazing torches and the simultaneous use of the multiple brazing torches by multiple users during multiple independent brazing processes. The controller circuit board is operatively connected to the touch screen display and configured to allow user interaction with the controller circuit board via the touch screen display.

There is provided, in a vehicle capable of accommodating a plurality of passengers, a display system capable of providing a motivation to start a conversation among the passengers in view of conversation intentions of each passenger. The display system includes a control device, and at least one display device. The control device is configured to perform a conversation desire display process to display a conversation desire level of each of the passengers. Alternatively, the control device is configured to perform a conversation intention display process to display a conversation intention of each of the passengers for the other passengers. The conversation desire level and the conversation intention among passengers are input to the input device provided in the display system, by an operation of the passenger. Alternatively, they are estimated by the control device based on the passenger state information detected by the sensor provided in the display system.

A foot-operated touchpad system and an operation method thereof are provided. The foot-operated touchpad system includes a touch-sensitive device and a foot-wearable pattern pad. The foot-wearable pattern pad includes a backing layer. The backing layer includes pattern areas that are positioned such that: when a human foot is placed on the backing layer, the pattern areas correspond to a fore part and a heel part of the human foot. A pattern is on one pattern area and patterns on different pattern areas are distinguishable from each other. Each pattern is rotation-sensitive. The pattern includes a number of stylus-type dots that are capable of interacting with the touch-sensitive device.