Abstract
A micro piezo-electric air valve is used to form a skin interface system composed by a matrix of valves interconnected that bring temperature and touch sensorial experience to people through the skin's tactile, pressure and temperature biological sensors by means of micro air jet formations and/or air bubble formations over the skin. The piezo-electric air valve is specially designed to sensitize a small area of the skin of the user by quickly delivering a specific volume of air following a selected pattern, for example a pixel of an image that is processed by a computer system and converted into electric signal that opens or closes the piezo-electric air valve causing the air to flow. Such a skin interface system can be used by blind people to interpret a scene in front of them when using a video camera. or for use as a suit for therapeutic use and gaming.
Claims
1. A valve system for a skin interface system, the valve system comprising: a hyperbaric chamber comprising: a first piece of fabric adapted to be in contact with the user's skin; and a second piece of fabric opposite to the first piece of fabric; a bi-dimensional matric of M×N elements of valves mounted on a flexible electronic printed circuit board (PCB) or printed circuit fabric (PCF), the bi-dimensional matrix being positioned within the hyperbaric chamber to exhaust air toward the skin of a user; and elastic pieces of fabric the shape of a bubble installed over an output orifice of a certain amount of the total quantity of the valves, the elastic pieces of fabric being in contact with the user's skin when fully inflated, wherein pressurized air is supplied between the first and second pieces of fabric, the valves are electrically powered, and the valve system is configured to individually open and close each of the valves in the bi-dimensional matrix such that the elastic pieces of fabric get inflated and deflated as the valves are opened and closed.
2. The valve system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic piece of fabric remains inflated while the valve is opened and gradually deflates when the valve is closed, the inflation and the deflation inducing pressure sensation on the skin of the user.
3. The valve system of claim 1, the valves having a width of less than 1 cm.
4. The valve system of claim 1, the elastic pieces of fabric being installed over the output orifice of the total quantity of the valves.
5. The valve system of claim 1, the valves being piezo-electric valves.
6. The valve system of claim 5, the piezo-electric valves being micro piezo-electric valves.
7. The valve system of claim 5, the system further comprising a portative power supply feeding the piezo-electric air valves.
8. The valve system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a computerized unit connected to the bi-dimensional matrix through the PCB or PCF and in data communication with external imaging devices, the computerized unit being configured to: apply specific filters to an image received from the external imaging devices; to enhance features of the image; to communicate the enhance image to the bi-dimensional matrix.
9. The valve system of claim 8, the computerized device being in wireless communication with the external imaging devices.
10. The valve system as claimed in claim 8, further comprising an air supply source connected to the valves providing variable air pressure levels, the system being configured to electronically and selectively activate of one or more of the valves of the bi-dimensional matrix to form air jet over the skin of the user following pattern of homolog pixels of the enhanced image.
11. The air valve system of claim 10, the system comprising a plurality of bi-dimensional matrixes of valves, each of the plurality of bi-dimensional matrices being in fluid communication with the one or more other bi-dimensional matrices, the connected bi-dimensional matrices forming a sensorial suit adapted to cover a substantial portion of the skin of the user.
12. The valve system of claim 8, the external imaging devices being image sensors.
13. The valve system of claim 12, the system further comprising glasses, the image sensors being attached to the glasses.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:
(2) FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of an embodiment of the invention comprising micro piezo air valves for touch and pressure facing the skin of a user.
(3) FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, wherein bubbles can be seen inflated at varying degrees.
(5) FIG. 4 is a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, facing opposite to the skin of the user.
(6) FIG. 5 is a back perspective view of an embodiment of the invention comprising a body suit installed on a user.
(7) FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 5 not installed on a user.
(8) FIG. 7 is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 6.
(9) FIG. 8 is a back view of the embodiment of FIG. 6.
(10) FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the embodiment of FIG. 6.
(11) FIG. 10 is a back perspective view of an embodiment of the invention used as a vision system for the blind.
(12) FIG. 11 is a top perspective view of the glasses and camera systems of the embodiment of FIG. 10.
(13) FIG. 12 is a front perspective view of an embodiment of an air valve in accordance with the invention.
(14) FIG. 13 is a front view of the air valve embodiment of FIG. 12.
(15) FIG. 14 is a side view of the air valve embodiment of FIG. 12.
(16) FIG. 15 is a side sectional view of the air valve embodiment of FIG. 12, sectioned at the middle of the valve.
(17) FIG. 16 is a top view of the air valve embodiment of FIG. 12.
(18) FIG. 17 is a bottom view of the air valve embodiment of FIG. 12.
(19) FIG. 18 is a front view of an embodiment of a piezoelectric sheet.
(20) FIG. 19 is a side view of the piezoelectric sheet embodiment of FIG. 18, shown in opened and closed configurations.
(21) FIG. 20 is a front view of an embodiment of the PCB and valve arrays installed in a body suit.
(22) FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the PCB and valve arrays of the embodiment of FIG. 20 viewed from inside the body suit.
(23) FIG. 22 is a top view of the PCB and valve arrays of the embodiment of FIG. 20.
(24) FIG. 23 is a back perspective view of a sensorial suit embodiment comprised of multiple cloth cluster cells.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
(25) A novel Skin Interface System will be described hereinafter. Although the invention is described in terms of specific illustrative embodiments, it is to be understood that the embodiments described herein are by way of example only and that the scope of the invention is not intended to be limited thereby.
(26) An embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 which comprises a special cloth 60 made of two layers of fabric that retain pressurized air in between. A first layer may be in direct contact with the skin of a user wherein the other is opposite to the first. The cloth 60 may be equipped with a mesh or matrix composed of two categories of small actuators, a first providing tactile and temperature feedback and a second providing pressure feedback. The tactile-temperature actuator may essentially be a micro piezoelectric valve 90 that projects air jets over the skin of a user through the inside layer of the cloth in direct contact with the body. The pressure actuator may essentially be a small bubble 80 made of an elastic fabric that inflates or deflates using a micro piezoelectric air jet valve 90. It can be appreciated from the description that the second actuator comprise the same aspects of the first actuator, only that an elastic fabric may further be installed on top. As both actuator categories may work with similar piezoelectric valves 90, it may be possible to easily manufacture different actuators positioning over a cloth surface 60 to obtain different types of haptic feedback configurations.
(27) As the first category of actuator projects air over the skin, a user may locate the signal thanks to its biologic sensors of temperature and touch. Similarly, the second category of actuator provokes pressure which may also be located by the biologic sensors of touch when the bubble 80 is inflated by the micro air-jet piezoelectric valve 90. The speed of the inflation process and the growth level reached by the bubble 80 may determine the intensity of the pressure. Consequently, the pressure actuators may provide varying levels of pressure by controlling the level of activation of the under positioned micro air-jet piezoelectric valves 90.
(28) A homogeneous distribution of both actuators along the special cloth 60 in mathematical bi-dimensional order may help to sensitize the skin of a user in selected areas of the body.
(29) The system may then be connected to a computer that activates or deactivates actuators individually across the entire mesh according to the index or mathematical order of each one following patterns determined by the software.
(30) Such software may follow instructions of therapeutic treatments to help stimulate patients with specific disorders or may follow the instructions of a virtual reality game to help simulate scenarios over the skin of the user.
(31) A high pressure air tube 70 may supply the cloth cell 60 and its respective air valves 90 with enough air to properly function.
(32) Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 5 to 9. This embodiment is composed of a body-suit which may be equipped with both actuators of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, but may preferably be installed simply with micro air-jet piezoelectric valves 90, and further comprises a compressed air supply 140, a power supply 150, a main compressed air and electricity supply hose 130 and a computer system capable of locating, activating or deactivating actuators individually.
(33) FIGS. 10 and 11 further represent an embodiment of a vision system for the blind comprising the embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 9: a. A user uses the camera 170 installed on the glasses 160 or on the cap to capture an image of the surroundings. b. The camera 170 registers the image in movement in front of the user and sends it via Bluetooth or wireless 180 type technology to a computer attached to a Matrix. c. The signal from the camera is received by the image processing system (computer) that applies special filters to make the image fit the requirements of the matrix. In the absence of a stand-alone live camera 170, the system, through a mobile application, may use other video sources (such as the camera of a mobile phone) to supply the user with the required video images. d. Once the image is filtered and adapted, it is sent to the matrix that converts the image into a series of electric signals that open and close the air valves 90 (FIGS. 12-17) making an exact mapping of the image right on the surface of the user's skin as shown on FIG. 10. e. The skin, then, is sensitized by the air flow formation escaping out through the opened valves 90 thanks to the difference in air pressure between the hyperbaric chamber 110 and the atmosphere. (FIGS. 5 to 9). f. The air pressure is provided by a compressed air tank 140 and/or a battery-operated 150 air compressor 140. This process is repeated for every single image of the live-video feed captured by the camera 170. g. The user perceives the air-jets formations on the skin and proceeds to scan the surroundings moving the head from left to right and up and down. The aggregate perception of the air-jet formations on the skin matching the movements of the user will create a comprehensive scenario of the surroundings in the user's brain (FIG. 10).
(34) This embodiment, shown on FIG. 11, is preferably composed of a frame similar to a sun visor or glasses 160 that may incorporate or support a video camera 170, a compact image processing unit and an air valve matrix in contact with the skin. All systems are preferably interconnected by WIFI technology, Bluetooth or similar wireless technology 180 and may be integrated with clothing accessories so that they may be perfectly portable and comfortable.
(35) In an embodiment, shown in FIGS. 12 to 17, a micro piezoelectric air valve comprises one air channel with one input 50 and one output 40 built in a case 10 made of an appropriate material such as plastic or any other similar material. The case 10 may further have varying dimensions and may be shaped differently than the rectangular embodiment shown. A piezoelectric sheet 20, shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, is installed inside the valve and may open 22 or close 24 an air channel upon reception of an electric signal. Said design is meant to adjust the time response for opening 22 and closing 24 requests so the air flows enough to sensitize the skin of the user. The design of the sheet 20 may be adjusted to optimize the time response for opening 22 and closing 24 requests so the air flow may properly be felt on a user's skin, without risking desensitisation. A valve's channels may also have different shapes, as long as they fit inside the confines of the valve and that they may properly allow air to flow as what is described above. In that regard, the piezoelectric sheet 20 may also have variable shapes in order to fit inside the valve's channels and properly function as is described above. In further embodiments, a case 10 may house more than one air channel and piezoelectric sheet 20. Such embodiments may allow more complex control of the exhaust 40 airflow or may allow the valve to keep working at a reduced output even when one or more of its channels or sheets 20 are damaged.
(36) As seen in FIGS. 20 to 22, a valve may be designed to be attached to, or simply installed next to, other valves of a similar design, side by side, and mounted over a printed circuit board (PCB) or a flexible printed circuit fabric (PCF). The size of the valve may preferably be less than a centimeter wide, but is not limited hereto.
(37) Similarly to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 4, an elastic piece of fabric 80 the shape of a bubble may be attached to the air exhaust 40 side of an air valve. The bubble 80 may get inflated and deflated as the air valve is operated to be opened 22 and closed 24 respectively. When the valve is opened 22, the bubble element 80 may leak less air than it may receive. Thus it may be fully inflated while the valve is opened 22 and may gradually deflate when the valve is closed 24. The design of such inflatable elastic bubbles 80 is intended to provoke pressure sensations to the user over small areas of its skin, respectively the areas in contact with said bubbles 80.
(38) In still another embodiment, which may be seen on FIGS. 20 to 22, a structure 100 is built out of aggregating micro piezo electric air valves, described above, in the shape of a bi-dimensional matrix of M×N elements. M being any number desired by a user in width of the matrix and N being another number desired by a user in height of the same. Such micro air jet piezoelectric valves matrix may be mounted on a flexible electronic printed circuit board (PCB), or printed circuit fabric (PCF), able to identify each valve in the matrix and operate it individually for opening and closing operations.
(39) Back to FIG. 15, electric current may flow through a piezoelectric sheet 20 with the help of electric connectors 30 in connection with the sheet 20 itself and the PCB or PCF 100. The PCB or PCF 100 may generally be supplied electricity by a power supply 150, such as a battery pack. The quantity of electric connectors 30 per piezoelectric sheet 20 and their positioning may vary and is not limited to what is shown. In the embodiment of FIG. 15, two electric connectors 30 are situated at the bottom of a valve. Furthermore, when the sheet 20 receives electrical current from its electric connectors 30, its material may be displaced accordingly so that the sheet 20 may block the airflow from the initial air channel to allow passage of air into the other channel. Still in the embodiment of FIG. 15, the sheet 20 is shown in a closed position 24; the air is blocked from leaving through the exhaust orifice 40 and must thus stay in the body suit by following the other channel. Would the sheet of FIG. 15 be activated by receiving current from its electric connectors 30, it would tense upwards in order to now block the prior air flow channel and allow passage of air into and out of the exhaust orifice 40. It may further be possible to regulate the intensity of the air flow leaving the exhaust orifice 40. To do so, the current going through the piezoelectric sheet 20 may be varied and the sheet's 20 positioning may then divide the incoming air flow into each air channel. Consequently, the pressure from the exhaust 40 air flow may be reduced or increased.
(40) In yet another embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 9 and 20, a combination of a hyperbaric chamber 110 and the bi-dimensional matrix 100 of micro air valves is provided wherein said piezoelectric air jet valve matrix 100 is housed inside a hyperbaric chamber 110 in a way that the air inputs 50 of the valves are inside the interior of the chamber 110 while the exhaust side of the valves are outside the chamber 120 facing the skin of the user. The air may flow from inside the chamber 110 out to the skin of the user through the opened valves and their respective air outlet orifices 120 thanks to difference in air pressure.
(41) In another embodiment not shown, a system is provided with a compact computer unit 180 that applies specific filters on an image received from external devices. Images may preferably be transferred through WIFI/Bluetooth or similar wireless communication technologies to enhance image features before it is released to the micro piezoelectric valve matrix 100 to which it is connected through the PCB or PCF.
(42) In another embodiment not shown, a system comprises: an image source, a computer unit for image processing 180, an hyperbaric chamber 110 for pressurized air, a series of piezoelectric air jet valves mounted in a matrix formation on the PCB 100 and the required battery pack 150 and air supply 140 necessary to sensitize the skin of a user by means of air pressure difference and electronic selective valve activation that may cause air jet formations over the skin following the pattern of the homolog pixels of the processed image.
(43) In another embodiment seen in FIG. 23, a sensorial suit 200 is provided that may cover a majority of a user's skin and is built out of joining micro air jet valve matrix units, respectively the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, interconnected with data wires, power wires and compressed air distribution tubes. The micro air jet valve matrix units may be joined by any way known in the art. The sensorial suit 200 may be equipped with compressed air supply, power supply and computer graphic units connected wirelessly with external data supply devices. The suit 200 may maintain a stable pressure in all matrix elements in operation. The inside layer of the suit 200 may emit air jet formations and pressure bubble formations on the skin of the user, following the patterns of the homolog pixels of the image processed by the system.
(44) A further embodiment, not shown in the presented figures, may combine the embodiments presented above with therapeutic treatments. The therapeutic treatments may be used to stimulate certain body parts of a living being or simply relax it. In such an embodiment, a device comprising a piezoelectric air jet valve matrix mounted on a PCB or PCF 100, a battery pack 150 and an air supply 140 may be installed on one or multiple specific body parts to help stimulate or relax them. The device may be in communication with a computerized device comprising a software capable of applying sequences of treatments. The sequences of treatment may be manually configured by a person or may be chosen from a predetermined set of available treatment types. Such an embodiment might thus be used by the general populace for relaxing treatments or by medical professional for treatments related to health issues.
(45) In yet another embodiment, not shown in the presented figures, a device comprising a piezoelectric air jet valve matrix mounted on a PCB or PCF 100, a battery pack 150 and an air supply 140 may be installed on an animal, most commonly a house pet. The device may be in communication with a computerized device, such as a smart phone, and may receive and send information to it. Thus, the user in control of the computerized device may control the operation of the body suit device. For example, a dog owner may stimulate his dog to react to certain visual or audio stimuli with the addition of the temperature and tactile feedback from the device. The embodiment may further comprise a camera 170 in communication the computerized device. An algorithm in the computerized device may then analyse the received visual information and activate the body suit when certain conditions are met. For example, the algorithm may activate temperature and pressure stimuli of the body suit when an animal is facing a visual marker, such as the entrance of a restricted zone.
(46) In another embodiment not shown in the figures, a computerized device in communication with a device comprising at least a piezoelectric air jet valve matrix mounted on a PCB or PCF 100 may be used to send valve activation patterns to it. The patterns may be manually drawn on the computerized device by a user or selected from a bank of available activation patterns. For example, a user may draw patterns with his fingers on a tablet and corresponding piezoelectric air jet valves would be activated.
(47) While illustrative and presently preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail hereinabove, it is to be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise variously embodied and employed and that the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations except insofar as limited by the prior art.
