EFFICIENT TACTOR FOR TACTILE AIDS

用于触觉辅助的高效接触器

• 批准号: 2800635
• 负责人: EDWIN LANGBERG
• 金额: $ 41.23万
• 依托单位: SENSOR ELECTRONICS, INC.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 1997
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1997-04-01 至 2001-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2800635
• 关键词: biomedical equipment development; clinical research; deaf aid; electronic stimulator; evaluation /testing; human subject; miniature biomedical equipment; touch; vibration

The transfer of information using tactile aids for hearing-impaired persons is currently limited by the tactor and not by the tactile sense. Our aim is to design a tactor that makes full use of the tactile capability. Rather than using an external sinusoidal source to drive the tactor, we configure the transducer and the drive circuit as a self-excited electro-mechanical oscillator. The same transducer is used as a force actuator and a velocity sensor, based on inherent bi-directional properties of electromechanical transducers. The velocity signal is used to control transducer drive current, thus creating a self-excited oscillating electro-mechanical system requiring only external DC power and a control signal. Specifically, the self-oscillating drive is used with a tactor that operates in a vibrotactile mode perpendicular to the skin and also with a tactor producing a unique multimodal tactile stimulation by virtue of three different modes of vibro-tactile skin motion: compression, torsion, and indentation of the skin. Both tactors are efficient, have fast response, variable frequency of operation, large dynamic range, and provide an estimated order of magnitude improvement in information transfer capability over present tactors. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION Predicted improvement in performance of new tactors should have a very significant impact on tactile system applications. The commercialization plans are based primarily on supplying existing vendors of tactile systems with new tactors. Additional uses include tactile speech perception aids, tactile feedback in devices for physically handicapped individuals, tactile feedback in virtual environment systems, cockpit feedback for pilots, and direct measurement of skin impedance for tactile research.

目前，使用触觉辅助器为听障人士传递信息受到触觉的限制，而不是触觉。我们的目标是设计一款充分利用触觉能力的触摸器。我们没有使用外部正弦源来驱动激励器，而是将换能器和驱动电路配置为自激机电振荡器。基于机电换能器固有的双向特性，同一换能器被用作力致动器和速度传感器。速度信号用于控制变送器驱动电流，从而创建只需要外部直流电源和控制信号的自激振荡机电系统。具体地说，自振驱动器与触摸器一起使用，触摸器在垂直于皮肤的振动触觉模式下操作，触摸器还与触摸器一起使用，通过三种不同的振动触觉皮肤运动模式产生独特的多模式触觉刺激：皮肤的压缩、扭转和凹陷。这两种TACR都是高效的，具有快速的响应、可变的操作频率、大的动态范围，并且在信息传输能力方面比现有的TACR提供了估计数量级的改进。拟议的商业应用预测，新手柄性能的改善应该会对触觉系统的应用产生非常重要的影响。商业化计划主要基于向现有的触觉系统供应商提供新的手柄。其他用途包括触觉语音感知辅助设备、肢体残疾人士设备中的触觉反馈、虚拟环境系统中的触觉反馈、飞行员的驾驶舱反馈，以及用于触觉研究的皮肤阻抗的直接测量。