Application US20210085091

Pneumatic Haptic Device Having Actuation Cells for Producing a Haptic Output over a Bed Mattress
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US20210085091

1. An in-bed haptic device, comprising: (5) (3)

an array of actuation cells, each actuation cell of the array of actuation cells configured to actuate in response to a fluid being introduced into the actuation cell; and

one or more passage members positioned beneath the array of actuation cells and defining one or more passages configured to fluidly couple the array of actuation cells to a control system; wherein:

the control system is configured to introduce pressurized air into individual cells of the array of actuation cells in a predetermined sequence to provide a haptic output.

2. The in-bed haptic device of claim 1, wherein: (1) (4)

the in-bed haptic device comprises a top layer that defines a top external surface;

the array of actuation cells is positioned beneath the top external surface and configured to locally deform the top external surface to provide the haptic output;

each actuation cell of the array of actuation cells comprises a bladder configured to inflate in response to the control system introducing the pressurized air into an interior volume of the bladder; and

each bladder of the array of actuation cells is fluidly coupled to the control system by a respective passage of the one or more passages.

3. The in-bed haptic device of claim 2, wherein each actuation cell of the array of actuation cells is configured to expand in a direction that is substantially transverse to the top external surface, thereby increasing a thickness of a region of the in-bed haptic device corresponding to the actuation cell. (0)

4. The in-bed haptic device of claim 1, wherein: (1) (3)

the in-bed haptic device defines: a top external surface;

a bottom external surface opposite the top external surface; and

a thickness between the top external surface and the bottom external surface;

the thickness of the in-bed haptic device is less than five percent of a width of the in-bed haptic device; and

the thickness of the in-bed haptic device is less than five percent of a length of the in-bed haptic device.

5. The in-bed haptic device of claim 4, wherein: (0) (1)

6. The in-bed haptic device of claim 1, wherein: (0) (2)

7. The in-bed haptic device of claim 1, wherein providing the haptic output comprises actuating multiple actuation cells of the array of actuation cells according to an actual randomized pattern or a simulated randomized pattern. (0)

8. The in-bed haptic device of claim 1, wherein providing the haptic output comprises actuating multiple actuation cells of the array of actuation cells to simulate a wave moving at least partially across a top external surface of the in-bed haptic device. (0)

9. An in-bed haptic device, comprising: (6) (5)

a top layer defining a top external surface;

a bottom layer defining a bottom external surface, the top layer and bottom layer defining a flexible enclosure;

an array of actuation cells positioned within the flexible enclosure; and

a set of passages between the top layer and the bottom layer, each passage fluidly coupling a respective actuation cell of the array of actuation cells to a control system, wherein:

the array of actuation cells is configured to locally deform the top layer of the flexible enclosure to provide a haptic output.

10. The in-bed haptic device of claim 9, wherein: (1) (2)

each actuation cell of the array of actuation cells comprises a bladder configured to inflate, thereby displacing a corresponding portion of the top layer to provide the haptic output at the top external surface; and

the control system is configured to introduce a fluid to the array of actuation cells to inflate one or more actuation cells of the array of actuation cells.

11. The in-bed haptic device of claim 10, wherein: (0) (2)

12. The in-bed haptic device of claim 9, wherein: (1) (3)

the in-bed haptic device further comprises a channel layer between the top layer and the bottom layer;

the channel layer defines a set of channels extending through the channel layer; and

sidewalls defining each channel of the set of channels define sidewalls of a respective passage of the set of passages.

13. The in-bed haptic device of claim 12, wherein: (0) (2)

14. The in-bed haptic device of claim 9, wherein: (0) (2)

15. The in-bed haptic device of claim 9, further comprising an actuation component that couples the top layer to the bottom layer and allows the top layer to move relative to the bottom layer. (0)

16. The in-bed haptic device of claim 9, wherein the in-bed haptic device is configured to be placed between a mattress and a user. (0)

17. The in-bed haptic device of claim 9, further comprising: (0) (2)

18. A system for providing haptic outputs, comprising: (1) (2)

an in-bed haptic device comprising an array of actuation cells, each actuation cell of the array of actuation cells configured to inflate; and

a control system comprising: a reservoir configured to contain a fluid;

a pump configured to pressurize the fluid contained in the reservoir;

a valve array configured to fluidly couple the reservoir to the array of actuation cells; and

a processing unit configured to control the valve array to inflate individual actuation cells of the array of actuation cells in a predetermined sequence using the pressurized fluid to provide a haptic output.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein: (2) (6)

the reservoir is a high pressure reservoir;

the fluid is a first fluid;

the pump is a first pump configured to increase a first pressure of the first fluid above an atmospheric pressure; and

the control system further comprises:

a vacuum reservoir configured to contain a second fluid; and

a second pump configured to decrease a second pressure of the second fluid below the atmospheric pressure.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein, for each actuation cell of the array of actuation cells: (0) (2)

21. The system of claim 19, wherein, for each actuation cell of the array of actuation cells: (0) (2)

22. An in-bed haptic device, comprising: (3) (5)

an actuation cell comprising multiple bladders;

a fluid passage coupled to the actuation cell;

a pump fluidly coupled to the fluid passage and configured to introduce pressurized air into the actuation cell;

multiple valves including a respective valve coupled to each of the multiple bladders; and

a processing unit configured to control the multiple valves to deflate individual bladders of the multiple bladders in a defined sequence to provide a haptic output.

23. The in-bed haptic device of claim 22, wherein: (0) (2)

24. The in-bed haptic device of claim 22, wherein: (1) (4)

the fluid passage is a first fluid passage;

the in-bed haptic device comprises a second fluid passage;

the first fluid passage couples a first bladder of the multiple bladders to a second bladder of the multiple bladders; and

the second fluid passage couples the second bladder of the multiple bladders to a third bladder of the multiple bladders.

25. The in-bed haptic device of claim 24, wherein: (0) (2)

26. The in-bed haptic device of claim 22, further comprising a sensor strip communicably coupled with the processing unit, wherein: (0) (2)

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Application US20210085091

Pneumatic Haptic Device Having Actuation Cells for Producing a Haptic Output over a Bed Mattress

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