Hand exoskeleton force feedback system

Abstract

This disclosure includes a force feedback system. In some embodiments, the system includes a base, a microcontroller communicatively coupled to a computing device, a thumb force feedback unit, and four finger force feedback units. The thumb force feedback unit may be configured to capture thumb motion and provide force feedback according to input from the computing device. Additionally, each of the four finger force feedback units may be configured to capture finger motion and provide force feedback according to input from the computing device. In some embodiments, the system includes at least one vibrational actuator configured to produce a physical stimulus.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A force feedback system, comprising:
 a base;   a microcontroller coupled to the base and communicatively coupled to a computing device;   a thumb force feedback unit mechanically coupled to the base and communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, the thumb force feedback unit configured to capture thumb motion and provide force feedback according to input from the computing device;   four finger force feedback units each mechanically coupled to the base and communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, each of the four finger force feedback units configured to capture finger motion and provide force feedback according to input from the computing device; and   at least one vibrational actuator communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, the at least one vibrational actuator configured to produce a physical stimulus.   
     
     
         2 . The force feedback system of  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises an exoskeleton arranged and configured to move with a human hand and capture motion of the human hand. 
     
     
         3 . The force feedback system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one vibrational actuator includes a vibrational motor communicatively coupled to a driving chip, wherein the driving chip is configured to send a signal to the at least one vibrational actuator. 
     
     
         4 . The force feedback system of  claim 3 , wherein the signal comprises a vibration waveform and the physical stimulus comprises vibration. 
     
     
         5 . The force feedback system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one vibrational actuator is coupled to at least one of the base, a thumb profiled link bar coupled to the thumb force feedback unit, at least one of four finger profiled link bars, each of the four finger profiled link bars coupled to one of the four finger force feedback units, a thumb cap coupled to the thumb force feedback unit, at least one of four finger caps, each of the four finger caps coupled to one of the four finger force feedback units, and a palm surface of the system. 
     
     
         6 . The force feedback system of  claim 5 , wherein the system is configured to provide vibration to at least one of a finger tip, a thumb tip, a palm of a hand, and a backside of the hand. 
     
     
         7 . The force feedback system of  claim 5 , wherein the vibration varies in at least one of amplitude, duration, waveform type, and frequency. 
     
     
         8 . The force feedback system of  claim 5 , wherein when the at least one vibrational actuator is coupled to the palm surface of the system, the at least one vibrational actuator is located within a soft sleeve detachably coupled to the system, and wherein the at least one vibrational actuator is at least one of adhered to, detachably coupled to, and integrated into at least one of the base, the thumb profiled link bar, the at least one of four finger profiled link bars, the thumb cap, and the at least one of four finger caps. 
     
     
         9 . The force feedback system of  claim 1 , further comprising a battery electrically coupled to at least one of the microcontroller, the at least one vibrational actuator, the thumb force feedback unit, and the four finger force feedback units. 
     
     
         10 . The force feedback system of  claim 9 , further comprising a palm strap coupled to the base and configured to wrap around a palm of a hand, wherein the battery is mechanically coupled to the palm strap. 
     
     
         11 . The force feedback system of  claim 9 , further comprising a wrist strap coupled to the base and configured to wrap around a wrist of a user, wherein the battery is mechanically coupled to the wrist strap. 
     
     
         12 . A force feedback system, comprising:
 a base;   a microcontroller coupled to the base and communicatively coupled to a computing device;   a thumb force feedback unit mechanically coupled to the base and communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, the thumb force feedback unit configured to capture thumb motion and provide force feedback according to input from the computing device;   a thumb cap detachably coupled to the thumb force feedback unit;   four finger force feedback units each mechanically coupled to the base and communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, each of the four finger force feedback units configured to capture finger motion and provide force feedback according to input from the computing device; and   four finger caps each detachably coupled to each of the four finger force feedback units.   
     
     
         13 . The force feedback system of  claim 12 , wherein the thumb force feedback unit is configured to rotate both side to side and up and down with respect to the base. 
     
     
         14 . The force feedback system of  claim 12 , wherein the thumb force feedback unit comprises a thumb housing, a thumb rotational sensor, a thumb microcontroller, a thumb transmission gear box, a thumb motor, a thumb vibrational actuator, a thumb torque output arm, and a thumb profiled link bar, and the four finger force feedback units comprise four finger housings, four rotational sensors, four finger microcontrollers, four finger transmission gear boxes, four finger motors, four finger vibrational actuators, four finger torque output arms, and four finger profiled link bars. 
     
     
         15 . The force feedback system of  claim 14 , further comprising a thumb joint mechanically coupled to the base and the thumb force feedback unit such that the thumb joint is located between the thumb force feedback unit and the base, wherein the thumb joint is configured to rotate up and down with respect to the base and restricted from rotating side to side with respect to the base, wherein the thumb force feedback unit is configured to rotate side to side with respect to the thumb joint and restricted from rotating up and down with respect to the thumb joint. 
     
     
         16 . The force feedback system of  claim 14 , wherein the thumb torque output arm is coupled to the thumb force feedback unit and is configured to rotate up and down with respect to the thumb force feedback unit and restricted from rotating side to side with respect to the thumb force feedback unit, and wherein the four finger torque output arms are coupled to the four finger force feedback units and are configured to rotate up and down with respect to each of the four finger force feedback units and restricted from rotating side to side with respect to each of the four finger force feedback units. 
     
     
         17 . The force feedback system of  claim 16 , wherein the thumb profiled link bar is coupled to the thumb torque output arm and is configured to rotate up and down with respect to the thumb torque output arm and restricted from rotating side to side with respect to the thumb torque output arm, and wherein the four finger profiled link bars are coupled to the four finger torque output arms and are configured to rotate up and down with respect to the four finger torque output arms and are restricted from rotating side to side with respect to the four finger torque output arms, wherein the thumb profiled link bar is configured to slide with respect to the thumb torque output arm and restricted from rotating with respect to the thumb torque output arm, and wherein the four finger profiled link bars are each configured to slide with respect to the four finger torque output arms and are restricted from rotating with respect to the four finger torque output arms. 
     
     
         18 . The force feedback system of  claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of proximity sensors coupled to at least one of the thumb housing, thumb rotational sensor, thumb microcontroller, thumb transmission gear box, thumb motor, thumb vibrational actuator, thumb torque output arm, thumb profiled link bar, four finger housings, four rotational sensors, four finger microcontrollers, four finger transmission gear boxes, four finger motors, four finger vibrational actuators, four finger torque output arms, and the four finger profiled link bars. 
     
     
         19 . The force feedback system of  claim 12 , wherein the thumb cap is detachably coupled to the thumb profiled link bar and is configured to rotate up and down with respect to the thumb profiled link bar and restricted from rotating side to side with respect to the thumb profiled link bar and the four finger caps are detachably coupled to each of the four finger profiled link bars and are configured to rotate up and down with respect to the four finger profiled link bars and restricted from rotating side to side with respect to the four finger profiled link bars,
 wherein the thumb cap is configured to at least partially enclose a thumb of a user and the four finger caps are configured to at least partially enclose four fingers of the user,   wherein the thumb cap is detachably coupled to the thumb profiled link bar via at least one of a friction fit, a screw, and a magnet, and the four finger caps are detachably coupled to the four finger profiled link bars via at least one of the friction fit, the screw, and the magnet, and   wherein the friction fit comprises a locking pin mechanism coupled to a top surface of the thumb cap and the four finger caps, and the locking pin mechanism mechanically couples to a ring coupled to the thumb profiled link bar and the four finger profiled link bars.   
     
     
         20 . The force feedback system of  claim 12 , wherein the thumb cap and the four finger caps comprise a variety of sizes configured to fit a variety of users.