Systems and methods for rendering immersive environments

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems for rendering an immersive environment, the systems comprising at least one electronic device configured to be coupled to a body part of a user, the at least one electronic device comprising a sensor, an actuator, or both; a processor capable of being communicatively coupled to the at least one electronic device; and a rendering device capable of being communicatively coupled to the processor. The processor is configured to execute machine-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to obtain data from or provide data to the at least one electronic device. The rendering device is configured to receive rendering information from the processor, and render the immersive environment based at least in part on the rendering information from the processor.

We claim: 
     
         1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A system for rendering an immersive environment, the system comprising:
 a wearable device comprising:
 a mesh having a selective rigidity, the selective rigidity allowing the mesh to transition between being in a malleable state and being in a rigid state, and 
 an actuator coupled to the mesh for controlling the selective rigidity of the mesh; 
   a processor capable of being communicatively coupled to the actuator; and   a rendering device capable of being communicatively coupled to the processor,   
       wherein:
 the processor is configured to execute machine-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to provide data to the actuator, the data for controlling the selective rigidity of the mesh, and 
 the rendering device is configured to:
 receive rendering information from the processor, the rendering information identifying a position or orientation of at least a portion of the wearable device, and 
 render the immersive environment based at least in part on the rendering information from the processor. 
 
 
     
     
         3 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the mesh comprises woven piezoelectric fibers, pneumatic tubing, and/or hydraulic tubing. 
     
     
         4 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the data instructs the actuator to cause the mesh to transition from (a) being in the malleable state to being in the rigid state, or (b) being in the rigid state to being in the malleable state. 
     
     
         5 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein, in the rigid state, the mesh is flat. 
     
     
         6 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the immersive environment is an augmented-reality, virtual-reality, enhanced-reality, or immersive-reality environment. 
     
     
         7 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the immersive environment comprises a virtual peripheral or a surgical instrument. 
     
     
         8 . The system recited in  claim 7 , wherein the virtual peripheral comprises a keyboard, a menu, or a mouse, or the surgical instrument comprises a scalpel. 
     
     
         9 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the wearable device is situated in a body suit, a sleeve, a glove, or footwear. 
     
     
         10 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the wearable device is configured to be attached to a hand, a foot, an arm, a leg, a head, or a neck. 
     
     
         11 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the actuator is a hydraulic actuator, a pneumatic actuator, an electric actuator, a thermal actuator, a magnetic actuator, or a mechanical actuator. 
     
     
         12 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein the actuator comprises a piezoelectric actuator, a piezoceramic actuator, a dielectric elastomer actuator, a polyvinylidene fluoride actuator, an electrostatic actuator, a microelectromechanical (MEMS) actuator, or a magnetorheological actuator. 
     
     
         13 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein:
 the actuator is configured to restrict movement of a body part of a wearer of the wearable device based at least in part on the data, and/or   the actuator is configured to cause movement of the body part of the wearer of the wearable device based at least in part on the data.   
     
     
         14 . The system recited in  claim 2 , wherein:
 the actuator is configured to emulate a sensation based at least in part on the data.   
     
     
         15 . The system recited in  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a sensor capable of being coupled to the processor.   
     
     
         16 . The system recited in  claim 15 , wherein the data is first data, and wherein, when executed by the processor, the machine-executable instructions further cause the processor to:
 obtain second data from the sensor, the second data indicating the position or orientation of the at least a portion of the wearable device.   
     
     
         17 . The system recited in  claim 16 , wherein:
 the second data further indicates a detected characteristic of an object in contact with the sensor, the object being external to a wearer of the wearable device, and   the rendering information is based at least in part on the detected characteristic.   
     
     
         18 . The system recited in  claim 17 , wherein the detected characteristic comprises a texture, a resistance, a temperature, a hardness, a pressure, a density, a coefficient of friction, or a viscosity. 
     
     
         19 . The system recited in  claim 16 , wherein the data further indicates a detected characteristic of an object in contact with the sensor, the object being external to a wearer of the wearable device, and wherein, when executed by the processor, the machine-executable instructions further cause the processor to:
 obtain, from memory, information representing the detected characteristic at a prior time at which the object was previously in contact with the sensor, and   identify a change in the object between the prior time and a present time.   
     
     
         20 . The system recited in  claim 19 , wherein the object is a body part of a patient. 
     
     
         21 . The system recited in  claim 15 , wherein the sensor is a gyroscopic sensor or an acceleration-detecting sensor.