Senseg Ltd.

Senseg Oy

Sensey Oy

Ville Makinen

Jukka Linjama

Petro Suvanto

Zohaib Gulzar

Moaffak Ahmed

An apparatus for producing an electrosensory sensation to a body member (). The apparatus comprises one or more conducting electrodes (), each of which is provided with an insulator (). When the body member () is proximate to the conducting electrode, the insulator prevents flow of direct current from the conducting electrode to the body member. A capacitive coupling over the insulator () is formed between the conducting electrode () and the body member (). The conducting electrodes are driven by an electrical input which comprises a low-frequency component () in a frequency range between 10 Hz and 500 Hz. The capacitive coupling and electrical input are dimensioned to produce an electrosensory sensation. The apparatus is capable of producing the electrosensory sensation independently of any mechanical vibration of the one or more conducting electrodes () or insulators ().

Method and apparatus for sensory stimulation

An interface apparatus (A) comprises a surface () touchable by a finger (). The surface has a touch-sensitive area with a predetermined position (), to which a function is assigned. The finger's presence at the predetermined position () is detected. An electrosensory stimulus is generated to the finger by applying an alternating electrical drive to one or more electrodes (). Each electrode is provided with an insulator, which prevents DC flow from the electrode to the finger and a capacitive coupling over the insulator is formed between the electrode () and the finger (). The capacitive coupling and electrical drive are dimensioned to produce an electrosensory sensation, independently of mechanical vibration of the electrode. The electrosensory stimulus is varied temporally based on the detected presence or absence of the of the finger () near the at least one touch-sensitive area having the predetermined position ().

Interface apparatus for touch input and tactile output communication

Embodiments of tactile stimulation apparatuses and components of such apparatuses are generally described herein. For example, in one embodiment, a tactile stimulation apparatus is provided. This tactile stimulation apparatus has a composite section comprising an insulation region and a semiconducting region that is proximate to the insulation region. This insulation region is touchable by a body member. Additionally included is a voltage source proximate to the semiconducting region. Here, the voltage source is configured to charge the semiconducting region to an electric potential, which produces an electrosensory sensation on the body member.

Tactile stimulation apparatus having a composite section comprising a semiconducting material

An apparatus for presenting a time-variant information element in a vehicle, which has a steering wheel (), comprises one or more remotely and individually controllable tactile pads (), which produce a tactile sensation in response to a respective pad output signal, which is produced by a controller (CTRL). The tactile pads are positioned or adapted to be positioned on the steering wheel () or proximate to it, such that they can be touched by at least one hand () of the vehicle driver while driving the vehicle. The apparatus further comprises means for determining the time-variant information element to be presented and for applying the determined time-variant information element to the controller and means for encoding the determined time-variant information element by the controller into temporal variations of the one or more pad output signals.

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Espoo, Finland

Ville Makinen