HAND-IN-HAND: FEEL YOUR TOUCH OVER INTERNET
- Summary
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It Makes More Sense
Internet users have long been able to communicate using text, images and sound. Now, thanks to new technology developed at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, another means of interaction can be added to the list: the ability to touch.
While costly existing systems for remote manipulation are already available for high-tech applications such as manufacturing and microsurgery, this is the first inexpensive system to provide both sensing of a person's finger movements, and matching of those movements in a robotic hand.
The system can be developed for specialized applications such as remote monitoring of the hand movements of patients recovering from stroke. Besides, it is likely to be welcomed by the internet using community as a valuable added dimension to interact with distant loved ones.
Keeping it Simple
The attractiveness of this invention lies in its simplicity. As there is no glove for the wearer to use, as in many existing gaming systems, the cost, weight and complexity of the movement sensor is greatly reduced. In fact, the user need only wear a discreet band that wraps around the forearm to detect electrical signals from the muscles that move the fingers.
Another benefit of this approach is that the associated software needs little training to interpret the user's finger movements correctly. Other armband or wristband sensors have been described previously, but they require extensive training from a glove worn at the same time. Also, the use of an armband, compared with a wristband in other systems, allows more accurate mimicry of the user's movements.
More Than Skin Deep
The simple, intuitive user operation is made possible by powerful, state-of-the-art software running within the user's PC. This performs a set of functions, including: distinguishing the weak electrical muscle signals from background noise; analysing the signals to determine the corresponding finger movement; and generating the required output to drive the robotic hand. Since muscle signals vary between users and even between successive movements in the same user, a sophisticated learning and pattern-matching system is incorporated by making use of the University's leading position in this field.
Bringing to Market
A workable device for the user market will consist of a set of hardware and software.
- Supplementary Information
- Inventor: Liu, Yunhui | Tang, Xueyan | Lv, Congyi | Poon, Weilun
Priority Number: US8738122B2
IPC Current: A61B000504 | A61B000505 | A61B0005103 | A61B0005117 | A63B006900 | G09B000900 | G09B001900
US Class: 600546 | 434247 | 434256 | 600547 | 600587 | 600595
Assignee Applicant: The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Title: Systems and methods for reproducing body motions via networks
Usefulness: Systems and methods for reproducing body motions via networks
Summary: System for reproducing user's body movement such as hand movement through network.
Novelty: System for reproducing user's body movement such as hand movement, has mechanical structure that receives information associated with body motion from terminal and reproduces body motion based on received information
- Industry
- ICT/Telecom
- Sub Category
- Telecommunication
- Application No.
- 09/ENG/327 Patent Status: US and China Patent Pending
- Others
- Inventor(s): Professor Yunhui LIU, Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering
- Country/Region
- Hong Kong
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