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WO-2026096545-A1 - SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TACTILE INTELLIGENCE

WO2026096545A1WO 2026096545 A1WO2026096545 A1WO 2026096545A1WO-2026096545-A1

Abstract

One embodiment is directed to a system for geometric surface characterization, comprising: a deformable transmissive layer coupled to a mounting structure and to an interface membrane, wherein the interface membrane is interfaced against at least one aspect of an interfaced object; a first illumination source operatively coupled to the deformable transmissive layer using a lighting control layer, the lighting control layer configured to emit first illumination light into the deformable transmissive layer at one or more known first illumination orientations relative to the deformable transmissive layer, such that at least a portion of the first illumination light interacts with the deformable transmissive layer; a detector configured to detect light from within at least a portion of the deformable transmissive layer; and a computing system configured to utilize determined surface orientations to characterize a geometric profile of the surface of the object as interfaced against the interface membrane.

Inventors

  • ROHALY, JANOS

Assignees

  • GELSIGHT, INC.

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251028
Priority Date
20241028

Claims (20)

  1. CLAIMS:
  2. 1. A system for geometric surface characterization, comprising:
  3. a. a deformable transmissive layer coupled to a mounting structure and to an interface membrane, wherein the interface membrane is interfaced against at least one aspect of an interfaced object having a surface to be characterized;
  4. b. a first illumination source operatively coupled to the deformable transmissive layer using a lighting control layer, the lighting control layer configured to emit first illumination light into the deformable transmissive layer at one or more known first illumination orientations relative to the deformable transmissive layer, such that at least a portion of the first illumination light interacts with the deformable transmissive layer; c. a detector configured to detect light from within at least a portion of the deformable transmissive layer;
  5. d. a metasurface layer comprising a plurality of metasurface elements of known geometry, the metasurface layer coupled to the deformable transmissive layer and configured to interact, at least in part, with the first illumination light; and
  6. e. a computing system configured to operate the detector to detect at least a portion of light directed from the deformable transmissive layer, to determine surface orientations pertaining to positions along the interface membrane based at least in part upon interaction of the first illumination light with the deformable transmissive layer, and to utilize the determined surface orientations to characterize a geometric profile of the surface of the object as interfaced against the interface membrane.
  7. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the deformable transmissive layer is configured to be controllably inflated from a collapsed form to an expanded form with infusion of pressure to expand an operatively coupled bladder with a fluid.
  8. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of: air, inert gas, water, and saline.
  9. 4. The system of claim 2, wherein the bladder is an elastomeric bladder intercoupled between the deformable transmissive layer and the mounting structure. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the deformable transmissive layer is configured to be controllably expanded with insertion of a mechanical dilator member relative to the mounting structure.
  10. 6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a localization sensor operatively coupled to the computing system and deformable transmissive layer.
  11. 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the localization sensor is configured to be utilized by the computing system to determine a position of at least a portion of the deformable transmissive layer within a global coordinate system.
  12. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the computing system and localization sensor are further configured such that an orientation of at least a portion of the deformable transmissive layer within the global coordinate system may be determined.
  13. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first illumination source comprises a light emitting diode.
  14. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the detector is a photodetector.
  15. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein the detector is an image capture device.
  16. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the image capture device is a CCD or CMOS device.
  17. 13. The system of claim 1, further comprising a lens operatively coupled between the detector and the deformable transmissive layer.
  18. 14. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing system is operatively coupled to the detector and configured to receive information from the detector pertaining to light detected by the detector from within the deformable transmissive layer.
  19. 15. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing system is operatively coupled to the first illumination source and is configured to control emissions from the first illumination source.
  20. 16. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second illumination source operatively coupled to the lighting control layer and configured to direct second illumination into the lighting control layer with a second illumination wavelength that differs from a first illumination wavelength of the first illumination source. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first or second illumination wavelengths is within the infrared spectrum.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TACTILE INTELLIGENCE REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims benefit of U. S. Provisional Application No. 63/712,903, filed October 28, 2024. FIELD OF THE INVENTION: [0002] The present invention relates generally to systems and methods for detecting, characterizing, and/or quantifying aspects of contact or touch interfacing between specialized surfaces and other objects, and more specifically to integrations which may feature one or more deformable transmissive layers configured to assist in various aspects of tactile intelligence. BACKGROUND: [0003] Computing, video communication, and various forms of remote presence have become key components of modern life with the ubiquity of systems such as laptop computers, smartphones, and video teleconferencing. Referring to Figure 1, a user (4) is shown in a typical work or home environment interacting with both a laptop computer (2) and a smartphone (6) simultaneously. Referring to Figure 2A, a socalled “smart watch” (8) is shown removably coupled to an arm of a user (4). Figure 2B illustrates a smartphone (6) held by a user (4) while one hand (12) of the user (4) tries to utilize gesture information to provide commands to the smartphone (6) computing system. While these illustrative systems (2, 6, 8) may be configured to process voice-based or gesture-based commands, for example, much of the operation of such devices continues to occur through physical interfaces such as a keyboard or touchscreen, and much of the information exchanged during a voice of video-based call is in the form of audio and/or video. Referring to Figures 3A-3E, many efforts have been made to improve the richness of interpersonal communication and/or socalled “remote presence” utilizing modern systems. Figure 3A illustrates a laptop (2) based video conferencing configuration wherein a user (4) is able to observe certain aspects of, and communicate with, a group of other participants through a matrix style video user interface (14) viewed through the laptop display (16). Figure 3B illustrates a conference room based video conferencing system wherein a group of local participants around a local conference table (20) are able to interact with a remote participant through a relatively large display configured to show video of a remote participant through a teleconference user interface (18). Referring to Figure 3C, another system allows a group of local participants (34) seated around a local conference table in a local conference room (22) to interact via video teleconference with a group of remote participants who are displayed via a plurality of integrated display/camera systems organized relative to the local conference table to assist in creating or simulating a perception that all participants are in the same location, or are able to communicate at least somewhat in the manner that they would if they were all local. Referring to Figures 3D and 3E, video systems may be utilized to assist in bringing a remote user into a local discussion about a scenario such as healthcare. Figure 3D illustrates a configuration wherein one user (4) from a first location is able to operate a multi-display (36, 38, 40) configuration, such as via one or more user input devices (44), to see video of a second operational location along with information and/or data pertaining to the scenario while a camera (42) captures video data of the participant (4) at the first location and provides a video feed to the second operational location for enhanced communication (i.e., beyond simply voice). Figure 3E illustrates a configuration wherein a group of local healthcare providers (46, 48) with a patient (50) are utilizing a cart (52) based configuration featuring a display (54) to produce a video likeness (58) of a remote participant while video of the local environment is captured for the remote participant using a video camera (56) coupled to the cart (52). Figure 4 features a somewhat similar video communication system for healthcare wherein a remote user (58), such as a physician, is able to navigate the local healthcare facility room (68) that contains the patient (50) and hospital bed (60) using an electromechanically movable system (62) to which a camera (64) and display (66) are coupled to allow the remote user (58) to have a form of “remote presence” or “local presence” within the hospital room (68). [0004] While each of the aforementioned configurations has a level of utility beyond a conventional voice call, some would argue that they continue to lack some of the key aspects of true local presence. As connectivity, computing, video, audio, and telecom technologies continue to improve, such systems will no doubt continue to evolve to be closer to live local video presence. One key aspect of local presence that is not addressed by such systems, however, is a sense of local “touch” for a remote participant - and this may be related to the continued large demand