Geoff Keighley ‏@geoffkeighley 1h1 hour ago

I genuinely get excited this time of year. Next Monday will be a great day for our industry. World class content is coming. #E3

Geoff Keighley ‏@geoffkeighley 1h1 hour ago

Looking over our show rundown tonight, we have perhaps the best lineup we've ever had. 12 hours of amazing news and wall-to-wall games.

Geoff Keighley ‏@geoffkeighley 1h1 hour ago

Ya'll aren't ready for what is about to happen. I've been to all 22 E3s. 22!

Geoff Keighley ‏@geoffkeighley 1h1 hour ago

I promise you our E3 team has worked as hard as ever to bring you the best possible show. The biggest games. The biggest names. The moments.

Inventors: HIROSE; Shigeo; (Tokyo, JP) ; ISHIDA; Hiroaki; (Tokyo, JP) ; YAMAGISHI; Takeshi; (Tokyo, JP) ; KAKE; Tomokazu; (Tokyo, JP) ; TOGAWA; Keiji; (Tokyo, JP)
Applicant:

Name City State Country Type


TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Tokyo JP

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT INC. Tokyo JP
Family ID: 1000001760451
Appl. No.: 14/908553
Filed: August 2, 2013
PCT Filed: August 2, 2013
PCT NO: PCT/JP2013/071069
371 Date: January 29, 2016

Abstract


In an interface apparatus for presenting a force sense at a remote place or in a virtual space to a user, the number of motors for exerting force upon fingers of the user is decreased. The interface apparatus includes a first arm and a second arm for being attached to the thumb and a finger other than the thumb, respectively. A motor includes a motor main body supported for rotation, and a rotary shaft that relatively rotates with respect to the motor main body. The rotary shaft is connected to the second arm. The motor main body is connected to the first arm so as to impart rotation thereof to the first arm.

Claims


1. An interface apparatus comprising: a first arm and a second arm mounted for opening and closing motion being attached to a thumb and a finger other than the thumb, respectively; and a motor configured to exert force in opening and closing directions on the first arm and the second arm and include a motor main body supported for rotation and a rotary shaft that relatively rotates with respect to the motor main body, the rotary shaft being connected to one of the first arm and the second arm while an other one of the first and second arms and the motor main body are connected to each other so as to impart rotation of the motor main body to the other one of the arms.


2. The interface apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first arm is rotatable around a first axis; and the second arm is rotatable around a second axis positioned in a spaced relationship from the first axis.


3. The interface apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the motor is disposed in a posture in which the rotary shaft extends orthogonally to a plane on which the first arm and the second arm open or close.


4. The interface apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the motor is disposed between the first arm and the second arm.


5. The interface apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising: a motor case configured to accommodate the motor main body therein and support the motor main body for rotation; and a member positioned in a spaced relationship in a radial direction from the motor case and cooperating with the motor case to sandwich a hand of the user therebetween.


6.-13. (canceled)

Description


TECHNICAL FIELD


[0001] The present invention relates to an interface apparatus for presenting a force sense at a remote place or in a virtual space to a user.


BACKGROUND ART


[0002] Conventionally, development of an interface apparatus (Haptics apparatus) for presenting a force sense at a remote place or in a virtual space to a user, for example, for presenting counterforce received from an object in a virtual space to the user is advancing. As such an apparatus as just described, a pen type interface apparatus used in a state in which it is provided on a table, a floor or the like is proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-209689. Also a glove-shaped interface apparatus into which the user fits a hand thereof is proposed conventionally.


SUMMARY


Technical Problems


[0003] An interface apparatus that is used in a state in which it is placed on a table or a floor has a problem in that the user cannot use the interface apparatus while the user moves both hands in a space, and the interface apparatus has a problem in that it is restricted much in regard to a use form. Further, a glove-shaped interface apparatus includes a plurality of motors for moving fingers and has a problem in that the number of parts is great and the mechanism is complicated.


[0004] It is an object of the present invention to provide an interface apparatus that can decrease the number of motors and has a comparatively simple structure.


[0005] It is another object of the present invention to provide an interface apparatus that can be used while the user moves both hands in a space.


Solution to Problems


[0006] According to a form of the present invention, an interface apparatus includes a first arm and a second arm mounted for opening and closing motion being attached to a thumb and a finger other than the thumb, respectively, and a motor configured to exert force in opening and closing directions on the first arm and the second arm. The motor includes a motor main body supported for rotation, and a rotary shaft that relatively rotates with respect to the motor main body. The rotary shaft is connected to one of the first arm and the second arm while an other one of the first and second arms and the motor main body are connected to each other so as to impart rotation of the motor main body to the other one of the arms. With this interface apparatus, the number of motors required to move the arms can be reduced.


[0007] According to another form of the present invention, an interface apparatus includes a moving mechanism including a first portion and a second portion capable of relatively moving with respect to the first portion and having a driving apparatus moving one of the first and second portions, the driving apparatus being provided at an other one of the first and second portions. The interface apparatus further includes a first holding target unit configured to support the first portion and be held with one of upper limbs by a user, and a second holding target unit disposed in a spaced relationship in a leftward and rightward direction from the first holding target unit and connected to the second portion, the second holding target unit being permitted to perform at least one of rotation and change of a relative position thereof with respect to the first holding target unit by relative movement of the second portion, the second holding target being configured to be held with an other one of the hands of the upper limbs by the user. With this interface apparatus, a user can use this while moving both hands in a space, and the degree of freedom in the use form can be increased.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an interface apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.