Selective restriction of skeletal joint motion

{
  "publication_number": "US2020081532A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Selective restriction of skeletal joint motion",
  "abstract": "One example provides a wireless wearable device including a flexible wearable base configured to be worn at a location of a skeletal joint, an electrostatic clutch including a first electrode, the first electrode having two or more first electrode sheets, each first electrode sheet having a core, a conductive layer formed on the core, and a dielectric coating formed on the conductive layer, and also having a common conductor to which each of the first electrode sheets are connected, and a second electrode having two or more second electrode sheets arranged alternately with the first electrode sheets in a stacked arrangement, a tensioner coupled to the electrostatic clutch, a battery, and control circuitry coupled to the electrostatic clutch and configured to generate a control signal to control an electrostatic force between the two or more first electrode sheets and the two or more second electrode sheets.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A wireless wearable device, comprising: a flexible wearable base configured to be worn at a location of a skeletal joint; an electrostatic clutch mounted to the flexible wearable base, the electrostatic clutch comprising a first electrode, the first electrode comprising two or more first electrode sheets, each first electrode sheet comprising a core, a conductive layer formed on the core, and a dielectric coating formed on the conductive layer, and the first electrode also comprising a common conductor to which each of the first electrode sheets are connected, and a second electrode comprising two or more second electrode sheets arranged alternately with the first electrode sheets in a stacked arrangement; a tensioner coupled to the electrostatic clutch; a battery; and control circuitry coupled to the electrostatic clutch and configured to generate a control signal to control an electrostatic force between the two or more first electrode sheets and the two or more second electrode sheets. 2. The wireless wearable device of claim 1, wherein the tensioner is disposed between the flexible wearable base and the electrostatic clutch. 3. The wireless wearable device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric coating comprises barium titanate. 4. The wireless wearable device of claim 1, where the core comprises bi-axially oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BOPET). 5. The wireless wearable device of claim 1, wherein the common conductor to which each of the first electrode sheets are connected comprises a crimped structure, and wherein each first electrode sheet of the two or more first electrode sheets is positioned within a different alcove of the crimped conductive support structure. 6. The wireless wearable device of claim 1, wherein the common conductor to which each of the first electrode sheets are connected comprises a conductive mechanical fastener. 7. The wireless wearable device of claim 6, wherein the common conductor further comprises a conductive epoxy. 8. The wireless wearable device of claim 1, further comprising a displacement sensor responsive to an area of overlap between first electrode sheets and second electrode sheets, and wherein the control signal depends upon an output of the displacement sensor. 9. The wireless wearable device of claim 1, wherein the wireless wearable device comprises a glove. 10. The wireless wearable device of claim 1, wherein each first electrode sheet comprises a thickness in range of 0.10 mm to 0.16 mm. 11. The wireless wearable device of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer comprises aluminum or copper. 12. The wireless wearable device of claim 1, wherein each second electrode sheet comprises a layered structure having a core layer, a metallic layer formed on the core layer, and a dielectric layer formed on the metallic layer. 13. A wireless wearable device, comprising a flexible wearable base configured to be worn at a location of a skeletal joint; an electrostatic clutch mounted to the flexible wearable base, the electrostatic clutch comprising a first electrode comprising two or more first electrode sheets, and a second electrode comprising two or more second electrode sheets arranged with the two or more first electrode sheets in a stacked arrangement; a battery; and control circuitry configured to form a boosted voltage from an output of the battery, generate a control waveform to controllably apply charge to the first electrode and the second electrode, and amplify the control waveform via the boosted voltage to form a control signal. 14. The wireless wearable device of claim 13, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to form the control signal based upon sensor data received from one or more of a pressure sensor, a flex sensor, a displacement sensor, and/or an inertial sensor residing on the wearable device. 15. The wireless wearable device of claim 13, further comprising one or more optical markers, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to form the control signal based upon image data capturing the one or more optical markers. 16. The wireless wearable device of claim 13, wherein the control circuitry is configured to form the boosted voltage from the output of the battery by boosting a battery output voltage in a range of 3 to 5 volts to form the boosted voltage in a range of 250 to 650 volts. 17. The wireless wearable device of claim 13, wherein the control circuitry is configured to form the boosted voltage via a hysteretic DC/DC voltage converter. 18. The wireless wearable device of claim 13, wherein the wherein the wireless wearable device comprises a glove. 19. On a computing device, a method comprising: receiving information regarding controlling an electrostatic clutch of a wireless wearable device; forming, via control circuitry residing on the wearable device, a boosted voltage from an output of a battery residing on the wireless wearable device; generating, via the control circuitry, a control waveform; amplifying the control waveform via the boosted voltage to form a control signal; and outputting the control signal to the electrostatic clutch to change an electrostatic force between two or more sheets of a first electrode and two or more sheets of a second electrode within the electrostatic clutch. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein forming the boosted voltage from the output of the battery residing on the wireless wearable device comprises boosting an output voltage in a range of 3 to 5 volts to a boosted voltage in a range of 250 to 650 volts."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Virtual reality (VR) display systems immerse a user in an alternate reality, with virtual imagery occupying an entire field of view. Augmented reality (AR) display systems, such as mixed reality (MR) display systems, display virtual objects mixed with real imagery, such as via a see-through display system. In either case, visual and auditory aspects of a virtual experience may be represented in a lifelike manner.\n\nThis Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in any part of this disclosure.\n\nExamples are disclosed that relate to selectively restricting motion of a skeletal joint. One example provides a wearable device comprising a flexible wearable base configured to be worn at a location of a skeletal joint, and an electrostatic clutch mounted to the flexible wearable base. The electrostatic clutch comprises a first electrode including two or more first electrode sheets, each first electrode sheet comprising a core, a conductive layer formed on the core, and a dielectric coating formed on the conductive layer, and the first electrode also comprising a common conductor to which each of the first electrode sheets are connected.",
  "cpc": [
    "G06F 3/014",
    "G06F 3/016",
    "G06F 3/0383"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G06F 3/01",
    "G06F 3/038"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Sang Ho Yoon",
    "James David Holbery",
    "Siyuan Ma",
    "Woo Suk Lee"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-09-06",
  "publication_date": "2020-03-12",
  "priority_date": "2018-09-06",
  "application_number": "US-201816123682-A",
  "family_id": "67263094",
  "cited_by_count": 27,
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