Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Navigation using microfluidics
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Application No.: US15834772Application Date: 2017-12-07
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Publication No.: US10548366B2Publication Date: 2020-02-04
- Inventor: Sarbajit K. Rakshit , Martin G. Keen , James E. Bostick , John M. Ganci, Jr.
- Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicant Address: US NY Armonk
- Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
- Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
- Current Assignee Address: US NY Armonk
- Agency: Edell, Shapiro & Finnan, LLC
- Agent Damion Josephs
- Main IPC: H04B3/36
- IPC: H04B3/36 ; A43B3/00 ; A43B13/14 ; G01C21/00

Abstract:
A navigation system includes microfluidics, a piezoelectric charger, and a transceiver paired with a network connected mobile computing device sending walking navigation instructions to the navigation system. The instructions are received by the transceiver and rendered as an embossed line using the microfluidics. The embossed line is felt by a user and interpreted as a navigation instruction. Other position information, such as upcoming obstacles, gradients, and route outline, can be portrayed as an embossed line to a user using the microfluidics. Optionally, the navigation system includes one or more pressure sensors providing pressure measurements to the mobile computing device for determining the gait of a user. The analyzed pressure measurements are received by the transceiver and rendered as one or more projecting objects by the microfluidics at locations with improper applied pressure. Present invention embodiments may be utilized for guidance of visually impaired persons, and for monitoring a user's gait.
Public/Granted literature
- US20190174862A1 Navigation with Footwear Using Microfluidics Public/Granted day:2019-06-13
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