The invention relates to a virtual reality wearable system comprising a wearable part provided with at least one of a sensor and an actuator. The sensor and the actuator are connectable to a processor for receiving and processing data from the sensor and for driving the actuator so as to complete the virtual reality system.

US 6,128,004 discloses a data input glove for use with a computer system, virtual reality system or the like, with numerous electrodes placed on the glove and interconnected with electronic controls enabling sensing of contact between any combination of the electrodes, with electrodes are made of flexible electrically conductive fabric, silk-screened electrically conductive paint or the like.

KR 20190036167 discloses a virtual reality glove provided with a base glove, wherein an upper cover and a lower cover are detachably coupled to the base glove. The upper cover and the lower cover are each provided with sensors, the signals of which may be wireless communicated to other parts of a virtual reality system.

US2019/101983 discloses a virtual reality wearable system in accordance with the preamble of claim 1, comprising a sensor and an actuator, and comprising a sleeve-type first wearable part fittable over a user's bodily part, and at least one second wearable part wearable over the first wearable part, wherein the first wearable part and the second wearable part are releasably connectable to each other, and wherein the at least one second wearable part supports the sensor and the actuator, and a cable or cables connect the sensor and the actuator with a portion of the second wearable part distant from the sensor and the actuator. The cable or cables are guided through pathways that connect the cable or cables to the first wearable part that in use is fitted as a sleeve over a user's hand.

A problem with such a virtual reality glove system, or in general with a virtual reality wearable system, comprising a wearable part with a sensor and an actuator occurs or arises when cleaning of the wearable part is required. This is hindered or even impossible because of the sensor and actuator that are usually embedded in or connected to the wearable part, as is demonstrated by US2019/101983.

The invention proposes a solution for this problem.

Another problem that the invention addresses is to provide the user with tactile feedback.

According to the invention a virtual reality wearable system is proposed having the features of one or more of the appended claims.

Essentially in the wearable system of the invention the at least one second wearable part comprises a first portion and a second portion that are separate from each other, wherein the first portion is placeable on a first bodily part of a user, and said first portion supports the sensor and the actuator, and the second portion is placeable on a second bodily part of the user distant from the first bodily part, wherein the cable or cables extend without connection to the first wearable part from the sensor and the actuator on the first portion of the second wearable part to the second portion of the second wearable part.

This makes possible that removal of the second wearable part with the sensors, actuators and cables from the first wearable part and subsequent cleansing of the first wearable part is possible, without negatively affecting the sensors or actuators that form part of the at least one second wearable part. Since the at least one second wearable part is wearable over the first wearable part, the need to cleanse the virtual reality wearable system is basically restricted to the first wearable part which is in direct contact with the user.

It is remarked that wherever in the specification reference is made to an actuator, this also covers the application of an (electromechanical) brake. With the cable or cables connected exclusively to the detachable second wearable part, several beneficial options come into reach, as will be explained hereinafter. Most importantly though is to note that the cables support the transfer of forces between opposite ends of the cables in what effectively constitutes a minimal exoskeleton-arrangement that the wearable system of the invention provides.

In the virtual reality wearable system of the invention the at least one second wearable part comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is placeable on a bodily part of a user, and said first portion supports the sensor and the actuator, wherein the second portion is also placeable on a bodily part of the user, wherein the cable or cables extend from the sensor and the actuator on the first portion to the second portion of the second wearable part. The wearable system of the invention can thus be applied on different parts of the human body and thus act as an exoskeleton. In one example the wearable system can be placed on a user's arm, at opposite sides of the user's elbow. The cables can then be effectively used to assist in flexing of the user's arm.

In another embodiment the at least one second wearable part comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is placeable on the back of a user's hand and said first portion supports the sensor and the actuator, and the second portion is placeable on a finger or fingers of the user's hand, wherein the cable or cables extend from the sensor and the actuator on the first portion to the second portion, and connect to the second portion near to a location where in use a fingertip of the user is positioned. Through the cable or cables the sensor can thus accurately detect flexion of the finger or fingers, whereas the actuator can be used to provide sensory feedback to the finger or fingers of the user.

It is further preferable that the first wearable part and the at least one second wearable part are provided with cooperating attachment parts to enable the (repeated) releasable attachment of the first wearable part and the second wearable part to each other. The cooperating attachment parts can be implemented in Velcro or with magnets, but these are not the only options.

In a preferred embodiment the cooperating attachment parts comprise protrusions and recesses that are both dimensioned to snugly fit into each other. An effective loctite connection between the respective wearable parts is secured by arranging that the cooperating attachment parts provide a shape locked connection between said parts.

In another aspect of the invention the cooperating attachment parts are provided with guiding grooves for receiving and slidably guiding the cables. This promotes the reliability of the design, which may otherwise be particularly a challenge when repeatedly assembling and disassembling the wearable system of the invention.

It is further preferred that in an embodiment for use on the user's hand, the first wearable part and the at least one second wearable part comprise straps arranged for fitting around part of the user's hand. This promotes the secure placement of the wearable system of the invention.

In all embodiments, one of the further benefits of the cables is that an electronic device may be positioned on the at least one second wearable part, and that when the cable or cables are electrically conducting, it is possible that the electronic device is electrically connected to the cable or cables so as to power the electronic device.

The invention will hereinafter be further elucidated with reference to the drawing of different exemplary embodiments of a virtual reality wearable system according to the invention that is not limiting as to the appended claims. One of the embodiments relates to the wearable system being construed as a glove system, but the invention is clearly not restricted thereto. Instead of a glove system, the invention can also be embodied in a shoe system, a trouser system, or any other wearable system having the features of the main claim. This also follows from the other exemplary embodiment that will be discussed hereinafter and that relates to a minimal exoskeleton wearable system to be placed on a user's arm.

In the drawing:

-figure 1 shows assembled parts of the wearable system of the invention embodied as a glove system;

-figures 2 and 3 separately show a sleeve-type first wearable part fittable over a user's hand, and at least one second wearable part, the first and the second parts together forming constitutive parts for the wearable system of the invention;

-figures 4 and 5 separately show attachment parts for assembling the wearable system of the invention;

-figures 6 and 7 show the attachment parts that are shown separately in figures 4 and 5, now assembled together; and

-figures 8 and 9 show the wearable system of the invention as applied around a user's arm at opposite sides of the elbow.

Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same parts.

Figure 1 shows notable features of a first embodiment of a virtual reality wearable system 1 according to the invention, comprising a wearable part provided with a sensor 3 and an actuator 4, wherein the wearable system 1 comprises a preferably sleeve-type first wearable part 2 fittable over a user's hand, as shown separately in figure 2. Figure 1 further shows at least one second wearable part 5, 6 which is shown separately in figure 3. The first wearable part 2 and the second wearable part 5, 6 are releasably connectable to each other. Figure 1 shows that the at least one second wearable part 5, 6 is wearable over the first wearable part 2. It further shows that the at least one second wearable part 5, 6 supports the sensor 3 and/or actuator 4.

Figure 1, but more clearly figure 3, depicts that the first embodiment of the system 1 of the invention comprises a cable or cables 7 connecting the sensor 3 and the actuator 4 with a portion of the second wearable part 5, 6 distant from the sensor 3 and the actuator 4.

In figure 8 and figure 9 a second embodiment of a wearable system of the invention is shown, wherein the wearable system comprises a sleeve-type first wearable part 2 fittable over a user's arm as shown in figure 8, and a second wearable part 5, 6 as shown in figure 9, wherein the first wearable part 2 and the second wearable part 5, 6 are releasably connectable to each other. Particularly figure 9 shows that the wearable system of this second embodiment comprises a cable or cables 7 connecting a sensor 3 and an actuator 4 with a portion of the second wearable part 5, 6 distant from the sensor 3 and the actuator 4.

Turning back to the first embodiment of the wearable system of the invention, particularly figure 3 shows clearly that the at least one second wearable part 5, 6 comprises a first portion 5 and a second portion 6, wherein the first portion 5 is placeable on the back of a user's hand and said first portion 5 supports the sensor 3 and the actuator 4. The second portion 6 is placeable on a finger or fingers of the user's hand, wherein the cable or cables 7 extend from the sensor 3 and the actuator 4 on the first portion 5 to the second portion 6, and connect to the second portion 6 near to a location where in use a fingertip is positioned. Accordingly the sensor 3 can thus accurately detect flexion of the user's finger or fingers, whereas the actuator 4 can be used to provide sensory feedback to the user's finger or fingers.

Figures 1 and 3 further show that in this first embodiment of the wearable system of the invention, the first wearable part 2 and the at least one second wearable part 5, 6 comprise straps 13 arranged for fitting around part of the user's hand.

A further beneficial feature of the wearable system 1 of the invention, which can apply to each embodiment, is that the first wearable part 2 and the at least one second wearable part 5, 6 are provided with cooperating attachment parts 8, 9 to enable the releasable attachment of the first wearable part 2 and the at least one second wearable part 5, 6 to each other. For clarity the cooperating attachment parts 8, 9 are shown in figures 4 - 7 separate from the first wearable part 2 and the second wearable part 5, 6. Normally the attachment parts 8, 9 are fixed to the respective wearable parts 2, 5, 6. Figure 4 shows an example of an attachment part 8 which is normally fixed to the at least one second wearable part 5, 6, whereas figure 5 shows the attachment part 9 which is normally fixed to the first wearable part 2. Figures 6 and 7 show the respective attachment parts 8, 9 when they are attached to each other in different opposing side views. Most clearly shown in figures 4 and 5, is that the cooperating attachment parts 8, 9 comprise protrusions 10 and recesses 11 that are both dimensioned to snugly fit into each other. The cooperating attachment parts 8, 9 preferably provide a shape locked connection between said parts.

Best shown in figure 3 is that the cooperating attachment parts 8, 9 are provided with guiding grooves 12 for receiving and slidably guiding the cables 7.

Figures 1 and 3 show that an electronic device 14 is positioned on the at least one second wearable part 5, 6, wherein the cable or cables 7 are electrically conducting and said electronic device 14 is electrically connected to the cable or cables 7 so as to power the electronic device 14.

The invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to an exemplary embodiment of a virtual reality wearable system according to the invention. The invention is however not restricted to this particular embodiment which can be varied in many ways without departing from the invention. The discussed exemplary embodiment shall therefore not be used to construe the appended claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiment is merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims to this exemplary embodiment. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using this exemplary embodiment.