Apple granted another patent for ‘Finger-mounted Device with Sensors and Haptics’

Apple has been granted another patent (US 11914780 B2) for a “Finger-mounted Device with Sensors and Haptics” — in other words, an “Apple Glove.”

About the patent

In the patent Apple notes that electronic equipment such as computers and head-mounted display systems are sometimes controlled using input-output devices such as gloves. A glove may have sensors that detect user hand motions. The user hand motions can be used in controlling electronic equipment.

However, Apple says the use of wearable devices to gather input for controlling electronic equipment can pose challenges. If care isn’t taken, a device such as a glove may affect the ability of a user to feel objects in the user’s surroundings, may be uncomfortable to use, or may not gather suitable input from the user. Apple wants its glove (should such a device ever actually see the light of day) to be comfortable and practical.

Summary of the patent

Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: “A finger-mounted device may include finger-mounted units. The finger-mounted units may each have a body that serves as a support structure for components such as force sensors, accelerometers, and other sensors and for haptic output devices. The body may have sidewall portions coupled by a portion that rests adjacent to a user’s fingernail. 

“The body may be formed from deformable material such as metal or may be formed from adjustable structures such as sliding body portions that are coupled to each other using magnetic attraction, springs, or other structures. The body of each finger-mounted unit may have a U-shaped cross-sectional profile that leaves the finger pad of each finger exposed when the body is coupled to a fingertip of a user’s finger. Control circuitry may gather finger press input, lateral finger movement input, and finger tap input using the sensors and may provide haptic output using the haptic output device.”