Apple granted patent for ‘gyroscopic precision engine for wearable device’

Apple has been granted a patent (number 11531398) for a “gyroscopic precision engine for a wearable device.” It involves the company’s rumored “RealityPro” extends reality (XR) headset.

About the patent

The patent involves haptic (touch) systems for such a device. Extended Reality (XR), which includes Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) mediums enable consumers to immerse themselves in content. In the patent Apple notes that with increased consumer interest there is a greater need for immersive content to be created for XR. The tech giant says that haptic engines are an important aspect of XR, as they impart physical sensations on a user’s body that enhances the user’s immersive experience. However, Apple says that typical haptic engines found in smart phones and other mobile devices only provide vibrations along a single axis. 

Haptic engines that produce vibrations are useful for notification applications, but can’t provide a continuous torque or force on wearable devices, such as a head-mounted display (HMD). Apple wants its RealityPro HMD to have more immersive haptic features. 

Summary of the patent

Here’s Apple’s (somewhat technical) abstract of the patent: “Embodiments are disclosed for a gyroscopic precession engine for wearable devices. In an embodiment, a wearable device comprises: a support structure including at least one attachment mechanism for attaching the support structure to a human body part; at least one gyroscopic precession engine coupled to the support structure, the gyroscopic precession engine, comprising: a first motor configured to rotate a wheel mount at a first angular velocity; at least one wheel rotatably coupled to the wheel mount and configured to spin at a second angular velocity different than the first angular velocity; a second motor configured to spin the wheel at the second angular velocity; and at least one motor controller coupled to the first motor and the second motor, the at least one motor controller configured to rotate the wheel mount at the first angular velocity and spin the wheel at the second angular velocity, thereby producing a torque in a desired direction.”

About Reality Pro

When it comes to the Reality Pro, the rumors are abundant. Such a device will arrive in 2023. Or 2024. Or 2025, Or 2026. It will be a head-mounted display. Or may have a design like “normal” glasses. Or it may be eventually be available in both. The Reality Pro may or may not have to be tethered to an iPhone to work. 

Other rumors say that it could have a custom-build Apple chip and a dedicated operating system dubbed “rOS” for “reality operating system. Or perhaps “xrOS” for extended reality operating system.