Generating Inside the Body Illusions
Embodiments also relate to operating multiple cutaneous actuators to provide the sensation of motions or actions occurring within the body. A part of receiving user's body (e.g., limb or head) is placed between the cutaneous actuators. The cutaneous actuators are operated with a temporal relationship or relative amplitudes, causing the illusion of motions or actions occurring inside the body part. By differing temporal relationship or relative amplitudes between the haptic output (e.g., vibrations) generated by the cutaneous actuators, differing sensations of actions or motions within the body can be generated.
FIG. 8A is a block diagram illustrating a signal generator 800 for operating cutaneous actuators 802A through 802N (hereinafter collectively referred to as “cutaneous actuators 802”), according to an embodiment. The signal generator 800 may be part of the receiving device 268 or it can be a stand-alone device that generates actuator signals 812A through 812N (hereinafter collectively referred to as “actuator signals 812”) for transmitting to the cutaneous actuators 802. When the signal generator 800 is part of the receiving device 268, the signal generator 800 communicates with other computing devices such as a social networking system 228 or other servers to receive the haptic illusion signal 202.