WO2010010460A1

WO2010010460A1 - Dummy assembly which recognizes tact and method for using the same

Info

Publication number: WO2010010460A1
Application number: PCT/IB2009/006363
Authority: WO
Inventors: Aldo Jose OCAMPO CASTAÑARES
Original assignee: Ocampo Castanares Aldo Jose
Priority date: 2008-07-25
Filing date: 2009-07-24
Publication date: 2010-01-28
Also published as: MX2011000858A; WO2010010460A4

Abstract

A publicity method by means of a manikin, comprising providing a human or animal figure manikin comprising at least one input means in a specific location, sensing and registering contact from a user by means of at least one input means in a specific location of the manikin body, generating and emitting a first signal based upon said sensed and registered contact with at least one specific data and/or parameter, processing said first signal in said at least one acquisition unit so as to convert or correlate said first signal into or with a second signal containing specific data and parameters, and emitting and displaying said second signal in an external periphery providing a reaction from the manikin causing an interaction between said user and said manikin.

Description

DUMMY ASSEMBLY WHICH RECOGNIZES TACT AND METHOD FOR USING

THE SAME

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a dummy similar to a human or animal, assembled to register the tact in said dummy, and emit a recognition through at least an output means .

Prior Art Description

The tendency of consumers and publicizing means to attract the consumer attention has increased. In a world filled with publicity, the consumer's attention must be captured so that the consumer may be capable of remembering the publicized product. It is specially benefic if the publicizing means may capture the consumer attention for a prolonged period of time.

It is common that in places such as shopping malls, flyers or free samples, will have few or no impact at all on the consumer due to the lack of innovation of said flyers or samples, in a market in need of capturing attention.

Therefore, a publicizing means which is capable of capturing the consumer attention and that the consumer may remember the publicizing means for a prolonged period of time, is necessary. The present invention for a publicity dummy, satisfies this need.

Dummies which are capable of feeling through sensors are already known in the art. Specifically, these dummies are usually used in the automotive field, so as to prove the safety of a vehicle.

US patent No. 3,557,471 discloses an anthropodinamic dummy. As an impact sensor, the dummy uses internal bags that simulate the internal part of a human to provide an adequate mass. US patent No. 6,749,433 discloses a neonate dummy which allows feeling or measuring the movement of the dummy head and the impact values on the dummy. US patent No. 6,957,961 discloses a maniking system for testing product safety, and a method of making the maniking system. The maniking includes several parts of the body.

There are several documents which disclose parts of a dummy to determine the impact quality on a determined part of the body. For example, US patent No. 4,488,433 discloses a crash test dummy lower leg structure having a lower leg unit consisting of a tibia member and lower tibia sensors. US patent No. 4,701,132 discloses an anatomical model, particularly a dummy, for simulating the effect of an accident on the human body. The model is provided with a skeleton. In the area of the thorax, the skeleton is formed by a plurality of spring rib members that simulate human ribs. Each of the spring rib members is equipped with sensor device which senses a force that effects each individual spring rib. US patent No. 5,317,931 discloses a sensor for measuring the deflection of a thorax of an anthropomorphic dummy which includes a base for mounting ona thoracic spine assembly, a tape drum rotatably mounted on the base, at least a pair of spring tapes, each having one end connected to the base and an opposite end attached to the tape drum, the spring tapes biasing the tape drum for rotation in a predetermined direction and a displacement tape having one end attached to and being would about the tape drum in a direction opposite the predetermined direction and having an opposite end for attachment to a rib set of the dummy. US patent No. 5,528,943 discloses an apparatus for simulating a pregnant female human during a crash test which includes a torso having an abdominal cavity formed therein. US patent No. 6,311,562 discloses a human lumbar model structure which comprises a lumbar assembly and an abdominal/back muscle member. At least one pressure assembly is provided in the assembly. US patent No. 6,439,070 discloses an improved rib assembly for a crash test dummy which includes a U-shaped outer member which simulates a pair of ribs secured to a spine and a pair of transverse assemblies disposed in parallel and coupled between such opposed ribs. US patent No. 6,669,483 discloses an interactive breast model for training lay persons and health care providers to perform effective breast examinations and to locate and identify masses in a breast. The model of the invention comprises a silicone breast model equipped with a data acquisition unit having a plurality of sensors for detecting displacement in the surface of the breast model during an examination and data acquisition modules for receiving the sensor output data. The data acquisition unit sends the sensor output to a person computer for analysis and display to the user. Software executing on the personal computer performs fuzzy logic algorithms to correlate the sensor output data to usable information regarding the time duration of the examination, finger placement of the user, and the level of displacement throughout the examination. This performance data is displayed to the user. In a similar manner, the present invention relates to data sensed by a sensor, wherein the data is transferred to an acquisition unit, which may be a PC, wherein the PC transforms the data in a reaction towards the user, as may be a monitor display of a reaction face, the emission of a certain smell towards the user, the emission of a certain temperature towards the user, etc. This reaction, although also displayed to the user, is displayed and used in a different manner. US patent No. 6,691,585 discloses an anthropomorphic dummy head for use in a vehicle crash test is provided that includes a skull member forming a shape of the dummy head and an eye. US patent No. 6,769,286 discloses instrumented torso model that simulates anatomical features and measures the effects on a body caused by various types of impacts.

Likewise, there are dummies that react with different means, such as thermal means. Such is the case of US patent No. 6,543,657 which discloses thermal manikin which has a closed perforated rigid frame covered by a breathable fabric extending over the frame and forming arms and legs. Water passages and a pump inside the manikin direct water around the manikin to simulate natural blood flow. The manikin is provided with a controller and sensor for measuring conditions inside and outside the manikin. US patent No. 6,581,677 discloses a system for measuring a thermal property of a garment includes a mannequin having a form similar to at least a portion of a mammalian body and adapted to wear the garment. US patent No. 6,996,490 discloses a sensor device, in ^* particular for use in a simulator dummy of an anthropomorphic type, includes a heat insulating support structure with two measuring areas formed on the same side thereof, each having a measuring device disposed thereon which includes an electric heater and an electronic thermal flow sensor device and an associated electric temperature sensor, arranged above the heater.

Likewise, there are documents which disclosed fixed manikins to register blows against the manikin, such as US patent No. 5,716,302. Brief Description of the Invention

The present invention relates to assembled manikins to sense and register contact in any part of the manikin body by means of sensors, generate a signal based upon said registered contact, transmit the generated signal from the registered contact by the sensor towards an acquisition unit, such as may be a PC, convert the generated signal in an output signal, and display the output signal by a reaction from the PC, such as an image in the monitor or the emission of a determined smell or the movement of a certain piece of the manikin or an auditory reaction.

The sensors are pressure sensors, which acquire and generate a signal when a greater pressure, in regards to the predetermined pressure against said sensor, is felt. The pressure sensors, further to acquiring and generating the signal, are capable of emitting the signal towards a data acquisition unit, such as a personal computer or an electronic circuit, capable of recognizing the emitted signal and its location. The personal computer may use a computer program that may carry out fuzzy logic, or alternatively, the personal computer or the electronic circuit may have register, correlating the acquired signal by means of the sensor, with the emission signal. Depending on the product to be publicized, the emission single may vary between an emission in the monitor or the emission of a determined smell or the movement of a certain piece of the manikin or an auditory reaction. For example, the manikin may have instead of a head a monitor; depending on the place where the input signal was registered, the manikin may emit a determined image, for example the image of a happy or angry person's head. Likewise, depending on the pressure done upon the sensor, the manikin may be capable of emitting a different image, for example a happier or angrier person head. Furthermore depending on the current pressure upon the sensor, the image may change dynamically.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

The manikin of the present invention is similar to a human or animal or body part figure. The manikin may be any type as seen by the art and may be assembled with materials that represent the human or animal body, or with softer or harder materials than the human or animal body. Preferably the manikin is texturized. The manikin is assembled so as to feel and register contact from a user. For this, the manikin is provided with one or more sensors in a specific location or several strategically placed locations throughout the manikin. Likewise, the manikin may be provided with sensors that are not placed in strategic places so that it may feel any contact that may exist between the user and the manikin. These sensors, are adapted to register the contact and generate a first electric signal. Additionally, the sensors are adapted to send this first electric signal to an acquisition unit, which may be a control unit represented by a personal computer or electronic circuit. The sensor is preferably a pressure sensor. For this, depending on the sensor, said sensor may measure the required force to stop the expansion of gas or fluid or the mechanical deflection of the sensor is provided. Depending on the imposed force, the sensor generates said first electric single with a determined intensity, frequency, amplitude and/or strength, depending on the electric circuit. The pressure sensor, may be designed to measure in a dynamic manner the pressure being made to said sensor, and even measure the speed with which the pressure is being modified. The sensors may have one or more sections and emit a different electrical signal or a different intensity, frequency, amplitude and/or strength, depending on the section and the electrical circuit . When the first electric signal is generated, said signal is sent to the acquisition unit, which, as stated above may be a control unit represented by a personal computer or electronic circuit. The control unit may contain a computer program with fuzzy logic capable of locating the emission location of the signal, the intensity, frequency, amplitude and/or strength of the signal, correlating data from the incoming first electric signal with a second electric signal. Alternatively, the control unit may contain at least one table in a relational or flat file data base, which when recognizing the incoming data or parameters from the first electric signal, such as location, frequency, intensity, amplitude and/or strength, said date or parameters are correlated with a second electric signal.

Said second electric signal is emitted by the control unit, be it a personal computer or an electronic circuit, and sent to the output means, which may be an external peripheral. The peripheral may be, among others, a monitor and/or a loudspeaker and/or at least one device capable of emitting a smell. The second electric signal, may depend upon the emission location, the frequency, the intensity, the amplitude and/or the strength of the first electric signal. That is, the specific data and/or parameters sent by the second electric signal to the external peripheral will depend upon the first electric signal. For example, if the first electrical signal is emitted from the palm of the hand, after having processed the first electric signal in the control unit, said control unit may emit a second electric signal so as to provoke a reaction from the manikin resulting in the movement of a determined manikin part, for example the movement of the hand, so as to perform a hand shake; if the first electrical signal is emitted from the chest with a high intensity, the control unit may emit a second electrical signal so as to display an image in a screen as a reaction of angriness; if the first electrical signal is emitted from the nose or any place close to the nose, the control unit may emit as a second signal the release of an aroma. Therefore, the second electric signal, as well as the interaction that the manikin has with the user, will depend on the first electric signal, wherein the first electrical signal will have the information of certain parameters.

The afore disposition, allows the user to interact with the manikin and allows the control unit within the manikin to emit a reaction through an external periphery depending on the action done by the user. A preferred embodiment is that any reaction from the manikin will be carried out along with the emission of a determined smell, independent of whether the manikin carries out another visual and/or auditory reaction, since smell emission will achieve capturing in more comprehensive manner, the long term attention of the user.

A further embodiment of the manikin is having instead of a head, a monitor, so that images may be emitted in response to the second signal showing the reaction from the manikin. The answer or reaction obtained from the manikin is associated with the induction of a human act. That is, if a determined response from the manikin is sought, the user must carry out a certain action to generate this response. For example, the user may be induced with visual means so that the manikin's abdomen be touched, so that a visual response is obtained through the monitor. This causes the user and the manikin to have an interaction which will allow the user to remember for a greater time the interaction with the manikin.

With the interaction between the user and the manikin, a publicity means may be achieved which involves the senses of sight, hearing, smell and touch of the user. In view of this interaction, it will be easier for the consumer public to remember the object being promoted by this publicity means .

So as to achieve the above, and specially for the sight, hearing, touch and smell senses, it is necessary that the control unit, be it a personal computer, electronic control circuit or similar device, must include at least one memory to store the response of the second electric signal, that is for storing an image or sound, as well as for storing a table or a fuzzy logic control program so that the first electric signal received by the control unit is correlated with the second electric signal, wherein the second emitting signal may be an image and/or sound. Further to the above, specially for the smell sense, the control unit, be it a personal computer, electronic control circuit or similar device, must include a tank storing the gaseous or liquid product, to be emitted in response to the second electric signal.

Likewise, the manikin may have as a feed input means, that is, as an alternate means to the pressure sensors, at least one camera. The camera is capable of capturing images of a user, sending the images to the control unit, and said control unit may process the image. For example, said image of the user is processed by a computer program that determines, by means of a list or by means of fuzzy logic or a computer recognition program, the state of mind of the user. By means of the table or fuzzy logic or computer recognition program, the second electric signal to be emitted may be determined. For example, if the user is found to be with a serious face, the manikin may display a happy face in the monitor or emit a specific movement to cheer the user. A further embodiment of the invention, is having a manikin as disclosed above, wherein instead of emitting a determined smell through an external peripheral, the manikin contains a plurality of smell concentrating spots. That is, specific spots in the manikin may be predetermined locations which are likely to be touched or contacted by the user. These smell concentrating spots, may have a plurality of capsules, usually micro-capsules, with smell containing liquids or gases so as to release, when contacted by the user, a determined smell. These microcapsules are commonly found in cosmetic products, such as hand soaps, which emit certain smells, colors and sensations depending on the friction, friction time, water contact time, etcetera. When the manikin releases the determined smell, the user will take with him the smell. It should be noted that the manikin includes the sensors to feel the contact between the manikin and the user, so as to possibly emit a second signal in response to the first signal stated above.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made therein without departing from spirit and scope of the inventions as defined by the appended claims .

Claims

1. A publicity method by means of a manikin comprising: providing a human or animal figure manikin or a human or animal part figure manikin comprising at least one input means in a specific location, at least one acquisition unit containing a memory and processor, at least one external periphery; sensing and registering contact from a user by means of said at least one input means in a specific location of the manikin body; generating and emitting a first signal based upon said sensed and registered contact with at least one specific data and/or parameter; processing said first signal in said at least one acquisition unit so as to convert or correlate said first signal into or with a second signal containing specific data and parameters; and emitting and displaying said second signal in said external periphery providing a reaction from the manikin causing an interaction between said user and said manikin.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said input means are pressure sensors, wherein the first signal emitted has as parameters a determined intensity, frequency, amplitude and/or strength which depend on the imposed force of the pressure sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one external peripheral is a monitor, and wherein an image is displayed in response to said contact from said user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one external peripheral is a smell emitting device and the method further comprises providing a tank for storing a gaseous or liquid product, wherein said tank is connected to said acquisition unit and wherein said gaseous or liquid product is emitted and displayed in response to said contact from said user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one external peripheral is a loudspeaker, and wherein a sound is emitted in response to said contact from said user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein and the method further comprises providing a tank for storing a gaseous or liquid product, wherein said tank is connected to said acquisition unit and wherein said at least one external peripheral are two peripherals selected from a smell emitting device and a monitor or a loudspeaker, and wherein a smell from said gaseous or liquid product stored in said tank and an image display or a sound are emitted in response to said contact from said user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said input means are at least one camera and the method further comprises capturing an image from a user by means of said at least one camera; generating and emitting a first signal based upon said captured image with at least one specific data and/or parameter; and processing said first signal in said at least one acquisition unit so as to determine the state of mind of said user and so as to convert or correlate said first signal into or with a second signal containing specific data and parameters.

8. A publicity means with a human or animal figure manikin or a human or animal part figure manikin comprising: at least one input means within a specific location of the manikin for sensing and registering contact from a user and for generating and emitting a first signal based upon said sensed and registered contact, wherein said first signal contains at least one specific data and/or parameter; at least one acquisition unit within said manikin, said acquisition unit containing a memory and processor for processing said first signal and for converting or correlating said first signal into or with a second signal containing specific data and parameters; and at least one external periphery for emitting and displaying said second signal and for providing a reaction from the manikin causing an interaction between said user and said manikin.

9. The publicity means of claim 8, wherein said input means are pressure sensors and wherein the first signal emitted has as parameters a determined intensity, frequency, amplitude and/or strength which depend on the imposed force of the pressure sensor.

10. The publicity means of claim 8, wherein the acquisition unit comprises a personal computer and an electronic circuit, wherein the personal computer comprises a computer program with fuzzy logic and wherein said first signal is converted to said second signal by said computer program.

11. The publicity means of claim 8, wherein said at least one external peripheral is a monitor, and wherein an image is displayed in response to said contact from said user .

12. The publicity means of claim 11, wherein said monitor is placed instead of the head of the manikin.

13. The publicity means of claim 8, wherein said at least one external peripheral is a loudspeaker, and wherein a sound is emitted in response to said contact from said user.

14. The publicity means of claim 8, wherein said at least one external peripheral is a smell emitting device, and wherein a smell is emitted in response to said contact from said user.

15. The publicity means of claim 8, wherein said at least one external peripheral are two peripherals selected from a smell emitting device and a monitor or a loudspeaker, and wherein a smell and an image display or a sound is emitted in response to said contact from said user .

16. The publicity means of claims 14 or 15, wherein the manikin further comprises providing a tank for storing a gaseous or liquid product, wherein said tank is connected to said acquisition unit and wherein said gaseous or liquid product is emitted and displayed in response to said contact from said user.

17. The publicity means of claim 8, wherein said input means are at least one camera for capturing an image from a user and for generating and emitting a first signal based upon said captured image with at least one specific data and/or parameter, wherein said acquisition unit processes said first signal so as to determine the state of mind of said user and so as to convert or correlate said first signal into or with a second signal containing specific data and parameters.

18. The publicity means of claim 1, wherein the manikin further comprises at least one smell concentrating spot comprising a plurality of smell containing micro- capsules and wherein upon contact with said user, said micro-capsules release said smell.