TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to touchpad technology, and in particular, some implementations may relate to liquid crystal elastomers and compliant mechanisms implemented within vehicle touchpad devices.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Elastomers are polymers with viscosity and elasticity (i.e., viscoelasticity), with properties allowing considerable molecular reconformation without breaking the covalent bonds holding the atoms together. Because of these properties, elastomers can be used to create structures that change shape by the application of fluidic force, heat, electricity, and/or magnetism, among other stressors. When such external force is applied to put the elastomer under stress, the molecules of the elastomer rearrange into an intended shape. Soft robotics, the construction of robots and other devices out of highly compliant materials, is one field in which elastomers are well-suited, given the compliant-nature of elastomers.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

According to various embodiments of the disclosed technology, a touchpad apparatus for use in vehicles is provided. The touchpad apparatus comprises a bottom layer comprising processing circuitry; a tactile pixel layer disposed on top of the bottom layer, the tactile pixel layer comprising a plurality of tactile pixels, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to control operation of the plurality of tactile pixels through application of one or more stimuli to each tactile pixel and each tactile pixel is independently operable; and a surface layer disposed on top of the tactile pixel layer, the surface layer comprising a deformable material. Each tactile pixel comprises a top plate comprising a plurality of vertices and a support strut coupled to each vertex of the plurality of vertices, each support strut comprising a liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) hinge disposed between a first rigid portion and a second rigid portion.

Other features and aspects of the disclosed technology will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the features in accordance with embodiments of the disclosed technology. The summary is not intended to limit the scope of any inventions described herein, which are defined solely by the claims attached hereto.

