Patently Apple has covered a number of Apple patents relating to possible future AR/VR smart gloves over the years including these two patents posted in 2022: 01 and 02. Apple notes in the latter patent that "As an example, a set of SMI sensors and an associated processing system may be incorporated into a glove that may sense the surface qualities of objects while the glove's user navigates an AR or VR environment.

Of course Meta has a more pressing case for smartgloves being that they already have a strong presence with their Meta Quest headset designed for playing VR games today. Although their headset supports gaming accessories like hand controllers as illustrated below, smartgloves could take gaming to another level.  

While game Controllers can move characters in a game and be used to shoot or yeild a sword, controllers don't allow the user to feel elements in a VR environment, to hold a door handle, to feel hot or cold and so forth. So Meta continues to file patents regaring their future smartgloves. WIPO's database between late May and July 2024 published at least three very different Meta patents  regarding smartgloves and one regarding an XR UI for hand-based input for headsets.

Modular Unit Cell Devices Configured to be Integrated into Smartgloves, Chest Plates & Other Accessories

Meta's first smartgloves patent discusses modular unit cells that can be used across multiple wearable device platforms (e.g., having a consistent shape between unit cells) without requiring extensive redesigns. Having a common standard design allows for unit cells to interact with other unit cells of different generations and allows the unit cells to be placed within different wearable devices.

For example, a unit cell may include a haptic-feedback generator, and that unit cell can be used to interconnect with other nearby unit cells (e.g., using a common design).

Modularity of components allows for mass production while also reducing the need for redesigns of products for each new iteration or type of wearable device (e.g., a glove, a sock, a chest plate, a headset, etc.).

Meta's patent FIG. 5F below illustrates a wearable glove device #520 that includes the plurality of the second type of unit cells #501A-501E. The wearable glove device includes the second type of unit cells #501A-501E at different scales (e.g., scaled sizes (e.g., large unit cell 522)), which can be beneficial for manufacturing purposes. For example, sub-plurality #524A includes unit cells of a size smaller than that of the unit cells in sub-pluralities #524B and 524C. In some embodiments, the second type of unit cells at a first scale are still coupled with the second type of unit cells at a second scale, where the second scale is smaller than the first scale.

Furthermore, since different parts of the hand of a user have differing concentrations of nerve endings, some parts of the hand only need a certain amount of haptic-feedback generators (e.g., low-resolution feedback, high-resolution feedback) to covey a convincing feedback. For example, the dorsal side of the hand may have less nerve endings than the fingertips. Accordingly, sub-plurality #524A includes a denser concentration of unit cells than sub-pluralities #524B and #524C.

Further, Meta's patent FIG. 5G below shows a palmar side of the wearable glove device  and further illustrates that the second type of unit cells at the first scale #506 and the second scale #508 are included in specific areas (e.g., fingertips, palm, etc.) to either accommodate concentrations of nerve endings or to avoid obstructing movement of a hand of a user (e.g., by not placing unit cells along finger creases).

Meta's patent FIGS. 6A-6E above illustrate a unit cell of a third type and how it provides feedback to a user. For instance, the unit cell #600 includes a thermal-feedback generator #614 that is configured to provide thermal feedback (e.g., heat, cold) to a user (e.g., to simulate the temperature of a virtual object). 

Meta's patent FIG. 9C below illustrates a computing system #920 and an optional housing #990, each of which shows components that can be included in a head-wearable device (e.g., the AR device #900 and/or the VR device #910).

In some embodiments, more or fewer components can be included in the optional housing #990 depending on practical restraints of the respective head-wearable device being described. Additionally or alternatively, the optional housing can include additional components to expand and/or augment the functionality of a head-wearable device.

Meta's patent FIG. 10C above shows block diagrams of a computing system #1040 of the haptic assemblies #1062, in accordance with some embodiments. The computing system can include one or more peripheral interfaces #1050, one or more power systems #1095 (including charger input #1096, PMIC #1097, and battery #1098), one or more controllers #1075 (including one or more haptic controllers #1076), one or more processors #1077 (as defined above, including any of the examples provided), and memory #1078, which can all be in electronic communication with each other.

In some embodiments, the peripherals interface #1050 can include one or more devices configured to be part of the computing system #1040.  For example, the peripherals interface can include one or more sensors #1051, such as one or more pressure sensors #1052, one or more EMG sensors #1056, one or more IMUs #1058, one or more position sensors #1059, one or more capacitive sensors #1060, one or more force sensors #1061and/or any other types of sensors.

In Meta's patent FIG. 8B-1 below, the user #802 in the fourth AR system #800d (shown in FIG. 8B-1) raises a hand wearing the smart textile-based garments #1000 to prepare to cast a spell or throw an object within the second AR game environment F#835. The VR device #910, responsive to the user holding up their hand (wearing smart textile-based garments 31000), causes the AR representation of the user to perform a similar action (e.g., hold a virtual object or throw a fireball #834). In some embodiments, each device uses respective sensor data and/or image data to detect the user input and provides an accurate representation of the user's motion.

In Meta's patent FIG. 8B-2 above, the user performs a throwing motion while wearing the smart textile-based garment #1000. The user's throwing motion is detected by the VR device #910 and/or the smart textile-based garments #1000, and a corresponding action is performed in the second AR game environment #835. As described above, the data captured by each device is used to improve the user's experience within the AR environment.

To review the deep detailing of this invention, review Meta's patent application 20240184374 that was published in June 2024.

Patent #2: "Haptic Device With Coupled Resonance At Tunable Frequencies." Review Meta's granted patent 12026313 that was issued on July 2, 2024 for full details. Meta's patent FIG. 6 below illustrates an example haptic device in the form of smartgloves.

Patent #3: "Haptic Actuators and Related Wearable Devices (Smartgloves, Watch, Bands, Headsets). Review Meta's patent application 20240168557 full details.

Patent #4: 'Extended Reality User Interface for Hand-Based Input." Review Meta's patent application 20240219997 full details.