Tactile-acoustic information detecting and measuring apparatus and method

1. An apparatus for detecting and/or measuring phenomena or conditions represented by information appearing on at least one electrical conductor coupled to a source of said information, comprising a vibrator plate of solid material mounted on a frame so as to form a membrane capable of generating acoustic signals when being rubbed on its surface by an operating person's fingertip, microphone means arranged opposite said vibrator plate for receiving said acoustical signals and at least first and second substantially flat electrode members arranged between said vibrator plate and said microphone means in substantially parallel relationship with each other and with said vibrator plate, said electrode members being electrically connected to the output of a tuneable network comprising a plurality of control elements for tuning, the input of said tuneable network being coupled to said source and the output of said microphone means being connected over an analog-to-digital converter circuit to an input of computer means adapted for processing the information contained in said acoustic signals and for producing a detection or measuring signal derived therefrom.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said vibrator plate is made of wood, in particular of rose wood, purple wood or nazareno wood.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein electric heating means are provided for warming said vibrator plate.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first electrode member is mounted between said vibrator plate and said second electrode member on an electrically insulating, substantially ring-shaped supporting member, said first electrode member having a central opening in it, said second electrode member being suspended with respect to said first electrode member at an adjustable distance therefrom.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first electrode member is made of galvanized iron.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second electrode member is made of aluminum.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein indicator means are provided for visually displaying or acoustically reproducing or visually displaying and acoustically reproducing said detection or measuring signal.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of control elements are adapted for being set through said computer means under the control of said operating system.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said tuneable network comprises at least one series of variable resistor means or variable capacitor means or variable inductance means, or any combination thereof, connected between said electrical conductor coupled to said source and at least one of said first and second flat electrode members.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said variable resistor, capacitor and inductance means respectively comprise a plurality of resistive, capacitive or inductive elements, or any combination thereof, connected to at least one electronic switch bank for selectively inserting said elements into said tuneable network, said switch bank being connected directly or through interface means to a control output of said computer means, said control output delivering control signals for the operation of switches of said switch bank.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said source comprises sensing means capable of sensing a phenomenon or condition to be detected or measured.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said sensing means comprise electrode means coupled with a sample or specimen exhibiting said phenomenon or condition.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said sensing means comprise antenna means.

14. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said tuneable network has at least one additional input terminal for connection to said network of at least one outside generator of signals capable of modifying signals derived from said source of information or for modifying or changing the state of said source.

15. A method of operating the apparatus of claim 1, according to which the operating person uses the distal phalangia of a middle finger, more particularly the area thereof comprising the Pacinian corpuscle, for rubbing the surface of said vibrator plate, said control elements of the tuneable network are adjusted until a sound having a characteristic spectrum is reached, and the state of said control elements in the tuned condition of the network is read or detected.

16. A method of detecting or measuring a parameter of a phenomenon or condition represented by information appearing on at least one electrical conductor coupled to a source of such information, comprising rubbing a detector surface of a tactile-acoustic transducer with a member having cutaneous sensory receptors or with an artificial member capable of simulating such receptors, said transducer being coupled through tuneable network means with said source of information and further comprising tuning said tuneable network means and assessing a significant change of state in the condition of said rubbing which occurs at a certain setting of said tuneable network means representative of the parameter to be detected or measured.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein information related to various parameters of said phenomenon or condition as represented by corresponding settings of said tuneable network means, is stored in a computer in an encoding operation, said stored information being used in a subsequent detecting or measuring operation to establish correspondence between said parameter to be detected or measured and said certain setting of said tuneable network means.