METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A SKIN TEXTURE SURFACE ON A DEVICE USING A GAS

摘要

A portable electronic device includes a controllable skin texture surface that includes a skin texture surface actuation structure that includes an expandable gas actuation structure. The expandable gas actuation structure includes a gas and a flexible skin structure that moves in response to movement of the gas to change a tactile configuration of at least a portion of the controllable skin texture surface. In one example, the flexible skin structure includes expandable portions that define a plurality of gas chambers and each of the gas chambers include one or more controllable heating elements. Control logic controls the heating elements to expand and contract the gas to provide, for example, raising and lowering of texture elements of the flexible skin structure.