Intraoral device control system

Abstract

Mechanisms are provided for implementing intraoral control mechanisms that allow a user to control the operation of a computer system or electronic device. The intraoral control mechanism detects a strain based on a user's tongue movement controlling the mechanism away from a fixed position; converts the detected strain into a control signal; amplifies the amplitude of the control signal, thereby producing an amplified control signal; translates the amplified control signal into a digital input signal; modulates the digital input signal onto a transmitted frequency wave; and transmits the digital input signal to the computer system. The computer system can then execute the digital control signal on the computer system itself to perform an operation, or transmit the digital control signal to an electronic device to operate as indicated by the digital control signal. The digital input signal is saved for characterization of the user.

Description

Background Technology

[0001] This application relates to an intraoral device and user interface system for controlling a computer or other device via the movement of a user's tongue and jaw. It can be used by people with varying assistive needs, ranging from those with no physical disability to those who are quadriplegic. These mechanisms can be used by people in tasks where their hands and possibly feet are occupied, or when they are not using their hands or feet. The mechanisms can also be used in situations where it is not advisable to look away from the current task and the user needs to provide control input to the computer system or device.

[0002] Assistive devices are non-medical tools that relate to and assist in the performance of mobility, transportation, communication, activities of daily living, and work-related activities. The most common examples of assistive devices are mobile devices that help people who cannot walk independently, such as wheelchairs, walking aids, and canes. Adaptive technology is a type of assistive technology in which existing tools are adapted for use by individuals with disabilities. These assistive devices can be used not only by people with “traditional” mobility impairments but also by people with cardiovascular, fatigue-based, paralysis-based, and other conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This summary is provided to introduce, in a simplified form, the selection of concepts that will be further described in the detailed embodiments. This summary is not intended to identify key elements or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0004] In one illustrative embodiment, a method is provided in a data processing system for implementing an intraoral control mechanism that allows a user to control the operation of a computer system or electronic device according to the illustrative embodiment. The illustrative embodiment detects strain by means of a sensor in the intraoral control mechanism based on the user's tongue moving the control mechanism away from a fixed position. The illustrative embodiment transduces the detected strain into a control signal using the sensor. An exemplary embodiment amplifies the amplitude of the control signal using an amplifier in the intraoral control mechanism, thereby generating an amplified control signal. The illustrative embodiment converts the amplified control signal into a digital input signal using an analog-to-digital converter in the intraoral control mechanism. The illustrative embodiment modulates the digital input signal onto a transmission frequency wave using a radio frequency (RF) microcontroller in the intraoral control mechanism. An exemplary embodiment transmits the digital input signal to a computer system using the RF microcontroller, and the computer system then interprets the digital input signal into a digital control signal using a pre-trained classifier and other software. Then, the illustrative embodiments either execute the digital control signals on the computer system itself and perform operations associated with the digital control signals, or send the digital control signals to an electronic device control mechanism of the electronic device, thereby causing the electronic device, which includes the electronic device control mechanism, to operate as instructed by the digital control signals. The illustrative embodiments may also store digital input signals to characterize the user's health status.

[0005] Preferably, the present invention provides a method in which the intraoral control mechanism is included within a dental retainer worn by the user.

[0006] Preferably, the present invention provides a method wherein the tooth retainer includes a molded plastic central section attached to the hard palate in the user's mouth, and wherein the molded plastic central section includes at least the control mechanism and the sensor.

[0007] Preferably, the present invention provides a method in which an amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter, a microcontroller, and an antenna are included within a central section of molded plastic.

[0008] Preferably, the present invention provides a method in which the amplifier, the analog-to-digital converter, the microcontroller, and the antenna are included in wires attached to the central section of the molded plastic, the wires being wound around the user's upper teeth and holding the tooth retainer in the user's mouth.

[0009] Preferably, the present invention provides a method in which the control mechanism has 360-degree movement and moves upward followed by moving downward.

[0010] Preferably, the present invention provides a method wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a metal structure, a piezoresistive structure, or a piezoelectric structure.

[0011] Preferably, the present invention provides a method wherein the strain is selected from the group consisting of stress, force, torque, displacement, acceleration, or position.

[0012] Preferably, the present invention provides a method wherein the control mechanism is a protrusion on the central section of the molded plastic of a dental retainer, and wherein the protrusion is selected from the group consisting of a moving protrusion, an expanding protrusion, a disintegrating protrusion, an anti-collision protrusion, or a rebound protrusion.

[0013] Preferably, the present invention provides a method in which a control signal instructs operation for an electronic device, and wherein an operation is selected from a group including on, off, select, forward, backward, left, right, up, down, or any other arbitrarily defined operation.

[0014] In another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory coupled to said at least one processor, wherein said at least one memory includes instructions, which, when executed by said at least one processor, cause said at least one processor to allow a user to control the operation of a computer system or electronic device according to an illustrative embodiment, and further cause said at least one processor to: receive a digital input signal from an intraoral control mechanism, wherein said digital input control signal is received from said intraoral control mechanism via said intraoral control mechanism; detect strain by a sensor of said intraoral control mechanism based on the user's tongue moving the control mechanism away from a fixed position; convert said strain into a control signal by said sensor; amplify the amplitude of said control signal by an amplifier of said intraoral control mechanism, thereby generating an amplified control signal; and transmit... The amplified control signal is converted into a digital input signal by an analog-to-digital converter of the intraoral control mechanism; the digital input signal is modulated onto a transmission frequency wave by a radio frequency (RF) microcontroller of the intraoral control mechanism; and the digital input signal is transmitted by the RF microcontroller to the computer system, which then interprets the digital input signal as a digital control signal by means of a pre-trained classifier and other software; or: the digital control signal is executed on the computer system itself and an operation associated with the digital control signal is performed; or: the digital control signal is transmitted to the electronic device control mechanism of the electronic device, thereby causing the electronic device, which includes the electronic device control mechanism, to operate as indicated by the digital control signal; and the digital input signal is stored for the user's analysis and characterization.

[0015] In another respect, the present invention provides a device in which the intraoral control mechanism is included within a dental retainer worn by a user.

[0016] Preferably, the present invention provides an apparatus in which the tooth retainer includes a molded plastic central section attached to the hard palate in the user's mouth, and wherein the molded plastic central section includes at least the control mechanism and the sensor.

[0017] Preferably, the present invention provides an apparatus in which the amplifier, the analog-to-digital converter, the microcontroller, and the antenna are included within the central section of the molded plastic.

[0018] Preferably, the present invention provides an apparatus in which the amplifier, the analog-to-digital converter, the microcontroller, and the antenna are included within wires attached to the central section of the molded plastic, the wires being wound around the user's upper teeth and holding the tooth retainer in the user's mouth.

[0019] Preferably, the present invention provides an apparatus in which the control mechanism has a 360° angle and moves upward followed by a downward motion.

[0020] Preferably, the present invention provides an apparatus wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a metal structure, a piezoresistive structure, or a piezoelectric structure.

[0021] Preferably, the present invention provides an apparatus wherein the strain is selected from the group consisting of stress, force, torque, displacement, acceleration, or position.

[0022] Preferably, the present invention provides an apparatus in which the control mechanism is a protrusion on the central section of the molded plastic of a dental retainer, and wherein the protrusion is selected from the group consisting of a moving protrusion, an expanding protrusion, a disintegrating protrusion, an anti-collision protrusion, or a rebound protrusion.

[0023] From another perspective, the present invention provides a computer program product including a computer-readable storage medium having a computer-readable program for allowing a user to control the operation of a computer system or an electronic device stored therein, wherein, when the computer-readable program is executed on a data processing system, the data processing system: receives a digital input signal from an intraoral control mechanism, wherein the digital input control signal is received from the intraoral control mechanism via the intraoral control mechanism; detects strain by a sensor of the intraoral control mechanism based on the user's tongue moving the control mechanism away from a fixed position; converts the detected strain into a control signal by the sensor; amplifies the amplitude of the control signal by an amplifier of the intraoral control mechanism, thereby generating an amplified control signal; and transmits the signal to the intraoral control mechanism. The analog-to-digital converter of the structure converts the amplified control signal into a digital input signal; the digital input signal is modulated onto a transmission frequency wave by a radio frequency (RF) microcontroller of the intraoral control mechanism; and the digital input signal is transmitted by the RF microcontroller to the computer system, which then interprets the digital input signal into a digital control signal by means of a pre-trained classifier and other software; and: executes the digital control signal on the computer system itself and performs operations associated with the digital control signal; or transmits the digital control signal to an electronic device control mechanism of the electronic device, thereby causing the electronic device, which includes the electronic device control mechanism, to operate as indicated by the digital control signal; and saves the digital input signal for the user's analysis and characterization.

[0024] These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be described in the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, or will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The invention, its preferred modes of use, and further objects and advantages will be best understood by reading in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and by referring to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, in which:

[0026] Figure 1 These are example diagrams of a distributed data processing system that can implement aspects of the illustrative embodiments;

[0027] Figure 2 This is an example block diagram of a computing device in which aspects of the example embodiments can be implemented;

[0028] Figure 3An exemplary functional block diagram of an intraoral control mechanism for user-controlled operation of an electronic device, according to an illustrative embodiment, is depicted.

[0029] Figure 4 An example of a circuit diagram depicting an intraoral control mechanism for user-controlled operation of an electronic device according to an illustrative embodiment;

[0030] Figures 5A-5D An implementation of an intraoral control mechanism according to an illustrative embodiment is described as an example;

[0031] Figure 6 An example of an intraoral control mechanism according to an illustrative embodiment is described, which will be installed in a user's mouth;

[0032] Figure 7 An exemplary flowchart depicts an operation performed by an intraoral control mechanism according to an illustrative embodiment, enabling a user to control the operation of an electronic device; and

[0033] Figure 8 An exemplary flowchart depicts an operation performed by a computer system according to an illustrative embodiment, the computer system receiving digital input signals from an intraoral control mechanism to control the operation of an electronic device. Detailed Implementation

[0034] Users with limited accessibility, such as amputees, paralysis-based users (including hemiplegic, monoplegic, paraplegic, quadriplegic, etc.), and other users unaffected by such conditions, utilize devices to provide input to data processing systems that can then control other devices or systems. These devices and systems can include surgical robots, flight or other vehicle control systems, telephones, lights, air conditioning and heating systems, barriers, wheelchairs, or other mobility devices. Controllable systems also include immersive augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies (e.g., Microsoft HoloLens, Google Glass, etc.). Headset-mounted technologies worn in daily life are difficult to control when hands are used for driving, surgery, walking, or other concurrent tasks. Regarding wheelchairs, previous examples of such control systems could be siphon-and-puff oral control wheelchair systems, lip-controlled joystick wheelchair systems, tongue implant control wheelchair systems, etc. However, siphon-and-puff oral control wheelchair systems are not a tactilely intuitive way to control movement. Furthermore, lip-controlled joystick wheelchair systems are complex, bulky, and require adjustment by another person. Furthermore, tongue-controlled wheelchair systems require a tongue implant to detect changes in magnetic fields or to deliver the necessary taps at a set of contact points. Other implementations of control systems include non-keyboard-based communication tools that use input from a pointing stick and eye trackers. These non-keyboard-based communication tools require dedicated applications, meaning it's difficult to do anything else and requires significant dexterity (using neck muscles to turn the entire head) and attention.

[0035] The illustrative embodiments describe a soft, biologically-shaped, off-center 'controller' that can be configured to be easily manipulated with a body part (e.g., the tongue) but will not be obstructive during other uses (e.g., chewing, swallowing, talking). Movement of this controller by a human user is converted into digital input signals by one or more strain gauges, pressure sensors, or other sensors. These digital input signals are transmitted to a computer system, which may be a smartwatch, phone, laptop, or other such device. There, a classifier trained on the computer system deconvolves these signals into 'control' operations, such as open, close, select, forward, backward, left, right, up, down, or any other arbitrary command. These control commands can then influence the receiving computer system or be passed to another system or controlled device. Input signals from the device generated during daily life can also be used to characterize activities and health states related to chewing, swallowing, coughing, bruxism, temporomandibular joint disorders. The signals are deconvolved in a manner similar to generating control commands with different characteristics.

[0036] Before discussing the various aspects of the illustrative embodiments and the improved computer operations performed by the illustrative embodiments, it should be understood that throughout the description, the term "mechanism" will be used to refer to the elements of the invention that perform various operations, functions, etc. As used herein, the term "mechanism" can be an implementation of a function or aspect of an illustrative embodiment in the form of a device, process, or computer program product. In the case of a process, the process is implemented by one or more devices, apparatuses, computers, data processing systems, etc. In the case of a computer program product, logic represented by computer code or instructions embodied in or on the computer program product is executed by one or more hardware devices to implement a function or perform an operation associated with a particular "mechanism". Thus, the mechanism described herein can be implemented as dedicated hardware, software executed on hardware to thereby configure the hardware to perform a specific function of the invention that the hardware would otherwise not be able to perform, software instructions stored on a medium such that instructions can be readily executed by the hardware to thereby specifically configure the hardware to perform the functions and particular computer operations described herein, a process or method for performing a function, or any combination of the above.

[0037] This specification and claims may use the terms "a," "at least one," and "one or more" to refer to specific features and elements in illustrative embodiments. It should be understood that these terms and phrases are intended to indicate the presence of at least one specific feature or element in a particular illustrative embodiment, but more than one may also be present. That is, these terms / phrases are not intended to limit the specification and claims to the presence of a single feature / element or to require the presence of multiple such features / elements. Rather, these terms / phrases require only at least a single feature / element, while multiple such features / elements may be within the scope of the specification and claims.

[0038] Furthermore, it should be understood that if the term "engine" is used herein with respect to the description of embodiments and features of the invention, it is not intended to limit any particular implementation of actions, steps, processes, etc., attributed to and / or performed by that engine. An engine can be, but is not limited to, software, hardware, and / or firmware, or any combination thereof, that performs the specified function, including but not limited to any use of general-purpose and / or special-purpose processors in conjunction with appropriate software loaded or stored in machine-readable memory and executed by a processor. Further, unless otherwise specified, any name associated with a particular engine is for convenience of reference and is not intended to limit to a particular implementation. Moreover, any function attributed to an engine can be performed by multiple engines, incorporated into and / or combined with the function of another engine of the same or different type, or distributed across one or more engines in various configurations.

[0039] Furthermore, it should be understood that the following description uses multiple different instances of various elements from the illustrative embodiments to further illustrate exemplary implementations of the illustrative embodiments and to aid in understanding the structure of the illustrative embodiments. These examples are intended to be non-limiting and are not exhaustive of the various possibilities for implementing the illustrative embodiments. For those skilled in the art, in view of this specification, many other alternative implementations of these different elements exist besides or in lieu of the examples provided herein, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0040] Therefore, illustrative embodiments can be utilized in many different types of data processing environments. To provide context for describing the specific elements and functions of the illustrative embodiments, the following is provided. Figure 1 and 2 This serves as an example environment in which aspects of the illustrative embodiments may be implemented. It should be understood that... Figure 1 and 2 This is merely an example and is not intended to assert or imply any limitation regarding the environment in which aspects or embodiments of the invention may be practiced. Many modifications may be made to the depicted environment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0041] Figure 1 A graphical representation of an example distributed data processing system in which aspects of exemplary embodiments may be implemented is depicted. The distributed data processing system 100 may include a computer network in which aspects of the illustrative embodiments may be implemented. The distributed data processing system 100 includes at least one network 102, which is a medium for providing communication links between different devices and computers connected together within the distributed data processing system 100. Network 102 may include connections such as wired, wireless communication links, or fiber optic cables.

[0042] In the depicted example, the intraoral control mechanism 116 communicates with any of a set of devices 114, such as a telephone, watch, laptop computer, home hub server, wheelchair, etc., via various wireless protocols (such as Bluetooth, Zigbee, NFC, Wi-Fi, LiFi, 3G, etc.) that can operate interactively and autonomously to a certain extent. The set of devices 114 receives input from the intraoral control mechanism 116 and translates that input into commands or communication primitives using software typically employing machine learning models. These communication requests can be translated into character input for email or other computer functions and cursor movement, wheelchair orientation, health measurements related to speaking, chewing, swallowing, coughing, etc. These communications can be operated on or stored or forwarded on one or more of the set of devices 114. Other devices 118, each with their own protocols, can be controlled or influenced by one or more devices in the set of devices 114 based on input from the intraoral control mechanism 116. These other devices 118 can be connected via a wired network or via various wireless protocols (such as Bluetooth, Zigbee, NFC, Wi-Fi, LiFi, 3G, etc.) and can operate interactively and autonomously to a certain extent. In one example, home lighting and shading are controlled via a home hub connected to the intraoral control mechanism 116. In the depicted example, a set of device servers 104 and 106, along with cloud-based analytics and storage devices 108, are connected to network 102. Furthermore, clients 110 and 112, as well as smart device 114, are also connected to network 102. In the depicted example, server 104 provides data such as boot files, operating system images, and applications to clients 110 and 112 and smart device 114. In the depicted example, clients 110 and 112 are clients of server 104. Clients 110 and 112 can be, for example, personal computers, network computers, etc. The distributed data processing system 100 may include additional servers, clients, and other devices not shown. The cloud-based analytics and storage device 108 is a service delivery model that enables convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, network bandwidth, servers, processing, memory, storage devices, applications, virtual machines, and services), which can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or interaction with the service provider. Thus, the cloud computing environment is service-oriented, focusing on statelessness, loose coupling, modularity, and semantic interoperability. At the heart of cloud computing is the infrastructure comprising a network of interconnected nodes.

[0043] In the depicted example, the distributed data processing system 100 is an internet with a network 102, which represents a global collection of networks and gateways communicating with each other using the Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP) protocol suite. The core of the internet is the backbone of high-speed data communication lines between master nodes or host computers, composed of thousands of commercial, government, educational, and other computer systems routing data and messages. Of course, the distributed data processing system 100 can also be implemented to include multiple different types of networks, such as, for example, intranets, local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), body area networks, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy, near field communication (NFC), etc. As described above, Figure 1 This is intended as an example, and not as an architectural limitation on different embodiments of the invention, and therefore, Figure 1 The specific elements shown should not be considered as limitations regarding the environment in which the illustrative embodiments of the invention may be implemented.

[0044] like Figure 1 As shown, one or more of these computing devices (e.g., 114 and server 104) may be specifically configured to implement control mechanisms for providing input to the computing device or controlling the operation of electronic devices. The configuration of the computing device may include providing application-specific hardware, firmware, etc., to facilitate the execution of the operations described herein with respect to illustrative embodiments and the generation of output. The configuration of the computing device may also, or alternatively, include providing a software application stored in one or more storage devices and loaded into the memory of the computing device (such as server 104), for causing one or more hardware processors of the computing device to execute the software application, configuring the processor to perform operations and generate the output described herein with respect to illustrative embodiments. Furthermore, any combination of application-specific hardware, firmware, software applications executing on the hardware, etc., may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the illustrative embodiments.

[0045] It should be understood that once a computing device is configured in one of these ways, it becomes a dedicated computing device specifically configured to implement the mechanisms of the illustrative embodiments and is not a general-purpose computing device. Furthermore, as described below, the implementation of the mechanisms of the illustrative embodiments improves the functionality of the computing device and provides useful and concrete results that facilitate input to the computing device or control of the operation of electronic devices using intraoral control mechanisms.

[0046] As described above, the apparatus of the illustrative embodiments utilizes specially configured computing devices or data processing systems to perform operations for providing input to the computing devices or controlling electronic devices using intraoral control mechanisms. These computing devices or data processing systems may include various hardware elements that are specifically configured, through hardware configurations, software configurations, or combinations of hardware and software configurations, to implement one or more of the systems / subsystems described herein. Figure 2 This is a block diagram of only one example data processing system in which aspects of the example embodiments can be implemented. Data processing system 200 is a computer (such as...) Figure 1 Examples of servers (104) include computer-usable code or instructions that can be located and / or executed to implement processes and aspects of illustrative embodiments of the invention in order to achieve the operation, output, and external effects of the illustrative embodiments described herein.

[0047] In the depicted example, the data processing system 200 employs a central architecture including a Northbridge and Memory Controller Center (NB / MCH) 202 and a Southbridge and Input / Output (I / O) Controller Center (SB / ICH) 204. The processing unit 206, main memory 208, and graphics processor 210 are connected to the NB / MCH 202. The graphics processor 210 can be connected to the NB / MCH 202 via an Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP).

[0048] In the depicted example, a local area network (LAN) adapter 212 is connected to SB / ICH 204. An audio adapter 216, a user interface 220 (which may be a keyboard, mouse adapter, or intraoral control system 220), a modem 222, a read-only memory (ROM) 224, a hard disk drive (HDD) 226, a storage medium 230, a universal serial bus (USB) port and other communication ports 232, and a PCI / PCIe device 234 are connected to SB / ICH 204 via buses 238 and 240. The PCI / PCIe device may include, for example, an Ethernet adapter, an insert card, and a PC card for a notebook computer. PCI uses a card bus controller, while PCIe does not. ROM 224 may be, for example, a flash memory basic input / output system (BIOS).

[0049] HDD226 and storage medium 230 are connected to SB / ICH204 via bus 240. HDD226 and storage medium 230 can use interfaces such as Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA). Super I / O (SIO) device 236 can be connected to SB / ICH204.

[0050] The operating system runs on processing unit 206. The operating system coordinates and provides... Figure 2The control of different components within the data processing system 200. As a client, the operating system can be a commercially available operating system, such as... Windows Etc. Object-oriented programming systems (such as Java) TM The programming system can run in conjunction with an operating system and execute from Java on the data processing system 200. TM A program or application provides a call to the operating system.

[0051] As a server, the data processing system 200 can be any general-purpose computer system, for example, running any general-purpose operating system. The data processing system 200 can be a symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) system that includes multiple processors in the processing unit 206. Alternatively, a single-processor system can be used.

[0052] The operating system, object-oriented programming system, and instructions for applications or programs reside on a storage device such as HDD 226 and can be loaded into main memory 208 for execution by processing unit 206. The processing of the illustrative embodiments of the invention can be performed by processing unit 206 using computer-usable program code, which may reside in memory, such as main memory 208, ROM 224, or one or more peripheral devices 226 and 230.

[0053] Bus systems (e.g., such as) Figure 2 The bus 238 or bus 240 shown can consist of one or more buses. Of course, a bus system can be implemented using any type of communication structure or architecture that provides data transfer between different components or devices attached to a structure or architecture. Communication units (such as...) Figure 2 The modem 222 or network adapter 212 may include one or more devices for sending and receiving data. The memory may be, for example, main memory 208, ROM 224, or something similar to... Figure 2 The cache is found in NB / MCH202.

[0054] As described above, in some illustrative embodiments, the apparatus of the example embodiments can be implemented as application software, which uses specific hardware, firmware, etc., stored in a storage device (such as HDD 226) and loaded into a memory (such as main memory 208), for execution by one or more hardware processors (such as processing unit 206, etc.). Accordingly, Figure 2The computing device shown is specifically configured to implement the mechanism of the illustrative embodiment and is specifically configured to perform the operations described below with respect to an intraoral control mechanism for providing input to the data processing system 200 via cursor input to the data processing system 200 or controlling the operation of electronic devices (such as electronic device 242), as will be described below.

[0055] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 1 and 2 The hardware within can vary depending on the implementation. (Except for or replacing...) Figure 1 and 2 The hardware described herein can utilize other internal hardware or peripheral devices, such as flash memory, equivalent non-volatile memory, or optical disc drives. Furthermore, the processes of the example embodiments can be applied to multiprocessor data processing systems other than the SMP systems mentioned above, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0056] Furthermore, the data processing system 200 can take the form of any of many different data processing systems, including client computing devices, server computing devices, tablet computers, laptop computers, telephones or other communication devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc. In some illustrative examples, for instance, the data processing system 200 can be a portable computing device configured with flash memory to provide non-volatile storage for operating system files and / or user-generated data. Essentially, the data processing system 200 can be any known or later-developed data processing system without architectural limitations.

[0057] Figure 3An exemplary functional block diagram of an intraoral control mechanism for user-controlled operation of an electronic device, according to an illustrative embodiment, is depicted. The intraoral control mechanism 300 includes a sensor 302, an amplifier 304, an analog-to-digital converter 306, a radio frequency (RF) microcontroller 308, and an antenna 310. The sensor 302 may be one or more sensors, such as strain gauge sensors, pressure sensors, etc., that measure strain, such as stress, force, torque, or other stimuli including displacement, acceleration, or position. The sensor 302 may be made of metal (foil); semiconductors (called piezoresistive, where a substrate material is doped by diffusion of a doped material (typically boron or arsenide for p or n types) to obtain the desired substrate resistance), piezoelectric materials (typically perovskite (PZT)), etc. According to an illustrative embodiment, the sensor 302 is coupled to a control mechanism 312, which may take the form of motion, diffusion, breakage, recoil, bounce, or similar features that induce strain on the control mechanism 312 sensed by the sensor 302 when touched by the user's tongue. That is, the movement of the control mechanism 312 caused by the user's tongue is converted into control signals by the sensor 302, such as open, close, select, forward, backward, left, right, up, down, etc. According to the illustrative embodiment, the control mechanism 312 has 360-degree movement and moves upward followed by downward movement.

[0058] Amplifier 304 receives the control signal and uses power from the power supply to increase the amplitude of the control signal applied to its input terminal, thereby generating a proportionally larger amplitude control signal at its output terminal. Analog-to-digital converter 306 receives the amplified control signal in analog signal form and converts the amplified analog control signal into a digital input signal. Radio frequency (RF) microcontroller 308 receives the digital input signal and modulates the digital input signal onto a desired transmission frequency wave, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC), Body Area Network, Bluetooth Low Energy, etc., and then transmits it via antenna 310. The digital input signal transmitted by RF microcontroller 308 is then received by a matched network antenna (not shown), which is then used by a computer system that interprets the digital input signal into a digital control signal using a pre-trained classifier and other software. The computer system then executes the digital control signal on its own and performs operations associated with the digital control signal, or transmits the digital control signal to the electronic device control mechanism of the electronic device, thereby causing the electronic device, including the electronic device control mechanism, to operate the electronic device in an associated manner.

[0059] According to one illustrative embodiment, the intraoral control mechanism 300 may take the form of a custom-made and removable tooth retainer. The central section of this tooth retainer (i.e., the molded plastic central section fixed to the hard palate in the user's mouth) includes at least a control mechanism 312 and a sensor 302. An amplifier 304, an analog-to-digital converter 306, an RF microcontroller 308, and an antenna 310 may be included within the molded plastic central section or fixed to a wire wrapped around the user's upper teeth and holding the tooth retainer in the user's mouth.

[0060] Since user flexibility varies from user to user, the use of control mechanism 312 can be used as an example to train the wheelchair steering control mechanism. That is, during initial use, the user repeatedly performs a specific operation from a set of actions using control mechanism 312, such as on, off, forward, backward, left, right, up, etc. Therefore, when the user repeatedly performs a specific operation (e.g., forward) using control mechanism 312, the wheelchair steering control mechanism marks the signal received via intraoral control mechanism 300 and associates the received signal with the forward mark, thereby training the wheelchair steering control mechanism. This process is repeated for each operation in the set of actions. After training, when the user moves control mechanism 312, the wheelchair steering control mechanism receives a signal from intraoral control mechanism 300 and moves the wheelchair in the direction associated with the trained signal.

[0061] Therefore, the illustrative embodiment provides a soft, biologically off-center 'controller' that can be configured to be easily manipulated with a body part (e.g., tongue) but will not be obstructive during other uses (e.g., chewing, swallowing, talking). The movement of this controller by the human user is converted into digital signals by sensors, which are deconvoluted by a trained classifier into 'control' operations such as open, close, select, forward, backward, left, right, up, etc. These control operations include signals of orientation, habit, characters, or other input types.

[0062] Figure 4 An intraoral control mechanism (such as...) for user-controlled operation of an electronic device, according to an illustrative embodiment, is depicted. Figure 3 An example of a circuit diagram of an intraoral control mechanism 400. The intraoral control mechanism 400 includes a sensor 402, an amplifier 404, an analog-to-digital converter / RF microcontroller 406, and a matching network antenna 410. Similar to... Figure 3Sensor 302 and sensor 402 can be sensors such as strain gauge sensors, pressure sensors, etc., that measure strain in response to stimuli such as stress, force, torque, or other stimuli including displacement, acceleration, or position. Sensor 402 is shown as a Wheatstone bridge circuit, which is a circuit used to measure an unknown resistance by balancing the two branches of the bridge circuit, one branch of which includes an unknown component. In this case, the unknown component is a piezoresistive sensor. According to an illustrative embodiment, sensor 402 is coupled to a control mechanism that may take the form of movement, extension, disintegration, recoil, bounce, or similar characteristics, which induce strain on the control mechanism sensed by sensor 402 when contacted by the user's tongue. That is, movement of the directional control mechanism by the user's tongue is converted by sensor 402 into directional control signals such as on, off, select, forward, backward, left, right, up, down, etc. Although... Figure 4 Only one sensor 402 is shown. Multiple sensors 402 may be used to provide greater accuracy in detecting the movement of the user's tongue.

[0063] Sensor 402 and Figure 4 Other power-consuming devices can be powered in many different ways. In one embodiment, power can be provided via a rechargeable button battery that can be recharged when the intraoral control system is removed from the user's mouth and placed in a charging station, or via a wireless charging system (such as Near Field Communication (NFC), Radio Frequency (RF) over-the-air charging, etc.) while the intraoral control system is still in the user's mouth. In another embodiment, power can be provided directly via NFC, RF over-the-air charging, etc. In yet another embodiment, energy harvesting circuitry can be used as a power source, such as piezoelectric circuits, triboelectric circuits, chewing-based circuits, etc.

[0064] Amplifier 404 receives this directional control signal and uses power from the power supply to increase the amplitude of the directional control signal applied to its input terminals, thereby generating a proportionally larger amplitude directional control signal at its output terminals. Analog-to-digital converter / RF microcontroller 406 receives this amplified directional control signal in analog form and converts it into a digital directional control signal. This digital directional control signal is then modulated onto a desired transmission frequency wave, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC), Body Area Network, Bluetooth Low Energy, etc., and then transmitted via matching network antenna 410. Matching network antenna 414, coupled to device 416 (which may be one or more of a group of devices, such as a group of devices 114), receives the digital directional control signal transmitted by analog-to-digital converter / RF microcontroller 406, and then the device 416 uses the digital directional control signal to operate associated electronic devices in an associated manner.

[0065] Figures 5A-5D An implementation of an intraoral control mechanism according to an illustrative embodiment is described, as an example, such as Figure 3 Intraoral control mechanism 300 and Figure 4 The intraoral control mechanism 400. As previously mentioned, the intraoral control mechanism 300 / 400 may take the form of a custom-made and removable tooth retainer. Figure 5A An exemplary tooth retainer including an intraoral control mechanism is depicted according to an illustrative embodiment. The tooth retainer 502 includes a molded plastic central section 504 attached to a wire 506 that wraps around the user's upper teeth and holds the tooth retainer 502 in the user's mouth. The molded plastic central section 504 includes at least a direction control mechanism 508 and a sensor 510. The sensor 510 is coupled via a coupling device 512 to other components, namely, an amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter, an RF microcontroller, and an antenna, which may be included within the molded plastic central section 504 or attached to the wire 506. Note that the sensor 510 may be multiple sensors to provide greater accuracy in detecting the movement of the user's tongue. Figure 5A In the illustration, coupling device 512 is shown with six wires. This is because, in this example, sensor 510 utilizes three strain gauges, and each strain gauge requires two wires. Therefore, six wires are merely an example, and sensor 510 can include any number of sensors to provide greater accuracy in detecting the movement of a user's tongue. It should also be noted that all devices (i.e., sensor 510, coupling device 512, etc.) are insulated according to the illustrative embodiment to protect the user.

[0066] Figure 5B Another view of a molded plastic central section 504 according to an exemplary embodiment is shown. As shown, the molded plastic central section 504 includes at least a direction control mechanism 508 and a sensor 510, which are coupled to other components, namely an amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter, an RF microcontroller, and an antenna, via a coupling device 512. Furthermore, other components coupled to the sensor 510 via the coupling device 512 (i.e., the amplifier, the analog-to-digital converter, the RF microcontroller, and the antenna) may be included within the molded plastic central section 504 or attached to wiring surrounding the molded plastic central section 504.

[0067] Figure 5C An enlarged view of the direction control mechanism 508 and sensor 510 according to an illustrative embodiment is depicted. In the depicted example, sensor 510 is illustrated as a foil comprising three strain gauge (piezoresistive) sensors. Again, although Figure 5CSensor 510 is shown with three strain gauges, but the illustrative embodiment recognizes that any number of sensors can be used to provide greater accuracy in detecting the movement of a user's tongue. Figure 5C In the diagram, coupling device 512 is shown with six wires. This is because, in this example, sensor 510 utilizes three strain gauges, and each strain gauge requires two wires. Therefore, six wires are merely an example, and sensor 510 can include any number of sensors to provide greater accuracy in detecting the movement of a user's tongue.

[0068] Figure 5D An enlarged view of a direction control mechanism 508 according to an illustrative embodiment is depicted. As shown, according to the illustrative embodiment, the direction control mechanism 508 is coupled to a sensor 510. In this example, the sensor 510 is illustrated as a foil comprising a strain gauge (piezoresistive) sensor. Again, although Figure 5D Sensor 510 is shown as a strain gauge, but the illustrative embodiment recognizes that any number of sensors can be used to provide greater accuracy in detecting the movement of a user's tongue. Figure 5D In the diagram, coupling device 512 is shown with two wires. This is because, in this example, sensor 510 utilizes a strain gauge, and each strain gauge requires two wires. Therefore, two wires are merely an example, and sensor 510 can include any number of sensors to provide greater accuracy in detecting the movement of a user's tongue.

[0069] Figure 6 An example of an intraoral control mechanism according to an illustrative embodiment is depicted, such as Figure 3 Intraoral control mechanism 300 and Figure 4 An intraoral control mechanism 400 is provided, which will be installed in the user's mouth. As shown, the intraoral control mechanism 600 includes a molded plastic central section 604 attached to a wire 606, which is wound around the user's upper teeth and holds the tooth retainer 502 in the user's mouth. The molded plastic central section 604 includes at least a direction control mechanism 608 and a sensor 610. The sensor 610 is then coupled via a coupling device 612 to other components, namely, an amplifier, an analog-to-digital converter, an RF microcontroller, and an antenna, which may be included within the molded plastic central section 604 or attached to the wire 606. It should also be noted that all devices (i.e., sensor 610, coupling device 612, etc.) are insulated according to the illustrative embodiment to protect the user.

[0070] The present invention can be a system, method, and / or computer program product. A computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium (or media) having computer-readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to execute aspects of the present invention.

[0071] Computer-readable storage media can be tangible means for retaining and storing instructions for use by an instruction execution device. Computer-readable storage media can be, for example, but not limited to, electronic storage devices, magnetic storage devices, optical storage devices, electromagnetic storage devices, semiconductor storage devices, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of computer-readable storage media includes: portable computer disks, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), static random access memory (SRAM), portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital universal disk (DVD), memory sticks, floppy disks, mechanical encoding devices such as punch cards or protrusions in slots having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. As used herein, computer-readable storage media should not be construed as transient signals themselves, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through waveguides or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through fiber optic cables), or electrical signals transmitted through wires.

[0072] The computer-readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to a suitable computing / processing device via a network (e.g., the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, and / or a wireless network), or to an external computer or external storage device. The network may include copper cables, optical fibers, wireless transmissions, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives the computer-readable program instructions from the network and forwards them to a computer-readable storage medium within the suitable computing / processing device.

[0073] Computer-readable program instructions for performing the operations of this invention may be assembly instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, or source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​(such as Java, Smalltalk, C++, etc.) and conventional procedural programming languages ​​(such as Python or similar programming languages). The computer-readable program instructions may be executed entirely on a user's computer, partially on a user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on a user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter case, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer via any type of network (including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)) or may be connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or programmable logic arrays (PLAs) may be personalized to execute computer-readable program instructions by utilizing state information from the computer-readable program instructions in order to perform aspects of this invention.

[0074] The present invention will now be described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It should be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0075] These computer-readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of a flowchart and / or block diagram. These computer-readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that causes a computer, programmable data processing apparatus, and / or other device to operate in a particular manner, such that the computer-readable storage medium storing the instructions includes an article of manufacture containing instructions that implement aspects of the functions / actions specified in one or more blocks of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0076] Computer-readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device to produce computer-implemented processing, such that the instructions executed on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device perform the functions / actions specified in one or more boxes of a flowchart and / or block diagram.

[0077] Figure 7 An exemplary flowchart depicts an operation performed by an intraoral control mechanism according to an illustrative embodiment, enabling a user to control the operation of an electronic device. When operation begins, sensors of the intraoral control mechanism detect strain in the form of stress, force, torque, or other stimuli including displacement, acceleration, or position (step 702). The strain detected by the sensors originates from the control mechanism, which, when contacted by the user's tongue, may take the form of movement, expansion, disintegration, recoil, rebound, or similar characteristics. Using the detected strain, the sensors convert the detected strain into control signals (step 704), such as on, off, select, forward, backward, left, right, up, down, etc.

[0078] The amplifier in the intraoral control mechanism uses power from the power supply to amplify the amplitude of the control signal, thereby generating a proportionally larger amplitude control signal, i.e., an amplified control signal (step 706). The analog-to-digital converter in the intraoral control mechanism converts the amplified control signal, which is an analog signal, into a digital input signal (step 708). Then, the radio frequency (RF) microcontroller in the intraoral control mechanism modulates the digital input signal onto the desired transmission frequency wave (step 710). The RF microcontroller then transmits the digital input signal to the computer system via a matched antenna system (step 712). The computer system then interprets the digital input signal into a digital control signal using a pre-trained classifier and other software, causing the computer system to execute the digital control signal on its own and perform the desired operation, or the computer system to transmit the digital control signal to the electronic device control mechanism of the electronic device, thereby causing the electronic device, which includes the electronic device control mechanism, to operate the electronic device as indicated by the digital control signal. The operation then ends and may or may not be stored for analysis.

[0079] Figure 8An exemplary flowchart depicts an operation performed by a computer system according to an illustrative embodiment, the computer system receiving digital input signals from an intraoral control mechanism to control the operation of electronic devices. According to one or more embodiments of the invention, the intraoral control system includes providing sensors comprising one or more strain gauges establishing a human-machine interface (step 802), the human-machine interface being output by the sensors as a signal relating to stress on the strain gauges (step 804). A receiver receives the signal output by the sensors (step 806) and processes the signal to determine a parameter of interest (step 808). According to one or more embodiments of the invention, the parameter of interest is a characterization of motion that can aid in the performance of mobility, transportation, communication, daily life activities, and work-related activities. It should be understood that the parameters described herein are exemplary, and those skilled in the art will recognize that additional parameters may be mapped to the signals output by the sensors. According to this illustrative embodiment, the parameter of interest is then operated on and / or forwarded to another machine (step 810).

[0080] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a machine learning process (step 812) establishes a mapping from a signal (e.g., a waveform signal) to a parameter of interest for the sensor (step 808). In step 808, this mapping is used in signal processing. For example, the sensor's output can be instrumented to determine whether a given waveform corresponds to a specific movement.

[0081] According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the machine learning process at step 812 and the signal processing at step 808 are applicable to mobility devices that assist people who cannot walk on their own, such as wheelchairs, walkers, and canes.

[0082] According to an embodiment of the invention, for the representation of motion, the machine learning in step 812 includes a training period. The machine learning process in step 812 also includes estimating a piecewise linear regression model from strain measurements and motion measurements. Given a piecewise linear regression model (i.e., step 812), in this exemplary case, signal processing in step 808 inputs signals into the model to predict parameters of interest. According to an embodiment of the invention, the signal processing at step 808 includes grouping / clustering the received strain signals (see step 806) into movements. The signal processing at step 808 includes recording strain signals over time (e.g., during different visits to a physician or technician, when within the wireless communication range of the receiver, etc.), wherein strain is observed for one or more movements, and the strain is compared over time.

[0083] Given strain measurements and known movement, the machine learning in step 812 includes grouping the strain measurements corresponding to the known movement, applying Dynamic Time Warping (DTW), and recognizing idioms. DTW is a method for measuring the similarity between two time series of velocity changes. In one or more embodiments of the invention, the DTW method is applied to compensate for variability (e.g., different subjects doing things at different speeds), where DTW outputs a set of aligned strain measurements. The machine learning at step 812 further includes generating a classifier (e.g., k-nearest neighbors, support vector machines (SVMs), neural networks, etc.) trained using strain measurements mapped to character and gesture labels. According to an embodiment of the invention, the signal processing in step 808 receives signals from the sensor and uses the classifier to predict characters and / or gestures from the received signals.

[0084] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the accompanying drawings illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. Each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, including one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than indicated in the figures. For example, depending on the functions involved, two consecutively shown blocks may actually be executed substantially simultaneously, or these blocks may sometimes be executed in reverse order. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowcharts, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or action or executes a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0085] Therefore, illustrative embodiments provide mechanisms for intraoral control mechanisms that allow a user to control the operation of electronic devices. Illustrative embodiments provide a soft, biologically off-center 'controller' that can be configured to be easily manipulated with a body part (e.g., the tongue) but does not obstruct movement during other uses (e.g., chewing, swallowing, talking). Movements of this controller by the human user are converted into digital signals by sensors, which are deconvolved by a trained classifier into 'control' operations such as open, close, select, forward, backward, left, right, up, etc.

[0086] As described above, it should be understood that illustrative embodiments may take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment that includes both hardware and software elements. In one exemplary embodiment, the mechanisms of the illustrative embodiment are implemented in software or program code, which includes, but is not limited to, firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.

[0087] A data processing system suitable for storing and / or executing program code will include at least one processor, which is directly or indirectly coupled to memory elements via a communication bus, such as a system bus. Memory elements may include local memory used during the actual execution of the program code, mass storage, and cache memory that provides temporary storage for at least some of the program code to reduce the number of times code must be retrieved from mass storage during execution. Memory can be of various types, including but not limited to ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, DRAM, SRAM, flash memory, solid-state memory, etc.

[0088] Input / output (I / O) devices (including but not limited to keyboards, displays, pointing devices, etc.) can be coupled to the system directly or via intermediate wired or wireless I / O interfaces and / or controllers. I / O devices can take many different forms besides conventional keyboards, displays, pointing devices, etc., such as communication devices coupled via wired or wireless connections, including but not limited to smartphones, tablet computers, touchscreen devices, voice recognition devices, etc. Any known or subsequently developed I / O devices are intended to be within the scope of the illustrative embodiments.

[0089] Network adapters can also be coupled to the system, enabling the data processing system to couple to other data processing systems or remote printers or storage devices via an intermediary private or public network. Modems, cable modems, and Ethernet cards are just a few of the currently available types of network adapters for wired communications. Wireless communication-based network adapters can also be used, including but not limited to 802.11a / b / g / n wireless communication adapters, Bluetooth wireless adapters, etc. Any known or subsequently developed network adapters are included within the spirit and scope of this invention.

[0090] The invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, its practical application, and to enable others skilled in the art to understand the various embodiments of the invention with various modifications suitable for the particular intended use. The terminology used herein has been chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiments, their practical application, or technical improvements to technology found in the market, or to enable those skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system comprising at least one processor and at least one memory, wherein the at least one memory includes instructions executed by the at least one processor to configure the at least one processor to implement an intraoral control mechanism that allows a user to control the operation of a computer system or electronic device, the method comprising: receiving a digital input signal from the intraoral control mechanism, wherein receiving the digital input signal from the intraoral control mechanism is performed by the intraoral control mechanism by: detecting, by a sensor of the intraoral control mechanism, a strain resulting from a user's tongue moving the control mechanism away from a fixed position; converting, by the sensor, the detected strain into a control signal; amplifying, by an amplifier of the intraoral control mechanism, the amplitude of the control signal, thereby producing an amplified control signal; converting, by an analog-to-digital converter of the intraoral control mechanism, the amplified control signal into a digital input signal; modulating, by a radio frequency (RF) microcontroller of the intraoral control mechanism, the digital input signal onto a transmission frequency wave; transmitting, by the RF microcontroller, the digital input signal to the computer system; applying, by the computer system, dynamic time warping (DTW) to a strain measurement derived from the digital input signal, resulting in an aligned strain measurement; predicting, by the computer system, a character or gesture from the aligned strain measurement by using a machine learning classifier trained on strain measurements mapped to character and gesture labels; performing, by the computer system, an operation based on the predicted character or gesture; and saving the digital input signal for analysis and characterization of the user. the intraoral control mechanism is contained within a dental retainer worn by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, the molded plastic center segment comprises at least the control mechanism and the sensor.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the dental retainer comprises a molded plastic central section that is attached to the user's hard palate in the mouth, and wherein, the amplifier, the analog-to-digital converter, the microcontroller, and the antenna are included within the molded plastic center segment.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, the amplifier, the analog-to-digital converter, the microcontroller, and the antenna are included within a wire attached to the molded plastic center segment, the wire being wrapped around the user's upper teeth and holding the dental retainer in the user's mouth.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein, the control mechanism has 360 degrees of motion and an upward motion is followed by a downward motion.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, the sensor is selected from a group comprising a metallic structure, a piezoresistive structure, or a piezoelectric structure.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, the strain is selected from a group comprising a force, a torque, a displacement, an acceleration, or a position.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, the control mechanism is a protrusion on a molded plastic center segment of a dental retainer, and wherein the protrusion is selected from a group comprising a motion protrusion, an expansion protrusion, a decomposition protrusion, a recoil protrusion, or a bounce-back protrusion.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein, the control signal indicates an operation for the electronic device, and wherein the operation is selected from a group comprising: on, off, select, forward, backward, left, right, up, down, or any other arbitrarily defined operation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein, 11. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and ​ ​ at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one memory includes instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to allow a user to control operation of a computer system or electronic device, and further cause the at least one processor to: receive a digital input signal from an intraoral control mechanism, wherein the digital input signal is received from the intraoral control mechanism by the intraoral control mechanism performing the following: detect, by a sensor of the intraoral control mechanism, a strain resulting from movement of the control mechanism away from a fixed position by a tongue of a user; convert, by the sensor, the detected strain into a control signal; amplify, by an amplifier of the intraoral control mechanism, an amplitude of the control signal, resulting in an amplified control signal; convert, by an analog-to-digital converter of the intraoral control mechanism, the amplified control signal into a digital input signal; modulate, by a radio frequency (RF) microcontroller of the intraoral control mechanism, the digital input signal onto a transmission frequency wave; and transmit, by the RF microcontroller, the digital input signal to the computer system; apply, by the computer system, dynamic time warping (DTW) to strain measurements derived from the digital input signal, resulting in aligned strain measurements; predict, by the computer system, a character or gesture from the aligned strain measurements by using a machine learning classifier trained on strain measurements mapped to character and gesture labels; perform, by the computer system, an operation based on the predicted character or gesture; and save the digital input signal for analysis and characterization of the user.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, the intraoral control mechanism is contained within a dental retainer worn by the user.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein, the dental retainer includes a molded plastic center segment that attaches to a hard palate in a mouth of the user, and wherein the molded plastic center segment includes at least the control mechanism and the sensor.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein, the amplifier, the analog-to-digital converter, the microcontroller, and the antenna are included within the molded plastic center segment.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein, the amplifier, the analog-to-digital converter, the microcontroller, and the antenna are included within a wire attached to the molded plastic center segment, the wire wrapping around upper teeth of the user and holding the dental retainer in the mouth of the user.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, the control mechanism has 360 degrees of motion and an upward motion is followed by a downward motion.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, the sensor is selected from a group including a metallic structure, a piezoresistive structure, or a piezoelectric structure.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, the strain is selected from a group including a force, a torque, a displacement, an acceleration, or a position.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein, the control mechanism is a protrusion on a molded plastic center segment of a dental retainer, and wherein the protrusion is selected from a group including a motion protrusion, an expansion protrusion, a decomposition protrusion, a recoil protrusion, or a bounce-back protrusion.

20. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program for allowing a user to control the operation of a computer system or an electronic device stored therein, wherein, when the computer-readable program is executed on a data processing system, the computer-readable program causes the data processing system to: receive a digital input signal from an intraoral control mechanism, wherein the digital input signal is received from the intraoral control mechanism by the intraoral control mechanism performing the following: detecting, by a sensor of the intraoral control mechanism, a strain resulting from movement of the control mechanism away from a fixed position by a tongue of a user; converting, by the sensor, the detected strain into a control signal; amplifying, by an amplifier of the intraoral control mechanism, an amplitude of the control signal to produce an amplified control signal; converting, by an analog-to-digital converter of the intraoral control mechanism, the amplified control signal into a digital input signal; modulating, by a radio frequency (RF) microcontroller of the intraoral control mechanism, the digital input signal onto a transmission frequency wave; and transmitting, by the RF microcontroller, the digital input signal to the computer system; applying, by the computer system, dynamic time warping (DTW) to strain measurements derived from the digital input signal to produce aligned strain measurements; predicting, by the computer system, a character or gesture from the aligned strain measurements by using a machine learning classifier trained on strain measurements mapped to character and gesture labels; performing, by the computer system, an operation based on the predicted character or gesture; and saving the digital input signal for analysis and characterization of the user.

Images