System and method

Abstract

A system. The system comprises: at least one mechanical interaction element configured for interacting with a user; a sensor configured to measure a user's interaction with the at least one mechanical interaction element in order to obtain interaction data; the data storage unit is used for storing previously acquired interaction data related to the user; and a processor configured to compare the obtained interaction data with the stored interaction data.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a system and a method. Background Art

[0002] As people increasingly rely on computing devices in all areas of life, ensuring secure access to them is critical. Fundamental to avoiding security breaches is by determining the identity of the user, and therefore whether he / she should be authorized to access information or capabilities on a particular computing device.

[0003] For example, a computing device may be used to authorize access to a computer network or physical building. In this case, it is desirable to determine the identity of any user wishing to access the network or building before granting access to prevent a breach of security.

[0004] Various methods of determining a user's identity are known, including, for example, entering a password or tracing a pattern to replicate a preset unlock gesture. However, such methods can be slow and cumbersome to use. Furthermore, they are also susceptible to simple shoulder surface attacks. Short passwords and unlock gestures can be easily retrieved by simply observing a user authenticate once on his / her device, while longer and more complex passwords and unlock gestures can significantly slow down the user identification process.

[0005] Biometrics, i.e., identification based on body measurements and / or calculations associated with human characteristics, offer an alternative that is easier to use (ensuring compliance) and more secure. For example, fingerprint and facial recognition are already widely used in the field of mobile electronic devices. However, such means for user identification can be unreliable under suboptimal usage conditions or under conditions that differ from the initial training conditions. For example, most fingerprint recognition systems have difficulty operating if the user's fingers are misplaced or wet, and do not operate at all if the user is wearing gloves. Similarly, facial recognition systems are often difficult to operate in low lighting conditions or when the user has not properly positioned their face relative to the facial recognition system's camera.

[0006] It would therefore be desirable to provide an alternative user determination system that is easy and intuitive to use, and that is also capable of reliably determining the identity of a user under a wide range of usage conditions.

[0007] The present invention is designed in view of the above considerations. Summary of the invention

[0008] Thus, in an embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, a system comprises:

[0009] at least one mechanical interaction element configured to interact with a user;

[0010] a sensor configured to measure a user's interaction with the at least one mechanical interaction element to obtain interaction data;

[0011] A data storage unit, which is used to store previously acquired interaction data related to the user; and

[0012] A processor is configured to compare the obtained interaction data with the stored interaction data.

[0013] The system according to this aspect includes at least one mechanical interaction element that can be easily and intuitively engaged by a user under various conditions of use. Then, the sensor of the system is capable of measuring the interaction, providing the obtained interaction data, which can be used, for example, to determine the identity of the user. That is, the system can be a user identification system for determining the identity of the user using the interaction data obtained from the user, and wherein the processor is configured to compare the obtained interaction data with the stored interaction data to determine the similarity between the obtained interaction data and the stored interaction data to allow the user identity to be determined. The obtained interaction data can be provided to, for example, a trained machine classifier to compare it with pre-stored historical interaction data. The comparison process can include, for example, using fuzzy analysis to establish the similarity between the two data sets. Therefore, reliable determination of the user's identity can be achieved by using an easy and intuitive system. The system can be a health monitoring system for determining the health of the user using the interaction data obtained from the user, and wherein the processor is configured to compare the obtained interaction data with the stored interaction data to determine whether the health of the user has changed.

[0014] The present invention includes any combination of the described aspects and preferred features unless such a combination is expressly impermissible or expressly intended to be avoided.

[0015] Optional features of the invention will now be described. These may be applied alone or in any combination with any aspect of the invention.

[0016] The interaction data obtained by the sensor is one or any combination of force data, displacement data, time data. These types of data can indicate the identity of the user, cannot be easily replicated by different users, and are generally not affected by changes in external conditions during use (such as changes in ambient light or humidity or the presence of protective clothing such as gloves). This makes them suitable for achieving reliable user identification.

[0017] The interaction data may include force data and / or displacement data in the range of 1 mm to 100 mm. That is, the force data and / or displacement data may indicate a range of motion of the mechanical interaction element in the range of 1 mm to 100 mm.

[0018] The interaction data obtained by the sensor may include multiple groups of interaction data collected over multiple time periods, with each group of interaction data having an interval of at least 1 ms, 5 ms, 10 ms, 50 ms or 100 ms.

[0019] A sensor may be integrated with another object or entity. For example, a sensor may be integrated into a door handle or other part of a door so that when a user grasps or pushes the door handle or other part of the door, interaction data is obtained. This obtained interaction may then be used to determine whether to unlock the door, for example by comparing with previously obtained interaction data. Similarly, a sensor may be integrated with a part of a car, such as a steering wheel, door handle, gear lever, or handbrake. When a user interacts with it, it may be determined whether the user is considered to be recognized by comparing the interaction data with previously obtained interaction data. If so, the steering wheel / door may be unlocked or the engine may be allowed to start.

[0020] The processor may be configured to store the obtained interaction data for comparison with future obtained interaction data. Each set of interaction data corresponding to a given entry may be recorded for a limited time period, such as no more than 60 seconds, 30 seconds, or 10 seconds. Each data set (which may include one or more interaction data sets) may be compared with subsequent or previous data sets to identify overall similarities and differences, as well as specific similarities and differences using a data comparison algorithm.

[0021] The at least one mechanical interaction element may be configured to interact with a user, because it may include one or more surfaces that a user may push or pull to provide interaction. The mechanical interaction element may be configured to interact with a user so as to move a minimum distance, such as 1 mm, 2 mm, 5 mm, 1 cm, or 5 cm, during interaction. For example, the at least one mechanical interaction element may be a pin. Interacting with the pin is easy and intuitive, and interaction data suitable for user identity determination may be extracted. In addition, the user may interact with the pin by applying force to the pin. Therefore, even when wearing gloves, the user may interact with the pin without compromising the reliability of the user identification performed. This is particularly useful in industrial applications, where the user may have to wear protective clothing when performing most tasks. Advantageously, this type of interaction with the pin is also not susceptible to external conditions such as ambient light levels or humidity. This also improves the reliability of the user identification system.

[0022] There may be a plurality of interactive elements, each being a pin, the plurality of pins being arranged to form a grid. Similar to a single pin, a pin grid is easy and intuitive to interact with, and a user may interact even, for example, while wearing gloves and / or in suboptimal external conditions. Furthermore, by using a pin grid, more detailed interaction data may be obtained, which further increases the reliability of the user identity determination performed by the system.

[0023] The processor may be configured to derive a characteristic indicative of the identity of the user from the obtained interaction data, and to use the derived characteristic in the comparison. That is, the obtained interaction data may be processed to obtain the derived characteristic, and in some embodiments of the derived characteristic, the derived characteristic is used in the comparison. The comparison for determining the similarity between the obtained interaction data and the stored interaction data may use one or both of the original obtained interaction data (i.e., unprocessed) and the derived characteristic, i.e., the system may consider both or only one when determining the similarity. Deriving additional characteristics from the obtained original data may be beneficial because a more detailed and therefore reliable determination of the identity of the user may be achieved.

[0024] The characteristics may include shape information, wherein the shape information may be used to determine the shape of a body part of a user for interacting with an interactive element. For example, a user may use their hands to interact with an interactive element. Thus, the system will obtain interaction data and derive shape information from the interaction data, thereby characterizing the shape of the user's hands for further use in user identity determination. The shape information is largely unaffected by external conditions (such as light levels or humidity) or the presence of protective clothing (such as gloves) during use.

[0025] The data storage unit and the processor may be located in a server (or another computing device) connected to a data collection unit, the data collection unit comprising the at least one mechanical interaction element and the sensor. Thus, the data collection unit may be designed to be compact and portable, and the user may conveniently connect it to the data storage unit and the processor when they need to determine their identity. Alternatively, the data storage unit and the processor may be located in the same data collection unit, the data collection unit also comprising the at least one mechanical interaction element and the sensor.

[0026] The user identification system may further include a drive mechanism coupled to the mechanical interaction element and configured to provide a force to the mechanical interaction element in response to a user interaction. The response force may be used to provide feedback to the user.

[0027] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method of using the system of the first aspect, the method comprising the steps of:

[0028] measuring user interaction with the at least one mechanical interaction element and obtaining interaction data; and

[0029] The obtained interaction data is compared with the stored interaction data.

[0030] The method may be used to determine a user identity using interaction data obtained from the user, and further comprises the step of determining a similarity between the obtained interaction data and stored interaction data to allow determination of the identity of the user.

[0031] The method may be used to determine the health of a user using interaction data obtained from the user, and further comprises the step of determining whether the health of the user has changed.

[0032] The system used in the second aspect may have any one or any combination of optional features as long as they are compatible with the system of the first aspect.

[0033] The method may further comprise the steps of deriving a characteristic indicative of the identity of the user, and using the derived characteristic in the comparison. As discussed above with reference to the system of the first aspect, the characteristic may comprise shape information relating to the shape of a body part of the user used to interact with the interactive element. Therefore, in addition to using the obtained raw interaction data for user determination purposes, it may be beneficial to derive additional characteristics from the interaction data to enable a more refined and therefore reliable user identity determination. Shape information relating to the shape of a body part of the user used to interact with the interactive element (e.g., the shape of a user's hand) is particularly useful for user identity determination because it indicates the identity of the user and it is generally not affected by external conditions during use, as discussed previously.

[0034] The method may further include providing a force to the mechanical interaction element via a drive mechanism coupled to the mechanical interaction element in response to the user interaction.

[0035] The method may be a computer implemented method.

[0036] In a third aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a method for registering a user with a system (e.g., a user identification system), the method comprising the following steps:

[0037] Measuring user interaction with at least one mechanical interaction element via a sensor and obtaining interaction data; and

[0038] The obtained interaction data is stored for use in a method for determining the identity of the user.

[0039] This method of registering users allows the creation of a database of interaction data associated with different users, which can then be compared with newly acquired interaction data during user identity determination. The stored information can also be used to train machine learning software to facilitate high accuracy of the user identity determination process that can be performed using the stored data.

[0040] The method may be a computer implemented method.

[0041] The method of the third aspect may be performed on or using the system of the first aspect, including any optional features set forth with reference thereto. That is, the method may be performed on or using the sensor, at least one mechanical interaction element, a data storage unit and a processor of the system of the first aspect.

[0042] The interaction data may be one of force data, displacement data, time data, or any combination thereof. These types of data may indicate the identity of the user, cannot be easily replicated by different users, and are generally not affected by changes in external conditions during use (e.g., changes in ambient light or humidity, or the presence of protective clothing). Therefore, they are suitable for achieving reliable user identity determination.

[0043] The method may further comprise deriving a characteristic indicative of the user from the obtained interaction data, and storing the characteristic for use in the method of determining the identity of the user. As discussed with reference to the method of the second aspect, the characteristic may comprise shape information relating to the shape of a body part of the user for interacting with the interactive element. Thus, by deriving additional characteristics from the interaction data for use in the comparison, a more refined and therefore reliable determination of the identity of the user may be achieved.

[0044] In a fourth aspect, an embodiment of the present invention provides a user registration system, the user registration system comprising:

[0045] at least one mechanical interaction element configured to interact with a user;

[0046] a sensor configured to measure a user's interaction with the at least one mechanical interaction element to obtain interaction data; and

[0047] A data storage unit is configured to store the obtained interaction data.

[0048] The user registration system may be used to register a user with the user identification system according to the first aspect.

[0049] The system is suitable for carrying out the method of the third aspect, and may optionally include additional features suitable for carrying out the optional method steps of the third aspect.The system of the fourth aspect may comprise or be formed from components of the system of the first aspect.

[0050] Other aspects of the present invention provide: a computer program comprising code, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method of the second and / or third aspects; a computer-readable medium storing a computer program comprising code, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the method of the second and / or third aspects; and a computer system programmed to perform the method of the second and / or third aspects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0052] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a data collection unit;

[0053] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a user identification system is shown;

[0054] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing a user registration system according to aspects of the present invention is shown;

[0055] Figure 4A and Figure 4B An external perspective view and an internal perspective view of a data collection unit are shown respectively;

[0056] FIG. 5A to FIG. 5D They are shown respectively Figure 1 a perspective view, two different perspective cross-sectional views, and a cross-sectional side view of a data collection unit with the pin guard omitted;

[0057] Fig. 6A and Figure 6B Shows Figure 1 A perspective view of the drive mechanism and pins of the data collection unit, and Figure 6C Shows Figure 6B A detailed view of area A;

[0058] Figure 7 and Figure 8 A flowchart showing the steps of various variations of a method of determining a user identity according to aspects of the present invention;

[0059] Fig. 9 and Fig.10 A flowchart showing the steps of various variations of a method of registering a user according to aspects of the present invention; and

[0060] Fig.11 A flow chart showing steps of a method of monitoring a user's health according to aspects of the present invention.

[0061] Detailed description and further optional features

[0062] Various aspects and embodiments of the present invention will now be discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings. Other aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0063] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a data collection unit is shown. Unit 1 includes a mechanical interaction element 3, such as a pin or a rod, which can be connected to a drive mechanism, and when a user interacts with the mechanical interaction element, the drive mechanism is operable to provide a reaction force or a response force to the user. The drive mechanism may include a motor or a spring for providing a driving force to the interactive element, the spring being in a tension / compression state when interacting with the user, and the spring being attached to the interactive element. Other interactive elements, such as surfaces, panels, components or other suitable geometric structures can be used. In further embodiments, the interactive element includes one or more flexible membranes that wrap the fluid. In these embodiments, the drive mechanism can be a pump, which can increase or decrease the fluid pressure in the flexible membrane by discharging or adding fluid. A drive mechanism in the form of a motor 5 provides a driving force 7 to the interactive element, and the driving force can move the interactive element in response to user interaction. The interactive element can also be manually moved by the user 8 applying an external force 9 to the interactive element. Therefore, the movement of the interactive element depends on the direction and magnitude of the sum of the driving force and the external force.

[0064] The processor 11 is arranged to control the drive mechanism 5 and the drive force 7 as required. A position encoder (not shown, but which may be located in the motor itself) reports the current position of the interactive element 3 to the processor 11. Additionally, a sensor 15 is provided which is physically separated from the drive mechanism in some embodiments and which measures the level of interaction of the user 8. Typically, the sensor is a force sensor, such as a load cell, which directly measures the external force 15 applied by the user to the interactive element. For example, the force sensor may be a Richmond 210 capable of measuring forces of 0N to 100N. TM Inline load cells. The measured external forces are reported to a processor. In embodiments where the interactive element comprises one or more flexible membranes encasing a fluid, the sensor 15 may be a pressure sensor configured to sense the pressure of the fluid, or the sensor may measure the amount of fluid entering or leaving the space defined by the flexible membrane via an outlet conduit.

[0065] The measured position and the measured external force form interaction data, which the processor 11 provides to the network socket 13A. The interaction data may also optionally include time information characterizing the interaction.

[0066] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a user identification system comprising a data collection unit 1 connected to a server 2 via a network 21 is shown. Typically, the network is the Internet. However, the network may also be a dedicated wired connection or a dedicated wireless connection. The server 2 comprises a data storage unit 18 for storing interaction data, a processor 16 for comparing the interaction obtained by the data collection unit 1 with the interaction data stored by the data storage unit, and a network socket 13B. The interaction data is provided to the server 2 via the network socket 13B. The processor 16 of the server 2 then accesses the obtained interaction data, which includes the measured position of the interaction element 3 and the measured external force 9 applied to the interaction element. Therefore, the processor 16 of the server 2 can determine the similarity between the obtained interaction data and the stored interaction data, for example by adopting a fuzzy analysis, to allow the identity of the user to be determined.

[0067] Additionally, the processor 16 of the server 2 may be configured to derive characteristics indicative of the identity of the user 8 from the obtained interaction data, and compare them with corresponding stored characteristics to determine similarities between the two for user identification purposes.

[0068] The processor 11 of the data collection device 1 and the processor 16 of the server 2 can both be configured to derive characteristics from the interaction data. For example, the processor 16 of the server 2 can derive one characteristic from the obtained interaction data and derive another characteristic from the interaction data stored in the data storage unit 18, and then compare the two characteristics. The processors 11, 16 can derive the characteristics by performing one or more calculations using the obtained interaction data and a preset calculation model (e.g., a formula or a set of formulas).

[0069] The characteristic may be shape information. For example, the user 8 may use their hand to interact with the mechanical interaction element 3. The processor 16 of the server will then access the obtained interaction data and derive shape information characterizing the shape of the user's hand therefrom for further use in user identification determination. Shape information is suitable for user identification determination because it is largely unaffected by external conditions (such as light level or humidity) or the presence of protective clothing (such as gloves) during use.

[0070] In some scenarios, the user 8 may apply an external force to the mechanical interaction element 3 that is opposite to and exceeds the driving force. This may result in an interaction measurement gap or recoil in the system 22, which hinders the performance of the system and the overall user experience, and it is therefore desirable to prevent these. To this end, the interactive element may be allowed to reverse drive the drive mechanism. In this way, the position of the interactive element may be continuously monitored when the interactive element is pushed in the opposite direction, thereby preventing a measurement gap or recoil in the system 22. Alternatively, the interactive element may be allowed to slide in the drive mechanism, and its position may be remeasured to prevent recoil.

[0071] In another embodiment of the user identification system, the processor 11 in the data collection unit is further configured to perform the comparison (and optionally derive the characteristic(s)). In addition, the data storage unit 18 (previously in the server) storing the interaction data is located at Figure 1 In the data collection unit of the server. Instead of the processor 16 in the server, the processor 11 of the data collection unit can compare the obtained interaction data and optionally its derived characteristics with the interaction data and its corresponding characteristics stored in the data storage unit. In such an embodiment, the server 2 is no longer needed because the data collection unit 1 performs the core functions of the system.

[0072] Optionally, the user identification system may transmit the interaction data and / or the user identification result to another device connected to the same network, such as a server responsible for access control to the building via its network socket.

[0073] The (one or more) characteristics derived from the stored interaction data may be stored in a data storage unit (on the server 2 or data collection unit 1) together with their corresponding interaction data, so that the processor 11 or 16 may use both in a comparison with the obtained interaction data and their corresponding characteristics. In other examples, the respective processor first accesses the stored interaction data, then derives the corresponding characteristics therefrom, and uses the derived characteristics (and optionally, the stored interaction data) in the comparison. Optionally, the user identification system may include a network socket for transmitting the interaction data and / or the user identification results to another device (e.g., a server) connected to the same network.

[0074] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of a user registration system 24 is shown. The system 24 includes a mechanical interaction element 3, such as Figure 2The same type of pin or rod used in the user identification system 22 of FIG. 5 is provided by a drive mechanism in the form of a motor 5 to provide a driving force 7 to the interactive element that moves the interactive element. The interactive element can also be moved manually by a user 8 applying an external force 9 to the interactive element. The movement of the interactive element thus depends on the direction and magnitude of the sum of the driving force and the external force.

[0075] Provide with Figure 2 The same type of processor 11 as the processor of the data collection unit of the controller controls the drive mechanism 5 and the drive force 7. A position encoder (not shown, but which may be located in the motor itself) reports the current position of the interactive element 3 to the processor 11. Figure 2 A sensor 15 of the same type as the sensor of the user identification system 22, physically separated from the drive mechanism, measures the level of interaction of the user 8. The measured external force is reported to the processor 11. In the example where the interactive element comprises one or more flexible membranes enclosing a fluid, the sensor 15 may be a pressure sensor configured to sense the pressure of the fluid, or the sensor may measure the amount of fluid entering or leaving the space defined by the flexible membrane via an outlet conduit.

[0076] The measured position and the measured external force form interaction data, and the processor 11 stores the interaction data on the data storage unit 20. The interaction data may also optionally include time information characterizing the interaction. The processor 11 may also be configured to derive a characteristic indicating the identity of the user 8 from the obtained interaction data and store it in the data storage unit 20. Figure 2 In the user identification system 22, the characteristic may be shape information characterizing the shape of a body part of the user for interacting with the interactive element. Shape information is suitable for user identification determination because it is largely unaffected by external conditions (such as light level or humidity) or the presence of protective clothing (such as gloves) during use.

[0077] Additionally or alternatively, the user registration system 24 may further have a network socket configured to communicate with the data storage unit 20 and / or the processor 11 to access the obtained interaction data and share it via a network to another device (e.g., a server) connected to the network for storage. Typically, the network is the Internet. However, the network may also be a dedicated wired connection or a dedicated wireless connection.

[0078] Alternative embodiments of the user identification system 22 and the user registration system 24 may include multiple interactive elements and drive mechanisms. For example, an array of pins may be provided that can sense and transmit more details about the user's movements. For example, the pins may be arranged to form a grid, and the user may interact with it by pushing on the grid. Thus, more refined interaction data may be obtained, which may improve the accuracy of any further derived features from the data, such as shape information characterizing the shape of the user's body part for interacting with the pin grid.

[0079] Can be used with Figure 2 The user registration system 24 can be provided with the same hardware elements as the user identification system 22 shown. That is, the data collection unit 1 can operate in the manner discussed above with respect to the user registration system 24. Thus, a data collection unit can be provided that is operable to determine the identity of a user using interaction data and to register the user with the system by storing the interaction data. The server 2 in such a system can be used to provide a data storage unit for storing interaction data when a user is registered.

[0080] Figure 4A and Figure 4B The external perspective view and the internal perspective view of the data collection unit are shown respectively. FIG. 5A to FIG. 5D They are shown respectively Figure 4A A perspective view, two different cross-sectional perspective views, and a cross-sectional side view of the data collection unit. Figure 5A and Figure 5B Shows Figure 1 A perspective view of the drive mechanism of the data collection unit, and Figure 5C Shows Figure 5B Detailed view of area A.

[0081] The drive mechanism 5 and processor 11 of the data collection unit 1 are contained in a housing 23. The mechanical interaction element 3 is a single pin extending from the housing. The pin is protected by a guard 25. The drive mechanism 5 is arranged to reciprocate along its longitudinal axis so that the pin moves into and out of the device housing. Thus, in this example, the user 8 can interact with the data collection unit 1 by pushing the pin.

[0082] The drive mechanism 5 is typically a brushless DC motor housed in a motor unit 27 with an internal position encoder. However, alternative drive mechanisms are possible. For example, the drive mechanism may be a stepper motor, a servo motor, a hydraulic piston or a pneumatic piston. The drive mechanism may also use an electromagnet to control the interactive element. A bearing carrier 29 supports the pin 3 on either side of the drive mechanism 5. Inside the bearing carrier, a preload screw 34 suspends a preload spring 35, which in turn suspends a vertically floating bearing housing 36 above the interactive element. A fixed bearing housing 37 supports the interactive element from below. The drive mechanism drives the pin using a drive wheel 33 below the interactive element and a drive wheel 32 above the interactive element that is directly mounted to the motor shaft. The drive wheel is held in tension via a spring mounting hole 38 and a preload spring 35 in a manner similar to a locomotive drive system. This ensures good contact with the interactive element and slippage of the interactive element. The curved motor and drive bracket 39 is fixed to the housing of the data collection unit at one end to allow for small deviations in the height of the pin 3. A soft stop damper 31 is provided to limit the maximum displacement of the pin to prevent it from moving beyond the operating range of the drive mechanism.

[0083] The force sensor 15 is positioned on the outwardly facing end of the pin 3. Therefore, when the user presses the pin, they apply an external force directly to the sensor. The force sensor is an inline load cell capable of sensing forces between 0N and 100N. However, other force sensors may be used.

[0084] Some motor units 29 may include a built-in force (or torque) sensor that may perform a force sensing function similar to the force sensor 15. However, providing a sensor separate from the drive mechanism 5 allows for a more sensitive sensor to be used. Additionally, due to the drive mechanism 5 and the shaft carrier 29, external forces may be measured independently of downstream mass and friction effects. Thus, including a force sensor separate from the drive mechanism may enable more accurate and precise measurement of external forces and a better user experience.

[0085] In some examples, the drive mechanism 5 includes a motor controller (not shown) that is separate from the processor 11 of the data collection unit 1. The motor controller may be, for example, a Faulhaber MC 5010S TM The motion controller communicates with the processor 11 via Ethernet. EtherCAT TM network( https: / / www.ethercat.org / ) can be used to exchange data between the processor 11 and the motor controller, where the processor is the master device and the motor controller is the slave device. The motor controller reports motor data to the processor 11 and receives control instructions from it. The control instructions include the desired target position of the pin. The processor 11 updates the control instructions for the drive mechanism at regular intervals determined by the system beat. Typically, this occurs every 1ms. However, this interval can be adjusted according to the desired update rate and the processing power of the processor 11.

[0086] At startup, the processor 11 of the data collection unit 1 runs an initialization sequence to calibrate the parameters received from the drive mechanism 5 and the force sensor 15. During this initialization sequence, the processor 11 assumes that the interactive element 3 is in a zero position and that no external force 9 is applied. Therefore, subsequent position changes of the interactive element relative to the zero position are measured. External force measurements reported by the force sensor 15 during initialization (if non-zero) are assigned as systematic offsets and subtracted from subsequent external force measurements.

[0087] Figure 7 and Figure 8 A flow chart showing the steps of various variations of a method for determining a user identity according to aspects of the present invention. Figure 7 , a system suitable for implementing the method (e.g. Figure 2 The system 22) first measures the interaction of the user 8 with at least one interactive element 3 in step 101. In the next step 102, the system obtains interaction data characterizing the interaction. Next, in step 103, the system compares the obtained interaction data with the stored interaction data, and then determines the similarity between the obtained interaction data and the stored interaction data in step 104. This can be done, for example, by using fuzzy analysis or a trained machine classifier. In a final step 105, the system determines the identity of the user and makes a decision about allowing access based on the determination.

[0088] Figure 8 A variant of the method is shown comprising an additional step 103' of deriving characteristics from the interaction data indicative of the user's identity. This may be done by performing one or more calculations using the initially obtained interaction data and a preset calculation model (e.g. a formula or set of formulas). Deriving additional characteristics from the obtained raw data may be beneficial because a more refined and therefore reliable determination of the user's identity may be achieved.

[0089] The characteristics may include shape information, wherein the shape information may be used to determine the shape of the user's body part for interacting with the interactive element. For example, the user may use their hands to interact with the interactive element. Thus, the system will obtain interaction data and therefore derive shape information from the interaction data, thereby characterizing the shape of the user's hand for use in user identity determination. As previously discussed, the determination of similarity may include one or both of the obtained interaction data and shape information. Shape information is suitable for user identity determination because it is largely unaffected by external conditions (such as light levels or humidity) or the presence of protective clothing (such as gloves) during use. Advantageously, it also correlates well with the identity of the user.

[0090] In this variation of the method, a system suitable for implementing the method (e.g., Figure 2 The system 22) derives the characteristics from the interaction data, and at the next step 104', both the obtained interaction data and the derived characteristics are compared with the corresponding stored interaction data and the derived characteristics. Thus, the system is able to determine the corresponding similarity between the interaction data and the characteristics, for example by using fuzzy analysis, to determine the user identity.

[0091] Fig. 9 and Fig.10 A flowchart showing the steps of various variations of the method for registering a user according to aspects of the present invention. Fig. 9 , a system suitable for implementing the method (e.g. Figure 3 The system 24) first measures the interaction of the user 8 with at least one interactive element 3 in step 201. In the next step 202, the system obtains interaction data characterizing the interaction. In a final step 203, the system stores the obtained interaction data for use in a method for determining the identity of the user.

[0092] Fig.10 A variant of the method is shown comprising an additional step 103' of deriving characteristics from the interaction data indicative of the identity of the user. Figure 8 This can be accomplished by performing one or more calculations using the initially obtained interaction data and a preset calculation model (e.g., a formula or set of formulas). Deriving additional features from the obtained raw data can be beneficial because a more refined and therefore reliable determination of the user's identity can be achieved.

[0093] The characteristics may include shape information, wherein the shape information may be used to determine the shape of the user's body part for interacting with the interactive element. For example, the user may use their hands to interact with the interactive element. Thus, the system will obtain interaction data and derive shape information from the interaction data, thereby characterizing the shape of the user's hand for further use in user identity determination. Shape information is suitable for user identity determination because it is largely unaffected by external conditions (such as light levels or humidity) or the presence of protective clothing (such as gloves) during use.

[0094] In this variation of the method, a system suitable for implementing the method (e.g., Figure 3 The system 24) derives characteristics from the interaction data and at a next step 204' both the obtained interaction data and the derived characteristics are stored, for example, on a data storage unit.

[0095] Fig.11 A flow chart showing the steps of a method for monitoring the health of a user according to aspects of the invention. The method comprises a first step 401 in which an interaction of a user with an interactive element is measured. In a next step 102, the system obtains interaction data characterizing the interaction. Next, in step 103, the system compares the obtained interaction data with the stored interaction data and then determines in step 104 whether a change has occurred in the health of the user. For example, they have become weaker in a given limb or part of the body.

[0096] ***

[0097] The features disclosed in the description, or in the following claims, or in the drawings, in their specific form or expressed in terms of means for performing the disclosed functions, or methods or processes for obtaining the disclosed results, may, where appropriate, be used alone or in any combination of these features to realize the invention in different forms.

[0098] Although the present invention has been described in conjunction with the above exemplary embodiments, many equivalent modifications and variations will be clear to those skilled in the art when this disclosure is given. Therefore, the exemplary embodiments of the present invention described above are considered to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Various changes may be made to the described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0099] For the avoidance of any doubt, any theoretical explanations provided herein are intended to improve the reader's understanding. The inventors do not wish to be bound by any of these theoretical explanations.

[0100] Any section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter described.

[0101] Throughout the specification, including the following claims, unless the context requires otherwise, the words "comprise" and "comprising", and variations such as "which includes", "comprising" and "including", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

[0102] It must be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from "about" one particular value, and / or to "about" another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and / or to the other particular value. Similarly, when a value is expressed as an approximation by using the antecedent "about," it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment. The term "about" in relation to a numerical value is optional, and means, for example, + / - 10%.

Claims

1. A system (22), comprising: at least one mechanical interaction element (3) configured to interact with a user; a sensor (15) configured to measure an interaction of a user with the at least one mechanical interaction element so as to obtain interaction data; a data storage unit (18), which is used to store previously acquired interaction data related to the user; as well as A processor (16) is configured to compare the obtained interaction data with the stored interaction data.

2. The system (22) of claim 1, wherein: The interaction data obtained by the sensor (15) is one of force data, displacement data, and time data, or any combination thereof.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein: The interaction data includes force data and / or displacement data in the range of 1 mm to 100 mm.

4. The system according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The interaction data obtained by the sensor includes multiple groups of interaction data collected over multiple time periods, and each group of interaction data is separated by at least 1 ms, 5 ms, 10 ms, 50 ms or 100 ms.

5. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein: The processor is configured to store the obtained interaction data for comparison with future obtained interaction data.

6. A system (22) according to any preceding claim, wherein: The at least one mechanical interaction element (3) is a pin.

7. A system (22) according to any preceding claim, wherein: There are a plurality of interactive elements (3), each interactive element being a pin, the plurality of pins being arranged to form a grid.

8. A system (22) according to any preceding claim, wherein: The processor (16) is configured to derive characteristics indicative of the identity of the user (8) from the obtained interaction data and to use the derived characteristics in the comparison.

9. The system (22) of claim 8, wherein: The characteristics include shape information, wherein the shape information is used to determine the shape of a body part of the user (8) for interacting with the interaction element (3).

10. The system (22) according to any preceding claim, wherein: The data storage unit (18) and the processor (16) are located in a server (2) connected to a data collection unit (1) comprising the at least one mechanical interaction element (3) and the sensor (15).

11. The system (22) of any preceding claim, further comprising a drive mechanism coupled to the mechanical interaction element and configured to provide a force to the mechanical interaction element in response to the user interaction.

12. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein: The system is a user identification system for determining a user identity using interaction data obtained from the user, and wherein the processor is configured to compare the obtained interaction data with stored interaction data to determine a similarity between the obtained interaction data and the stored interaction data to allow determination of the user identity.

13. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein: The system is a health monitoring system for determining a user's health using interaction data obtained from the user, and wherein the processor is configured to compare the obtained interaction data with stored interaction data to determine whether the user's health has changed.

14. A method of using a system (22) according to any preceding claim, the method comprising the steps of: measuring the interaction of a user (8) with the at least one mechanical interaction element (3) and obtaining interaction data; as well as The obtained interaction data is compared with the stored interaction data.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein: The interaction data is one or any combination of force data, displacement data, and time data.

16. A method according to claim 14 or 15, further comprising the step of deriving a characteristic indicative of the identity of the user and using the derived characteristic in the comparison.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein: The characteristics include shape information derived from the obtained interaction data and related to the shape of a body part of the user (8) for interacting with the interaction element (3), the shape information being used in the step of comparing the obtained interaction data with the stored interaction data.

18. The method of any one of claims 14-17, further comprising providing a force to the mechanical interaction element via a drive mechanism coupled to the mechanical interaction element in response to the user interaction.

19. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein: The method is for determining a user identity using interaction data obtained from the user, and further comprises the step of determining a similarity between the obtained interaction data and stored interaction data to allow determination of the identity of the user.

20. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein: The method is for determining the health of a user using interaction data obtained from the user, and further comprises the step of determining whether the health of the user has changed.

21. A method for registering a user with a system (22), the method comprising the following steps: Measuring the interaction between a user (8) and at least one mechanical interaction element (3) via a sensor and obtaining interaction data; as well as The obtained interaction data is stored for use in a method for determining the identity of the user.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein: The interaction data is one or any combination of force data, displacement data, and time data.

23. A method according to claim 21 or 22, further comprising deriving characteristics indicative of the user from the obtained interaction data, and storing the characteristics for use in a method of determining the identity of the user.

24. A user registration system (24) for registering a user, the user registration system comprising: at least one mechanical interaction element (3) configured to interact with a user (8); a sensor (15) configured to measure an interaction of a user with the at least one mechanical interaction element so as to obtain interaction data; as well as A data storage unit (20) is configured to store the obtained interaction data.

25. The user registration system (24) according to claim 24, wherein: The interaction data is one or any combination of force data, displacement data, and time data.

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