Adjustable Wearable Ring for Accurate Physiological Sensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wearable devices, such as ring devices, often face challenges in achieving consistent skin contact due to varying user anatomy, leading to inaccurate physiological data readings and increased power consumption, particularly due to ill-fitting designs that fail to accommodate finger size changes caused by hydration, weight fluctuations, or joint and knuckle structures.

Innovation Solution

A wearable ring device with an adjustable inner circumference, utilizing expandable components like bladders or temperature-activated foams, and mechanical components that allow the ring to transition between discrete sizes, ensuring a constant outer circumference and improved skin contact with sensors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a fixed-size wearable ring device is used, then the device structure is simple and manufacturing cost is low, but the device cannot accommodate varying finger sizes leading to poor skin contact and inaccurate measurements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephysiological data accuracyVSAvoidring structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ring device incorporates an adjustable circumference mechanism that allows the ring size to be dynamically changed to fit different finger dimensions. This dynamic adjustment capability ensures consistent skin contact with sensors while accommodating variations in finger size due to hydration, weight fluctuations, or anatomical differences, thereby resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a mechanism that changes the physical parameter of ring circumference to adapt to different user needs. By allowing the circumference parameter to be adjusted, the device maintains optimal skin contact pressure and sensor alignment across varying finger sizes, improving measurement accuracy without requiring completely different ring designs for each size.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Use of energy by moving object

If a fixed-size wearable ring device is used, then manufacturing and inventory are simplified, but skin contact consistency deteriorates leading to increased power consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidskin contact consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The adjustable circumference mechanism enables the ring to dynamically adapt to each user's finger size, ensuring consistent skin contact. This reliability improvement reduces the need for repeated measurements and signal processing to compensate for poor contact, thereby optimizing power consumption during data collection operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple discrete ring sizes are manufactured, then adaptability to different users is improved, but manufacturing cost and inventory complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefit accommodatioVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal ring design with an adjustable circumference mechanism that allows a single ring model to serve multiple users with different finger sizes. This multi-functionality eliminates the need to manufacture and maintain inventory of multiple discrete ring sizes, reducing manufacturing costs and simplifying supply chain management while maintaining high adaptability to individual users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The adjustable design enhances the accuracy of physiological data readings, reduces manufacturing costs, improves user comfort, and extends battery life by maintaining consistent skin contact and optimizing sensor performance across varying finger sizes.

Implementation Method 1

the mechanical components may include an expandable component that may expand toward a center of the wearable device to make the wearable device smaller

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

temperature-activated foams

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentUS20250009086A1Adaptive rigid and conformable wearable ring device with adjustable circumference

Publication Date: 2025.01.09 OURA HEALTH OY

AI summary

A wearable device, such as a wearable ring device, configured to transition between multiple discrete ring sizes is described. For example, the wearable ring device may have an adjustable inner circumference and a rigid outer housing. The inner circumference may be adjusted to transition between multiple discrete ring sizes. For example, a wearable ring device may include a ring housing that exhibits a constant outer circumference, where mechanical components of the ring are configured to adjust at least a portion of an inner circumferential surface to transition the ring between the discrete sizes. The ability of the wearable device to transition between multiple discrete sizes may enable the wearable device to achieve a better fit on a user, thereby improving contact between one or more sensors of the wearable device and the skin of the user, leading to more accurate physiological data readings.