Anthropological Type Detection via Melanin Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wearable devices are unable to accurately determine a user's anthropological type, which is essential for precise health monitoring and physical activity recommendations, as they cannot obtain information about the composition of chromophores necessary for predicting anthropological type, and direct questioning is perceived negatively by users.
Innovation Solution
A compact wearable device equipped with a spectral optical sensor to emit radiation on the skin, calculate melanin concentration and ratio values, and compare them with simulated data to assign an anthropological type, using a database of skin samples to determine the closest match.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If direct questions are asked to users about their anthropological type, then the device can obtain information for accurate health monitoring, but users may perceive this negatively and refuse to use the device
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs autonomous anthropological type determination by automatically analyzing skin optical properties without requiring user input or questions. The processor independently calculates melanin concentration and determines anthropological type based on measured optical characteristics, allowing the device to obtain necessary information while maintaining user comfort and acceptance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/question-based approach of directly asking users about their anthropological type with an optical measurement system. Spectral optical sensors measure skin optical properties, and the processor uses these measurements to determine anthropological type, substituting physical questioning with non-intrusive optical detection.
2Volume of moving object
If wearable devices use basic sensors, then the device remains compact and wearable, but they cannot obtain chromophore composition information necessary for predicting anthropological type
Solution Approach 1:
The patent measures multiple optical parameters at different wavelengths to extract chromophore composition information. By analyzing spectral characteristics across different wavelengths, the system determines melanin concentration and other chromophore properties, enabling anthropological type prediction without requiring additional physical space beyond standard wearable device dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The spectral optical sensor serves multiple functions: it measures skin tone, determines chromophore composition, calculates melanin concentration, and enables anthropological type prediction. This multi-functionality allows the compact device to obtain comprehensive physiological information including chromophore composition that would otherwise require separate specialized equipment.
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
Enables accurate determination of anthropological type, improving the estimation of physiological parameters and preventing dehydration risks by providing personalized sweat loss forecasts, enhancing the accuracy of fitness-related data without user discomfort.
Implementation Method 1
a spectral optical sensor configured to emit radiation on a user's skin and obtain scattering intensity values for the radiation on the user's skin
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a method and an apparatus for determining anthropological type of a user is provided. The apparatus includes a spectral optical sensor, a thickness sensor, memory storing one or more computer programs, and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the spectral optical sensor, the thickness sensor and the memory wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to calculate an overall melanin concentration value and a melanin concentration ratio value of a user's skin, compare the obtained scattering intensity values with values of scattering intensity corresponding to a special skin tone from a database of simulated data, compare the obtained thickness value with data of skin thickness from the database of simulated data, compare the calculated overall melanin concentration value and the calculated melanin concentration ratio value of the user's skin with data of an overall melanin concentration and a melanin concentration ratio from the database of simulated data, and assign an anthropological type to the user in accordance with the selected skin sample.