Ceiling-Suspended Transparent Support for Supine Media Viewing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Viewers experience discomfort, such as muscle strain and eye fatigue, when viewing visual media in a supine position due to the need to support the media in hand and constantly refocus on it, leading to an unpleasant viewing experience.
Innovation Solution
An overhead support system with a transparent structure suspended from a ceiling, featuring an adjustable positioning mechanism and optional light source, allowing comfortable viewing without the need to physically support the media, suitable for viewers with physical limitations or those confined to bed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the visual medium is held in hand while viewing in a supine position, then the viewer can access the media, but the viewer experiences muscle strain and numbness from supporting the media overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the media support function from the viewer's hands by introducing an overhead support structure suspended from the ceiling. The support structure includes a transparent panel that holds the visual medium, allowing the viewer to access media without manual support. This separates the support function from the viewer, eliminating muscle strain and numbness associated with holding media overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The overhead support structure acts as an intermediary between the ceiling and the visual medium. It includes a support structure with a transparent panel, positioning mechanisms, and adjustment controls that mediate the delivery of media to the viewer. This intermediary system handles all support and positioning tasks, freeing the viewer from physical strain.
2Ease of operation
If the visual medium is held in hand, then the viewer can view the media, but the viewer's eyes must frequently refocus to adjust to movements causing fatigue and eye-strain
Solution Approach 1:
The overhead support structure pre-positions the visual medium at an optimal viewing distance and angle before the viewer begins reading. The positioning mechanism allows preliminary adjustment of the panel height and angle, establishing a fixed focal distance that eliminates the need for continuous eye refocusing during media consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of the viewer moving their head and eyes to track a handheld medium, the medium is inverted and delivered to the viewer through the overhead transparent panel. The viewer remains stationary while the medium is positioned optimally, reversing the traditional interaction model and eliminating eye strain from constant refocusing.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If an overhead support structure is introduced to eliminate manual support, then the viewer's comfort is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The overhead support structure is designed to perform multiple functions within a single integrated system. It provides media support, positioning, angle adjustment, and illumination through built-in lights. The transparent panel serves both as a support surface and as a viewable medium holder. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate devices and minimizes overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The transparent panel of the support structure is made visually imperceptible through its transparency, effectively making it 'disappear' from the viewer's visual field. This allows the support structure to provide necessary structural support while remaining aesthetically neutral and not distracting from the visual medium content.
4Ease of operation
If the support structure is made transparent to reduce visual obstruction, then the viewing experience is improved, but the structural strength and stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The overhead support structure employs composite materials that combine transparency with structural strength. The transparent panel is made from high-strength transparent materials such as tempered glass or reinforced acrylic, which provide both visual clarity and the necessary mechanical strength to support the visual medium without compromising either property.
Data Source
AI summary
An overhead support includes a transparent structure to support a visual medium for display to a supine viewer. The support is suspended from a ceiling over a location where the viewer wishes to recline. The support includes a positioning mechanism for easily adjusting the height of the visual medium above the viewer. In an embodiment, the positioning mechanism has a lock for fixing the height. In another embodiment, the support includes a light source. In another embodiment, the support includes an optical prescription.