Contactless HMI Trigger Sensor for Remote Virtual Control Activation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing human machine interfaces (HMIs) require users to physically interact with a touchscreen, limiting interaction to a two-dimensional surface and restricting user mobility and flexibility in activating virtual control elements.
Innovation Solution
The method employs a contactless activation system where a trigger sensor captures activities such as brain waves or physical motions, and a selection sensor captures spatial orientations, allowing users to activate virtual control elements remotely and in three-dimensional space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a touchscreen is used for interaction, then the user can activate virtual control elements, but the user must be close to the device and physically touch the screen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical touchscreen interaction system with a voice recognition system. Instead of requiring physical contact with the touchscreen surface, the system captures acoustic signals (voice commands) through a microphone and processes them to activate virtual control elements. This substitution eliminates the need for users to be physically close to the device or use hand movements, thereby improving user mobility and interaction flexibility while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces voice commands as an intermediary between the user and the virtual control elements. Rather than direct physical interaction with the touchscreen, the user's intent is transmitted through spoken language, which is captured by the microphone and interpreted by the voice recognition module. This intermediary enables remote interaction and hands-free operation, resolving the contradiction between ease of activation and user mobility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If voice commands are used for remote interaction, then the user can stay distant from the touchscreen, but voice commands may not be feasible in certain situations or cumbersome when multiple control elements are displayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal input system that supports multiple interaction modalities: voice commands for remote/hands-free operation and touchscreen gestures for close-proximity operation. The system can adaptively switch between or combine these modes depending on the situation. This multi-functionality ensures that users can choose the most appropriate interaction method for each context, whether it's using voice commands when distant or using touchscreen gestures when close, thereby maintaining ease of operation across different scenarios while preserving user mobility and versatility.
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A method of operating a human machine interface, HMI, wherein a screen of a HMI displays a graphical user interface, GUI, comprising a virtual control element; a trigger sensor of the HMI captures a triggering activity of a user, the triggering activity activating the virtual control element, and provides a trigger signal corresponding to the captured triggering activity; and a control unit of the HMI receives the provided trigger signal and, caused by the received trigger signal, executes a function assigned to the virtual control element, a method of operating a target device using a HMI, an HMI, a system comprising an HMI and a target device, and a computer program product.