Curved-Surface Touch Sensor Layout for Accurate Gesture Recognition
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional touch recognition methods using touch sensors on robots are limited to areas where sensors are mounted, leading to incomplete touch recognition on curved surfaces and misrecognition of complex touch inputs. Additionally, achieving consistent touch sensitivity on curved surfaces is challenging.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves an electronic device with a sensor module comprising multiple sensing units disposed on the inner face of the device's housing. Each sensing unit includes a central portion and peripheral portions with touch sensors, allowing for comprehensive touch input recognition, even on curved surfaces. The device uses microphones and illuminance sensors to determine the direction of touch inputs and adjust sensitivity accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If touch sensors are mounted on the entire surface of the robot, then touch recognition coverage is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The housing surface is divided into multiple sensing zones, each with its own touch sensor. The sensor module includes a housing with multiple sensing units disposed at different locations, where each sensing unit has a touch sensor that senses a touch input at a specific location. This segmentation allows comprehensive touch recognition without requiring sensors on the entire surface, reducing complexity while maintaining coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends touch sensing from a two-dimensional surface to a three-dimensional spatial arrangement by positioning sensors at multiple depths and angles within the housing. The processor determines touch trajectory by analyzing signals from sensors at different positions, effectively adding a depth dimension to touch detection and enabling recognition on curved surfaces without increasing surface sensor density.
2Adaptability or versatility
If touch sensors are mounted on curved surfaces, then touch recognition on curved surfaces is enabled, but manufacturing precision and sensor mounting difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is designed with curved surfaces, and touch sensors are strategically positioned within the housing to detect touches on these curved surfaces. The processor calculates touch trajectory by analyzing signals from multiple sensors at different positions, enabling accurate touch recognition on curved geometries without requiring precise sensor mounting on the curved surface itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer where the processor analyzes touch signals from multiple sensors and reconstructs the actual touch location and trajectory. This intermediary computation allows the system to accurately determine touches on curved surfaces even when sensors are mounted on flat or accessible surfaces within the housing, rather than directly on the curved exterior.
3Reliability
If conventional touch sensors are used, then simple touch recognition is achieved, but complex touch gesture recognition accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple touch sensors are combined within a single sensor module, with each sensor contributing to the overall touch detection capability. The processor merges signals from all sensors to determine both simple touch presence and complex gesture trajectories, achieving both reliability for simple touches and precision for complex gestures through signal integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from multiple sensors to continuously refine touch trajectory determination. As the user performs a gesture, the processor analyzes sequential touch signals from different sensors to track the movement path, providing feedback-based correction and improvement of gesture recognition accuracy over time.
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
This approach enables accurate and comprehensive touch recognition on both flat and curved surfaces, improving the reliability of touch input processing and enhancing user interaction with robots.
Implementation Method 1
The capacitive element has a first surface and is configured to change a capacitance thereof by an approach of an operating element to the first surface
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An electronic device including: a housing; a sensor module disposed on an inner face of the housing and including a plurality of sensing units; and a processor positioned within the housing and electrically connected to the sensor module. Each of the plurality of sensing units is electrically connected to another sensing unit adjacent thereto among the plurality of sensing units, and includes a central portion and a plurality of peripheral portions connected to a partial area of the central portion and arranged around the central portion, and each of the central portion and the plurality of peripheral portions includes a touch sensor. In addition to this, various embodiments understood through this document are possible.