Dispenser with palm reader
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hand cleaner dispensers lack effective monitoring of hand hygiene compliance and biometric authentication, as users can activate dispensers without properly washing their hands, and fingerprint readers are prone to contamination.
Innovation Solution
A hand cleaner dispenser with a non-contact palm reader and thermometer that uses infrared sensors to authenticate users by reading their palm vein patterns and measuring hand temperature, ensuring fluid dispensing only when a user's hand is properly positioned and indicating elevated temperatures for potential health risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fingerprint reader is used for authentication, then user identification capability is improved, but the risk of contamination and cross-contamination between users increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an infrared scanner as an intermediary device that reads palm vein patterns through non-contact means. The infrared scanner acts as a mediator between the user's palm and the authentication system, eliminating the need for direct physical contact with the dispenser surface. This resolves the contamination issue while maintaining reliable biometric authentication through the unique vein pattern recognition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact-based fingerprint reader with an optical/infrared-based palm vein recognition system. Instead of requiring physical contact with a sensor surface, the system uses infrared light to capture vein patterns through the palm, substituting mechanical interaction with optical detection. This eliminates contamination risks while preserving authentication reliability.
2Reliability
If contact-based authentication is used, then authentication function is achieved, but the complexity of cleaning and maintenance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces contact-based mechanical authentication with non-contact infrared optical scanning. The infrared scanner detects vein patterns through the palm without physical contact, eliminating the need for cleaning authentication surfaces. This maintains authentication functionality while dramatically simplifying maintenance requirements.
3Productivity
If traditional monitoring systems are used, then basic dispensing control is achieved, but the ability to verify proper hand washing compliance is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a control system that receives feedback from the infrared scanner regarding palm position and vein pattern recognition. The system provides real-time feedback to determine whether the user has properly positioned their hand for dispensing, ensuring compliance with hand washing procedures. This enhances monitoring precision while maintaining efficient dispensing control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces simple presence detection with sophisticated infrared optical scanning that can verify palm positioning and identify unique vein patterns. This substitution enables precise verification of proper hand placement and washing compliance, going beyond basic dispensing control to ensure actual hygiene adherence.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If non-contact sensing is used, then contamination risk is reduced, but the precision of biometric reading may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the specific optical properties of deoxidized hemoglobin in vein vessels, which absorb infrared light at particular wavelengths. By selecting appropriate infrared wavelengths and adjusting scanning parameters, the system achieves high-precision vein pattern capture through non-contact means. This parameter optimization ensures accurate biometric reading while maintaining non-contact operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces contact-based optical sensors with non-contact infrared scanning technology. The infrared scanner captures vein patterns through the palm without physical contact, using optical penetration and absorption characteristics of blood vessels. This substitution maintains measurement precision by exploiting the unique optical properties of hemoglobin while eliminating contamination risks.
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
Ensures accurate hand hygiene monitoring and biometric authentication without contact, reducing contamination risks and providing an initial screening for fever detection, thus enhancing compliance and health safety.
Implementation Method 1
Palm vein identification uses an individual person's unique vein pattern to identify an individual's palm as a sensitive biometric authentication technique. Palm vein identification is known which uses an infrared sensor to capture a user's vein pattern over the palm of a hand. A typical palm reader illuminates a user's palm with infrared light and then captures an image of the palm. Since the deoxidized hemoglobin in the vein vessels absorb at least portions of the infrared light, when the infrared ray image is captured, the blood vessel pattern containing the veins is visible as a series of dark lines.
Implementation Method 2
Infrared thermometers are known to measure temperature using infrared radiation emitted from an object. One basic design comprises a sensor to sense infrared energy, preferably, with a lens to focus the infrared energy on the sensor. The sensor converts the energy to an electric signal that can be displayed in units of temperature after being compensated for ambient temperature variation.
Data Source
AI summary
A dispenser, more particularly, a hand cleaner dispenser incorporating a reader for a user's hand in the form of a palm reader which avoids the need for contact between the user's hand and the dispenser yet provides opportunity for the monitoring of usage including determining the identities of users.