Ear Piece Head Orientation Tracking for Wearable Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile devices often provide inaccurate information about user orientation due to their placement in pockets or cars, and their orientation relative to the user cannot be determined accurately, leading to coarse or inaccurate navigation and information provision.
Innovation Solution
Systems and methods using ear pieces with positional transceivers and motion sensors to determine the spatial positions of the ear pieces and estimate the user's head orientation, allowing for accurate head position and orientation determination, which is then used to provide tailored information and navigation assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If mobile device positioning is used for navigation, then user location can be tracked, but the orientation information is inaccurate because the device placement in pockets or cars cannot determine user orientation accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the orientation sensing function from the mobile device by using wearable ear pieces with motion sensors. This segmentation allows accurate head orientation measurement independent of mobile device placement, resolving the contradiction between measurement accuracy and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ear pieces act as an intermediary between the user's head orientation and the mobile device. The ear pieces capture accurate orientation data through motion sensors and transmit it to the mobile device, enabling precise orientation tracking without requiring the mobile device itself to sense orientation.
2Measurement precision
If ear pieces with motion sensors are used to determine head orientation, then orientation accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ear pieces serve multiple functions: they provide audio output, capture motion sensor data for orientation tracking, and transmit this data to the mobile device. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by delivering both audio service and precise orientation measurement through a single wearable component.
Solution Approach 2:
The ear pieces autonomously capture motion sensor data and compute head orientation without requiring external sensing equipment. The wearable device self-services the orientation measurement function, reducing the need for additional complex infrastructure.
3Loss of information
If contextual information is tailored based on head orientation, then information relevance is improved, but processing requirements and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-computes the head orientation using motion sensor data and stores this orientation information for subsequent use in filtering and presenting contextual information. This preliminary action reduces real-time processing requirements when delivering tailored information.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors head orientation and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the presentation of contextual information. This feedback loop ensures information remains relevant to the user's current orientation while using efficient algorithms to manage processing requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for determining an estimated orientation and/or position of a user's head using worn ear pieces and leveraging the estimated head orientation and/or position to provide information to the user. In one exemplary method, first and second spatial positions of respective first and second ear pieces worn by a user may each be determined. Based at least in part on the first and second spatial positions of the respective first and second ear pieces, an estimated orientation of the user's head may be determined. The method may further include requesting information to be provided to the user based at least in part on the estimated orientation of the user's head and providing contextual information to the user responsive to the request.