Wireless Earpiece Force Feedback Sensor Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless earpieces face challenges in providing personalized feedback and optimal audio experience due to varying ear shapes and sizes, leading to inconsistent fit and performance.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a contact surface with sensors and contacts that detect the ear's shape and fit, using a processor to analyze and adjust speaker orientation and performance in real-time, allowing for customized feedback and improved audio delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the earpiece utilizes all available space of the external auditory canal luminal area for stable placement, then placement stability is improved, but room for interfacing components is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The earpiece is divided into distinct functional segments: a stable anchoring portion that utilizes the available space for placement stability, and a separate interfacing portion that contains sensors, contacts, and other components. This segmentation allows the stable placement function to occupy the majority of the ear canal space while leaving dedicated space for interfacing components without compromising overall stability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the earpiece is customized to fit different ear shapes and sizes, then audio experience is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The earpiece incorporates dynamic adjustment mechanisms including movable speakers that can change orientation based on detected ear geometry, and adjustable components that adapt to different ear shapes and sizes. This dynamic adaptability allows a single device design to provide customized fit and audio experience across multiple user scenarios without requiring multiple specialized device variants.
Solution Approach 2:
The earpiece uses sensors and contacts to detect the user's ear shape and fit characteristics, then feeds this information back to a processor that automatically adjusts speaker orientation, audio parameters, and component positioning. This closed-loop feedback system enables automatic customization tailored to each user's unique ear anatomy without requiring manual configuration or complex pre-programming for every possible ear type.
3Reliability
If the speaker orientation is adjusted in real-time based on ear position, then audio delivery is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The speaker orientation adjustment operates periodically rather than continuously - the system detects ear position and trigger events (such as initial insertion or significant movement), then performs discrete orientation adjustments at these specific moments. Between adjustment events, the speakers maintain their adjusted position without continuous power consumption, thereby achieving reliable audio delivery tailored to ear position while minimizing energy usage through intermittent rather than continuous actuation.
Data Source
AI summary
In some embodiments, a method for providing feedback through wireless earpieces, may have one or more of the following steps: (a) detecting a position of the wireless earpieces in ears of a user utilizing a number of contacts, (b) analyzing how to modify communications with the user based on the position, (c) communicating with the user utilizing the analysis, (d) adjusting an orientation of one or more speakers of the wireless earpieces in response to the position, and (e) adjusting a plurality of sensors in response to the position.