Electronic Mirror Guidance for Touchless Fluid Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Touchless hand cleaning devices can be difficult for users unfamiliar with their operation, leading to contamination and increased risk of infectious disease spread, especially for those accustomed to manual controls.
Innovation Solution
An enhanced bathroom mirror with an electronic display providing visual cues, such as icons and animated graphics, to assist in touchless operation, along with a light guide directing users to place their hands correctly, and a computer system tracking hand movement to prevent unnecessary contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If touchless operation is implemented using proximity sensors, then contamination risk is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates for users unfamiliar with the technology
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time visual feedback through an electronic display that shows icons representing different fluids (water, soap, hand sanitizer) and animated graphics demonstrating hand gestures. The display updates in response to detected hand movements, creating a feedback loop that guides users through the touchless operation process without requiring prior knowledge of the system
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic display acts as an intermediary between the user and the touchless dispensing system. It translates invisible sensor data into visible cues and instructions, mediating the interaction so that users can intuitively understand how to operate the device without direct contact
2Ease of operation
If visual cues are added to assist touchless operation, then ease of operation improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic display serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides visual cues for fluid selection, displays animated instructions for hand gestures, shows feedback on detected hand movements, and can display operational status. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the mirror function with the electronic display into a single integrated unit. The display is positioned behind or within the mirror assembly, merging two functions (reflection and information display) into one device, thereby reducing overall system complexity despite adding visual guidance capabilities
3Ease of operation
If multiple functions are combined in one device, then ease of operation improves through integration, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated device performs multiple functions: optical reflection through the mirror, fluid dispensing (water, soap, hand sanitizer), hand gesture detection via sensors, and visual information display. By combining these functions into one device rather than separate components, the system provides a unified user experience while managing complexity through functional integration
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
Simplifies and enhances the hand cleaning experience by allowing intuitive operation of touchless fluid dispensers, reducing contamination risks and improving user understanding of the device's functionality.
Implementation Method 1
The device may incorporate a light guide, which provides a path of light directing a user to place his hands below a dispenser outlet to receive the selected fluid
Implementation Method 2
The light guide may, for example, comprise one or more LED lights arranged between the mirror and the dispenser outlet
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a bathroom fixture in the form of an electronic mirror with a touchlessly operated fluid dispenser. The device provides visual cues to assist in the touchless operation thereof.