Eye Closure Detection for Intentional Body Part Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing user interfaces that allow device manipulation through body parts can unintentionally execute actions due to unconscious hand movements, reducing manipulability and accuracy.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus that detects a one-eye-closed state to identify intended instruction positions, using cameras to differentiate between intentional and unintentional movements, thereby enhancing the accuracy of device manipulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If body part-based user interface is used for intuitive device manipulation, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to unintended actions from unconscious movements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveintuitive manipulationVSAvoidaccuracy of instruction
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary verification mechanism (eye closure detection) between the user's body movement and the device's action execution. The system detects when the user closes their eye as a deliberate confirmation signal, acting as a mediator that filters out unconscious hand movements while preserving intentional commands. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining ease of operation through body-based input while improving reliability through the intermediary confirmation step.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If simple body movement detection is used for control, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates in distinguishing intentional from unintentional movements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem structureVSAvoiddetection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from detecting only spatial position (2D/3D coordinates) to incorporating temporal and physiological dimensions by detecting eye closure state. This adds a new dimension of verification that significantly improves measurement precision in distinguishing intentional from unintentional movements, while the implementation remains relatively simple using existing camera or sensor capabilities to detect eye closure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3644165B1Information processing device, information processing method, and recording medium
Publication Date: 2021.12.01 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP3644165B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3644165B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3644165B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

To increase the manipulability during manipulation of a device by means of an instruction using a part of the body of a user. To provide an information processing apparatus including: a detection unit that executes detection of a one-eye-closed state in which one eye of a user is opened and another eye is closed; and a control unit that identifies an instruction position instructed by a part of a body of the user depending on a result of detection of the one-eye-closed state by the detection unit.