Finger Orientation Touch Detection for Sensor-Free Mixed Reality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touch detection systems struggle to accurately interpret user intent when interacting with real objects in mixed reality environments, as real objects often lack touch sensors and users may interact differently with touch screens compared to plain surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A method for touch detection that utilizes image data to determine a touch region and pointing direction of a finger, estimating a target region on a surface based on the touch region and finger orientation, which can be enhanced by incorporating gaze direction for improved accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional touch sensors are used to detect user input, then touch detection accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase because real objects cannot be equipped with these sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical/electrical touch sensors with an optical system using cameras to detect finger orientation and estimate touch regions. The camera captures images of the user's finger, determines its orientation, and calculates the intended target region on the surface, eliminating the need for physical sensors on real objects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary computational process that uses finger orientation as a mediator to infer the intended touch region. Instead of directly detecting touch contact, the system uses the finger's pointing direction as an intermediate indicator to estimate where the user intends to interact, enabling touch detection without physical sensors.
2Device complexity
If cameras are used for visual touch detection, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates because users may interact differently with touch screens than with plain surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary detection of finger orientation before determining the final touch region. By first capturing the finger's pointing direction and using it to estimate the target region, the system prepares the detection process in advance, allowing for more accurate interpretation of user intent before final touch contact occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the estimated target region based on finger orientation can be refined or adjusted. The system uses the initial orientation-based estimation as feedback to improve subsequent touch detection accuracy, accounting for differences between touch screen and plain surface interactions.
Data Source
AI summary
Touch detection includes obtaining image data for a finger and a target surface, and determining a touch region in the image data on which the fingertip makes contact with the target surface. A pointing direction of the finger in the image data is determined, and a target region is estimated on the target surface based on the touch region and the pointing direction, wherein the touch region comprises a portion of the target surface that extends from the touch region in a direction of the pointing direction.