Gesture-Activated Voice Control for Noisy TV Environments
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Users often need to interrupt their tasks to access a remote control for television operations, and existing voice-based remote control systems struggle with noise and competing voices, making them inefficient for multitasking scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A gesture-based remote control system that runs in the background on a computing device, allowing users to activate voice control with gestures, using a camera and microphone to classify gestures and filter out noise, enabling robust voice command recognition even in noisy environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If voice-based remote control is used, then hands-free operation is enabled, but noise and competing voices interfere with command recognition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary gesture recognition system that mediates between the user and the voice-based remote control. The gesture-based activation mechanism serves as a mediator to trigger voice commands, allowing hands-free operation while improving reliability by providing a reliable activation method that is not susceptible to noise interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary gesture recognition and classification before activating voice command processing. By requiring a specific gesture as a preliminary action, the system ensures that voice processing is only activated when intentionally triggered, reducing false activations from ambient noise while maintaining hands-free operation.
2Reliability
If traditional remote control is used, then reliable input is obtained, but user must interrupt tasks to access it
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical interaction of physically picking up and manipulating a traditional remote control with a gesture-based recognition system using computer vision and machine learning. This substitution eliminates the need for physical access to the remote while maintaining input reliability through accurate gesture classification and validation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service operation where the computing device automatically detects and responds to gestures without requiring user intervention to access or activate the remote control function. The background operation of the gesture recognition system allows users to control the television while continuing their primary tasks without interruption.
3Productivity
If gesture recognition is implemented, then background operation is enabled, but computational resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements partial action by only activating full gesture recognition and processing when specifically triggered or when motion is detected in the field of view. The background operation maintains readiness but does not continuously process all visual data, reducing computational energy consumption while still enabling background operation capability when needed.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A gesture-based control for a television is provided that runs in the background of a computing device remote from the television, where the control is activated by a gesture. Advantageously, the user need not interrupt any task in order to control the television. The gesture based control can be configured to activate a voice control that will run robustly even in the presence of noise and competing voices emanating from the television.