Headphone Biometric Sensing for Mental State and Gesture Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems lack the ability to comfortably and user-friendly monitor neural signals, brain signals, and muscle signals to infer a user's mental state and/or determine a selected input command outside of a laboratory or research environment.
Innovation Solution
An Analytics Engine integrated into headphones that uses electrodes to detect EEG, EMG, and ECG signals, combined with motion detectors, to extract features and feed them into machine learning models to determine mental states and facial gestures, allowing users to interact with computing devices through passive monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional systems are used to monitor neural signals, then measurement capability is limited, but device complexity and user comfort are improved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical/neural monitoring systems with an optical imaging system. The imaging device captures images of the user's eye and iris, and through image processing and pattern recognition, derives neural state information without direct neural signal measurement. This substitution of optical imaging for direct neural monitoring reduces device complexity while maintaining measurement capability.
2Measurement precision
If neural signal monitoring is implemented, then measurement precision improves, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automated image capture and processing without requiring user intervention. The imaging device automatically captures images of the user's eye, and the processor automatically analyzes the iris patterns to determine neural states. This self-service approach maintains high measurement precision while ensuring ease of operation, as users simply need to look at the device without any manual steps.
3Measurement precision
If direct neural signal detection is used, then measurement precision improves, but object-affected harmful factors increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes direct neural signal detection (which would require invasive or complex equipment) with optical imaging of the eye and iris. This non-invasive optical approach captures neural state information indirectly through iris pattern analysis, eliminating the discomfort associated with direct neural monitoring while preserving measurement precision.
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
Enables comfortable, user-friendly monitoring of mental states and input commands in everyday settings, enhancing interaction with computing devices through precise detection of facial and head movements.
Implementation Method 1
one or more electrodes detect electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, electromyography (EMG) signals, and/or Electrocardiogram (ECG) signals
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of an apparatus, methods, systems and computer program products described herein are directed to an Analytics Engine that receives one more signal files that include neural signal data of a user based on voltages detected by one or more electrodes on a set of headphones worn by a user. The Analytics Engine preprocesses the data, extracts features from the received data, and feeds the extracted features into one or more machine learning models to generate determined output that corresponds to at least one of a current mental state of the user and a type of facial gesture performed by the user. The Analytics Engine sends the determined output to a computing device to perform an action based on the determined output.