Reflective Visor Position Sensing for PPE Closure Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing personal protective equipment (PPE) systems lack effective mechanisms to ensure proper visor positioning, leading to potential hazards such as vision loss and reduced protection against airborne contaminants, as they rely on manual checks and do not provide real-time feedback on visor closure status.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes an optical sensor and a computing device to detect the position of a visor with a reflective object, emitting light outside the visible spectrum, which determines the visor's position and generates notifications if it is not properly closed, thereby ensuring timely alerts and reducing errors in visor usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual checks are used to monitor visor positioning, then the system remains simple and low-cost, but real-time feedback on visor closure status is not provided, leading to potential safety hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical checks with an optical sensing system. An optical sensor detects the position of a reflective object on the visor by measuring reflected light, automatically determining whether the visor is properly positioned without requiring mechanical switches or complex mechanical linkages.
Solution Approach 2:
The visor assembly includes a reflective object that passively reflects light from the optical sensor back to the sensor. This self-service mechanism allows the visor to communicate its position status without requiring active components, power sources, or complex electronics on the visor itself.
2Reliability
If no real-time monitoring system is implemented, then the device complexity remains low, but errors in visor usage and potential vision loss risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback system where the optical sensor continuously monitors visor position and provides real-time information to a controller. The controller can then generate alerts or notifications when the visor is not properly positioned, creating a closed-loop feedback mechanism that improves usage accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The reflective object serves as an intermediary between the visor and the optical sensor. It converts the visor's physical position into optical signals that the sensor can detect, enabling indirect measurement of visor position without requiring direct mechanical contact or complex sensing mechanisms.
3Reliability
If an optical sensor with reflective object is used to detect visor position, then real-time feedback and safety monitoring are achieved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an optical sensing mechanism to replace mechanical position detection systems. The optical sensor detects visor position through light reflection, eliminating the need for mechanical switches, potentiometers, or other complex mechanical sensing components.
Solution Approach 2:
The reflective object on the visor passively reflects light from the optical sensor back to the sensor, providing position information without requiring power, active components, or complex electronics on the visor assembly itself.
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
The system proactively ensures that the visor is correctly positioned, reducing the risk of vision loss and improving protection by providing immediate notifications when the visor is not adequately closed, thus enhancing worker safety.
Implementation Method 1
the visor includes a reflective object that is substantially transparent in a visible light spectrum and reflective of light outside of a visible light spectrum
Data Source
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AI summary
In some examples, a system includes a head-mounted device, a visor that includes a reflective object that is substantially transparent in a visible light spectrum and embodied at a physical surface of the visor, at least one visor attachment assembly that couples the visor to the head-mounted device; at least one optical sensor; and at least one computing device communicatively coupled to the at least one optical sensor, the at least one computing device comprising a memory and one or more computer processors that: receive, from the optical sensor, an indication of light outside of a visible light spectrum that is reflected from the reflective object; determine, based at least in part on the light outside of a visible light spectrum that is reflected from the reflective object, a position of the visor; and perform, based at least in part on the position of the visor, at least one operation.