Segmented Wearable Barcode Reader with Flexible Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wearable barcode readers are bulky, heavy, and cumbersome, leading to inefficiencies and discomfort for users in industrial or retail environments, causing them to refrain from using the devices for extended periods.
Innovation Solution
A wearable barcode reader designed with segmented, flexible, and low-profile segments, featuring a flexible display and housing, with different functional electronics in each segment, such as a battery, scanning unit, and processing unit, connected by flexible connectors for improved comfort and usability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional wearable barcode readers use traditional rigid housing and component layout, then the device can accommodate all necessary functional components, but the device becomes bulky, heavy, and cumbersome for users to wear for extended periods
Solution Approach 1:
The barcode reader is divided into multiple flexible segments that can be worn on different body parts. Each segment contains specific functional components (battery, display, scanning unit, processing unit) distributed across segments, allowing the device to be lightweight while maintaining all necessary functions. The segmented design enables the device to conform to body contours, improving comfort during extended wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is constructed from flexible materials that allow the device to be bent and conform to body shapes. This flexible housing reduces the overall weight while providing structural support for the electronic components. The flexible nature of the housing enables the device to be worn comfortably on arms, wrists, or other body parts without causing physical hassle or discomfort.
2Ease of operation
If conventional wearable barcode readers use thick housing and rigid structure, then the device provides structural support and protection, but the device gets caught on edges of boxes, shelves, or otherwise, resulting in physical hassle to the user
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible housing eliminates thick rigid structures that would catch on objects. The thin, flexible material allows the device to bend and move freely through narrow spaces and around obstacles in warehouses and retail stores. This flexible profile enables users to move the device easily without physical hassle while still providing adequate protection for internal components.
Solution Approach 2:
The device transitions from a static rigid structure to a dynamic flexible structure that can adapt its shape in real-time. The flexible housing allows the device to bend, flex, and conform to various positions and orientations, enabling users to move the device through complex environments without it getting caught on edges or creating physical obstacles during movement.
3Power
If conventional wearable barcode readers use heavy components and cabling, then the device provides sufficient power and processing capability, but the weight and cabling are prohibitively cumbersome to the user
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into multiple lightweight components distributed across different segments. The battery, processing unit, scanning unit, and display are separated into different segments, allowing each component to be optimized for minimal weight while maintaining sufficient power and processing capability. This segmentation eliminates the need for heavy cabling by using wireless communication between segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The device replaces heavy mechanical cabling with wireless communication systems to connect segments. This substitution eliminates the weight and bulk of physical cabling while maintaining data and power transmission between components. The wireless connection allows the device to maintain full functionality without the prohibitive weight and complexity of traditional cabling systems.
4Productivity
If conventional wearable barcode readers are designed for extended wear, then users can perform tasks for longer periods, but the physical challenges and inefficiencies result in users refraining from using the readers for extended periods
Solution Approach 1:
The segmented design distributes functional components across multiple lightweight segments that can be worn comfortably on body parts. This distribution reduces the weight burden on any single area of the body, enabling users to wear the device for extended periods without physical hassle. The segmented architecture also allows for optimized power distribution, maintaining productivity efficiency throughout extended use.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes the physical parameters of the housing from rigid and thick to flexible and thin, reducing the overall profile and weight. These parameter changes eliminate the physical challenges that previously prevented extended use. The flexible, lightweight design maintains all necessary functional capabilities while significantly improving comfort and ease of operation during extended wear periods.
Data Source
AI summary
A code reader may include a housing configured to be wearable by a user, a scanning unit configured to scan machine-readable indicia of a target area, a user interface connected to the housing and configured to present identification data associated with the machine-readable indicia to the user, a power source disposed within the housing, a processing unit disposed within the housing, and a plurality of electrical conductors in electrical communication with the processing unit and the user interface. The processing unit may be configured to communicate a scan signal to the scanning unit to cause the scanning unit to scan the target area, receive response data from the scanning unit representative of the machine-readable indicia, generate the identification data in response to receiving the response data, and communicate the identification data to the user interface for display thereon. The electrical conductors may provide power and enable signals to be communicated.