Sheet-Shaped Posture Sensor for Adaptive Seat Control Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seating systems lack the ability to determine and adapt to a user's sitting posture without embedded sensors, limiting their functionality in adjusting settings such as screen brightness, display magnification, and temperature control based on the user's position.
Innovation Solution
A sheet-shaped device with load sensors and heaters attached to a seat and backrest, communicating via short-range protocols to determine the user's posture and control connected devices like personal computers and mobile terminals to adjust settings accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a sheet-shaped device with sensors is attached to a seat to detect user posture, then the ability to determine sitting posture is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet-shaped device is divided into multiple independent sensing zones (seat surface sensors and backrest sensors) that can independently detect pressure in different regions. This segmentation allows the system to determine sitting posture by analyzing the pattern of activated zones without requiring a complex integrated sensor system.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheet-shaped device acts as an intermediary between the user and the control system. Instead of embedding complex sensors directly into the seat structure, the patent uses a removable sheet that interfaces with simple pressure-sensitive switches, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining detection capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sensors are embedded in the seat to detect user presence and posture, then the posture determination capability is improved, but the manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing functionality is extracted from the permanent seat structure and placed in a removable sheet-shaped device. This allows the seat itself to remain simple and easy to manufacture, while the advanced sensing capabilities are provided by the detachable sheet that can be attached to existing seats without modifying the seat's manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheet-shaped device is designed to be universally applicable to different seat types. By using standard pressure-sensitive switches and a flexible conducting sheet, the same device can be attached to various seat configurations, providing posture detection functionality across multiple applications without requiring custom manufacturing for each seat type.
3Measurement precision
If the sheet-shaped device includes both seat surface sensors and backrest sensors, then the accuracy in determining concentrated vs. relaxed posture is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into two functional regions: seat surface sensors that detect user presence and basic pressure, and backrest sensors that detect leaning posture. This segmentation allows each region to perform its specific detection function with simple sensors, and the control unit combines these independent signals to accurately determine posture type without requiring complex individual sensors.
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 effective adjustment of screen brightness, display magnification, and temperature settings based on the user's posture, enhancing comfort and productivity by automatically responding to normal, concentrated, and relaxed postures.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor is a load sensor, and detects whether or not a user is sitting on the seat surface, and detects whether or not the user is leaning against the surface of the backrest
Implementation Method 2
The sheet-shaped device includes a heater, and the heater is attached to at least either of the seat and backrest of the chair
Data Source
AI summary
A processing system includes a sheet-shaped device, a determination unit, and a controller. The sheet-shaped device is attachable to a seat in an area from a seat surface of the seat to a surface of a backrest of the seat. The sheet-shaped device includes a sensor that detects whether a user is sitting on the seat surface and that detects whether the user is leaning against the surface of the backrest. The determination unit determines a type of sitting posture of the user by using a signal from the sensor. The controller controls a control target in accordance with the determined type of sitting posture.