Interpersonal Touch Detection Using Skin Electrical Properties
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a lack of accurate and efficient methods for detecting and promoting interpersonal touch interactions, which are crucial for social behavior and emotional well-being, especially in workplace settings, where touch-based interactions are often discouraged or overlooked.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a pre-motion filter, a sensor to detect electrical properties of skin, and an evaluator to analyze and communicate data on interpersonal touch, including features like skin-potential level, derivatives, and standard deviation, classified using a decision tree, to distinguish and identify touch events, such as high-fives, in a wearable computer form.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If touch-based interactions are encouraged in workplace settings, then social interactions and emotional well-being are improved, but accuracy and efficiency of detecting such interactions are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical touch sensors with a system that uses electrical property sensing (skin potential level measurements) to detect interpersonal touch. This substitution enables more accurate and non-obtrusive detection of touch events, resolving the contradiction between encouraging touch interactions and achieving accurate detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces skin potential level (SPL) as an intermediary measurement parameter to detect touch events. By measuring electrical properties of skin rather than direct mechanical contact, the system achieves higher measurement precision while maintaining the ability to detect and encourage social interactions.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If traditional touch detection methods are used, then detection capability is achieved, but obtrusiveness and user comfort are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces intrusive mechanical touch sensors with non-contact electrical property sensing. The skin potential level sensor detects touch events through electrical field changes rather than physical contact, maintaining detection capability while significantly improving user comfort and reducing obtrusiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes the body's own electrical properties (skin potential level) as the sensing medium. The skin itself serves as the sensor, eliminating the need for external mechanical components that would be intrusive or uncomfortable for users.
3Measurement precision
If comprehensive touch detection is implemented, then interpersonal touch detection is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and focuses on a single key electrical property (skin potential level) for touch detection, rather than attempting to measure multiple parameters simultaneously. This extraction approach maintains high detection accuracy while minimizing system complexity by concentrating on one primary sensing mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the measurement parameter from mechanical force or pressure to electrical property (skin potential level). This parameter change simplifies the sensing mechanism while improving touch detection accuracy, as electrical field changes provide a more sensitive and direct indicator of touch events.
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 effectively detects and promotes interpersonal touch interactions, enhancing workplace culture by creating a more lively atmosphere, encouraging interactions, and providing a non-obtrusive means to track and reward touch-based behaviors, leading to improved productivity and psychological well-being.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor for sensing electrical properties of skin
Implementation Method 2
the pre-motion filter may comprise an accelerometer, wherein the accelerometer detects a motion in a given part of a body
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is an accurate and efficient, yet non-obtrusive system and method (using same) for detecting interpersonal touch, such as a high-five, which is prevalent in people's daily lives, so as to promote everyday interactions at diverse settings. Based on ubiquitous computing technology, one embodiment of the system for detecting interpersonal touch comprises a pre-motion filter for filtering a pre-motion prior to the interpersonal touch, a sensor for sensing electrical properties of skin, an evaluator for analyzing and determining the interpersonal touch based on the pre-motion and the electrical properties of skin, and a communicator for communicating information analyzed by the evaluator. Other embodiments are described and shown.