Sliding Cover Camera for Body-Mountable Recording
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing body-mountable recording devices are inconvenient for employees interacting with the public, as they often require carrying bulky equipment, may inadvertently record subjects without their knowledge, and struggle to maintain a consistent field of view due to user movement, leading to incomplete or unusable recordings.
Innovation Solution
A body-mountable image capture device with a sliding cover that conceals and exposes a camera, featuring a magnetic proximity switch for activation, adjustable orientation, and automatic adjustment mechanisms to maintain the subject within the field of view, ensuring subjects are aware of being recorded and providing continuous or still image capture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional microphone or video camera is carried by the employee, then recording capability is provided, but convenience is reduced and public comfort is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the camera, recording equipment, and power supply into a single integrated body-mountable device. This eliminates the need for employees to carry multiple separate pieces of equipment, directly resolving the contradiction by providing reliable recording capability while significantly improving convenience through consolidation into one wearable unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The body-mountable device serves multiple functions including video recording, audio recording, and potential communication capabilities. This multi-functionality allows a single device to replace traditional separate recording equipment, improving both reliability of recording and ease of operation by reducing the burden of carrying and managing multiple devices.
2Loss of information
If recording equipment is visible to the member of the public, then transparency is improved, but public comfort and cooperation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a sliding cover mechanism that can dynamically transition between concealing and exposing the camera. This dynamic capability allows the device to adapt to different situational requirements - remaining concealed to maintain public comfort when recording is not needed, and becoming visible to ensure transparency when recording is active, thus resolving the contradiction between transparency and public comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding cover acts as an intermediary element between the camera and the public. When in the closed position, it mediates by concealing the camera to preserve public comfort, while when slid open, it mediates by exposing the camera to ensure transparency. This intermediary mechanism allows flexible negotiation between the conflicting requirements of transparency and public comfort.
3Speed
If the employee moves in dynamic environments, then mobility is improved, but field of view consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates sensors that detect the orientation and position of the body-mountable device relative to the employee's line of sight. This feedback mechanism continuously monitors device orientation and enables automatic adjustment, resolving the contradiction by maintaining field of view consistency even when the employee moves dynamically, while preserving full mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The device includes automatic orientation adjustment capabilities that allow it to self-correct its field of view without requiring manual intervention from the employee. The device monitors its own position and orientation, and automatically adjusts to maintain the correct viewing angle, enabling the employee to move freely while the system maintains recording accuracy independently.
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 device allows for convenient, discreet recording that reassures subjects of their visibility in the recording process, maintains a consistent field of view despite user movement, and simplifies equipment operation, enhancing the effectiveness of recordings for employees in dynamic environments.
Implementation Method 1
The activation device may comprise a magnetic proximity switch
Data Source
AI summary
A body-mountable image capture device comprising a device body and a cover slidably mounted onto the device body, the device body comprising a camera, the cover sliding between a first position and a second position such that in the first position the camera is concealed and in the second position the camera is exposed. The body-mountable image capture device comprises activation means operable to initiate the camera when the cover is in the second position and the camera is exposed. The orientation of the camera is adjustable with respect to that of the device body such that the orientation of the camera can be maintained. The orientation of the camera may be automatically adjusted to keep the field of view generally horizontal. The camera may automatically rotate left and right in a horizontal plane responsive to movement of a head mounted sensor to thereby track a user's head movements.