Head-Mounted Thermal Camera Face Touch Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Thermal measurements of the face for detecting physiological responses are often influenced by extrinsic factors such as physical contact, sunlight, wind, and consumption of substances, which can lead to inaccurate detection of medical conditions.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing an inward-facing head-mounted thermal camera, sensors to detect physical contact, and a computer to account for extrinsic factors, improving the accuracy of physiological response detection by integrating visible-light cameras, radar, or ultrasound sensors to mitigate the effects of confounding factors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If thermal measurements are taken in uncontrolled real-life scenarios, then the system can be used in practical applications, but the measurements are influenced by extrinsic factors such as physical contact, sunlight, and wind
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates sensors that detect extrinsic factors (physical contact, sunlight exposure, wind) and feeds this information back to the processing system. The processing system then compensates for these detected factors by adjusting the thermal measurements, thereby maintaining measurement precision in real-life scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
Additional sensors act as intermediaries between the thermal camera and the environment. These sensors detect confounding factors (such as physical contact via touch sensors, sunlight via light sensors, wind via anemometers) and provide data that enables the system to compensate for their effects on thermal measurements.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are integrated to detect extrinsic factors, then the accuracy of physiological response detection is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a multi-functional head-mounted device that integrates multiple sensor types (thermal camera, light sensors, touch sensors, anemometers) into a single platform. Each sensor serves multiple purposes: for example, the thermal camera detects both physiological temperature changes and environmental thermal conditions, while light sensors detect both sunlight exposure and ambient lighting levels for compensation algorithms.
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
Enhances the accuracy of detecting physiological responses by accounting for extrinsic factors, providing more reliable health-related applications.
Implementation Method 1
an inward-facing head-mounted thermal camera (CAM), which takes thermal measurements of a region of interest (THROI) on a user's face
Implementation Method 2
The sensor provides measurements (M) indicative of times at which the user touches the region of interest (ROI)
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are systems and methods for detecting a physiological response based on thermal measurements while accounting for touching the face. In one embodiment, a system includes an inward-facing head-mounted thermal camera (CAM) that takes thermal measurements of a region of interest (THROI) on a user's face, and a sensor that provides measurements (M) indicative of times at which the user touches the region of interest (ROI). The system also includes a computer that detects the physiological response based on THROI and M. Optionally, the computer generates feature values based on THROI and M, and utilizes a model to detect, based on the feature values, the physiological response. Optionally, the model was trained based on samples, each including: (i) feature values generated based on previous THROI taken while M indicated touching the ROI, and (ii) a corresponding label indicative of an extent of the physiological response.