Voice-Interaction Device with Biometric Authentication for Visually Impaired Users
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
People with visual impairments face difficulties in using software applications that require visual-based interaction, limiting their ability to engage in day-to-day activities efficiently and securely, such as managing financial accounts or ordering services, as they often need to rely on in-person or phone interactions.
Innovation Solution
A voice-interaction device equipped with a biometric sensor, audio interfaces, and a processor that allows users to engage in activities via voice-based interaction, authenticating users with biometrics and securely facilitating activities like account management or transactions through a back-end computing platform.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If software applications require visual-based interaction, then ease of operation is improved for visually able users, but accessibility deteriorates for people with visual impairments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces visual-based interaction (mechanical system of viewing displays and manipulating physical interfaces) with voice-based interaction (acoustic system). Users speak commands to the device, which processes them through audio input, converts to text, and executes the requested actions, eliminating the need for visual engagement while maintaining operational capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces voice commands as an intermediary between the user and the software application. Instead of direct visual interaction with the interface, the user's intent is communicated through spoken language, which the device translates and transmits to the application, serving as a bridge that accommodates visual impairments.
2Adaptability or versatility
If voice-based interaction is implemented, then accessibility is improved for people with visual impairments, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a voice processing module that can handle multiple types of commands and interactions through a single unified interface. The same voice recognition system processes various commands (navigation, information requests, transactions), eliminating the need for separate specialized interfaces for different functions and reducing overall system complexity despite the added voice capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The device performs automatic speech-to-text conversion and command interpretation without requiring manual configuration or complex setup. The voice processing system autonomously handles recognition, translation, and execution, reducing the operational complexity for users while the underlying system manages the computational complexity internally.
3Reliability
If biometric authentication is added, then security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines biometric authentication with voice-based interaction into a unified security system. The fingerprint sensor and voice processing module work together, where the fingerprint provides initial authentication and voice commands continue the interaction, creating a seamless security flow that maintains high security while preserving ease of operation through natural voice interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements fingerprint authentication as a preliminary action that occurs once at the beginning of the interaction. After the initial biometric verification, the system maintains the authenticated session, allowing subsequent voice commands to execute without repeated authentication, thus providing strong security while minimizing the operational burden on the user.
Data Source
AI summary
A voice-interaction device enables a user to engage in certain activities via voice-based interaction and provision of biometric information. The voice-interaction device may be pre-provisioned with identifying information for the voice-interaction device and/or the user that may be used to initially set up the voice-interaction device by provisioning the voice-interaction device with biometric information that is to be used for validating biometric input received by the voice-interaction device. Biometric input received by the voice-interaction device may be validated using stored biometric information to unlock additional functionality of the voice-interaction device, which may involve (i) producing a spoken output of available activities that can be carried out using the voice-interaction device, (ii) receiving a spoken input comprising selection of a given activity that is to be carried out, and (iii) interacting with a back-end computing platform in order to cause the given activity to be carried out.