Wearable Audio Orientation Calibration from Head Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable audio devices with a wide range of wearing positions face impractical pre-programmed calibration and require user intervention for accurate sensor orientation, leading to degraded performance in spatialized audio applications.
Innovation Solution
Automatic sensor orientation calibration based on natural head motion, using inertial measurement units to capture rotational data and process it to generate orientation calibration parameters, mapping sensor orientation to head orientation without user intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If pre-programmed calibration data is used, then calibration is simple and fast, but it is impractical for devices worn in a wide range of positions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs calibration automatically using the device's own sensor to capture natural head motions during normal use. The sensor captures rotational data, the controller identifies tight motions (yaw/pitch), and the system generates calibration parameters without external devices or user intervention, allowing the device to self-calibrate for various wearing positions
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs calibration during normal use before spatialized audio applications require accurate orientation data. By capturing natural head motions during typical usage and generating calibration parameters in advance, the system ensures readiness for spatialized audio without requiring separate calibration sessions
2Measurement precision
If affirmative calibration steps are required, then calibration accuracy can be improved, but user compliance decreases and performance degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The system eliminates the need for external devices or explicit user actions by automatically capturing natural head motions during normal use. The sensor continuously monitors rotational data, the controller autonomously identifies tight motions, and calibration parameters are generated without user intervention, ensuring both accuracy and compliance
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs calibration continuously during normal use rather than requiring discrete calibration actions. By capturing rotational data throughout typical usage and continuously identifying tight motions, the system accumulates sufficient data for accurate calibration while maintaining seamless operation
3Extent of automation
If natural head motion is used for calibration, then user intervention is eliminated, but the system must accurately identify tight motions from continuous data
Solution Approach 1:
The controller continuously monitors rotational data from the sensor and uses feedback from identified tight motions to refine calibration parameters. By analyzing the characteristics of tight motions (yaw/pitch with clustered rotation axes) and adjusting calibration based on this feedback, the system achieves accurate automated calibration
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter being measured from general rotational data to specifically identified tight motion characteristics. By filtering for motions with rotation axes tightly clustered around a single axis and focusing on yaw/pitch motions, the system extracts calibration-relevant information from continuous sensor data
Data Source
AI summary
A wearable audio device is provided. The wearable audio device includes a sensor, such as an IMU and a controller. The sensor is configured to capture rotational motion data. At least a portion of the captured rotational motion data corresponds to head motion of a user. The sensor is further configured to generate a sensor orientation of the sensor based on the rotational motion data. The controller is configured to (1) receive the rotational motion data and the sensor orientation from the sensor; (2) generate, based on the rotational motion data, an orientation calibration parameter; and (3) map the sensor orientation to a head orientation of the user based on the orientation calibration parameter.