Wearable Gesture Input Using Optical Hand Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wearable electronic devices face challenges in efficiently integrating processing and display systems within a compact form factor while providing user-friendly interaction mechanisms and environmental sealing.
Innovation Solution
A wearable electronic device design that incorporates a circular display with a rotatable outer ring and band, featuring a stack-up of components including a touch-sensitive layer, battery, processor board, and encoder, with environmental sealing and user interaction through the outer ring and band, allowing for haptic feedback and sensor integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a compact form factor is used for wearable devices, then portability and wearability are improved, but integration of processing and display systems becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the display system and processing system into a single integrated assembly where the display is mounted directly on the processor board. This merging of functions allows the device to maintain a compact form factor while avoiding the complexity of separate integrated circuits, as the display and processor work together as one unified system.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor board serves multiple functions simultaneously: it processes data, controls the display, and interfaces with external devices through communication ports. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, enabling compact device design without sacrificing processing capabilities.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional input mechanisms are used in compact devices, then ease of manufacture is improved, but user-friendly interaction becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical input mechanisms (physical buttons, switches) with a touch-sensitive overlay on the display. This substitution maintains ease of manufacture by using simple capacitive or resistive touch technology while dramatically improving user interaction through intuitive touch gestures, eliminating the need for complex mechanical assemblies.
3Reliability
If environmental sealing is enhanced in wearable devices, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible waterproof coating or thin film sealant applied to the device housing and component interfaces. This approach provides effective environmental sealing against moisture and dust while maintaining a simple device structure, avoiding the need for complex gasket systems or multiple sealing layers that would increase manufacturing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a method includes capturing, by an optical sensor on or in a body of a wearable device, an image in a field of view of the optical sensor and detecting, by the wearable device and from the image, at least a portion of a hand of a wearer of the wearable device. The method further includes detecting, by the wearable device and from the image, a gesture of at least a portion of the hand of the wearer, the gesture including one or more of (1) a motion of the at least a portion of the hand of the wearer (2) an orientation of the at least a portion of the hand of the wearer or (3) an identification of the detected at least a portion of the hand of the wearer; and determining, by the device, an input to the device based on the detected gesture.