Wearable Impedance Correction via Arm Angle Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable devices face challenges in accurately measuring impedance due to variations in user posture and contact quality, which affects the reliability of biometric data such as body fat measurement.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that measure specific angles between the wearable device, the user's elbow joints, and a camera to determine impedance variation rates, allowing for correction of impedance measurements based on these angles, and adjust for contact quality, enabling accurate body fat measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If impedance is measured by a sensor in a wearable device, then biometric data such as body fat can be obtained, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to variations in user posture and contact quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of impedance measurement by introducing angle-based correction factors. The wearable device measures the angle between the user's arm and the wearable device, then adjusts the impedance measurement based on pre-stored correction data corresponding to different angle ranges. This transforms the raw impedance measurement into a corrected value that compensates for posture variations, thereby maintaining measurement accuracy across different wearing conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct mechanical contact quality assessment with an optical sensing approach. Instead of relying solely on the quality of physical contact between the sensor and skin, the system uses a camera or sensor to detect arm angle, then substitutes this angular information for mechanical contact assessment. This substitution allows the system to infer contact quality indirectly through geometric relationships, improving reliability without requiring perfect mechanical contact
2Weight of moving object
If the wearable device structure is made small and light, then wearability is improved, but sensor measurement capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by integrating multiple sensors (impedance sensor, angle sensor/camera, acceleration sensor) into a single wearable device. The same device that measures impedance for body fat analysis also measures arm angle and motion data. By making the wearable device perform multiple functions, the patent avoids needing separate dedicated devices, thus maintaining light weight while enhancing measurement capabilities through data fusion and correction algorithms
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatuses for correcting an impedance measured by a sensor included in a wearable device are provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the methods includes: measuring, from an image including the wearable device and arms of a user, a first angle between a straight line connecting a left elbow joint of the user and a camera device for photographing the image and a straight line connecting the left elbow joint and the wearable device, a second angle between a straight line connecting the left elbow joint and the wearable device and a straight line connecting the wearable device and a right elbow joint of the user, a third angle between a straight line connecting the right elbow joint and the wearable device and a straight line connecting the right elbow joint and the camera device, and a fourth angle between a straight line connecting the right elbow joint and the camera device and a straight line connecting the left elbow joint and the camera device.