Wearable Proximity Sensor Gesture Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wearable computing devices offer limited interactivity and are cumbersome, making it difficult for users to seamlessly interact with online content, especially in situations where using a smartphone is impractical, due to reliance on invasive voice commands or small button interfaces.

Innovation Solution

A wearable device equipped with a proximity sensor, transceiver, and display layer that enables seamless visual output and integrated interactivity through gesture recognition, allowing users to detect proximity and orientation information to process gestures and provide visual feedback, enhancing interaction with personal computing applications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If wearable devices use voice commands for control, then interactivity is enabled, but accuracy deteriorates in noisy environments

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveinteractivityVSAvoidcontrol accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces gesture recognition as an intermediary control method between voice commands and traditional buttons. By detecting hand gestures through sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, cameras), the system provides a reliable control alternative that works accurately in noisy environments where voice recognition fails, while maintaining natural and intuitive interaction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If wearable devices include multiple buttons for functionality, then interactivity is improved, but device size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveinteractivityVSAvoiddevice size

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical buttons with gesture-based control systems. By using sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, optical cameras) to detect hand gestures in space, the system eliminates the need for physical buttons entirely, providing rich interactivity through gesture recognition while maintaining a compact, lightweight wearable device form factor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Device complexity

If wearable devices provide limited control options, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol optionsVSAvoiduser interaction

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic control adaptability where the system automatically selects the most appropriate control modality based on environmental context. The device can switch between gesture recognition, voice commands, and traditional button controls depending on noise levels, user preferences, and situational requirements, providing rich interaction options while maintaining simple, intuitive operation through context-aware adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10216283B2User-wearable device for personal computing system, processing unit for personal computing system, and method associated therewith

Publication Date: 2019.02.26 ALCATEL LUCENT SA

AI summary

A wearable device suitable for being worn by a user, said wearable device comprising a proximity sensor configured to detect a proximity parameter representative of a distance between said wearable device and another wearable device; a transceiver configured to send proximity information pertaining to said detected proximity parameter to a processing unit and to receive from said processing unit visual output generated based on said proximity information; and a display layer configured to display said visual output.