Wearable Scanner Body Mounting for Ergonomic Item Registration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing handheld scanners for registering or acknowledging items require users to stop and manually orient items, which is inefficient and can be cumbersome, especially in industrial settings, and are prone to breakage or misuse due to their design and weight.
Innovation Solution
Wearable scanning devices with actuators and optical readers mounted on the body, allowing users to scan items while performing tasks, featuring flexible and durable designs that include spherical ball actuators and swiveling mounts for easy operation and reduced weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a worker uses a handheld scanner to identify items, then items can be registered with the computer system, but the worker must stop motion and manually orient items for scanning
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable scanner is mounted on the worker's body (wrist, arm, or clothing) so that it automatically follows the worker's movements and maintains the correct orientation relative to items without requiring manual intervention. The scanner serves itself by passively scanning items in the worker's field of view as they move through the workspace.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical operation of holding and orienting a handheld scanner with an automated wearable mounting system. The scanner is integrated into the worker's clothing or body, eliminating the need for manual positioning while maintaining accurate item registration.
2Ease of operation
If a handheld scanner is designed with a grip for easy handling, then it is easy to operate, but it becomes heavy (two pounds or more) and vulnerable to breakage or misuse
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional handheld grip structure from the scanner design. Instead of a handheld device with a grip, the scanning functionality is extracted and integrated into wearable clothing or body-mounted equipment, eliminating the need for a heavy handheld form factor.
Solution Approach 2:
The scanner is integrated into flexible wearable materials such as clothing fabrics or flexible body-mounted structures. This allows the scanning function to be worn without a rigid, heavy housing, reducing weight while maintaining operational ease through the flexible nature of the wearable material.
3Ease of operation
If a handheld scanner is designed with a grip for handling, then it is easy to operate, but it is easily broken, misplaced or surreptitiously obtained by unauthorized personnel
Solution Approach 1:
The handheld scanner is extracted from its traditional portable device form and integrated into wearable clothing or body-mounted equipment. This eliminates the risk of loss, theft, or breakage associated with handheld devices, as the scanner becomes part of the worker's uniform or attire.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses wearable clothing or body-mounted structures as an intermediary between the scanning function and the worker. This intermediary integrates the scanner into the worker's appearance and workflow, making it difficult to separate, lose, or misuse while maintaining ease of operation through the wearable interface.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient and convenient scanning of items without interrupting workflow, improving usability and reducing device vulnerability through ergonomic design and lightweight construction.
Implementation Method 1
an optical reader adapted to place a marking within a field of view of an optical element
Data Source
AI summary
Wearable scanners or readers may be mounted to and operated from at least one extension of the human body, such as a portion of a hand or wrist of a user. The wearable scanners or readers may include one or more manual or automatic actuators for initiating a scanning or reading of a marking on an object. Such actuators may be worn about the portion of the hand or wrist of the user, including within a palm of the hand, or in a ring-like device surrounding at least one finger of the hand. Additionally, the wearable scanners or readers may include optical elements configured to capture images in one or more directions or along one or more axes, and may further include any type of display elements (e.g., touchscreens, LED or LCD displays, or electrophoretic displays) formed in substantially flat or curved shapes.