Wrist Gesture Sensing for Surface-Aware AR Interaction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing artificial-reality environments require users to perform large, attention-demanding gestures and often isolate them from physical surfaces, leading to inconvenient and socially awkward interactions, especially when using hand-held devices or multiple wearable devices.
Innovation Solution
Wearable devices, such as wrist-wearable devices equipped with time-of-flight and EMG sensors, detect in-air and surface gestures to interact with artificial-reality environments, allowing users to perform operations without direct physical contact or fixed orientations, using a combination of in-air, surface, and location-agnostic gestures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If hand-held devices or multiple wearable devices are used to detect user gestures, then gesture detection capability is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to requiring users to carry and manipulate multiple devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor types (IMU sensors, electromyography sensors, time-of-flight sensors) into a single wrist-wearable device to detect various gesture types. This merging eliminates the need for users to carry and manipulate multiple separate devices while maintaining comprehensive gesture detection capability through integrated sensing components.
Solution Approach 2:
The wrist-wearable device is designed to perform multiple functions: detecting in-air gestures, surface gestures, and providing artificial-reality environment control. By making the device universal and multi-functional, the patent reduces the number of devices users need to carry while maintaining sophisticated gesture detection capabilities.
2Measurement precision
If large gestures requiring significant available space are used, then gesture detection accuracy is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to awkward and socially unacceptable interactions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs sensors positioned at the wrist to detect localized hand movements and gestures. By using local quality sensing at the wrist level, the system can accurately detect gestures without requiring large movements that demand significant space, making interactions more ergonomic and socially acceptable while maintaining detection accuracy.
3Adaptability or versatility
If hand-held devices are used for gesture detection, then gesture interaction capability is improved, but device complexity increases due to requiring users to carry and manipulate additional devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates IMU sensors, electromyography sensors, and time-of-flight sensors into a single wrist-wearable device. This merging of sensing functions into one device reduces the number of separate devices users must carry and manipulate, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining versatile gesture interaction capabilities.
4Reliability
If virtual reality devices create stationary guardian boundaries, then safety is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates by isolating users from physical surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables dynamic interaction with both virtual and physical surfaces through the wrist-wearable device. Users can perform gestures that interact with virtual objects while remaining aware of and able to contact physical surfaces, eliminating the isolating effect of stationary guardian boundaries while maintaining safety through spatial awareness capabilities.
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, ergonomic, and socially acceptable interactions with artificial-reality environments by reducing the need for physical manipulation and visual distractions, allowing users to interact seamlessly with both virtual and physical objects and devices.
Implementation Method 1
The sensors at the wearable devices can include time-of-flight sensors (e.g., to detect spatial distances)
Implementation Method 2
The sensors at the wearable devices can include EMG sensors (e.g., to detect muscular responses)
Data Source
AI summary
A method of using time-of-flight sensors for gesture detection and content-rendering determinations in an artificial reality environment is provided. The method includes receiving data, from one or more time-of-flight sensors communicatively-coupled with a wrist-wearable device, about a physical surface, wherein the wrist-wearable device is communicatively-coupled with a head-wearable device that is configured to display a virtual object within an artificial-reality environment presented by the head-wearable device. The method also includes, in accordance with a determination, based on the data, that the physical surface has a curved surface portion, causing display of at least a portion of the virtual object at the curved surface portion, including updating the display of the virtual object in accordance with the curved surface portion.