User interface control of responsive devices

Inventors

Ang, Dexter W. • Cipoletta, David O • Karnes, Samuel J. • Kowalczyk, Michael P. • Patel, Salil H. • Trambert, Steven D. • Srikumar, Sidhant • Lajoie, Brodey

Assignees

Pison Technology Inc

Abstract

Among other things, a user interface device has a sensor configured to detect, at a wrist of a human, nerve or other tissue electrical signals associated with an intended contraction of a muscle to cause a rapid motion of a finger. An output provides information representative of the nerve or other tissue electrical signals associated with the intended contraction of the muscle to an interpreter of the information.

Core Innovation

The disclosed invention describes a wrist-worn user interface apparatus that detects nerve signals associated with intended contractions of two or more muscles. At least two user interface devices include at least two electroneurography sensors configured to detect nerve signals from a dorsal side of a wrist of the human and to generate corresponding sensor outputs. A processor derives information corresponding to and representing the nerve signals from the sensor outputs of the electroneurography sensors.

An interpreter generates interpreted outputs based on the information derived by the processor. The interpreter performs a joint consideration of the information corresponding to and representing nerve signals from the sensor outputs of the two electroneurography sensors of each of the user interface devices, and also performs a separate consideration of the information corresponding to and representing nerve signals from the sensor outputs of each of the two electroneurography sensors of each of the user interface devices. The interpreted outputs are provided to a controller configured to effect actions by two or more responsive devices.

At least one of the user interface devices comprises an inertial measurement unit (IMU), and the system supports wrist-worn user interface devices paired with multiple responsive devices. The described system includes example scenarios where the interpreted outputs can support controlling and interacting with multiple responsive devices, including smart glasses timeline navigation, smartwatch notification actions, camera zoom and capture modes, and replicating keyboard functionality.

The invention also includes documented behaviors for user feedback and system processing, including visual, audible, and haptic feedback such as icons displayed on smart glasses. It further describes latency handling and latency-compensated signal processing, IMU calibration using a reference point, and wrist-detected nerve or other tissue electrical activity used as biometric signal data with an authentication or verification output to support access control.

Claims Coverage

The independent claim covers an apparatus with two or more user interface devices and multiple electroneurography sensors on a dorsal wrist, together with a processor and interpreter that generate interpreted outputs based on both joint and separate consideration across sensors and across devices, which are then used by a controller to effect actions by two or more responsive devices. One additional inventive feature includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU).

The inventive core is the combination of dorsal-wrist electroneurography sensing for intended muscle contractions, a processor deriving information representing nerve signals, an interpreter producing interpreted outputs via both joint and separate consideration across sensors and devices, and a controller that effects actions by multiple responsive devices, with at least one IMU included in the user interface apparatus.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications