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.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10802598-B2
Publication Date
2020-10-13
Expiration Date
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
A wrist-worn user interface device is worn by a human and detects nerve or other tissue electrical signals associated with an intended contraction of a muscle to cause a motion of a part of the human. The device includes a sensor configured to detect the nerve or other tissue electrical signals, and it provides an output coupled to a distribution system. The distribution system distributes information representative of the detected nerve or other tissue electrical signals to two or more responsive devices not located on the human.
The output is configured to cause, in combination with one or more additional outputs from one or more other human-worn user interface devices having sensors configured to detect nerve or other tissue electrical signals associated with intended muscle contractions, actions of the two or more responsive devices corresponding to the intended contractions. The actions are performed in parallel and each action is performed in response to the output of the user interface device and the outputs from the one or more other human-worn user interface devices.
In configurations that include feedback, a feedback component receives feedback information from one or more of the responsive devices and provides feedback to the human indicative of the actions performed by the responsive devices. The feedback is configured to guide the human to control the intended contraction of the muscle for further actions of the two or more responsive devices.
Claims Coverage
The provided material includes three independent claims. Across these claims, the inventive coverage centers on a wrist-worn user interface device, or multiple wrist-worn devices, that detects nerve or other tissue electrical signals tied to intended muscle contractions, distributes signal-representative information to two or more off-body responsive devices, and coordinates parallel responsive actions, with some embodiments further including feedback to guide the human.
Parallel off-body control from intended muscle contractions
A user interface device to be worn by a human having a sensor configured to detect nerve or other tissue electrical signals associated with an intended contraction of a muscle to cause a motion of a part of the human, and an output coupled to a distribution system configured to distribute information representative of the nerve or other tissue electrical signals associated with the intended contraction of the muscle to two or more responsive devices not located on the human, the output configured to cause, in combination with one or more additional outputs from one or more other human-worn user interface devices each having a sensor configured to detect nerve or other tissue electrical signals associated with an intended contraction of a muscle to cause a motion of a part of the human, actions of the two or more responsive devices corresponding to the intended contractions of the muscles, the actions being performed by the two or more responsive devices in parallel and each in response to the output of the user interface device and the output or outputs from the one or more other human-worn user interface devices.
Guided parallel off-body control using feedback from responsive devices
A wrist-worn user interface device having a sensor configured to detect nerve or other tissue electrical signals associated with an intended contraction of a muscle to cause a motion of a part of a human, an output coupled to a distribution system configured to distribute information representative of the nerve or other tissue electrical signals associated with the intended contraction of the muscle to two or more responsive devices not located on the human, the output configured to cause, in combination with one or more additional outputs from one or more other wrist-worn user interface devices having sensors to detect nerve or other tissue electrical signals associated with intended contractions of muscles, actions corresponding to the intended contractions of the muscles, the actions being performed by the two or more responsive devices in parallel in response to the output of the user interface device and the outputs from the other user interface devices, and a feedback component configured to receive feedback information from one or more of the responsive devices and to provide feedback to the human indicative of the actions performed by the two or more responsive devices, to guide the human to control the intended contraction of the muscle for further actions of the two or more responsive devices.
Multi-wrist parallel control with distribution system and feedback guidance
A first wrist-worn user interface device having a sensor configured to detect nerve or other tissue electrical signals associated with an intended contraction of a first muscle to cause a motion of a first part of a human, and a first output, a second wrist-worn user interface device having a second sensor configured to detect nerve or other tissue electrical signals associated with an intended contraction of a second muscle to cause a motion of a second part of a human, and a second output, a first responsive device not located on the human, a second responsive device not located on the human, a distribution system configured to distribute information representative of the nerve or other tissue electrical signals associated with the intended contraction of the first muscle to the first responsive device and to the second responsive device, the output of the first wrist-worn user interface device configured to cause, in combination with one or more additional outputs from second wrist-worn user interface device, actions corresponding to the intended contractions of the first muscle, the actions being performed by the first responsive device and the second responsive device in parallel in response to the first output of the wrist-worn user interface device and the second output from the second wrist-worn user interface device, and a feedback component configured to receive feedback information from one or more of the first and second responsive devices and to provide feedback to the human indicative of the actions performed by the first and second responsive devices, to guide the human to control the intended contraction of the first muscle for further actions of the first and second responsive devices.
Across the independent claims, the core claim coverage is directed to detecting nerve or other tissue electrical signals associated with intended muscle contractions using a wrist-worn user interface device, distributing information representative of those signals to two or more responsive devices not located on the human via a distribution system, causing responsive actions that are performed in parallel in response to outputs from one or more human-worn user interface devices, and, in two of the independent claims, receiving feedback information from the responsive devices and providing human feedback to guide further control of intended muscle contractions.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
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