ERGONOMIC DETECTION, PROCESSING AND ALERTING FOR COMPUTING DEVICES

• US 20110080290A1
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Baxi, Amit S., Darera, Vivek N., Mageshkumar, Vincent S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,044,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/24 Computer workstation operators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip

Abstract

Methods, apparatuses and systems receive information, via at least one sensor, indicating an ergonomic characteristic of a user of a computing device. The information is user to determine if the ergonomic characteristic of the user is within a reference ergonomic boundary. In response to determining the ergonomic characteristic of the user is not within the reference ergonomic boundary, processing is executed to determine an adjustment for the user to make so that the ergonomic characteristic of the user is within the reference ergonomic boundary, the adjustment to include at least one of an adjustment to the ergonomic characteristic of the user and an adjustment to the computing device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving information, via at least one sensor, indicating an ergonomic characteristic of a user of a computing device;

determining, based on the received information, if the ergonomic characteristic of the user is within a reference ergonomic boundary; and

in response to determining the ergonomic characteristic of the user is not within the reference ergonomic boundary,

determining an adjustment for the user to make so that the ergonomic characteristic of the user, in relation to the use of computing device, is within the reference ergonomic boundary, the adjustment to include at least one of

an adjustment to the ergonomic characteristic of the user, and

an adjustment to the computing device, and

notifying the user that the ergonomic characteristic is not within the reference ergonomic boundary.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the user includes at least one of:

notifying the user via the at least one sensor; and

notifying the user and displaying the adjustment via a user interface, the user interface to be displayed on the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising

determining location information of the user and the device, wherein the adjustment is determined based, at least in part, on the location information of the user and the device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising

storing the information indicating the ergonomic characteristic of the user, the stored information to be processed to determine ergonomic trends of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes an image sensor, the ergonomic characteristic of the user includes the eye-blink rate of the user, and the adjustment includes adjusting the eye-blink rate of the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes an orientation sensor coupled to the user, the ergonomic characteristic of the user includes the spinal position of the user, and the adjustment includes adjusting a seating position of the user with respect to the computing device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes an orientation sensor coupled to a display of the computing device, the ergonomic characteristic of the user includes the spinal position of the user, and the adjustment includes at least one of

adjusting a seating position of the user with respect to the computing device, and

adjusting a position of the display of the computing device with respect to the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor includes a distance sensor coupled to the computing device, the ergonomic characteristic of the user includes the distance between the user and the computing device, and the adjustment includes changing the distance between the user and the computing device.

9. A system comprising:

a computing device;

at least one sensor to capture data indicating an ergonomic characteristic of a user of the computing device; and

a processing module to

receive the captured data,

determine, based on the received data, if the ergonomic characteristic of the user is within a reference ergonomic boundary, and

in response to determining the ergonomic characteristic of the user is not within the reference ergonomic boundary,

determine an adjustment for the user to make so that the ergonomic characteristic of the user, in relation to the use of the computing device, is within the reference ergonomic boundary, the adjustment to include at least one of

an adjustment to the ergonomic characteristic of the user, and

an adjustment to the computing device, and

notify the user that the ergonomic characteristic is not within the reference ergonomic boundary.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein notifying the user includes at least one of:

notifying the user via the at least one sensor; and

notifying the user and displaying the adjustment via a user interface, the user interface to be displayed on the computing device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the computing device further includes a location sensor to determine location information of the user and the device, and the adjustment is determined based, at least in part, on the location information of the user and the device.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

non-volatile storage to store the data indicating the ergonomic characteristic of the user, the stored information to be processed to determine ergonomic trends of the user.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one sensor includes a position and placement sensor coupled to the computing device to determine the user'"'"'s wrist placement with respect to a keyboard of the computing device, the ergonomic characteristic of the user includes whether the user'"'"'s wrists are resting on the keyboard and the pressure exerted on the keyboard by the user'"'"'s wrists, and the adjustment includes adjusting the wrist position of the user.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one sensor includes a camera, the ergonomic characteristic of the user includes the position of the user'"'"'s eyes with respect to a display of the computing device, and the adjustment includes at least one of

adjusting the eye level of the user with respect to the display of the computing device;

and

adjusting the height of the display of the computing device with respect to the eye level of the user.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprising

a light sensor to data indicating an ambient light level of the user and the computing device, and the processing module to further

determine whether the ambient light level is within a reference ergonomic boundary, and

in response to determining the ambient light level is not within the reference ergonomic boundary, determining an adjustment so that the ambient light level is within the reference ergonomic boundary.

16. An article of manufacture comprising a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon to cause a processor to perform operations including:

receiving information, via at least one sensor, indicating an ergonomic characteristic of a user of a computing device;

determining, based on the received information, if the ergonomic characteristic of the user is within a reference ergonomic boundary; and

in response to determining the ergonomic characteristic of the user is not within the reference ergonomic boundary,

determining an adjustment for the user to make so that the ergonomic characteristic of the user, in relation to the use of the computing device, is within the reference ergonomic boundary, the adjustment to include at least one of

an adjustment to the ergonomic characteristic of the user, and

an adjustment to the computing device, and

notifying the user that the ergonomic characteristic is not within the reference ergonomic boundary.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein notifying the user includes at least one of:

notifying the user via the at least one sensor; and

notifying the user and displaying the adjustment via a user interface, the user interface to be displayed on the computing device.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 16, further comprising

determining location information of the user and the device, wherein the adjustment is determined based, at least in part, on the location information of the user and the device.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 16, further comprising

storing the information indicating the ergonomic characteristic of the user, the stored information to be processed to determine ergonomic trends of the user.