Method and System for Ergonomic Touch-free Interface

• US 20120235904A1
• Filed: 03/19/2011
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford University)
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford University)
• Inventors: Plagemann, Christian, Dahlkamp, Hendrik, Ganapathi, Hariraam Varun, Thrun, Sebastian
• Granted Patent: US 9,857,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object

Abstract

With the advent of touch-free interfaces such as described in the present disclosure, it is no longer necessary for computer interfaces to be in predefined locations (e.g., desktops) or configuration (e.g., rectangular keyboard). The present invention makes use of touch-free interfaces to encourage users to interface with a computer in an ergonomically sound manner. Among other things, the present invention implements a system for localizing human body parts such as hands, arms, shoulders, or even the fully body, with a processing device such as a computer along with a computer display to provide visual feedback on the display that encourages a user to maintain an ergonomically preferred position with ergonomically preferred motions. For example, the present invention encourages a user to maintain his motions within an ergonomically preferred range without have to reach out excessively or repetitively.

Claims

1. A method for providing input to a device, comprising:

receiving image information for user action;

localizing at least one active part from the image information;

generating a graphical image, wherein the graphical image provides visual cues that prompt a user to maintain user action within a predetermined space.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the image information includes image information from a camera.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the image information includes image information from a three-dimensional sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the preferred space is an ergonomically preferred space.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical image includes graphics in a first color and a second color.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the graphics is a border on a display.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the graphics are textual information.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising actively learning the preferred space.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical image is a virtual three-dimensional space.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising establishing a reference frame from which the position of the at least one active part is measured.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed in real-time.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein movement of the at least one part is mapped to a virtual space.

13. A human interface device, comprising:

a camera configured to receive image information for user action;

a processor configured to localize at least one active part from the image information;

a display configured to display a graphical image, wherein the graphical image provides visual cues that prompt a user to maintain user action within a predetermined space.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the image information includes image information from a camera.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the image information includes image information from a three-dimensional sensor.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the predetermined space is an ergonomically preferred space.

17. The device of claim 13, wherein the graphical image includes graphics in a first color and a second color.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the graphics is a border on a display.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the graphics are textual information.

20. The device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to actively learn the predetermined space.

21. The device of claim 13, wherein the graphical image is a virtual three-dimensional space.

22. The device of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to establish a reference frame from which the position of the at least one active part is measured.

23. The device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to operate in real time.

24. The device of claim 13, wherein movement of the at least one part is mapped to a virtual space.