SYSTEM FOR DETECTING FACIAL MOVEMENTS OVER A FACE OF A USER
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a sensor assembly comprising;
an elastic member;
configured to couple to a headset,configured to contact a face of a user, proximal and offset from ocular regions of the face of the user, when the headset is worn by the user, andcomprising a compressible material configured to conform to the face of the user when the headset is worn by the user;
a substrate arranged across an exterior surface of the elastic member and defining a set of discrete electrical channels;
a set of electrode tabs distributed along the elastic member, each electrode tab;
configured to proximally contact a muscular region on the face of the user when the headset is worn by the user;
comprising a sense electrode defining an electrical contact surface facing outwardly from an interior surface of the elastic member opposite the substrate and configured to contact skin on the face of the user when the headset is worn by the user; and
comprising an enclosed trace extending from the sense electrode at the interior face of the elastic member to a discrete electrical channel, in the set of discrete electrical channels, at the exterior face of the elastic member; and
a controller configured to;
sample a set of sense signals from the set of electrode tabs via the set of discrete electrical channels; and
to interpret changes in the set of sense signals over time as expressions on the face of the user when the headset is worn by the user.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for detecting facial movements of a user includes: a sensor assembly including: an elastic member 110 configured to couple to a headset and contact a face of a user, proximal and offset from ocular regions of the face of the user and a substrate that defines a set of discrete electrical channels and a set of electrode tabs distributed along the elastic member, wherein each electrode tab is configured to proximally contact a muscular region on the face of the user; and a controller configured to sample a set of sense signals from the set of electrode tabs via the set of discrete electrical channels and to interpret changes in the set of sense signals over time as expressions on the face of the user when the headset is worn by the user.
1 Citation
20 Claims
-
1. A system comprising:
-
a sensor assembly comprising; an elastic member; configured to couple to a headset, configured to contact a face of a user, proximal and offset from ocular regions of the face of the user, when the headset is worn by the user, and comprising a compressible material configured to conform to the face of the user when the headset is worn by the user; a substrate arranged across an exterior surface of the elastic member and defining a set of discrete electrical channels; a set of electrode tabs distributed along the elastic member, each electrode tab; configured to proximally contact a muscular region on the face of the user when the headset is worn by the user; comprising a sense electrode defining an electrical contact surface facing outwardly from an interior surface of the elastic member opposite the substrate and configured to contact skin on the face of the user when the headset is worn by the user; and comprising an enclosed trace extending from the sense electrode at the interior face of the elastic member to a discrete electrical channel, in the set of discrete electrical channels, at the exterior face of the elastic member; and a controller configured to; sample a set of sense signals from the set of electrode tabs via the set of discrete electrical channels; and to interpret changes in the set of sense signals over time as expressions on the face of the user when the headset is worn by the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
3. The system of claim 0, wherein the set of electrode tabs comprises:
-
a lower left electrode tab configured to proximally contact a left zygomaticus muscular region or a left levator labii superioris muscular region of the face of the user when the headset is worn by the user; an upper left electrode tab configured to proximally contact a left upper orbicularis oculi muscular region of the face of the user when the headset is worn by the user; a lower right electrode tab configured to proximally contact a right zygomaticus or a right levator labii superioris muscular region of the face of the user when the headset is worn by the user; and an upper right electrode tab configured to proximally contact a right upper orbicularis oculi muscular region of the face of the user when the headset is worn by the user. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
-
-
14. A manufacturing method comprising:
-
applying a layer of conductive ink to an exterior surface of a flexible substrate to form; a set of sense electrodes; a common junction; and a set of electrical traces, each electrical trace connecting each sense electrode in the set of sense electrodes to a corresponding electrical channel of the common junction. applying a non-oxidative conductive layer over the set of sense electrodes; applying a nonconductive cover layer over the set of electrical traces; selectively cutting the flexible substrate around the applied layer of conductive ink to define; a substrate ring comprising the set of electrical traces and the common junction; and a set of electrode tabs extending radially from the substrate ring, each electrode tab in the set of electrode tabs comprising a sense electrode in the set of sense electrodes; assembling a sensor assembly by adhering; an interior surface of the substrate ring to an exterior surface of an elastic member configured to conform to a face of a user offset from the ocular regions of the face of the user; and an interior surface of each electrode tab in the set of electrode tabs to an interior surface of the elastic member; and applying an adherent to an exterior surface of the sensor assembly, the adherent configured to transiently couple the sensor assembly to a view window of a virtual reality headset. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A manufacturing method comprising:
-
applying a layer of conductive ink to an exterior surface of a flexible substrate to form; a common junction; a set of electrical pads; and a set of electrical channels, each electrical channel connecting each electrical pad in the set of electrical pads to a corresponding electrical channel of the common junction; selectively cutting the flexible substrate around the applied layer of conductive ink to define a substrate ring comprising the set of electrical pads, the set of electrical channels, and the common junction; applying a layer of conductive ink to a flexible polymer sheet to form a set of electrode tabs, each electrode tab comprising; a junction pad; a sense electrode; and an electrical trace connecting the junction pad and the sense electrode; for each electrode tab in the set of electrode tabs, separating the electrode tab from the flexible polymer sheet; assembling an electrode-substrate assembly by adhering, for each electrode tab in the set of electrode tabs, the junction pad of the electrode tab to an electrical pad in the set of electrical pads on the substrate ring; assembling a sensor assembly by adhering; an interior surface of the substrate ring of the electrode-substrate assembly to an exterior surface of an elastic member configured to conform to a face of a user offset from the ocular regions of the face of the user; and an interior surface of each electrode tab in the set of electrode tabs to an interior surface of the elastic member; and applying an adherent to an exterior surface of the sensor assembly, the adherent configured to transiently couple the sensor assembly to a view window of a virtual reality headset. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification