Thimble-type intermediation device and method for recognizing finger gesture using the same

• US 8,466,811 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2010
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Kang, Sang Seung, Kim, Jae Hong, Park, Chan Kyu, Park, Cheon Shu, Lee, Dae Ha, Jang, Min Su, Cho, Hyeon Sung, Sohn, Joo Chan, Lee, Jae Yeon, Chung, Yun Koo
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HIEU P
• Application Number:
  US12/845,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20110148669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 341/20, 341156-158, 341/163, 341173-177
• US Class Current: 341/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves

Abstract

Provided are a thimble-type intermediation device and a method for recognizing a finger gesture using the same. The thimble-type intermediation device includes: a motion sensing unit sensing a motion of a user'"'"'s finger and generating the sensed result as motion data; a tactile sensing block sensing a tactile behavior of the user'"'"'s finger and generating the sensed result as tactile data; a control unit recognizing the gesture and tactile behavior of the user'"'"'s finger on the basis of the generated motion data and tactile data, and outputting the recognition result as recognition result information; and a wireless communication unit transmitting the recognition result information to a robot system.

Claims

1. A thimble-type intermediation device comprising:

a motion sensing unit configured to sense a motion of a user'"'"'s finger and generate a result of the sensed motion as motion data;

a tactile sensing block configured to sense a tactile behavior of the user'"'"'s finger including a force applied to the user'"'"'s finger, and generate a result of the sensed tactile behavior as tactile data;

a control unit configured to recognize the motion and the tactile behavior of the user'"'"'s finger on the basis of the motion data and the tactile data, and output a result of the recognition as recognition result information; and

a wireless communication unit configured to transmit the recognition result information to a robot system,

wherein the tactile sensing block senses a force applied to a lower surface and a side surface of an end portion of the user'"'"'s finger.

2. The thimble-type intermediation device of claim 1, wherein the tactile sensing block comprises:

a first tactile sensing unit disposed at a position corresponding to the lower surface of the end portion of the user'"'"'s finger, and configured to sense the force applied to the lower surface; and

a second tactile sensing unit disposed at a position corresponding to the side surface of the end portion of the user'"'"'s finger, and configured to sense the force applied to the side surface.

3. The thimble-type intermediation device of claim 1, wherein the tactile sensing block comprises a Force Sensing Resistor (FSR) sensor.

4. The thimble-type intermediation device of claim 1, wherein the motion sensing unit comprises any one of an acceleration sensor, a gyroscope sensor, and a geomagnetic sensor or a combination of at least two of the sensors.

5. The thimble-type intermediation device of claim 1, further comprising a power control unit configured to supply power to the motion sensing unit, the tactile sensing block, the control unit, and the wireless communication unit, and control the power supply.

6. The thimble-type intermediation device of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication unit transmits the recognition result information to the robot system via a Bluetooth communication network.

7. A thimble-type intermediation device comprising:

a main device configured to be worn on a first finger of a user; and

an auxiliary device configured to be worn on a second finger of the user,

wherein the main device comprises;

a main motion sensing unit configured to sense a motion of the first finger of the user and generate main motion data;

a main tactile sensing block configured to sense a tactile behavior including a force applied to the first finger of the user, and generate main tactile data;

a main control unit configured to combine the main motion data and the main tactile data with auxiliary motion data and auxiliary tactile data, which are transmitted from the auxiliary device and are associated with the second finger of the user, and output a result of the combination as recognition result information; and

a wireless communication unit configured to transmit the recognition result information to a robot system,

wherein the auxiliary device comprises;

an auxiliary motion sensing unit configured to sense a motion of the second finger of the user and generate auxiliary motion data;

an auxiliary tactile sensing block configured to sense a tactile behavior including a force applied to the second finger of the user, and generate auxiliary tactile data; and

an auxiliary control unit configured to recognize the motion and the tactile behavior of the second finger of the user on the basis of the auxiliary motion data and the auxiliary tactile data, generate a result of the recognition as auxiliary recognition result information, and transmit the auxiliary recognition result information to the main control unit, and

wherein the main tactile sensing block comprises;

a first main tactile sensing unit disposed at a position corresponding to a lower surface of an end portion of the first finger of the user, and configured to sense a force applied to the lower surface of the end portion of the first finger of the user; and

a second main tactile sensing unit disposed at a position corresponding to a side surface of the end portion of the first finger of the user, and configured to sense a force applied to the side surface of the end portion of the first finger of the user.

8. The thimble-type intermediation device of claim 7, wherein the auxiliary device further comprises an auxiliary extended input/output unit performing an interfacing function with the main device and transmitting the auxiliary recognition result information to the main control unit of the main device, and

the main device further comprises a main extended input/output unit performing an interfacing function with the auxiliary device, coupled to the auxiliary extended input/output unit through any one of a wired and a wireless communication network, and receiving the auxiliary recognition result information to transfer to the main control unit.

9. The thimble-type intermediation device of claim 7,

wherein the auxiliary tactile sensing block comprises:

a first auxiliary tactile sensing unit disposed at a position corresponding to a lower surface of an end portion of the second finger of the user, and configured to sense a force applied to the lower surface of the end portion of the second finger of the user; and

a second auxiliary tactile sensing unit disposed at a position corresponding to a side surface of the end portion of the second finger of the user, and configured to sense a force applied to the side surface of the end portion of the second finger of the user.

10. A method for recognizing a user'"'"'s finger gesture for controlling a robot system or performing input/output control of an information device, comprising:

sensing a motion of a first finger of a user and a tactile behavior including a force applied to the first finger of the user, and generating a result of the sensed motion and tactile behavior of the first finger as main motion data and main tactile data;

sensing a motion of a second finger of the user and a tactile behavior including a force applied to the second finger of the user, and generating a result of the sensed motion and tactile behavior of the second finger as auxiliary motion data and auxiliary tactile data;

combining the main motion data and main tactile data with the auxiliary motion data and auxiliary tactile data, and outputting the combined result as recognition result information; and

transmitting the recognition result information to the robot system or the information device,

wherein sensing the main tactile data further comprises sensing a force applied to a lower surface of an end portion of the first finger of the user, and sensing a force applied to a side surface of an end portion of the first finger of the user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the generating of the main tactile data further comprises:

after sensing the force applied to the lower surface of the end portion of the first finger of the user, generating a result of the sensed tactile behavior as first tactile data; and

after sensing on the force applied to the side surface of the end portion of the first finger of the user, generating a result of the sensed tactile behavior as second tactile data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the generating of the auxiliary tactile data comprises:

after sensing a force applied to a lower surface of an end portion of the second finger of the user, generating the sensed result as third tactile data; and

after sensing a force applied to a side surface of the end portion of the second finger of the user, generating the sensed result as fourth tactile data.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

transmitting the recognition result information to the robot system or the information device via a Bluetooth network.