Walking stick with IMU
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An elongated member with environmental image-gathering features, comprising:
- an elongated member having a top end and a bottom end, the elongated member configured to be carried by a user;
one or more imaging sensors coupled to the elongated member;
a switch coupled to the bottom of the elongated member configured to activate the one or more imaging sensors to capture one or more images of the environment surrounding the elongated member each time the switch receives a signal that the user has planted the bottom end of the elongated member on a surface; and
at least one of a location sensor or an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that provides location information about the position of the elongated member.
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Abstract
An elongated member is provided with one or more imaging sensors, location sensors, and a switch in its bottom end. For example, in an embodiment the elongated member may be a walking stick and the one or more imaging sensors may be one or more cameras Such a walking stick takes pictures of its surrounding environment and keeps records of its location when the switch touches the ground, so that the pictures and location information can be used to create a virtual simulation of the area that a user of the walking stick has walked through.
23 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An elongated member with environmental image-gathering features, comprising:
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an elongated member having a top end and a bottom end, the elongated member configured to be carried by a user; one or more imaging sensors coupled to the elongated member; a switch coupled to the bottom of the elongated member configured to activate the one or more imaging sensors to capture one or more images of the environment surrounding the elongated member each time the switch receives a signal that the user has planted the bottom end of the elongated member on a surface; and at least one of a location sensor or an inertial measurement unit (IMU) that provides location information about the position of the elongated member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of capturing one or more environmental images, comprising:
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(a) receiving a contact signal from a bottom end of an elongated member indicating that the bottom end of the elongated member has been planted on a surface; (b) capturing one or more images of the environment surrounding the elongated member using one or more imaging sensors coupled to the elongated member, in response to the contact signal; (c) receiving location information from at least one of a location sensor and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) about a position of the elongated member when the bottom of the elongated member is planted on the surface and associating the position with the images; (d) repeating steps (a)-(c) as the elongated member is re-planted. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification