Ergonomic detection, processing and alerting for computing devices

• US 9,044,172 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Baxi, Amit S., Darera, Vivek N., Mageshkumar, Vincent S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trieu, Van
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yu, Royit
• Application Number:
  US12/884,481
• Publication Number:
  US 20110080290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.7, 340/573.1, 340/540, 340/500, 340/407.1, 340/407.2, 600/920, 600/300, 600/301, 600/595
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 included in a sensor device coupled to a user, indicating an ergonomic characteristic of the user of a computing device in relation to a use of the computing device, wherein the at least one sensor of the sensor device comprises at least one of an accelerometer or a gyroscope to detect user movement;

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, by;

determining a context of the user utilizing the computing device;

determining an adjustment to the ergonomic characteristic of the user based on the context of the user; and

determining an adjustment to the computing device based on the context of the user, and

notifying the user, via tactile feedback from the sensor device coupled to the user, that the ergonomic characteristic is not within the reference ergonomic boundary

determining, via an orientation sensor coupled to a display of the computing device and separate from the sensor device coupled to the user, a spinal position of the user, wherein the adjustment includes at least one of;

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

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

2. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the user includes displaying the adjustment via a user interface, the user interface to be displayed on the computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an adjustment to the ergonomic characteristic of the user based on the context of the user comprises determining an adjustment to the ergonomic characteristic and determining an adjustment to the computing device based on the context of the user comprises determining an adjustment based on a location of the computing 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, further comprising:

determining, via an image sensor separate from the sensor device, an eye-blink rate of the user, wherein the adjustment includes adjusting the eye-blink rate of the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor included in the sensor device coupled to the user includes an orientation sensor, 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, further comprising:

determining, via a distance sensor coupled to the computing device, a distance between the user and the computing device, wherein the adjustment includes changing the distance between the user and the computing device.

8. A system comprising:

a computing device;

a sensor device coupled to a user of a computing device and including at least one sensor to capture data indicating an ergonomic characteristic of the user of the computing device in relation to a use of the computing device, wherein the at least one sensor of the sensor device comprises at least one of an accelerometer or a gyroscope to detect user movement;

non-volatile storage to receive and store the captured data indicating the ergonomic characteristic of the user;

a processor to execute the captured data the non-volatile storage to;

determine, based on the captured 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, by determining a context of the user utilizing the computing device, determining an adjustment to the ergonomic characteristic of the user based on the context of the user; and

determining an adjustment to the computing device based on the context of the user;

transmit data to the sensor device to notify the user, via tactile feedback from the sensor device coupled to the user, that the ergonomic characteristic is not within the reference ergonomic boundary;

determine, via an orientation sensor coupled to a display of the computing device and separate from the sensor device coupled to the user, a spinal position of the user, wherein the adjustment includes at least one of;

adjust a seating position of the user with respect to the computing device, or

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

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the notification module is to further transmit display data to the computing device to display the adjustment via a user interface, the user interface to be displayed via the computing device.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein determining an adjustment to the ergonomic characteristic of the user based on the context of the user comprises determining an adjustment to the ergonomic characteristic and determining an adjustment to the computing device based on the context of the user comprises determining an adjustment based on a location of the computing device.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the non-volatile storage is to further store ergonomic trends of the user, and wherein the reference ergonomic boundary is based, at least in part, on the stored ergonomic trends of the user.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

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.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

an image sensor, wherein 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, or adjusting the height of the display of the computing device with respect to the eye level of the user.

14. The system of claim 8, 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.

15. 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 included in a sensor device coupled to a user, indicating an ergonomic characteristic of the user of a computing device in relation to a use of the computing device, wherein the at least one sensor of the sensor device comprises at least one of an accelerometer or a gyroscope to detect user movement;

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, by;

determining a context of the user utilizing the computing device;

determining an adjustment to the ergonomic characteristic of the user based on the context of the user; and

determining an adjustment to the computing device based on the context of the user, and

notifying the user, via tactile feedback from the sensor device coupled to the user, that the ergonomic characteristic is not within the reference ergonomic boundary

determining, via an orientation sensor coupled to a display of the computing device and separate from the sensor device coupled to the user, a spinal position of the user, wherein the adjustment includes at least one of;

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

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

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein notifying the user includes displaying the adjustment via a user interface, the user interface to be displayed on the computing device.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein determining an adjustment to the ergonomic characteristic of the user based on the context of the user comprises determining an adjustment to the ergonomic characteristic based on a physical limitation of the user and determining an adjustment to the computing device based on the context of the user comprises determining an adjustment based on a location of the computing device.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 15, 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.