Wearable gestural interface
First Claim
1. Apparatus comprising:
- (a) a camera;
(b) a projector for projecting images on a surface, which surface is separate from the apparatus and is not dedicated to electronic visual display;
(c) a transceiver for connecting to a global network; and
(d) a digital computer for(i) performing analysis of visual data captured by the camera (A) to identify a solid object or a feature of the solid object, neither the object nor the feature being an image projected by the projector, and (B) to recognize a gesture made by a human in the air while the human is neither in physical contact with, nor holding an object that is in physical contact with, a solid surface, and(ii) based at least in part on the analysis;
outputting instructions to obtain, from the global network, information about the object or feature;
receiving and processing data indicative of the information, andoutputting instructions to make changes to the images, in a way that the changes depend at least in part on the information and the gesture;
wherein(A) the global network comprises the Internet, the World-Wide Web, or any other global system of interconnected computer networks, and(B) the apparatus is wearable in a manner in which weight of the apparatus is not supported by a human user'"'"'s hands.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention may be implemented as a wearable apparatus comprised of a camera, a projector, a mirror, a microphone and a digital computer. The camera captures visual data. This data is analyzed by the digital computer to recognize objects and hand gestures, using color tracking and edge detection techniques. The projector is used, along with a mirror to adjust the direction of the projected light, to project images on objects in the user'"'"'s environment. For example, the images may be projected on surfaces such as a wall, table, or piece of paper. The projected images may contain information relevant to the object being augmented. Indeed, the information may include current data obtained from the Internet. Also, the projected images may comprise graphical interfaces, with which a user may interact by making hand gestures.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. Apparatus comprising:
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(a) a camera; (b) a projector for projecting images on a surface, which surface is separate from the apparatus and is not dedicated to electronic visual display; (c) a transceiver for connecting to a global network; and (d) a digital computer for (i) performing analysis of visual data captured by the camera (A) to identify a solid object or a feature of the solid object, neither the object nor the feature being an image projected by the projector, and (B) to recognize a gesture made by a human in the air while the human is neither in physical contact with, nor holding an object that is in physical contact with, a solid surface, and (ii) based at least in part on the analysis; outputting instructions to obtain, from the global network, information about the object or feature; receiving and processing data indicative of the information, and outputting instructions to make changes to the images, in a way that the changes depend at least in part on the information and the gesture; wherein (A) the global network comprises the Internet, the World-Wide Web, or any other global system of interconnected computer networks, and (B) the apparatus is wearable in a manner in which weight of the apparatus is not supported by a human user'"'"'s hands. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. Apparatus comprising:
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(a) a projector for projecting images on at least one surface, which surface is not part of the apparatus or any other electronic visual display device; and (b) a camera for (i) capturing visual data, and (ii) outputting signals indicative of the visual data, for transmission to one or more digital processors adapted for (A) analyzing the visual data captured by the camera to recognize a gesture made by a human in the air while the human is neither touching, nor holding an object that touches, a solid surface, and (B) outputting instructions to change the projected images, in such a way as to alter the projected images in response to the gesture; wherein the apparatus is wearable by a person in a manner in which weight of the apparatus is not supported by the person'"'"'s hands. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification