IMU-based glove

US10877557B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Apple Inc. · US

Inventors

• John Greer Elias · Townsend, US
• Andrew Sterian · معلمی نژاد, US
• Anuranjini Pragada · Cupertino, US
• Daniel D. Sunshine · Sunnyvale, US
• Jean Hsiang-Chun Lu · Sunnyvale, US
• Lia M. Uesato · San Jose, US
• Storrs T. Hoen · Brisbane, US
• Zebinah P. Masse · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 28, 2018
• Grant date: Dec 29, 2020
• Expiry date: Aug 28, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC D): Textiles; Paper
• CPC primary: D10B2501/041
• WIPO field: Computer technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a VR glove capable of measuring the movement of individual finger and thumb bones. The VR glove can include a plurality of inertial measurement units (IMUs) to track the movement of one or more finger and/or hand sections. The IMUs can include one or more motion sensors, such as a gyroscope and an accelerometer, for measuring the orientation, position, and velocity of objects (e.g., finger bones) that the IMU can be attached. An IMU can be located proximate to a finger (or thumb) bone and can measure the inertial motion of the corresponding bone. In some examples, the VR glove may include magnetometers to determine the direction of the geo-magnetic field. The VR glove can also include one or more other electronic components, such as a plurality of electrodes for sensing the heading, enabling capacitive touch, and/or contact sensing between finger tips.