HUMAN INTERFACES FOR HOMES, MEDICAL DEVICES AND VEHICLES

摘要

Disclosed are novel method and apparatus for monitoring and aiding persons in vehicles and at home, especially senior citizens and others whose capabilities may be diminished. Electro-optical sensing of both person's body portions and physical controls is utilized, following from both disclosure on my RTD (Reconfigurable Tactile Display) invention as well as other gesture and motion based inventions in regard to sensing of control inputs from physical control (e.g. knobs, switches) positions and persons gestures. Applications to vehicles and the home are disclosed as well as applications to areas such as operating rooms and other locations in the hospital where sterility is paramount. A unique self-sterilizing control panel is also disclosed.

主权项

1. A method for providing a sterile control interface responsive to a user input, comprising the steps of:
providing a control member including at least one physical control for operation by a user thereof; sterilizing said control member; providing an electro-optical sensor to view said physical control, said sensor having an output; providing a computer; and using said computer to analyze said sensor output, determining a position of said physical control indicative of a user input.