Abstract: A device, such as a head-mounted wearable device (HMWD), provides audible notifications to a user with a voice user interface (VUI). A filtered subset of notifications addressed to the user, such as notifications from contacts associated with specified applications, are processed by a text to speech system that generates audio output for presentation to the user. The audio output may be presented using the HMWD. For example, the audio output generated from a text message received from a contact may be played on the device. The user may provide an input to play the notification again, initiate a reply, or take another action. The input may comprise a gesture on a touch sensor, activation of a button, verbal input acquired by a microphone, and so forth.

Abstract: A head-mounted wearable device (HMWD) incorporates a visual indicator device (VID) that provides a visual cue to a wearer about activity of the HMWD. The VID may be positioned in a frame of the HMWD to be within an upper portion of a wearer's field of view during wear. The VID may provide a diffuse illumination that is visible to the wearer but does not obtrusively illuminate the face of the wearer, resulting in the visual indicator being unobtrusive to bystanders. Activation, intensity, color, blink rate, or other characteristics of the visual indicator may be used to provide the wearer with information. For example, the VID may illuminate with a solid color while a microphone on the HMWD is active, or blink while the microphone is muted. Input from an ambient light sensor may be used to adjust the operation of the VID during operation.

Abstract: A head-mounted wearable device incorporates a transducer into a nosepiece. Vibrations from the user's speech are transferred through the bridge of the nose and are detected by the transducer to produce an audio signal. In one implementation, a nose plate with a pair of attached nosepieces is mounted to a transducer, such as an accelerometer. The nose plate may be affixed to a front frame of the head-mounted wearable device using a motion limiter mechanism.

Abstract: Control of head-mounted display (HMD) systems is described. One method displays at least one image on a first display layer of a HMD system. While displaying the at least one image, the method adjust a transparency setting of a second display layer from a first value to a second value to cause the second display layer to be opaque to limit an amount of light that passes through the lens for viewing the at least one image on the first display layer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques and systems for inter-device bearing estimation. Particularly, sensor fusion techniques are disclosed that combine motion data of a local computing device with beamforming data of the local computing device to determine a line-of-site path between the local computing device and a remote computing device. A motion sensor(s) of a local computing device may generate motion data from movement of the local computing device. The local computing device may further determine a direction, relative to the local computing device, of a beampattern in which an antenna(s) of the local computing device radiates energy, the beampattern direction being along a communication path between the local computing device and a remote computing device. The local device may then determine, based at least in part on the motion data and the direction of the beampattern, whether the communication path corresponds to a line-of-sight path between the local and remote devices.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques and systems for inter-device bearing estimation. Particularly, sensor fusion techniques are disclosed that combine motion data of a local computing device with beamforming data of the local computing device to determine a line-of-site path between the local computing device and a remote computing device. A motion sensor(s) of a local computing device may generate motion data from movement of the local computing device. The local computing device may further determine a direction, relative to the local computing device, of a beampattern in which an antenna(s) of the local computing device radiates energy, the beampattern direction being along a communication path between the local computing device and a remote computing device. The local device may then determine, based at least in part on the motion data and the direction of the beampattern, whether the communication path corresponds to a line-of-sight path between the local and remote devices.

Abstract: Single-touch immersion control of head-mounted display (HMD) systems is described. One method outputs video from an electronic device to a HMD system that includes a display layer and a variable-transparency layer. The electronic device controls the variable-transparency layer to operate in a first state in which the variable-transparency layer is transparent and to operate in a second state in which the variable-transparency layer is opaque. The electronic device switches between the second state and the first state in response to a single-touch event detected by the electronic device.