Abstract: A system may include one or more finger devices that gather input from a user's fingers. A finger device may include one or more self-mixing interferometric proximity sensors that measure a distance to the user's finger. The proximity sensor may measure changes in distance between the proximity sensor and a flexible membrane that rests against a side portion of the user's finger. The self-mixing interferometric proximity sensor may include a laser and a photodiode. In some arrangements, a single laser driver may drive the lasers of multiple self-mixing proximity sensors using time-multiplexing. The self-mixing proximity sensor may operate according to a duty cycle. Interpolation and stitching may be used to determine the total displacement of the user's finger including both the on periods and off periods of the self-mixing proximity sensor.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are wearable devices, their configurations, and methods of operation that use self-mixing interferometry signals of a self-mixing interferometry sensor to recognize user inputs. The user inputs may include voiced commands or silent gesture commands. The devices may be wearable on the user's head, with the self-mixing interferometry sensor configured to direct a beam of light toward a location on the user's head. Skin deformations or vibrations at the location may be caused by the user's speech or the user's silent gestures and recognized using the self-mixing interferometry signal. The self-mixing interferometry signals may be used for bioauthentication and/or audio conditioning of received sound or voice inputs to a microphone.

Abstract: Methods and systems concerning non-reciprocal sensing paths for a self-mixing interferometry operation are disclosed herein. Optical components may be used to direct light transmit from a light source along an illumination path. The optical components may additionally return light to the light source after being reflected from a target and may direct the returned light along a collection path. The illumination path and the collection path may be at least partially non-reciprocal so that the transmitted light and the returned light follow along partially different paths. Once the received light is received within a cavity of the light source, a self-mixing interferometry operation may be performed and may be used to detect a property of the target in relation to the light source.

Abstract: Optical sensors can be used for content generation using an input device without a touch sensitive surface. In some examples, the optical sensors can be used to detect characteristics of the input device including position, orientation, and/or motion of the input device. In some examples, some or all of the characteristics of the input device can be used in processing to generate content, including textual character input and three-dimensional objects. In some examples, the generation of content can use information from one or more additional sensors of the input device and/or from additional devices in combination with the characteristics of the input device based on the optical sensors.

Abstract: A wearable device includes a band and a set of one or more SMI sensors. The band has a band interior opposite a band exterior, and is operable to attach the wearable device to a user. The band defines a cavity, and a portion of the band interior separates the cavity from the user. The set of one or more SMI sensors are disposed in the cavity. The set of one or more SMI sensors are configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward the portion of the band interior and generate a set of one or more SMI signals including information indicative of movement of the portion of the band interior.

Abstract: A head mounted device includes a housing and a set of one or more SMI sensors. The set of one or more SMI sensors are disposed in the housing. The set of one or more SMI sensors are configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward an anatomical structure adjacent a nasal passageway of a user and generate one or more SMI signals including information about movement of the anatomical structure.

Abstract: A wearable device includes a device housing configured to be worn on a first surface of a user, a set of one or more SMI sensors, and a processor. The set of one or more SMI sensors is mounted within the device housing and configured to emit a set of one or more beams of electromagnetic radiation, with each beam emitted in a different direction extending away from the first surface. The set of one or more SMI sensors is also configured to generate a set of one or more SMI signals containing information about a relationship between the device housing and a second surface. The processor is configured to extract the relationship between the device housing and the second surface from digitized samples of the set of one or more SMI signals.

Abstract: A device includes an electronic display, a cover through which the electronic display projects an image, and an array of SMI sensors. The array of SMI sensors is positioned on a same side of the cover as the electronic display. Each SMI sensor is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward a respective portion of: an interior surface of the cover, or a surface of a component of the device attached to the cover; and generate a respective SMI output including information indicative of vibration of the respective portion of the cover or the component. The device also includes circuitry configured to characterize a vibratory waveform impinging on the device. The vibratory waveform is characterized using at least two of the SMI outputs.

Abstract: An eye tracking device includes a head-mountable frame, an optical sensor subsystem mounted to the head-mountable frame, and a processor. The optical sensor subsystem includes a set of one or more SMI sensors. The processor is configured to operate the optical sensor subsystem to cause the set of one or more SMI sensors to emit a set of one or more beams of light toward an eye of a user; to receive a set of one or more SMI signals from the set of one or more SMI sensors; and to track a movement of the eye using the set of one or more SMI signals.

Abstract: A device includes an electronic display, a cover through which the electronic display projects an image, and an array of SMI sensors. The array of SMI sensors is positioned on a same side of the cover as the electronic display. Each SMI sensor is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward a respective portion of: an interior surface of the cover, or a surface of a component of the device attached to the cover; and generate a respective SMI output including information indicative of vibration of the respective portion of the cover or the component. The device also includes circuitry configured to characterize a vibratory waveform impinging on the device. The vibratory waveform is characterized using at least two of the SMI outputs.

Abstract: An optical sensor module includes an interferometric sensor and a set of one or more optical elements. The interferometric sensor includes a coherent light source and at least one detector configured to generate an interferometric signal. The set of one or more optical elements is configured to simultaneously direct a first portion of light emitted by the coherent light source toward a first focus area within a first depth of focus; direct a second portion of the light emitted by the coherent light source toward a second focus area within a second depth of focus; and direct portions of the emitted light that are returned from one or more objects within the first depth of focus or the second depth of focus toward the interferometric sensor.

Abstract: A system may include one or more finger devices that gather input from a user's fingers. The system may include control circuitry that sends control signals to an electronic device based on the input gathered with the finger devices. A finger device may include one or more proximity sensors that measure a distance to the user's finger. The proximity sensor may be a self-mixing optical proximity sensor having a laser and photodiode. The proximity sensor may have submicron resolution and may be configured to detect very small movements of the finger as finger pad is moved around by a thumb finger, by a surface, and/or by other finger movements. The proximity sensor may measure changes in distance between the proximity sensor and a flexible membrane that rests against a side portion of the user's finger.

Abstract: A device includes a first component, a second component having a reconfigurable distance from the first component, an optical element, an SMI sensor, and a processor. The optical element has a fixed relationship with respect to the first component, and has a known optical thickness between a first surface and a second surface of the optical element. The SMI sensor has a fixed relationship with respect to the second component, and has an electromagnetic radiation emission axis that intersects the first and second surfaces of the optical element. The processor is configured to identify disturbances in an SMI signal generated by the SMI sensor, relate the disturbances to the known optical thickness of the optical element, and to determine a distance between the first and second components using the SMI signal and the relationship of the disturbances to the known optical thickness of the optical element.

Abstract: Self-mixing interferometry (SMI) sensors can be used for generation of content using an input device without requiring a touch-sensitive surface. In some examples, the SMI sensors can be used to detect characteristics of the input device including position, orientation, and/or motion of the input device and/or force applied by the input device (e.g., force applied by a stylus tip). In some examples, some or all of the characteristics of the input device can be used in processing to generate content, including textual character input and three-dimensional objects. In some examples, the generation of content can use information from one or more additional sensors for the input device and/or from additional devices in combination with the characteristics of the input device based on the SMI sensors for generation of content.

Abstract: Self-mixing interferometry (SMI) sensors may include vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSEL), photodetectors, and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The VCSEL, photodetectors, and MEMS may be vertically stacked. The MEMS may be moveable with respect to a VCSEL and may change a cavity length associated with the VCSEL. By changing the cavity length associated with the VCSEL, certain properties of emitted light may be changed, such as a wavelength value of the emitted light.

Abstract: A system may include one or more finger devices that gather input from a user's fingers. A finger device may include one or more self-mixing interferometric proximity sensors that measure a distance to the user's finger. The proximity sensor may measure changes in distance between the proximity sensor and a flexible membrane that rests against a side portion of the user's finger. The self-mixing interferometric proximity sensor may include a laser and a photodiode. In some arrangements, a single laser driver may drive the lasers of multiple self-mixing proximity sensors using time-multiplexing. The self-mixing proximity sensor may operate according to a duty cycle. Interpolation and stitching may be used to determine the total displacement of the user's finger including both the on periods and off periods of the self-mixing proximity sensor.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are wearable devices, their configurations, and methods of operation that use self-mixing interferometry signals of a self-mixing interferometry sensor to recognize user inputs. The user inputs may include voiced commands or silent gesture commands. The devices may be wearable on the user's head, with the self-mixing interferometry sensor configured to direct a beam of light toward a location on the user's head. Skin deformations or vibrations at the location may be caused by the user's speech or the user's silent gestures and recognized using the self-mixing interferometry signal. The self-mixing interferometry signals may be used for bioauthentication and/or audio conditioning of received sound or voice inputs to a microphone.

Abstract: A wearable electronic device including a housing that is worn by a user and a SMI sensor contained within the housing. The SMI sensor may include an emitter that outputs coherent light toward the skin of a user when the housing is worn by the user. The SMI sensor may also include a detector that detects a portion of the coherent light reflected towards the sensor and generates electrical signals that indicate displacements of the skin based on the portion of coherent light received at the detector. The housing may include a transmitter that is operatively coupled with the SMI sensor and is configured to transmit physiological data to a receiving device based on electrical signals output from the SMI sensor.

Abstract: A wearable device includes a device housing configured to be worn on a first surface of a user, a set of one or more SMI sensors, and a processor. The set of one or more SMI sensors is mounted within the device housing and configured to emit a set of one or more beams of electromagnetic radiation, with each beam emitted in a different direction extending away from the first surface. The set of one or more SMI sensors is also configured to generate a set of one or more SMI signals containing information about a relationship between the device housing and a second surface. The processor is configured to extract the relationship between the device housing and the second surface from digitized samples of the set of one or more SMI signals.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are wearable devices, their configurations, and methods of operation that use self-mixing interferometry signals of a self-mixing interferometry sensor to recognize user inputs. The user inputs may include voiced commands or silent gesture commands. The devices may be wearable on the user's head, with the self-mixing interferometry sensor configured to direct a beam of light toward a location on the user's head. Skin deformations or vibrations at the location may be caused by the user's speech or the user's silent gestures and recognized using the self-mixing interferometry signal. The self-mixing interferometry signals may be used for bioauthentication and/or audio conditioning of received sound or voice inputs to a microphone.