Abstract: This disclosure presents systems and methods to provide an interactive environment in response to touch-based inputs. A first body channel communication device coupled to a user may transmit and/or receive signals configured to be propagated along skin of the user such that the skin of the user comprises a signal transmission path. A second body channel communication device coupled to an interaction entity may be configured to transmit and/or receive signals configured to be propagated along the skin of the user along the signal transmission path. A presentation device may present images of virtual content to the user. Information may be communicated between the first body channel communication device, the second body channel communication device, and the presentation device so that virtual content specific to the interaction entity may be presented to augment an appearance of the interaction entity.

Abstract: A system and method for combining computer vision information about human subjects within the field-of-view of a computer vision subsystem with RF Angle of Arrival (AoA) information from an RF receiver subsystem to locate, identify, and track individuals and their location. The RF receiver subsystem may receive RF signals emitted by one or more electronic devices (e.g., a mobile phone) carried, held, or otherwise associated with am individual. Further, gestures can be made with the device and they can be detected by the system.

Abstract: This disclosure presents systems and methods to provide an interactive environment in response to touch-based inputs. A first body channel communication device coupled to a user may transmit and/or receive signals configured to be propagated along skin of the user such that the skin of the user comprises a signal transmission path. A second body channel communication device coupled to an interaction entity may be configured to transmit and/or receive signals configured to be propagated along the skin of the user along the signal transmission path. A presentation device may present images of virtual content to the user. Information may be communicated between the first body channel communication device, the second body channel communication device, and the presentation device so that virtual content specific to the interaction entity may be presented to augment an appearance of the interaction entity.

Abstract: A technique for identifying individual instances of electronic devices. This is done by using a basic RFID reader to read the RF emissions from the electronic device to obtain an emitted electromagnetic spectrum and compare it to a library of emitted electromagnetic spectrums of different instances of that type of electronic device and, based on that comparison, finding a best match and identifying the electronic device as being a particular instance of that type of electronic device. This comparison may be made by computing Euclidean distances between vectors that are based on the measured electromagnetic spectrums.

Abstract: There is provided a system including a wireless tag reader, a first wireless antenna, a wireless tag including an integrated circuit (IC), a conductive element electronically connecting the wireless tag to the first wireless antenna, a non-transitory memory storing an executable code, a hardware processor executing the executable code to transmit an interrogation signal, receive a tag signal from the wireless tag electronically connected to the first wireless antenna in response to the interrogation signal, the tag signal including a wireless tag identification (ID) uniquely identifying the wireless tag, and determine an interaction by a user with the wireless tag based on the tag signal.

Abstract: Human environments are typified by walls—homes, offices, schools, museums, hospitals and pretty much every indoor context one can imagine has walls. In many cases, they make up a majority of readily accessible indoor surface area, and yet they are static—their primary function is to be a wall, separating spaces and hiding infrastructure. We present the Wall++ system, a low-cost sensing approach that allows walls to become a smart infrastructure. Instead of merely separating spaces, walls can now enhance rooms with sensing and interactivity. Our wall treatment and sensing hardware can track users' touch and gestures, as well as estimate body pose if they are close. By capturing airborne electromagnetic noise, we can also detect what appliances are active and where they are located. Through a series of evaluations, we demonstrate the Wall++ system can enable robust room-scale interactive and context-aware applications.

Abstract: Touch-based communication between users and various electronic devices is provided by encoding data onto the device's EMI. When the device is touched by a user, the data encoded EMI signal travels through their body and into a radio receiver worn by the user, such as via a wrist band. Results show that electronic primitives such as LEDs, buttons, I/O lines, LCD screens, motors and power supplies can be turned into radio transmitters capable of touch communication. Effective data rates range from 5.8 Kbps to 22 bit per image depending on the primitive used.

Abstract: Selective focusing of electromagnetic energy via the electromagnetic time reversal in the near field of a metamaterial. The disclosure begins with fundamental mathematics, and then is extended to the experimental realm where focusing in space and time of the magnetic fields in the near field of a 1-Dimensional metamaterial is shown. Under time reversal focusing, peak instantaneous fields at receiver locations are at minimum 200% greater than other receivers. The strongly-selective focusing capabilities of the system can be employed to show individual and selective powering of light emitting diodes connected to coil receivers placed in the near field of the metamaterial. The results show the possibility of improving display technologies, near field imaging systems, increasing channel capacity of near field communication systems, and obtaining a greater control of energy delivery in wireless power transfer systems.

Abstract: An RFID system in which at least one of the RFID tag antenna and the RFID reader antenna has an impedance matching network associated therewith in order to better match the impedances of the two antennas. This impedance matching places the antennas into an over-coupled regime once they are within a reasonable distance of each other (e.g., 2 to 50 mm). It also increases the Q-factor of the improved antenna, which can greatly increase the range at which the RFID reader can read the RFID tag. This improved RFID system may be used in any of a variety of application, including operating a door lock mechanism.

Abstract: There is provided a system including a wireless tag reader, a wireless tag attached to an object, a non-transitory memory storing an executable code, and a hardware processor executing the executable code to transmit, using the wireless tag reader, an interrogation signal, receive, using the wireless tag reader, a tag signal from the wireless tag attached to the object, in response to the interrogation signal, the tag signal including a wireless tag identification uniquely identifying the wireless tag, determine a tag state associated with the wireless tag using a probabilistic estimate based on the tag signal received from the wireless tag, and determine an interaction state of the object based on the tag state of the wireless tag attached to the object.

Abstract: An RFID system in which at least one of the RFID tag antenna and the RFID reader antenna has an impedance matching network associated therewith in order to better match the impedances of the two antennas. This impedance matching places the antennas into an over-coupled regime once they are within a reasonable distance of each other (e.g., 2 to 50 mm). It also increases the Q-factor of the improved antenna, which can greatly increase the range at which the RFID reader can read the RFID tag. This improved RFID system may be used in any of a variety of application, including operating a door lock mechanism.

Abstract: An energy-interference-free debugger is disclosed for debugging software resident on energy-harvesting target devices, which may periodically lose power and therefore exhibit intermittent execution of the software. The debugger is implemented as a combination of hardware and software and provides, in addition to the traditional debugging tools, the ability to monitor and modify the energy level on the target device, the ability to set breakpoints based on the energy level on the target device, and the ability to isolate portions of the code executing on the target device from energy-related failure during debugging. The debugger is able to remain isolated from intermittent power in passive mode and to create an illusion of an untouched energy reservoir in active mode.

Abstract: There is provided a system including a wireless tag reader, a first wireless antenna, a wireless tag including an integrated circuit (IC), a conductive element electronically connecting the wireless tag to the first wireless antenna, a non-transitory memory storing an executable code, a hardware processor executing the executable code to transmit an interrogation signal, receive a tag signal from the wireless tag electronically connected to the first wireless antenna in response to the interrogation signal, the tag signal including a wireless tag identification (ID) uniquely identifying the wireless tag, and determine an interaction by a user with the wireless tag based on the tag signal.

Abstract: There is provided a system including a wireless tag reader, a first wireless antenna, a wireless tag including an integrated circuit (IC), a conductive element electronically connecting the wireless tag to the first wireless antenna, a non-transitory memory storing an executable code, a hardware processor executing the executable code to transmit an interrogation signal, receive a tag signal from the wireless tag electronically connected to the first wireless antenna in response to the interrogation signal, the tag signal including a wireless tag identification (ID) uniquely identifying the wireless tag, and determine an interaction by a user with the wireless tag based on the tag signal.

Abstract: An object recognition device that senses electrical signals conducted by the body of a human user (e.g., as a result of direct contact with or close proximity to a device emitting or conducting electromagnetic noise), compares the sensed electrical signals to a plurality of signatures of electrical signals produced by a corresponding plurality of types of electrical and electromechanical devices to determine the type of electrical or electromechanical device that generated the electrical signals sensed by the sensor, and communicates information to the human user related to or triggered by the electrical or electromechanical device.

Abstract: There are provided systems and methods for a user interaction with an object having a wireless tag with an antenna. An example system includes a memory storing a tag processing software, and a hardware processor executing the tag processing software to receive a signal from the wireless tag of the object via the antenna, the signal including a wireless tag identification (ID) uniquely identifying the wireless tag, identify the object using the wireless tag ID, extract one or more communication channel parameters from the signal, determine the user interaction with the object based on the one or more communication channel parameters extracted from the signal.

Abstract: There is provided a system including a plurality of radio frequency (RF) tags, each corresponding to one of a plurality of individuals, a memory, and a processor configured to receive a signal from a first RF tag of the plurality of RF tags, the signal including a first tag identification (ID) uniquely identifying the first RF tag, follow a motion of the first RF tag, follow a motion of a first individual of the plurality of individuals, and determine a first likelihood that the first RF tag corresponds to the first individual based on the motion of the first RF tag and the motion of the first individual.

Abstract: There is provided a system including a plurality of radio frequency (RF) tags, each corresponding to one of a plurality of individuals, a memory, and a processor configured to receive a signal from a first RF tag of the plurality of RF tags, the signal including a first tag identification (ID) uniquely identifying the first RF tag, follow a motion of the first RF tag, follow a motion of a first individual of the plurality of individuals, and determine a first likelihood that the first RF tag corresponds to the first individual based on the motion of the first RF tag and the motion of the first individual.

Abstract: There is provided a system including a wireless tag reader, a first wireless antenna, a wireless tag including an integrated circuit (IC), a conductive element electronically connecting the wireless tag to the first wireless antenna, a non-transitory memory storing an executable code, a hardware processor executing the executable code to transmit an interrogation signal, receive a tag signal from the wireless tag electronically connected to the first wireless antenna in response to the interrogation signal, the tag signal including a wireless tag identification (ID) uniquely identifying the wireless tag, and determine an interaction by a user with the wireless tag based on the tag signal.

Abstract: There is provided a system including a wireless tag reader, a wireless tag attached to an object, a non-transitory memory storing an executable code, and a hardware processor executing the executable code to transmit, using the wireless tag reader, an interrogation signal, receive, using the wireless tag reader, a tag signal from the wireless tag attached to the object, in response to the interrogation signal, the tag signal including a wireless tag identification uniquely identifying the wireless tag, determine a tag state associated with the wireless tag using a probabilistic estimate based on the tag signal received from the wireless tag, and determine an interaction state of the object based on the tag state of the wireless tag attached to the object.