Abstract: A wearable computing device includes an electric motor, a motor housing configured to house the electric motor, and to transfer heat from the electric motor to a user when the wearable computing device is worn by the user, driver circuitry configured to drive the electric motor, and one or more processors configured to control the driver circuitry to drive the electric motor to cause the electric motor to stall and generate heat according to a first voltage signal to provide a first thermal feedback interaction with the user and to drive the electric motor to cause the electric motor to stall and generate heat according to a second voltage signal to provide a second thermal feedback interaction with the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating transcriptions of audio data for presentation at a client device are provided. One or more audio streams, provided by one or more audio sources of one or more client devices of a plurality of users, are received by a broadcasting system. Sensory modality information comprising one or more of auditory, visual, or haptic characteristics of a first user is determined. First audio data from the one or more audio streams corresponding to the first user and additional audio data from the one or more audio streams corresponding to other users are determined using one or more machine learning models. At least one of a first transcription of the first audio data or one or more additional transcription of one or more of the additional audio data are provided for presentation at a first client device according to the auditory, visual, or haptic characteristics.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing an electric circuit directly on a target surface having a three-dimensional shape are provided. In this method, a 3D printing apparatus that can be attached to a target surface is used. In this printing method, two-dimensional information about the shape of the electric circuit to be printed and information about the three-dimensional shape of the target surface are input. Two-dimensional information about the shape of the electric circuit to be printed is adjusted based on the information about the three-dimensional shape of the target surface to generate three-dimensional information about the electric circuit to be printed. Based on this, a tool path for controlling the 3D printing apparatus is generated. An electric circuit can be directly fabricated on a target surface having a three-dimensional shape by the method and apparatus.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides computer-implemented methods, systems, and devices for capturing spatial sound for an environment. A computing system captures, using two or more microphones, audio data from an environment around a mobile device. The computing system analyzes the audio data to identify a plurality of sound sources in the environment around the mobile device based on the audio data. The computing system determines, based on characteristics of the audio data and data produced by one or more movement sensors, an estimated location for each respective sound source in the plurality of sound sources. The computing system generates a spatial sound recording of the audio data based, at least in part, on the estimated location of each respective sound source in the plurality of sound sources.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes an electric motor, driver circuitry to drive the electric motor, a temperature sensor to detect a temperature of the electric motor, and one or more processors. The one or more processors control the driver circuitry to drive the electric motor according to a predetermined voltage signal to cause the electric motor to stall and generate heat, receive information about the temperature of the electric motor detected by the temperature sensor while the electric motor is stalled, and maintain a temperature of the electric motor below a threshold temperature value while the electric motor is stalled based on the information about the temperature of the electric motor detected by the temperature sensor while the electric motor is stalled.

Abstract: A vibrotactile device including a first actuator channel having a vibrotactile actuator and a resistor with a predetermined resistance positioned at an input of the vibrotactile actuator, a processor configured to output a driving signal for driving the vibrotactile actuator, and a voltage sensor configured to measure a voltage drop across the resistor. A current drawn by the vibrotactile actuator varies according to a load applied to the vibrotactile actuator and passes through the resistor. The processor is configured to receive voltage drop measurement data from the voltage sensor, detect a load applied to the vibrotactile actuator based on the measured voltage drop, and control the driving signal based on the detected load.

Abstract: A method may receive a first audio signal data at a first device, the first audio signal data decoded using a microphone array. A method may determine that the first audio signal data includes an audio sequence relating to an information sharing request. A method may send a first signal. A method may receive a second signal via the microphone array responsive to the first signal. A method may verify that the second signal was sent from a direction of a voice associated with the audio sequence, the second signal including a second device identifier associated with a second device. A method may establish a wireless connection with the second device using the second device identifier.

Abstract: Subsurface display interfaces and associated systems and methods are provided. In some embodiments, an example method can include: dividing a graphic to be displayed into a plurality of sets of primitives, each primitive of the sets of primitives comprising a rectangle or a line; assigning the plurality of sets of primitives to display frames of a plurality of display frames; and outputting, at a display positioned under a surface and in series, the plurality of display frames.

Abstract: A method may receive a first audio signal data at a first device, the first audio signal data decoded using a microphone array. A method may determine that the first audio signal data includes an audio sequence relating to an information sharing request. A method may send a first signal. A method may receive a second signal via the microphone array responsive to the first signal. A method may verify that the second signal was sent from a direction of a voice associated with the audio sequence, the second signal including a second device identifier associated with a second device. A method may establish a wireless connection with the second device using the second device identifier.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus includes an electric motor, driver circuitry to drive the electric motor, a temperature sensor to detect a temperature of the electric motor, and one or more processors. The one or more processors control the driver circuitry to drive the electric motor according to a predetermined voltage signal to cause the electric motor to stall and generate heat, receive information about the temperature of the electric motor detected by the temperature sensor while the electric motor is stalled, and maintain a temperature of the electric motor below a threshold temperature value while the electric motor is stalled based on the information about the temperature of the electric motor detected by the temperature sensor while the electric motor is stalled.

Abstract: A wearable device can include a wearable band configured to contact a user of the wearable device, an actuator, a sensor, and one or more processors in communication with the actuator and the sensor. The processors can be configured to measure a back electromotive force (“EMF”) of the actuator; determine, based on the measured back EMF, data that describes a contact force between the wearable band and the user; and determine, based on the data that describes the contact force, a quality metric describing a data quality of sensor data collected by the sensor. In some embodiments, the processor(s) can determine, generate sensor output data based on the sensor data and based at least in part on the data describing the contact force between the wearable band and the user. For example, one or more machine-learned models maybe leveraged to generate sensor output data that is compensated for the wearable band being too tight or too loose.

Abstract: Techniques, apparatuses, and systems are described for integrating haptic actuators into accessories for mobile computing device. Current accessory devices and their associated housings lack the necessary space to implement multiple haptic actuators for conveying complex haptic information. The accessory device attached to the mobile computing device provides additional space for integrating haptic actuators, which provide complex haptic information to a user of the mobile computing device. Using the haptic device accessory, the mobile computing device can convey haptic information to a user of the accessory device. In this way, a haptic device accessory can improve the otherwise limited haptic experience for a user of the accessory device.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for using a linear resonant actuator (“LRA”) to determine a type of contact between a device and its surroundings. The LRA may be coupled to an amplifier by one or more switches. The audio amplifier may receive a signal from a microcontroller and transmit the signal the LRA when the switches are closed. When the switches are in an open position, the LRA may be actively sensing for the type of contact. The back EMF may be measured when the switches are open. The measured back EMF waveform may be used to determine the type of contact. When the signal is not being transmitted, the LRA may be passively sensing to determine whether the device was tapped.

Abstract: A wearable device can include a wearable band configured to contact a user of the wearable device, an actuator, a sensor, and one or more processors in communication with the actuator and the sensor. The processors can be configured to measure a back electromotive force (“EMF”) of the actuator; determine, based on the measured back EMF, data that describes a contact force between the wearable band and the user; and determine, based on the data that describes the contact force, a quality metric describing a data quality of sensor data collected by the sensor. In some embodiments, the processor(s) can determine, generate sensor output data based on the sensor data and based at least in part on the data describing the contact force between the wearable band and the user. For example, one or more machine-learned models maybe leveraged to generate sensor output data that is compensated for the wearable band being too tight or too loose.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for using a linear resonant actuator (“LRA”) to determine a type of contact between a device and its surroundings. The LRA may be coupled to an amplifier by one or more switches. The audio amplifier may receive a signal from a microcontroller and transmit the signal the LRA when the switches are closed. When the switches are in an open position, the LRA may be actively sensing for the type of contact. The back EMF may be measured when the switches are open. The measured back EMF waveform may be used to determine the type of contact. When the signal is not being transmitted, the LRA may be passively sensing to determine whether the device was tapped.

Abstract: Subsurface display interfaces and associated systems and methods are provided. In some embodiments, an example method can include: dividing a graphic to be displayed into a plurality of sets of primitives, each primitive of the sets of primitives comprising a rectangle or a line; assigning the plurality of sets of primitives to display frames of a plurality of display frames; and outputting, at a display positioned under a surface and in series, the plurality of display frames.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing an electric circuit directly on a target surface having a three-dimensional shape are provided. In this method, a 3D printing apparatus that can be attached to a target surface is used. In this printing method, two-dimensional information about the shape of the electric circuit to be printed and information about the three-dimensional shape of the target surface are input. Two-dimensional information about the shape of the electric circuit to be printed is adjusted based on the information about the three-dimensional shape of the target surface to generate three-dimensional information about the electric circuit to be printed. Based on this, a tool path for controlling the 3D printing apparatus is generated. An electric circuit can be directly fabricated on a target surface having a three-dimensional shape by the method and apparatus.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for using a linear resonant actuator (“LRA”) to determine a type of contact between a device and its surroundings. The LRA may be coupled to an amplifier by one or more switches. The audio amplifier may receive a signal from a microcontroller and transmit the signal the LRA when the switches are closed. When the switches are in an open position, the LRA may be actively sensing for the type of contact. The back EMF may be measured when the switches are open. The measured back EMF waveform may be used to determine the type of contact. When the signal is not being transmitted, the LRA may be passively sensing to determine whether the device was tapped.

Abstract: Techniques, apparatuses, and systems are described for integrating haptic actuators into accessories for mobile computing device. Current accessory devices and their associated housings lack the necessary space to implement multiple haptic actuators for conveying complex haptic information. The accessory device attached to the mobile computing device provides additional space for integrating haptic actuators, which provide complex haptic information to a user of the mobile computing device. Using the haptic device accessory, the mobile computing device can convey haptic information to a user of the accessory device. In this way, a haptic device accessory can improve the otherwise limited haptic experience for a user of the accessory device.

Abstract: One example aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a sensor fastener that includes at least one attachment member configured to attach the sensor fastener to an interactive object, a housing physically coupled to the at least one attachment member, an inertial measurement unit positioned within the housing, and processing circuitry positioned within the housing and communicatively coupled to the inertial measurement unit.