Patents by Inventor Edwin Selker

Edwin Selker has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Vending machine
    Patent number: 8594838
    Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment of this invention, a vending machine may include sensors for capturing audio and visual data. A processing unit in the vending machine may analyze this data to calculate an attention score that is indicative of whether attention is being paid to the vending machine. Alternatively, or in addition, the processing unit may analyze this data to calculate the gender or emotional state of a person. Based on these calculations, a vending machine may alter its behavior, such as by changing its audiovisual output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Edwin Selker, Connor Dickie, Matthew Hockenberry, Jon Wetzel, Julius Akinyemi
  • Vending Machine
    Publication number: 20110144801
    Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment of this invention, a vending machine may include sensors for capturing audio and visual data. A processing unit in the vending machine may analyze this data to calculate an attention score that is indicative of whether attention is being paid to the vending machine. Alternatively, or in addition, the processing unit may analyze this data to calculate the gender or emotional state of a person. Based on these calculations, a vending machine may alter its behavior, such as by changing its audiovisual output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Edwin Selker, Connor Dickie, Matthew Hockenberry, Jon Wetzel, Julius Akinyemi