Abstract: An embodiment provides a free-form electrostatic speaker, including: a three dimensional object body; at least a portion of the three dimensional object body having a free-form electrode layer disposed thereon; the free-form electrode layer being shaped to substantially match the at least a portion of the three dimensional object body; a free-form diaphragm positioned proximate to, and being shaped to substantially match, the free-form electrode layer; and an input element coupled to the free-form electrode layer that accepts input from an external source. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and devices for occluded gesture recognition. Through use of the techniques and devices described herein, users may control their devices even when a user's gesture is occluded by some material between the user's hands and the device itself. Thus, the techniques enable users to control their mobile devices in many situations in which control is desired but conventional techniques do permit effective control, such as when a user's mobile computing device is occluded by being in a purse, bag, pocket, or even in another room.

Abstract: This document describes connectors for connecting electronics embedded in garments to external devices. The connector is configured to connect an external device to a garment to enable communication between electronics embedded in the garment and electronic components of the external device. The connector may include a connector plug and a connector receptacle. The connector plug may be implemented at the external device and is configured to connect to the connector receptacle, which may be implemented at the garment. In one or more implementations, the connector plug includes an anisotropic material that is configured to connect to a printed circuit board (PCB) implemented at the connector receptacle.

Abstract: This document describes an interactive object with multiple electronics modules. An interactive object (e.g., a garment) includes a grid or array of conductive thread woven into the interactive object, and an internal electronics module coupled to the grid of conductive thread. The internal electronics module includes a first subset of electronic components, such as sensing circuitry configured to detect touch-input to the grid of conductive thread. An external electronics module that includes a second subset of electronic components (e.g., a microprocessor, power source, or network interface) is removably coupled to the interactive object via a communication interface. The communication interface enables communication between the internal electronics module and the external electronics module when the external electronics module is coupled to the interactive object.

Abstract: Systems and methods of providing gesture-based control are provided. For instance, signals indicative of a presence of a user within a first interaction zone proximate a user computing device can be received. A first feedback indication can be provided based at least in part on the signals indicative of the presence of the user in the first interaction zone. Signals indicative of a presence of the user in a second interaction zone proximate the user computing device can be received. A second feedback indication can be provided based at least in part on the signals indicative of the presence of the user in the second interaction zone. A control gesture performed by the user while in the second interaction zone can be determined. A third feedback indication can be provided based at least in part on the determined control gesture.

Abstract: This document describes techniques using, and objects embodying, an interactive fabric which is configured to sense user interactions in the form of single or multi-touch-input (e.g., gestures). The interactive fabric may be integrated into a wearable interactive garment (e.g., a jacket, shirt, or pants) that is coupled (e.g., via a wired or wireless connection) to a gesture manager. The gesture manager may be implemented at the interactive garment, or remote from the interactive garment, such as at a computing device that is wirelessly paired with the interactive garment and/or at a remote cloud based service. Generally, the gesture manager recognizes user interactions to the interactive fabric, and in response, triggers various different types of functionality, such as answering a phone call, sending a text message, creating a journal entry, and so forth.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses for connecting an electronic component to an interactive textile. Loose conductive threads of the interactive textile are collected and organized into a ribbon with a pitch that matches a corresponding pitch of connection points of the electronic component. Next, non-conductive material of the conductive threads of the ribbon are stripped to expose the conductive wires of the conductive threads. After stripping the non-conductive material from the conductive threads of the ribbon, the connection points of the electronic component are bonded to the conductive wires of the ribbon. The conductive threads proximate the ribbon are then sealed using a UV-curable or heat-curable epoxy, and the electronic component and the ribbon are encapsulated to the interactive textile with a water-resistant material, such as plastic or polymer.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and devices for radar-based gesture sensing and data transmission. The techniques enable, through a radar system, seamless and intuitive control of, and data transmission between, computing devices. This radar system can both transmit data and sense gestures, thereby performing with a single system, control of many devices and data transmission with those devices. Not only can this provide control of many devices, from refrigerators to laptops, this radar system also allows high-bandwidth data transmission between devices.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and devices for occluded gesture recognition. Through use of the techniques and devices described herein, users may control their devices even when a user's gesture is occluded by some material between the user's hands and the device itself. Thus, the techniques enable users to control their mobile devices in many situations in which control is desired but conventional techniques do permit effective control, such as when a user's mobile computing device is occluded by being in a purse, bag, pocket, or even in another room.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses for attaching electronic components to interactive textiles. In various implementations, an interactive textile that includes conductive thread woven into the interactive textile is received. The conductive thread includes a conductive wire (e.g., a copper wire) that that is twisted, braided, or wrapped with one or more flexible threads (e.g., polyester or cotton threads). A fabric stripping process is applied to the interactive textile to strip away fabric of the interactive textile and the flexible threads to expose the conductive wire in a window of the interactive textile. After exposing the conductive wires in the window of the interactive textile, an electronic component (e.g., a flexible circuit board) is attached to the exposed conductive wire of the conductive thread in the window of the interactive textile.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and devices for radar-based gesture-recognition through a wearable device. The techniques enable an easy-to-use input interface through this wearable radar device, in contrast to small or difficult-to-use input interfaces common to wearable computing devices. Further, these techniques are not limited to interfacing with wearable computing devices, but may aid users in controlling various non-wearable devices, such as to control volume on a stereo, pause a movie playing on a television, or select a webpage on a desktop computer.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and devices for non-line-of-sight radar-based gesture recognition. Through use of the techniques and devices described herein, users may control their devices through in-the-air gestures, even when those gestures are not within line-of-sight of their device's sensors. Thus, the techniques enable users to control their devices in many situations in which control is desired but conventional techniques do permit effective control, such as to turn the temperature down in a room when the user is obscured from a thermostat's gesture sensor, turn up the volume on a media player when the user is in a different room than the media player, or pause a television program when the user's gesture is obscured by a chair, couch, or other obstruction.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and apparatuses for attaching electronic components to interactive textiles. In various implementations, an interactive textile that includes conductive thread woven into the interactive textile is received. The conductive thread includes a conductive wire (e.g., a copper wire) that that is twisted, braided, or wrapped with one or more flexible threads (e.g., polyester or cotton threads). A fabric stripping process is applied to the interactive textile to strip away fabric of the interactive textile and the flexible threads to expose the conductive wire in a window of the interactive textile. After exposing the conductive wires in the window of the interactive textile, an electronic component (e.g., a flexible circuit board) is attached to the exposed conductive wire of the conductive thread in the window of the interactive textile.

Abstract: This document describes connectors for connecting electronics embedded in garments to external devices. The connector is configured to connect an external device to a garment to enable communication between electronics embedded in the garment and electronic components of the external device. The connector may include a connector plug and a connector receptacle. The connector plug may be implemented at the external device and is configured to connect to the connector receptacle, which may be implemented at the garment. In one or more implementations, the connector plug includes an anisotropic material that is configured to connect to a printed circuit board (PCB) implemented at the connector receptacle.

Abstract: This document describes interactive textiles. An interactive textile includes a grid of conductive thread woven into the interactive textile to form a capacitive touch sensor that is configured to detect touch-input. The interactive textile can process the touch-input to generate touch data that is useable to control various remote devices. For example, the interactive textiles may aid users in controlling volume on a stereo, pausing a movie playing on a television, or selecting a webpage on a desktop computer. Due to the flexibility of textiles, the interactive textile may be easily integrated within flexible objects, such as clothing, handbags, fabric casings, hats, and so forth. In one or more implementations, the interactive textiles may be integrated within various hard objects, such as by injection molding the interactive textile into a plastic cup, a hard casing of a smart phone, and so forth.

Abstract: An embodiment provides a free-form electrostatic speaker, including: a three dimensional object body; at least a portion of the three dimensional object body having a free-form electrode layer disposed thereon; the free-form electrode layer being shaped to substantially match the at least a portion of the three dimensional object body; a free-form diaphragm positioned proximate to, and being shaped to substantially match, the free-form electrode layer; and an input element coupled to the free-form electrode layer that accepts input from an external source. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: To convey tactile sensations over an open space, a system may use a vortex generator to direct one or more vortices at an object in 3-D space. Once a vortex strikes an object—e.g., a user's hand—it applies a force. The vortex generator can control the frequency and intensity of the vortices in order to provide different tactile sensations that correspond to virtual objects or events in a visual presentation. The system may identify and track objects in the real-world environment, and based on information provided by a device displaying the visual presentation, transmit instructions to the vortex generator to discharge vortices that convey a tactile sensation corresponding to the virtual object or event in the visual presentation. By doing so, the vortices augment the real-world environment to immerse the user in the visual presentation.

Abstract: This document describes apparatuses and techniques for radar-enabled sensor fusion. In some aspects, a radar field is provided and reflection signals that correspond to a target in the radar field are received. The reflection signals are transformed to provide radar data, from which a radar feature indicating a physical characteristic of the target is extracted. Based on the radar features, a sensor is activated to provide supplemental sensor data associated with the physical characteristic. The radar feature is then augmented with the supplemental sensor data to enhance the radar feature, such as by increasing an accuracy or resolution of the radar feature. By so doing, performance of sensor-based applications, which rely on the enhanced radar features, can be improved.

Abstract: This document describes techniques and devices for non-line-of-sight radar-based gesture recognition. Through use of the techniques and devices described herein, users may control their devices through in-the-air gestures, even when those gestures are not within line-of-sight of their device's sensors. Thus, the techniques enable users to control their devices in many situations in which control is desired but conventional techniques do permit effective control, such as to turn the temperature down in a room when the user is obscured from a thermostat's gesture sensor, turn up the volume on a media player when the user is in a different room than the media player, or pause a television program when the user's gesture is obscured by a chair, couch, or other obstruction.

Abstract: This document describes interactive textiles. An interactive textile includes a grid of conductive thread woven into the interactive textile to form a capacitive touch sensor that is configured to detect touch-input. The interactive textile can process the touch-input to generate touch data that is useable to control various remote devices. For example, the interactive textiles may aid users in controlling volume on a stereo, pausing a movie playing on a television, or selecting a webpage on a desktop computer. Due to the flexibility of textiles, the interactive textile may be easily integrated within flexible objects, such as clothing, handbags, fabric casings, hats, and so forth. In one or more implementations, the interactive textiles may be integrated within various hard objects, such as by injection molding the interactive textile into a plastic cup, a hard casing of a smart phone, and so forth.