Abstract: An example method includes receiving, by a head-mountable device (HMD), data corresponding to an information event, and providing an indication corresponding to the information event in response to receiving the data. The method further includes determining a gaze direction of an eye and determining that the gaze direction of the eye is an upward direction that corresponds to a location of a display of the HMD. The display is located in an upper periphery of a forward-looking field of view of the eye when the HMD is worn. The method further includes, in response to determining that the gaze direction of the eye is the upward direction, displaying graphical content related to the information event in the display.

Abstract: Examples methods and systems for distinguishing winks from other eye motions are described. In some examples, a method for distinguishing winks from other eye motions may account for changes in orientation of a computing device relative to a user, calibrate eye gesture recognition, or increase efficiency of the computing device. A computing device may be configured to receive sensor data corresponding to an eye and determine a distribution of magnitude changes in the sensor data over an interval of time. The computing device may identify clusters that correspond to ranges of magnitude changes within the distribution and use the clusters as reference data to identify ranges of sensor data for different types of eye motions, including differentiating winks from clusters indicative of ranges of normal eye activity and blinks.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described that involve a wearable computing device or an associated device determining the orientation of a person's head relative to their body. To do so, example methods and systems may compare sensor data from the wearable computing device to corresponding sensor data from a tracking device that is expected to move in a manner that follows the wearer's body, such a mobile phone that is located in the wearable computing device's wearer's pocket.

Abstract: An example method includes receiving, by a head-mountable device (HMD), data corresponding to an information event, and providing an indication corresponding to the information event in response to receiving the data. The method further includes determining a gaze direction of an eye and determining that the gaze direction of the eye is an upward direction that corresponds to a location of a display of the HMD. The display is located in an upper periphery of a forward-looking field of view of the eye when the HMD is worn. The method further includes, in response to determining that the gaze direction of the eye is the upward direction, displaying graphical content related to the information event in the display.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to winking to capture image data using an image capture device that is associated with a head-mountable device (HMD). An illustrative method includes detecting a wink gesture at an HMD. The method also includes causing an image capture device to capture image data, in response to detecting the wink gesture at the HMD.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described that involve a head-mountable display (HMD) or an associated device determining the orientation of a person's head relative to their body. To do so, example methods and systems may compare sensor data from the HMD to corresponding sensor data from a tracking device that is expected to move in a manner that follows the wearer's body, such a mobile phone that is located in the HMD wearer's pocket.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media are described herein related to using self-generated sounds for determining a worn state of a wearable computing device. A wearable computing device can transmit an audio signal. One or more sensors coupled to the wearable computing device may then receive a modified version of the audio signal. A comparison may be made between the modified version of the audio signal and at least one reference signal, where the at least one reference signal is based on the audio signal that is transmitted. Based on an output of the comparison, a determination can be made of whether the wearable computing device is being worn.

Abstract: Examples of methods and systems for using eye gesture duration to provide calibration for eye gesture detection are described. In some examples, calibration can be executed using a head-mountable device. The head-mountable device may be configured to determine a duration range indicative of an eye gesture and receive a plurality of reference signals indicative of the eye gesture. The plurality of reference signals may comprise duration information indicative of a plurality of reference durations of the eye gesture. The head-mountable device may determine, based on the plurality of reference durations, a reference duration range associated with the eye gesture that is within the duration range, and adjust the duration range for the eye gesture based on the reference duration range.

Abstract: Embodiments may involve a computing device with a mechanical interface, such as a mechanical button or slider. The mechanical interface can be configured to generate, when actuated, vibration and/or acoustic signals having a characteristic pattern. The computing device can detect actuation of the mechanical interface by: receiving acoustic signal data generated by an acoustic sensing unit of the computing device; receiving vibration signal data generated by a vibration sensing unit of the computing device; and determining, based on a comparison of the acoustic and vibration signal data with the characteristic acoustic and vibration patterns, that the mechanical interface has been actuated.

Abstract: Example methods and systems use multiple sensors to determine whether a speaker is speaking. Audio data in an audio-channel speech band detected by a microphone can be received. Vibration data in a vibration-channel speech band representative of vibrations detected by a sensor other than the microphone can be received. The microphone and the sensor can be associated with a head-mountable device (HMD). It is determined whether the audio data is causally related to the vibration data. If the audio data and the vibration data are causally related, an indication can be generated that the audio data contains HMD-wearer speech. Causally related audio and vibration data can be used to increase accuracy of text transcription of the HMD-wearer speech. If the audio data and the vibration data are not causally related, an indication can be generated that the audio data does not contain HMD-wearer speech.

Abstract: Devices and methods are described for timing notifications based on blinks. An example method may include (1) receiving input data that is indicative of movement of an eye; (2) detecting an occurrence of an event; in response to detection of the event: (3) determining at least one notification corresponding to the event; (4) delaying presentation of the at least one notification until the computing device determines that the input data is indicative of at least one blink by the eye; and in response to the input data that is indicative of the at least one blink, (5) causing the at least one notification to be presented.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to winking to capture image data using an image capture device that is associated with a head-mountable device (HMD). An illustrative method includes detecting a wink gesture at an HMD. The method also includes causing an image capture device to capture image data, in response to detecting the wink gesture at the HMD.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media are described herein related to recognizing a look up gesture. Level-indication data from at least an accelerometer associated with a wearable computing device (WCD) can be received. The WCD can be worn by a wearer. The WCD can determine whether a head of the wearer is level based on the level-indication data. In response to determining that the head of the wearer is level, the WCD can receive lookup-indication data from at least the accelerometer. The WCD can determine whether the head of the wearer is tilted up based on the lookup-indication data. In response to determining that the head of the wearer is tilted up, the WCD can generate a gesture-recognition trigger, where the gesture-recognition trigger indicates that the head of the wearer has moved up from level.

Abstract: A wearable computing device such as a head-mounted display (HMD) may be equipped with a magnetometer for detecting presence and motion of a hand-wearable magnet (HWM). The HMD may analyze magnetic field measurements of the magnetometer to determine when the HWM moves within a threshold distance of the magnetometer, and may thereafter determine one or more patterns of motion of the HWM based the magnetic field measurements. The HMD may operate in a background detection state in order to determine a background magnetic field strength and to monitor for magnetic disturbances from the HWM. Upon occurrence of a trigger event corresponding to magnetic disturbance above a threshold level, the HMD may transition to operating in a gesture detection state in which it analyzes magnetometer measurements for correspondence with known gestures. Upon recognizing a known gesture, the HMD may carry out one or more actions based on the recognized known gesture.

Abstract: Example methods and systems use multiple sensors to determine whether a speaker is speaking. Audio data in an audio-channel speech band detected by a microphone can be received. Vibration data in a vibration-channel speech band representative of vibrations detected by a sensor other than the microphone can be received. The microphone and the sensor can be associated with a head-mountable device (HMD). It is determined whether the audio data is causally related to the vibration data. If the audio data and the vibration data are causally related, an indication can be generated that the audio data contains HMD-wearer speech. Causally related audio and vibration data can be used to increase accuracy of text transcription of the HMD-wearer speech. If the audio data and the vibration data are not causally related, an indication can be generated that the audio data does not contain HMD-wearer speech.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to proximity sensing for wink detection. An illustrative method includes receiving data from a receiver portion of a proximity sensor. The receiver portion is disposed at a side section of a head-mountable device (HMD). When a wearer wears the HMD, the receiver portion is arranged to receive light reflected from an eye area of the wearer, the proximity sensor detects a movement of the eye area, and the data represents the movement. The method includes determining that the data corresponds to a wink gesture. The method also includes selecting a computing action to perform, based on the wink gesture. The method further includes performing the computing action.

Abstract: Exemplary methods and systems are disclosed that provide for the detection and recognition of target devices, by a mobile computing device, within a pre-defined local environment. An exemplary method may involve (a) receiving, at a mobile computing device, a local-environment message corresponding to a pre-defined local environment that may comprise (i) physical-layout information of the pre-defined local environment or (ii) an indication of a target device located in the pre-defined local environment, (b) receiving image data that is indicative of a field-of-view associated with the mobile computing device, (c) based at least in part on the physical-layout information in the local-environment message, locating the target device in the field-of-view, and (d) causing the mobile computing device to display a virtual control interface for the target device in a location within the field-of-view that is associated with the location of the target device in the field-of-view.

Abstract: Example methods and systems activate and deactivate a voice interface based on gaze directions. A computing device can define a range of voice-activation gaze directions and, in some cases, define a range of social-cue gaze directions, where the range of social-cue gaze directions overlaps the range of voice-activation gaze directions. The computing device can determine a gaze direction. The computing device determines whether the gaze direction is within the range of voice-activation gaze directions. In response to determining that the gaze direction is within the range of social-cue directions, the computing device can activate a voice interface. In response to determining that the gaze direction is not within the range of social-cue directions, the computing device can deactivate the voice interface.

Abstract: A head-mountable device configured to authenticate a wearer is disclosed. The head-mountable device can receive an indication of an eye gesture from at least one proximity sensor in the head-mountable device configured to generate sensor data indicative of light reflected from an eye area. The head-mountable device can capture biometric information indicative of one or more biometric identifiers of a wearer of the head-mountable device responsive to receiving the indication of the eye gesture. The head-mountable device can authenticate the wearer of the head-mountable device based on a comparison of the captured biometric information and a stored biometric profile.

Abstract: Exemplary methods and systems involve chord-based authentication on a touch-based interface. An exemplary method may involve: (a) providing a user-interface on a touch-based interface of a computing device, wherein the user-interface comprises a plurality of input regions; (b) receiving input data corresponding to a plurality of touch interactions on the touch-based interface; (c) determining a sequence of chords from the input data, wherein each chord is defined by touch interaction with a certain combination of one or more of the input regions; (d) determining that the sequence of chords substantially matches a predetermined chord authentication sequence; and (e) responsive to the match, causing a computing device to make at least one function accessible.