Patents by Inventor Thad Eugene Starner
Thad Eugene Starner 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).
-
Patent number: 11962296Abstract: Disclosed herein is a flexible sensing interface, comprising: a sensor, comprising: a core; an inner electrode in the form of a conductive material in contact with the core; an inner dielectric material substantially encasing the inner electrode; an outer electrode in the form of a conductive material in contact with the inner dielectric material and in electrical communication with the inner electrode; and an outer dielectric material substantially encasing the outer electrode; wherein the inner dielectric material and the outer dielectric material comprise an elastic material. Also disclosed herein are systems and methods for making and using the same.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2019Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Georgia Tech Research CorporationInventors: Seyedeh Fereshteh Shahmiri, Chaoyu Chen, Gregory D. Abowd, Shivan Mittal, Thad Eugene Starner, Yi-Cheng Wang, Zhong Lin Wang, Dingtian Zhang, Steven L. Zhang, Anandghan Waghmare
-
Publication number: 20230343310Abstract: Exemplary systems and wearable haptic device systems are disclosed for training a user to improve perception or discrimination. An exemplary system can be used to train a user to play a musical instrument, such as a piano, in passive training sessions via a wearable haptic device. The exemplary wearable haptic device can be integrated with sensors and in operative communication with a passive haptic learning system (e.g., cloud-based infrastructure) that is configured to generate, update, and/or modify tactile training data for generating tactile outputs at the wearable haptic device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2023Publication date: October 26, 2023Inventors: Caitlyn Seim, Thad Eugene Starner
-
Patent number: 11762474Abstract: A method including receiving sound data captured by a wearable device of the user, the sound data indicative of contact between a first portion of the user wearing the wearable device and a second portion of the user wearing the wearable device; receiving motion data captured by the wearable device of the user, the motion data indicative of at least a movement of the first portion of the user wearing the wearable device; and determining, by a processor, based at least in part on the sound data and the motion data, a user input associated with the contact between a first portion of the user wearing the wearable device and a second portion of the user wearing the wearable device and the movement of the first portion of the user wearing the wearable device.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2018Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: Georgia Tech Research CorporationInventors: Cheng Zhang, Gregory D. Abowd, Omer Inan, Pranav Kundra, Thomas Ploetz, Yiming Pu, Thad Eugene Starner, Anandghan Waghmare, Xiaoxuan Wang, Kenneth A. Cunnefare, Qiuyue Xue
-
Publication number: 20230266852Abstract: This document describes techniques directed to a scalable gesture sensor for wearable and soft electronic devices. The scalable gesture sensor is integrated into an object such as a wearable garment or a large-surface embedded system to provide a touch-sensitive surface for the object. The sensor includes a repeated localized crossover pattern formed by the same few sensor lines, resulting in the same two conductive lines having multiple crossover points across the touch-sensitive surface. The repeated crossover pattern enables detection of the occurrence and relative direction of a swipe gesture based at least on a repeated sequence of capacitance changes over a set of conductive lines in the repeated crossover pattern. Also, the scalable gesture sensor is computationally simple, uses low power, and is uniquely scalable to cover a large area with few electrodes.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 4, 2021Publication date: August 24, 2023Applicant: Google LLCInventors: Alex Olwal, Thad Eugene Starner
-
Patent number: 11693521Abstract: This document describes techniques and devices for detecting twist input with an interactive cord. An interactive cord may be constructed with one or more conductive yarns wrapped around a cable in a first direction (e.g., clockwise), and one or more conductive yarns wrapped around the cable in a second direction that is opposite the first direction (e.g., counter-clockwise). A controller measures one or more capacitance values associated with the conductive yarns. In response to detecting a change in the one or more capacitance values, the controller determines that the change in the capacitance values corresponds to twist input caused by the user twisting the interactive cord. Then, the controller initiates one or more functions based on the twist input, such as by controlling audio to a headset by increasing or decreasing the volume, scrolling through menu items, and so forth.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2022Date of Patent: July 4, 2023Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Thad Eugene Starner, Karissa A. Sawyer, Greg Ellis Priest-Dorman, Jonathan Moeller, Nidhi Rathi, Jianyi Liu, Yao Ding, Chi Kin Benjamin Leung
-
Patent number: 11647340Abstract: A vibration transducer for sensing vibrations includes a first flexible triboelectric member, a second flexible triboelectric member, a plurality of attachment points, a first electrode and a second electrode. The first flexible triboelectric member includes a first triboelectric layer and a material being on a first position on a triboelectric series. A conductive layer is deposited on the second side thereof. The second flexible triboelectric member includes a second triboelectric layer and a material being on a second position on the triboelectric series that is different from the first position on the triboelectric series. The second triboelectric member is adjacent to the first flexible triboelectric member. When the first triboelectric member comes into and out of contact with the second triboelectric member as a result of the vibrations, a triboelectric potential difference having a variable intensity corresponding to the vibrations can be sensed between the first and second triboelectric members.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2021Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: Georgia Tech Research CorporationInventors: Nivedita Arora, Gregory D. Abowd, Mohit Gupta, Diego Osorio, Seyedeh Fereshteh Shahmiri, Thad Eugene Starner, Yi-Cheng Wang, Zhengjun Wang, Zhong Lin Wang, Steven L Zhang, Peter McAughan, Qiuyue Xue, Dhruva Bansal, Ryan Bahr, Emmanouil Tentzeris
-
Publication number: 20230068531Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method of communication, the method comprising receiving a signal from a subject, wherein the signal represents activity in a brain of the subject associated with one or more spatiotemporal movements of one or more portions of the subject's body, correlating the signal to a portion of a coded language system and outputting the portion of the coded language system.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2021Publication date: March 2, 2023Inventors: Caitlyn Seim, Thad Eugene Starner
-
Publication number: 20230066091Abstract: An electronic device includes a touch cord for inputting user commands by hand gesture. The touch cord includes a plurality of conductive sensing lines braided with a plurality of non-conductive lines such that the plurality of conductive sensing lines enable reception of touch inputs that cause a change in capacitance to one or more of the conductive sensing lines. The touch inputs including continuous hand gesture inputs, discrete motion hand gesture inputs, and discrete grasp hand gesture inputs. The electronic device is configured to obtain touch data associated with the touch cord, process the touch data according to one or more trained machine-learned models to identify gesture inputs including continuous hand gesture inputs, discrete motion gesture inputs, and discrete grasp hand gesture inputs. The electronic device can be operated according to one or more user commands associated with the hand gesture inputs.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2021Publication date: March 2, 2023Inventors: Alex Olwal, Thad Eugene Starner
-
Patent number: 11389084Abstract: A portable electronic device including: a plurality of sensors configured to generate, in response to a first contact with a body of a user in a vicinity of the portable electronic device, one or more first input signals; a microprocessor; and a memory having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the microprocessor, control the microprocessor to execute, in response to an analysis of the one or more first input signals indicating that the first contact corresponds to a first gesture, and by the microprocessor, a first command corresponding to the first gesture.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2017Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: Georgia Tech Research CorporationInventors: Cheng Zhang, Gregory D. Abowd, Omer Inan, Thad Eugene Starner
-
Publication number: 20220179510Abstract: This document describes techniques and devices for detecting twist input with an interactive cord. An interactive cord may be constructed with one or more conductive yarns wrapped around a cable in a first direction (e.g., clockwise), and one or more conductive yarns wrapped around the cable in a second direction that is opposite the first direction (e.g., counter-clockwise). A controller measures one or more capacitance values associated with the conductive yarns. In response to detecting a change in the one or more capacitance values, the controller determines that the change in the capacitance values corresponds to twist input caused by the user twisting the interactive cord. Then, the controller initiates one or more functions based on the twist input, such as by controlling audio to a headset by increasing or decreasing the volume, scrolling through menu items, and so forth.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2022Publication date: June 9, 2022Applicant: Google LLCInventors: Thad Eugene Starner, Karissa A. Sawyer, Greg Ellis Priest-Dorman, Jonathan Moeller, Nidhi Rathi, Jianyi Liu, Yao Ding, Chi Kin Benjamin Leung
-
Patent number: 11294511Abstract: This document describes techniques and devices for detecting twist input with an interactive cord. An interactive cord may be constructed with one or more conductive yarns wrapped around a cable in a first direction (e.g., clockwise), and one or more conductive yarns wrapped around the cable in a second direction that is opposite the first direction (e.g., counter-clockwise). A controller measures one or more capacitance values associated with the conductive yarns. In response to detecting a change in the one or more capacitance values, the controller determines that the change in the capacitance values corresponds to twist input caused by the user twisting the interactive cord. Then, the controller initiates one or more functions based on the twist input, such as by controlling audio to a headset by increasing or decreasing the volume, scrolling through menu items, and so forth.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2019Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Thad Eugene Starner, Karissa A. Sawyer, Greg Ellis Priest-Dorman, Jonathan Moeller, Nidhi Rathi, Jianyi Liu, Yao Ding, Chi Kin Benjamin Leung
-
Publication number: 20210320657Abstract: Disclosed herein is a flexible sensing interface, comprising: a sensor, comprising: a core; an inner electrode in the form of a conductive material in contact with the core; an inner dielectric material substantially encasing the inner electrode; an outer electrode in the form of a conductive material in contact with the inner dielectric material and in electrical communication with the inner electrode; and an outer dielectric material substantially encasing the outer electrode; wherein the inner dielectric material and the outer dielectric material comprise an elastic material. Also disclosed herein are systems and methods for making and using the same.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2019Publication date: October 14, 2021Inventors: Seyedeh Fereshteh Shahmiri, Chaoyu Chen, Gregory D. Abowd, Shivan Mittal, Thad Eugene Starner, Yi-Cheng Wang, Zhong Lin Wang, Dingtian Zhang, Steven L. Zhang, Anandghan Waghmare
-
Publication number: 20210281955Abstract: A vibration transducer for sensing vibrations includes a first flexible triboelectric member, a second flexible triboelectric member, a plurality of attachment points, a first electrode and a second electrode. The first flexible triboelectric member includes a first triboelectric layer and a material being on a first position on a triboelectric series. A conductive layer is deposited on the second side thereof. The second flexible triboelectric member includes a second triboelectric layer and a material being on a second position on the triboelectric series that is different from the first position on the triboelectric series. The second triboelectric member is adjacent to the first flexible triboelectric member. When the first triboelectric member comes into and out of contact with the second triboelectric member as a result of the vibrations, a triboelectric potential difference having a variable intensity corresponding to the vibrations can be sensed between the first and second triboelectric members.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 18, 2021Publication date: September 9, 2021Inventors: Nivedita Arora, Gregory D. Abowd, Mohit Gupta, Diego Osorio, Seyedeh Fereshteh Shahmiri, Thad Eugene Starner, Yi-Cheng Wang, Zhengjun Wang, Zhong Lin Wang, Steven L Zhang, Peter McAughan, Qiuyue Xue, Dhruva Bansal, Ryan Bahr, Emmanouil Tentzeris
-
Publication number: 20210186794Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods disclosed herein can generally include passive tactile stimulation (“PTS”) for rehabilitation of neurological conditions, conditions resulting from stroke, conditions resulting from brain damage, tremors resulting from Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular disorder, spatial neglect, sensitivity loss, and/or muscle spasticity. Devices can be worn or applied during daily life and can be effective treatment for aforementioned conditions without a patent engaging in exercises, forced muscle contraction due to electrostimulation or repeated muscle vibration, or even focusing on the stimulation treatment.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2018Publication date: June 24, 2021Inventors: Caitlyn Seim, Thad Eugene Starner
-
Publication number: 20210109598Abstract: A method including receiving sound data captured by a wearable device of the user, the sound data indicative of contact between a first portion of the user wearing the wearable device and a second portion of the user wearing the wearable device; receiving motion data captured by the wearable device of the user, the motion data indicative of at least a movement of the first portion of the user wearing the wearable device; and determining, by a processor, based at least in part on the sound data and the motion data, a user input associated with the contact between a first portion of the user wearing the wearable device and a second portion of the user wearing the wearable device and the movement of the first portion of the user wearing the wearable device.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2018Publication date: April 15, 2021Inventors: Cheng Zhang, Gregory D. Abowd, Omer Inan, Pranav Kundra, Thomas Ploetz, Yiming Pu, Thad Eugene Starner, Anandghan Waghmare, Xiaoxuan Wang, Kenneth A. Cunnefare, Qiuyue Xue
-
Patent number: 10932063Abstract: A vibration transducer for sensing vibrations includes a first flexible triboelectric member, a second flexible triboelectric member, a plurality of attachment points, a first electrode and a second electrode. The first flexible triboelectric member includes a first triboelectric layer and a material being on a first position on a triboelectric series. A conductive layer is deposited on the second side thereof. The second flexible triboelectric member includes a second triboelectric layer and a material being on a second position on the triboelectric series that is different from the first position on the triboelectric series. The second triboelectric member is adjacent to the first flexible triboelectric member. When the first triboelectric member comes into and out of contact with the second triboelectric member as a result of the vibrations, a triboelectric potential difference having a variable intensity corresponding to the vibrations can be sensed between the first and second triboelectric members.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 2019Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: Georgia Tech Research CorporationInventors: Nivedita Arora, Gregory D. Abowd, Mohit Gupta, Diego Osorio, Seyedeh Fereshteh Shahmiri, Thad Eugene Starner, Yi-Cheng Wang, Zhengjun Wang, Zhong Lin Wang, Steven L Zhang, Peter McAughan, Qiuyue Xue, Dhruva Bansal, Ryan Bahr, Emmanouil Tentzeris
-
Patent number: 10698999Abstract: This document describes authentication using an interactive cord. An interactive cord includes a cable, and a fabric cover that covers the cable. The fabric cover includes one or more conductive threads woven into the fabric cover to form one or more capacitive touchpoints which are configured to enable reception of touch input that causes a change in capacitance to the one or more conductive threads. The interactive cord can be used to authenticate a user. For example, rather than using a password entered into a computing device, a touch input pattern can be provided to interactive cord that is coupled to the computing device to authenticate the user.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2018Date of Patent: June 30, 2020Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Thad Eugene Starner, Karissa A. Sawyer
-
Patent number: 10665205Abstract: Example methods and systems for determining correlated movements associated with movements caused by driving a vehicle are provided. In an example, a computer-implemented method includes identifying a threshold number of sets of correlated movements. The method further includes determining that the threshold number of sets of correlated movements is associated with movements caused by driving a vehicle. The method still further includes causing the wearable computing system to select a driving user interface for the wearable computing system.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2015Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Assignee: Google LLCInventors: Joshua Weaver, Thad Eugene Starner
-
Publication number: 20190377440Abstract: This document describes techniques and devices for detecting twist input with an interactive cord. An interactive cord may be constructed with one or more conductive yarns wrapped around a cable in a first direction (e.g., clockwise), and one or more conductive yarns wrapped around the cable in a second direction that is opposite the first direction (e.g., counter-clockwise). A controller measures one or more capacitance values associated with the conductive yarns. In response to detecting a change in the one or more capacitance values, the controller determines that the change in the capacitance values corresponds to twist input caused by the user twisting the interactive cord. Then, the controller initiates one or more functions based on the twist input, such as by controlling audio to a headset by increasing or decreasing the volume, scrolling through menu items, and so forth.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2019Publication date: December 12, 2019Applicant: Google LLCInventors: Thad Eugene Starner, Karissa A. Sawyer, Greg Ellis Priest-Dorman, Jonathan Moeller, Nidhi Rathi, Jianyi Liu, Yao Ding, Chi Kin Benjamin Leung
-
Publication number: 20190373375Abstract: A vibration transducer for sensing vibrations includes a first flexible triboelectric member, a second flexible triboelectric member, a plurality of attachment points, a first electrode and a second electrode. The first flexible triboelectric member includes a first triboelectric layer and a material being on a first position on a triboelectric series. A conductive layer is deposited on the second side thereof. The second flexible triboelectric member includes a second triboelectric layer and a material being on a second position on the triboelectric series that is different from the first position on the triboelectric series. The second triboelectric member is adjacent to the first flexible triboelectric member. When the first triboelectric member comes into and out of contact with the second triboelectric member as a result of the vibrations, a triboelectric potential difference having a variable intensity corresponding to the vibrations can be sensed between the first and second triboelectric members.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Nivedita Arora, Gregory D. Abowd, Mohit Gupta, Diego Osorio, Seyedeh Fereshteh Shahmiri, Thad Eugene Starner, Yi-Cheng Wang, Zhengjun Wang, Zhong Lin Wang, Steven L Zhang, Peter McAughan, Qiuyue Xue, Dhruva Bansal, Ryan Bahr, Emmanouil Tentzeris