Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Christian Moller

James David Holbery

Flavio Protasio Ribeiro

John Guido Atkins Weiss

Aric Ahkeel Fitz-Coy

Stephanie Jo Rodgers-Ahnen

Andrew Lewis Fassler

An apparatus for tracking eye gaze includes a capacitive sensor array having a plurality of capacitive sensors. The capacitive sensor array is configured to detect eye movement based at least on a proximity of the plurality of capacitive sensors to a part of an eye of a user (e.g., a bulge in the cornea). A frame of the apparatus is configured to be worn on a head of the user and configured to support the capacitive sensor array positioned in front of the eye. A control circuit of the apparatus is configured to receive signals from the capacitive sensor array. A body electrode of the apparatus is positioned on the frame and electrically connected to the control circuit, the body electrode configured to establish an electrical connection with a body of the user. A conductive line of the apparatus connects the body electrode to the control circuit.

Capacitive sensors for determining eye gaze direction

Embroidered sensor assemblies are described that are formed on a flexible substrate, such as a suitable fabric material. The embroidered sensors can be configured as a pattern of wires that enable measurement of strain based on positional relationships between nodes formed by the pattern of wires. As a pipe or other object flexes, the positional relationships are altered and can be detected to facilitate computation of strain. Strain can be deduced at each individual node, which can then be used to create a strain profile or map for the object.

Embroidered sensor assembly

Embroidered sensor assemblies are described that are formed on a flexible substrate, such as a suitable fabric material. Conductive patterns are embroidered into the flexible substrate to form an array of sensors that can be configured in various ways and used in many different applications. A sensor assembly can implement touch sensitive sensors arranged to recognize input by measuring capacitance. The sensor assembly can also implement pressure and/or force sensitive controls for an input device, such as a keyboard. Other types of sensing are also contemplated such as detection of proximity, motion, flow, gestures, and/or strain. A conductive pattern can be formed in a single layer of material and/or via a single continuous run of conductive material. The embroidered sensor assembly is flexible and therefore can be shaped to conform to various different kinds of objects and form 'smart' surfaces for those objects.

Various examples of deformable sensors are disclosed. In one example, a deformable sensor comprises a ground electrode comprising a plurality of spatially separated lines, and a set of individually-indexed signal channels interdigitated with the spatially separated lines, each individually-indexed signal channel comprising a stretchable conductive path encapsulated in an elastomeric material.

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

Christian Moller