The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 22, 2001
Filed:
Feb. 19, 1999
Haruhiko H. Asada, Lincoln, MA (US);
Stephen Mascaro, Somerville, MA (US);
Kuo-Wei Chang, Lexington, MA (US);
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
A device for detecting contact pressure applied to a finger, the finger having a fingernail illuminated by light, comprises at least one photodetector for measuring a change in light reflected by an area of the finger beneath the fingernail in response to the contact pressure applied to the finger. The photodetector provides a signal corresponding to the change in light reflected. The device also includes a processor for receiving the signal and determining whether the change corresponds to a specified condition. The photodetector may be enclosed in a housing and coupled to the fingernail.