On the last patent filing date of 2022, the U.S. Trademark and Patent Office (USPTO) approved and publicized a patent for a smart ring from Apple. The ring primarily serves as a secondary interaction device for Apple’s mixed reality headset device but can be used with iPhones, iPads, AirPods, Macs and other devices.
In its technology patent description, Apple argues that traditional keyboards and mouse and other input devices are out of their depth in AR / VR scenarios. Some peripherals developed for traditional computers may be bulky, and uncomfortable to wear for a long time, and the interaction experience is not very good.
Apple wants to improve the interaction experience in the AR / VR world through a smart ring, which includes force sensors that can be used to collect information about normal and shear forces in finger devices; in addition, it also includes displacement sensors and other sensors to measure the movement of the side of the finger when it touches an external surface.
In an interactive scenario, an AR / VR headset could collect user input from the smart ring, including the movement of the wearer’s finger, etc., and could provide corresponding haptic output to the user’s finger. For example, when the user is touching a real object or when the user is touching a virtual object, the haptic output can be used to provide the desired textural sensation to the user’s finger.
Users can use finger devices to interact with eligible electronic devices. For example, users can use one or more smart rings to interact with a virtual reality or mixed reality system that can provide input commands to a desktop computer, tablet, phone, or watch.
