Adaptive touch interactions for wearable devices

1 . A wearable device comprising:

a first output transducer configured to provide an audio output for perception by a user of the wearable device;

a touch-based interface configured to receive an user input from the user, and to generate an interface output based on the input from the user, wherein the touch-based interface is not directly viewable by the user of the wearable device when the wearable device is worn by the user;

a sensor configured to sense a condition related to the user input, and to generate a sensor output; and

a processing unit configured to process the interface output from the touch-based interface based on a first processing scheme if the sensor output indicates a first context of the user input or if the processing unit does not obtain the sensor output, and wherein the processing unit is configured to process the interface output based on a second processing scheme that is different from the first processing scheme if the sensor output indicates a second context of the user input;

wherein the touch-based interface includes a virtual button, wherein the virtual button has a first size in the first processing scheme, and has a second size in the second processing scheme, the second size being larger than the first size, wherein when the virtual button has the first size, the virtual button is not viewable by the user, and wherein when the virtual button has the second size, the virtual button is not viewable by the user.

2 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor output indicates the first context when the wearable device is stationary or has a motion that is below a motion threshold.

3 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor output indicates the second context when the wearable device is in motion or has a motion that is above a motion threshold.

4 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor output indicates the first context when a user input error rate is below an error threshold.

5 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor output indicates the second context when a user input error rate is above an error threshold.

6 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor output indicates the first context when the user is under a cognitive load that is below a cognitive load threshold stored in the wearable device.

7 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor output indicates the second context when the user is under a cognitive load that is higher than a cognitive load threshold stored in the wearable device.

8 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to sense motion, and wherein the processing unit is configured to shift a touch position at the touch-based interface in a direction of the sensed motion to compensate for input error due to the sensed motion.

9 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a motion sensor;

wherein the processing unit is configured to utilize the first processing scheme if the sensor output indicates that the wearable device is stationary or has a motion that is below a motion threshold; and

wherein the processing unit is configured to utilize the second processing scheme if the sensor output indicates that the wearable device is in motion or has a motion that is higher than the motion threshold or another motion threshold.

10 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an input-error detector;

wherein the processing unit is configured to utilize the first processing scheme if the sensor output indicates a number of input-errors that is below an error threshold; and

wherein the processing unit is configured to utilize the second processing scheme if the sensor output indicates that the number of input-errors is higher than the error threshold or another error threshold.

11 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a biosensor configured to sense one or more bio-parameters of the user.

12 . The wearable device of claim 11 , wherein the processing unit is configured to utilize the first processing scheme if the sensor output indicates that the user is not stressed or not tired; and

wherein the processing unit is configured to utilize the second processing scheme if the sensor output indicates that the user is stressed or tired.

13 . The wearable device of claim 11 , wherein the processing unit is configured to utilize the first processing scheme if the sensor output indicates that the user is not sick; and

wherein the processing unit is configured to utilize the second processing scheme if the sensor output indicates that the user is sick.

14 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the wearable device is a hearing aid.

15 . The wearable device of claim 14 , wherein the hearing aid comprises a behind-the-ear unit, and the touch-based interface is at the behind-the-ear unit.

16 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the wearable device is a headset.

17 . The wearable device of claim 16 , wherein the touch-based interface is at a headband of the headset.

18 . The wearable device of claim 16 , wherein the touch-based interface is at an earphone of the headset.

19 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the wearable device is a helmet, and wherein the touch-based interface is at the helmet.

20 . The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the wearable device is an eyewear, and wherein the touch-based interface is at a side of the eyewear.

21 . A wearable device comprising:

a first output transducer configured to provide an audio output for perception by a user of the wearable device;

a touch-based interface configured to receive an user input from the user, and to generate an interface output based on the input from the user, wherein the touch-based interface is not directly viewable by the user of the wearable device when the wearable device is worn by the user;

a sensor configured to sense a condition related to the user input, and to generate a sensor output; and

a processing unit configured to process the interface output from the touch-based interface based on a first processing scheme if the sensor output indicates a first context of the user input or if the processing unit does not obtain the sensor output, and wherein the processing unit is configured to process the interface output based on a second processing scheme that is different from the first processing scheme if the sensor output indicates a second context of the user input;

wherein the first and second processing schemes involve an input-receiving time threshold, wherein the input-receiving time threshold has a first duration in the first processing scheme, and has a second duration in the second processing scheme, the second duration being longer than the first duration to allow the user more time to make an input gesture.

22 . A wearable device comprising:

a first output transducer configured to provide an audio output for perception by a user of the wearable device;

a touch-based interface configured to receive an user input from the user, and to generate an interface output based on the input from the user, wherein the touch-based interface is not directly viewable by the user of the wearable device when the wearable device is worn by the user;

a sensor configured to sense a condition related to the user input, and to generate a sensor output; and

a processing unit configured to process the interface output from the touch-based interface based on a first processing scheme if the sensor output indicates a first context of the user input or if the processing unit does not obtain the sensor output, and wherein the processing unit is configured to process the interface output based on a second processing scheme that is different from the first processing scheme if the sensor output indicates a second context of the user input;

wherein the sensor comprises a microphone configured to detect sound from an environment;

wherein the processing unit is configured to utilize the first processing scheme if the sensor output indicates that the user is in a quiet environment or that the sound from the environment is below a sound threshold; and

wherein the processing unit is configured to utilize the second processing scheme if the sensor output indicates that the user is in a noisy environment or that the sound from the environment is above the sound threshold or another sound threshold.

23 . The wearable device of claim 22 , wherein the first and second processing schemes involve an input-receiving distance threshold, wherein the input-receiving distance threshold has a first distance in the first processing scheme, and has a second distance in the second processing scheme, the second distance being shorter than the first distance.

24 . The wearable device of claim 23 , wherein the input-receiving distance threshold is for allowing the processing unit to identify a tap input.

25 . The wearable device of claim 23 , wherein the input-receiving distance threshold is for allowing the processing unit to identify a swipe input.

26 . A method performed by a wearable device, comprising:

receiving, by a touch-based interface of the wearable device, an user input from the user, wherein the touch-based interface is not directly viewable by the user of the wearable device when the wearable device is worn by the user;

generating an interface output by the touch-based interface based on the input from the user;

sensing, by a sensor of the wearable device, a condition related to the user input; and

generating a sensor output by the sensor of the wearable device;

processing, by a processing unit of the wearable device, the interface output from the touch-based interface (1) based on a first processing scheme if the sensor output indicates a first context of the user input or if the processing unit does not obtain the sensor output, or (2) based on a second processing scheme that is different from the first processing scheme if the sensor output indicates a second context of the user input;

wherein the touch-based interface includes a virtual button, wherein the virtual button has a first size in the first processing scheme, and has a second size in the second processing scheme, the second size being larger than the first size, wherein when the virtual button has the first size, the virtual button is not viewable by the user, and wherein when the virtual button has the second size, the virtual button is not viewable by the user.