Motion recognition clothing with flexible optical sensors
This invention discloses optical strain, stretch, and/or bend sensors which can provide precise and consistent measurement of human motion, posture, and gestures without the locational limitations of camera-based motion capture, the point-estimate limitations of inertial-based motion capture, or the variability of electrically-conductive strain, stretch, and/or bend sensors.
1. A wearable flexible optical sensor for measuring human motion comprising:
a first bendable longitudinal light channel through which light energy is transmitted;
wherein the first bendable longitudinal light channel is configured to be worn across a human body joint;
wherein the first bendable longitudinal light channel has a longitudinal axis which is parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the body joint;
wherein changes in light energy transmitted through the first bendable longitudinal light channel are used to measure motion of the human body joint; and
wherein there is longitudinal variation in the cross-sectional size of the first bendable longitudinal light channel along the longitudinal axis of the bendable longitudinal optical sensor; and
a second bendable longitudinal light channel through which light energy is transmitted;
wherein the second bendable longitudinal light channel is configured to be worn across the human body joint;
wherein the second bendable longitudinal light channel has a longitudinal axis which is oblique relative to the central longitudinal axis of the body joint;
wherein changes in light energy transmitted through the second bendable longitudinal light channel are used to measure motion of the human body joint;
wherein there is longitudinal variation in the cross-sectional size of the second bendable longitudinal light channel along the longitudinal axis of the bendable longitudinal optical sensor; and
wherein the first and second bendable light channels are operatively connected together.