Wearing detection techniques for wearable devices
Methods, systems, and devices for wearing detection are described. A method may include directing light from a light source to a detector using an optical light guide of the wearable device, where the optical light guide includes an optical interface configured to allow at least a portion of the directed light to escape the optical light guide based on a refractive property of a material contacting the optical interface. The method may include measuring, via the detector, an amount of escaped light which escaped the optical light guide, where the amount of escaped light is indicative of a level of surface contact at the optical interface of the optical light guide. The method may further include controlling an activation of one or more sensors of the wearable device based on the amount of escaped light.
1 . A method for detecting contact with a wearable ring device configured to be worn on a finger of a user, comprising:
directing first light from one or more light sources to one or more detectors using a first optical light guide that spans at least a first radial portion of an inner curved surface of the wearable ring device, wherein the first optical light guide comprises a first optical interface configured to allow at least a portion of the first light to escape the first optical light guide based on a refractive property of a material contacting the first optical interface;
directing second light from the one or more light sources to the one or more detectors using a second optical light guide that spans at least a second radial portion of the inner curved surface of the wearable ring device;
measuring, via the one or more detectors, a first amount of escaped light which escaped the first optical light guide and a second amount of escaped light which escaped the second optical light guide, wherein the first amount of escaped light is indicative of a first level of surface contact with the first radial portion of the inner curved surface, and wherein the second amount of escaped light is indicative of a second level of surface contact with the second radial portion of the inner curved surface;
selecting one or more sensors of the wearable ring device associated with at least one of the first radial portion and the second radial portion based at least in part on the first amount of escaped light and the second amount of escaped light, wherein selecting the one or more sensors comprises:
controlling a first activation of a first subset of the one or more sensors of the wearable ring device associated with the first radial portion based at least in part on the first amount of escaped light; and
controlling a second activation of a second subset of the one or more sensors of the wearable ring device associated with the second radial portion based at least in part on the second amount of escaped light; and
acquiring physiological data from the user via the one or more sensors based at least in part on the selecting.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the one or more sensors comprises:
activating one or more first sensors of the wearable ring device associated with the first radial portion based at least in part on the first level of surface contact associated with the first amount of escaped light satisfying a threshold level of surface contact; and
deactivating one or more second sensors of the wearable ring device associated with the second radial portion based at least in part on the second level of surface contact associated with the second amount of escaped light failing to satisfy the threshold level of surface contact.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining an orientation of the wearable ring device based at least in part on the first amount of escaped light, the second amount of escaped light, or both; and
causing a graphical user interface of a user device to display an indication of the orientation of the wearable ring device, an instruction to adjust the orientation of the wearable ring device, or both.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first optical interface is configured to allow at least a portion of the first light to escape the first optical light guide based on a difference between the refractive property of the material and a second refractive property of the first optical light guide.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first light comprises a plurality of wavelengths, the method further comprising:
measuring, via the one or more detectors, a plurality of amounts of escaped light which escaped the first optical light guide corresponding to the plurality of wavelengths; and
performing one or more spectral analysis operations based at least in part on the plurality of amounts of escaped light.
6 . An apparatus for a wearable ring device configured to be worn on a finger of a user, comprising:
a plurality of sensors configured to acquire physiological data from the user associated with the wearable ring device, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises a light-emitting diode and a photodetector, and;
a light guide apparatus for detecting contact with the wearable ring device, the light guide apparatus comprising:
one or more light sources, wherein the light-emitting diode comprises the one or more light sources;
one or more detectors;
a first optical light guide that spans at least a first radial portion of an inner curved surface of the wearable ring device and that is configured to direct first light from the one or more light sources to the one or more detectors, wherein the first optical light guide comprises a first optical interface configured to allow at least a portion of the first light to escape the first optical light guide based on a refractive property of a material contacting the first optical interface; and
a second optical light guide that spans at least a second radial portion of the inner curved surface of the wearable ring device and that is configured to direct second light from the one or more light sources to the one or more detectors; and
one or more controllers configured to:
measure, via the one or more detectors, a first amount of escaped light which escaped the first optical light guide and a second amount of escaped light which escaped the second optical light guide, wherein the first amount of escaped light is indicative of a first level of surface contact with the first radial portion of the inner curved surface, and wherein the second amount of escaped light is indicative of a second level of surface contact with the second radial portion of the inner curved surface;
select one or more sensors of the wearable ring device associated with at least one of the first radial portion and the second radial portion based at least in part on the first amount of escaped light and the second amount of escaped light; and
acquire physiological data from the user via the one or more sensors based at least in part on the selection.
7 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprises:
a plurality of light-emitting diodes positioned at a first plurality of radial positions along the inner curved surface of the wearable ring device; and
a plurality of photodetectors positioned at a second plurality of radial positions along the inner curved surface of the wearable ring device, the plurality of photodetectors configured to receive light emitted from the plurality of light-emitting diodes.
8 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the one or more light sources are located at a first radial position on the wearable ring device relative to an axis of the wearable ring device, wherein a first detector of the one or more detectors is located at a second radial position on the wearable ring device relative to the axis of the wearable ring device, and wherein the first optical light guide is configured to optically couple the one or more light sources to the first detector along the inner curved surface.
9 . The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of sensors comprises one or more photodetectors, one or more green light-emitting diodes, one or more red light-emitting diodes, one or more infrared light sources, or any combination thereof, and wherein the one or more light sources of the light guide apparatus comprises a blue light-emitting diode, a micro-light-emitting diode, a laser diode, or any combination thereof.
10 . An apparatus for detecting contact with a wearable ring device configured to be worn on a finger of a user, comprising:
one or more processors;
memory coupled with the one or more processors; and
instructions stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors to cause the apparatus to:
direct first light from one or more light sources to one or more detectors using a first optical light guide that spans at least a first radial portion of an inner curved surface of the wearable ring device, wherein the first optical light guide comprises a first optical interface configured to allow at least a portion of the first light to escape the first optical light guide based on a refractive property of a material contacting the first optical interface;
direct second light from the one or more light sources to the one or more detectors using a second optical light guide that spans at least a second radial portion of the inner curved surface of the wearable ring device;
measure, via the one or more detectors, a first amount of escaped light which escaped the first optical light guide and a second amount of escaped light which escaped the second optical light guide, wherein the first amount of escaped light is indicative of a first level of surface contact with the first radial portion of the inner curved surface, and wherein the second amount of escaped light is indicative of a second level of surface contact with the second radial portion of the inner curved surface;
select one or more sensors of the wearable ring device associated with at least one of the first radial portion and the second radial portion based at least in part on the first amount of escaped light and the second amount of escaped light, wherein, to select the one or more sensors, the one or more processors are configured to:
control a first activation of a first subset of the one or more sensors of the wearable ring device associated with the first radial portion based at least in part on the first amount of escaped light; and
control a second activation of a second subset of the one or more sensors of the wearable ring device associated with the second radial portion based at least in part on the second amount of escaped light; and
acquire physiological data from the user via the one or more sensors based at least in part on the selection.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions to select the one or more sensors are executable by the one or more processors to cause the apparatus to:
activate one or more first sensors of the wearable ring device associated with the first radial portion based at least in part on the first level of surface contact associated with the first amount of escaped light satisfying a threshold level of surface contact; and
deactivate one or more second sensors of the wearable ring device associated with the second radial portion based at least in part on the second level of surface contact associated with the second amount of escaped light failing to satisfy the threshold level of surface contact.
12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to cause the apparatus to:
determine an orientation of the wearable ring device based at least in part on the first amount of escaped light, the second amount of escaped light, or both; and
cause a graphical user interface of a user device to display an indication of the orientation of the wearable ring device, an instruction to adjust the orientation of the wearable ring device, or both.
13 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first optical interface is configured to allow at least a portion of the first light to escape the first optical light guide based on a difference between the refractive property of the material and a second refractive property of the first optical light guide.
14 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first light comprises a plurality of wavelengths, and the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to cause the apparatus to:
measure, via the one or more detectors, a plurality of amounts of escaped light which escaped the first optical light guide corresponding to the plurality of wavelengths; and
perform one or more spectral analysis operations based at least in part on the plurality of amounts of escaped light.