Enhanced accessibility using wearable computing devices
Disclosed in some examples are methods, systems, devices, and machine-readable mediums which provide a wearable device, such as a smart ring, that provides feedback to guide users in performing physical tasks. Tasks may include tasks associated with an application executing on a mobile device of the user.
1. A method for improving accessibility of a mobile application using a wearable device, the method comprising:
at a first computing device:
determining a spatial relationship between the first computing device and a wearable computing device;
determining a desired spatial relationship between the first computing device and the wearable computing device, the desired spatial relationship based upon a location of a feature of an application executing on the first computing device;
determining a movement direction, based upon a comparison between the spatial relationship and the desired spatial relationship, to move the wearable computing device towards the feature of the application executing on the first computing device;
select a haptic feedback scheme based upon the movement direction; and
causing the haptic feedback scheme to be delivered to a user through the wearable computing device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wearable computing device is a smart ring, and wherein the haptic feedback scheme includes varying patterns of vibration to guide a finger of the user towards the feature of the application.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first computing device is a smartphone, and the feature of the application is a button on a touch screen of the smartphone, the method further comprising using a camera of the smartphone to determine the spatial relationship between the smartphone and the wearable computing device.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the spatial relationship includes utilizing a sensor fusion algorithm that combines data from multiple sensors including at least an accelerometer and a gyroscope within the wearable computing device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the haptic feedback scheme includes a sequence of haptic signals that correspond to directional cues, guiding the user through a series of movements to navigate within the application executing on the first computing device.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the haptic feedback scheme further comprises haptic intensity cues, which varies an intensity of the haptic feedback according to a proximity of the wearable computing device to the feature of the application.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application executing on the first computing device is a digital wallet application, and the feature of the application is a payment confirmation button.
8. A computing device comprising:
a processor;
a memory, storing instructions which when performed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
determining a spatial relationship between the computing device and a wearable computing device;
determining a desired spatial relationship between the computing device and the wearable computing device, the desired spatial relationship based upon a location of a feature of an application executing on the computing device;
determining a movement direction, based upon a comparison between the spatial relationship and the desired spatial relationship, to move the wearable computing device towards the feature of the application executing on the computing device;
select a haptic feedback scheme based upon the movement direction; and
causing the haptic feedback scheme to be delivered to a user through the wearable computing device.
9. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the wearable computing device is a smart ring, and wherein the haptic feedback scheme includes varying patterns of vibration to guide a finger of the user towards the feature of the application.
10. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the computing device is a smartphone, and the feature of the application is a button on a touch screen of the smartphone, and wherein the operations further comprise using a camera of the smartphone to determine the spatial relationship between the smartphone and the wearable computing device.
11. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the operations of determining the spatial relationship includes utilizing a sensor fusion algorithm that combines data from multiple sensors including at least an accelerometer and a gyroscope within the wearable computing device.
12. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the haptic feedback scheme includes a sequence of haptic signals that correspond to directional cues, guiding the user through a series of movements to navigate within the application executing on the computing device.
13. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the haptic feedback scheme further comprises haptic intensity cues, which varies an intensity of the haptic feedback according to a proximity of the wearable computing device to the feature of the application.
14. The computing device of claim 8 , wherein the application executing on the computing device is a digital wallet application, and the feature of the application is a payment confirmation button.
15. A non-transitory machine-readable medium, storing instructions, which when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
determining a spatial relationship between the computing device and a wearable computing device;
determining a desired spatial relationship between the computing device and the wearable computing device, the desired spatial relationship based upon a location of a feature of an application executing on the computing device;
determining a movement direction, based upon a comparison between the spatial relationship and the desired spatial relationship, to move the wearable computing device towards the feature of the application executing on the first computing device;
select a haptic feedback scheme based upon the movement direction; and
causing the haptic feedback scheme to be delivered to a user through the wearable computing device.
16. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the wearable computing device is a smart ring, and wherein the haptic feedback scheme includes varying patterns of vibration to guide a finger of the user towards the feature of the application.
17. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the computing device is a smartphone, and the feature of the application is a button on a touch screen of the smartphone, and wherein the operations further comprise using a camera of the smartphone to determine the spatial relationship between the smartphone and the wearable computing device.
18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the determining of the spatial relationship includes utilizing a sensor fusion algorithm that combines data from multiple sensors including at least an accelerometer and a gyroscope within the wearable computing device.
19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the haptic feedback scheme includes a sequence of haptic signals that correspond to directional cues, guiding the user through a series of movements to navigate within the application executing on the machine.
20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the haptic feedback scheme further comprises haptic intensity cues, which varies an intensity of the haptic feedback according to a proximity of the wearable computing device to the feature of the application.