Step Detection Wearable Device by Apple

Speculations are on about Apple’s `Wrist Pedometer Step Detection’, a special type of pedometer and according to US Patent and Trademark Office, this device is described as `optimizations in detecting steps when worn on the individual’s wrist’. The iPhone maker has now patented this pedometer which can locate itself when worn by the person and would be the first wearable device by Apple. This patented technology would accurately track the steps that an individual would take with the help of the device which can be worn either on the arm, wrist or the ankle. This enhanced pedometer by Apple has the capabilities of detecting the amount of steps taken by the user based on the location and the proposed tech then translates the analyzed raw data into the steps taken together with the distance travelled.

Capabilities of Constantly Adjusting and Counting
 
The pedometer can convert the motion data in acceleration magnitude using it to work out the main frequency of the steps which is combined with the location and correlates the two. Thus the pedometer would have the capabilities of constantly adjusting and counting extra steps it may have missed. Pedometer is used to count steps, in determining the distance travelled by the user of the pedometer which can be either digital or mechanical. The digital pedometers with the help of built in motion sensor namely accelerometers, helps in detecting movements of the digital pedometer. With the digital pedometer, the signals that is received from the motion sensor are analyzed to determine when the user takes a step and the algorithms for analyzing the signals depends on which part of the body the pedometer is worn.

Built in Motion Sensor, Wrist Related Device
 
This invention by Apple is a wrist related device and states that in some implementations, the wrist optimization mentioned in the invention can only be used when the pedometer is worn on the user’s wrist. In some implementation, the individual can specify a wrist area in selecting one or more options or provide input through the user interface of the pedometer and this interesting feature, is the automatic wrist classification wherein, the pedometer can be configured in automatically detecting that the pedometer is worn on the wrist of the user. In this embodiment, the device with the help of fast Fourier transform – FFT, frequency interprets and automatically detects when the user wears the pedometer on the wrist and the same method is also used when the user tends to run.


Support for Inputs – Thumb Wheel/Stylus/USB
 
According to USPTO’s listing, Apple’s future smart watch could utilize frequencies in determining where on the user’s body the device is worn. Moreover the patent also includes support for inputs like thumb wheel, stylus and USB port and probably Apple’s newly patented technology could also include the functionality of an MP3 player namely the iPod. According to some, this device could be revealed later this year with reports stating that Apple could be considering a solar powered battery for wearable devices while other findings suggest that it could be shipped with flexible OLED display with slap bracelet design. Besides this it is expected to run a fully functional version of an iOS version together with the ability to interact both with iPhone as well as other devices. You could stay tuned for more technology details coming up at Macmyth