Last week, Apple introduced possible future Apple Watch Bands with embedded micro-machined ultrasonic transducers (MUTs) to detect touch, gestures, physiological health signals, and transfer data between devices via ultrasonic waves. Today, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a second Apple engineering team working on an alternative Apple Watch band with embedded electrodes which could detect user wrist gestures and electromyography (EMG) signals. Whether the technologies are competing with each other or could be combined in a future Apple Watch is unknown at this time.

 

In a nutshell, Apple notes that electrodes can be formed in a flexible band Apple Watch band that could detect hand gestures and electromyography (EMG) via embedding multiple rows of electrodes configured to detect activity of muscles and tendons.

The watch band could include removable electrical connections (e.g., pogo pins) to enable the electrode signals to be routed to processing circuitry in the housing of the Apple Watch, a fitness band, a VR glove.

Measurements between signals from the active electrodes and one or more reference electrodes could be obtained to capture EMG signals at a number of locations on the band. The measurement method and mode of operation (lower power coarse detection or higher power fine detection) could determine the location and number of electrodes to be measured. These EMG signals could be processed to identify hand movements and recognize gestures associated with those hand movements.

Apple's patent FIG. 1 below illustrates various hand movements that can be performed as part of a hand gesture; FIGS. 3A-D illustrate example devices in which electrodes can be formed in a flexible band to detect hand movements and gestures (similar to last week's devices); FIG. 5A illustrates an example flexible strap or band which has been separated from its housing (Apple Watch +); FIG. 5B illustrates a portion of a strap or band and the routing of electrodes to a connector.

Apple's patent FIG. 6A below illustrates some details of contacts in a connector; FIGS. 6C-1 to 6C-3 illustrates the engagement of a connector of a band with a housing; FIG. 9 illustrates a flow diagram illustrating the use of electrodes for gesture recognition.

Apple filed for this patent in late August 2022 and UPSTO published it today.

Apple Inventors

• Kaan Dogrusoz: ML & Sensing R&D Manager
• Ali Moin: AI Research
• Benjamin Grena: Hardware Design Engineer
• Erdrin Azemi: Senior Engineering Manager, AI/ML Research
• Joseph Cheng: Platform Architect
• Daniel Podhajny: Product Designer (Worked on Nike's Flyknit Technology)