WO2012122655A1

WO2012122655A1 - Interactive computer control system using wearable item

Info

Publication number: WO2012122655A1
Application number: PCT/CA2012/050163
Authority: WO
Inventors: Didier Brun
Original assignee: Societe Sid Lee Paris S.A.R.L.; Sid Lee Inc.
Priority date: 2011-03-15
Filing date: 2012-03-15
Publication date: 2012-09-20

Abstract

There is described a system and method for generating a control signal for controlling at least one of an audio and a visual cue, such as a musical tone, based on an applied pressure recorded by at least one pressure sensor associated with a wearable item, such as a shoe. The system comprises a memory for storing the audio or visual cue associated with varying levels of at least one characteristic of the applied pressure, a processor, an output device and an application coupled to the memory and the processor.

Description

INTERACTIVE COMPUTER CONTROL SYSTEM USING WEARABLE ITEM

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001 ] This application claims priority under 35 USC §1 19(e) of United States Provisional Patent Application No. 61/452,718 filed on March 15, 201 1 , the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of the generation of control signals, whether auditive or visual, and more particularly, to generating such signals using a wearable item having integrated therein sensors for measuring pressure. BACKGROUND OF THE ART

[0003] The apparel and footwear business is a highly competitive one, where companies innovate with new ideas whenever they can in order to attract customers to their products. In 1992 L.A. Gear began marketing Light Gear™ CrossRunner shoes with red LED lights in the heels, and once a wearer's heel hit the ground the lights would light up and continue to do so with every step. L.A. Gear went further in 1993 by introducing the Leap Gear™ line of performance basketball shoes, which would light up when the player would jump off the ground.

[0004] Another such product is the roller shoes Heelys™, which is a brand marketed by Heelys, Inc. that have one or more wheels embedded in each sole, similar to inline skates. Thus, the wearer can walk, run, or, by shifting their weight to their heels, roll. Braking can be achieved by lowering the back of the foot so that sole contacts the ground.

[0005] Needless to say that such products, when launched, have a strong impact on the market due to the novelty aspect. They also attract kids, who are always looking for the coolest new item to show off to their friends. [0006] Therefore, there is a need for another product in the apparel and footwear industry that would distinguish a given brand from its competitors due to the new features or functionalities it could provide, compared to standard apparel and footwear. SUMMARY

[0007] In accordance with a first broad aspect, there is provided a system for generating a control signal based on an applied pressure recorded by at least one pressure sensor. The system comprises a memory for storing at least one of an audio and a visual cue associated with varying levels of at least one characteristic of the applied pressure, a processor, an output device, and an application coupled to the memory and the processor, wherein the application, when executed on the processor, performs steps of receiving a signal comprising at least one pressure measurement, extracting the at least one pressure measurement from the received signal, determining a level of the at least one characteristic of the at least one pressure measurement, retrieving from the memory the at least one of the audio and the visual cue associated with the level of the at least one characteristic, and generating and sending a control signal to the output device for causing the at least one of the audio and the visual cue.

[0008] In accordance with a second broad aspect, there is provided a computer- implemented method for generating a control signal based on an applied pressure recorded by at least one pressure sensor. The method comprises receiving a signal comprising at least one pressure measurement recorded by the at least one pressure sensor, extracting the at least one pressure measurement from the received signal, determining a level of at least one characteristic of the at least one pressure measurement, retrieving from memory at least one of an audio and a visual cue associated with the level of the at least one characteristic, and generating and sending a control signal to an output device for causing the at least one of the audio and the visual cue. [0009] In accordance with another broad aspect, there is provided a system for generating a control signal based on an applied pressure recorded by at least one pressure sensor. The system comprises a wearable item comprising a supporting member for covering at least a part of a body when worn, the supporting member having a contact portion for providing contact between the part of the body covered and a surface, at least one pressure sensor integrated into the supporting member at the contacting portion for measuring an applied pressure at a point of contact between the pressure sensor and the surface, and a wireless transmission device connected to the at least one pressure sensor, the wireless transmission device having an antenna and a transmission module for receiving the applied pressure as measured and transmitting a signal comprising the applied pressure as measured wirelessly, and a computer readable medium having recorded thereon program code executable by a processor for causing the processor to receive the signal comprising the applied pressure as measured by the at least one pressure sensor, extract pressure measurements from the signal; convert the pressure measurements into a control signal, and output the control signal at least one of visually and auditively.

[0010] In this specification, the term "computer" is intended to mean any programmable machine having data processing capabilities, such as but not limited to a PC, a laptop, a mobile device, a Personal Digital Assistant, and a tablet computer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[001 1 ] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the appended drawings, in which:

[0012] Fig. 1 a is a schematic diagram illustrating a system for controlling actions of a computer using footwear, in accordance with one embodiment; [0013] Fig. 1 b is a schematic diagram illustrating a system for controlling actions of a computer using handwear, in accordance with one embodiment;

[0014] Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a wireless transmission device provided in the footwear, in accordance with one embodiment; [0015] Fig. 3a is a circuit diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of the wireless transmission device of fig. 2;

[0016] Fig. 3b shows schematic diagrams of the XBee™ chip, the connector, the power block, and the LED of fig. 3a;

[0017] Fig. 3c shows schematic diagrams of the battery, the resistors, and the voltage regulator of fig. 3a;

[0018] Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a battery charger for use with the system, in accordance with one embodiment;

[0019] Fig. 5 is a block diagram of a wireless receiving device for use with the system, in accordance with one embodiment; [0020] Fig. 6 is a block diagram of a computer for use with the system, in accordance with one embodiment;

[0021 ] Fig. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an application running on the computer of fig. 6, in accordance with one embodiment; and

[0022] Fig. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a method for controlling actions of a computer using the footwear.

[0023] It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Figure 1 a is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary embodiment of a system 100 for generating sound using a wearable item, illustratively footwear. The footwear 101 may be a shoe, a boot, a sneaker, a pump or other heeled shoe, a sandal, a flip-flop, or any other item to be worn on the foot and having a sole 102 and a means for attachment to the foot. While only one footwear 101 is illustrated in the system 100 of Figure 1 a, the system 100 may comprise a pair of footwear 101. The footwear 101 comprises at least one pressure sensor 103a, 103b integrated into the sole 102 thereof. If only one pressure sensor 103a, 103b is present, it may be provided either in the front of the footwear 101 in a toe portion of the sole 102 or at the back of the footwear 101 in a heel portion of the sole 102. If more than one pressure sensor 103a, 103b is provided, they may be distributed throughout the sole 102 of the footwear 101 , such as at the toe and heel portion as well as adjacent a ball of the wearer's foot, or provided at each end thereof, as illustrated in Figure 1 a.

[0025] In one embodiment, a portion of the sole 102 is made of foam and the pressure sensors 103a, 103b are attached to the foam using attachment means such as hooks, glue and velcro™. Alternatively, there may be cutouts in the foam sole 102 into which the pressure sensors 103a, 103b are inserted and held in place using friction and/or other forces. In other alternative embodiments, the sole 102 is made of another material, such as plastic, leather, rubber, wood, or canvas, and the pressure sensors 103a, 103b are either integrated directly into the sole 102 during the fabrication process, or they are attached to the sole 102 post-fabrication.

[0026] The pressure sensors 103a, 103b measure pressure applied by the foot onto a surface and the pressure is usually stated in terms of force per unit area. The pressure sensors 103a, 103b act as transducers and generate signals as a function of the pressure imposed and the readings or measurements taken. The pressure sensors 103a, 103b, are understood to include anyone of pressure transducers, pressure switches, pressure transmitters, pressure senders, pressure indicators and piezometers, and manometers. Various types of pressure measurements may be performed, using absolute pressure sensors, gauge pressure sensors, vacuum pressure sensors, differential pressure sensors, and sealed pressure sensors. Any technology known in the field of pressure sensors may be used to perform the measurements.

[0027] Referring to Figure 1 b, in an alternative embodiment, pressure sensors 103a, 103b are provided in handwear instead of footwear. For example, a glove 105 may have pressure sensors 103c, 103d, 103e, 103f, and 103g embedded at the tip of each one of the fingers 107 of the glove 105. It should be understood that the pressure sensors as in 103c, 103d, 103e, 103f, and 103g need not be provided at the tip of each finger 107 but may instead be provided at selected tips of the fingers 107, or even at only one fingertip. While most of the present description refers to footwear, all embodiments will be readily understood to be analogous for handwear. [0028] Referring back to Figure 1 a, the pressure sensors 103a, 103b, are connected to a wireless transmission device 104. Using a wireless antenna 106, the wireless transmission device 104 transmits signals comprising the pressure measurements recorded by the pressure sensors 103a, 103b. These signals are received by a wireless reception device 1 10, via its antenna 108. The wireless reception device 1 10 is connected to a computer 1 12, where the received signals comprising the pressure measurements are transferred upon reception. The computer 1 12, upon reception of the signals, will interpret them in a way to generate sound as a function of the pressure measurements. It should be understood that although the computer 1 12 has been illustrated as separate from the reception device 1 10 and associated antenna 108, the latter may be integrated into the computer 1 12. It should also be understood that although the transmission device 104 has been illustrated as integrated into the footwear 101 , the wireless transmission device 104 may be removable therefrom. [0029] Figure 2 illustrates an exemplary block diagram for the wireless transmission device 104. A transmission module 202 is connected to the antenna 106 for transmitting the signals. Any small low-power digital radio, such as an 8-bit microcontroller chip using Wi-Fi™, Bluetooth™, or Zigbee™, may be used as the transmission module 202. A power source 204 powers the device 104. This power source 204 may be a battery such as lead acid, nickel cadmium, nickel metal hybrid, lithium polymer, lithium ion, or any other type of suitable battery.

[0030] In one embodiment, the battery is rechargeable and a connector 212, which may be of USB type or other, is provided on the wireless transmission device 104 for this purpose. One or more connectors 210 are also provided in order to connect the transmission module 202 of the wireless transmission device 104 to the pressure sensors 103a, 103b. The connector 210 may be a three-pin female connector adapted to mate with a corresponding three-pin male connector (not shown) coupled to the sole 102. The three pins illustratively correspond to the analog input of the first sensor 103a, the analog input of the second sensor 103b, and the power supply input for the sensors 103a, 103b. A visual indicator 206, such as an LED, is provided on the device 104 to show whether it is activated or not. In addition, an activation switch 208 may be used to selectively activate or deactivate the device 104. [0031 ] Referring to Figure 3a, Figure 3b, and Figure 3c,an exemplary implementation of the wireless transmission device 104 will now be described. In this embodiment, an XBee™ chip 214 having two analog input terminals 216 and 218 for connection to the pressure sensors 103a, 103b is used as the transmission module 202. The analog inputs 216 and 218 are illustratively respectively connected to Force Sensing Resistors™ (FSRs™) 220 and 222, which are respectively used as the pressure sensors 103a and 103b, using wires as in 224. The FSRs™ 220 and 222 are made of a conductive polymer material whose resistance changes when a force or pressure is applied. The FSRs™ 220 and 222 illustratively have a thickness less than 0.5mm as well as good shock resistance. The XBee "^vl chip 214 further comprises terminals 226, 228 and 230, whose use will be detailed further below.

[0032] The XBee™ chip 214 is advantageously lightweight (about 3 grams), thus allowing for the weight of the overall wireless transmission device 104 to be lowered. A Radio Frequency (RF) data rate of 250 kbps and an interface data rate up to 1 15.2 kbps may be achieved for operation within a frequency band ranging from 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz. The indoor communication range may reach up to 60 meters whereas the outdoor communication range may reach up to 2 kilometers. This proves sufficient for most applications of the system 100. However, depending on the application, a transmission module 202 with a different communication range may be desired and, accordingly, a suitable wireless module other than the XBee™ chip 214 may be used.

[0033] A lithium polymer battery 232 having a capacity of 1 10 milliampere hour and a voltage of 3.7 volts may be connected to the XBee™ chip 214 as its power source 204. Such a battery 232 may operate for approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes under continued use. The battery 232 comprises a positive terminal 234 and a negative terminal 236. A power (PWR) block 238 acts as the activation switch 208 and comprises a terminal 242 connected to the positive terminal 234 of the battery 232 for selective activation and deactivation thereof and a terminal 240 connected to a voltage regulator 250, as discussed further below. An LED 244 is also provided as the visual indicator 206. The LED 244 comprises negative terminal 246 and positive terminal 248.

[0034] The voltage regulator 250, illustratively a Low Dropout regulator or LDO, is connected between the power block 238, the battery 232, the XBee™ chip 214 and a connector (DCK) 252 in order to maintain a steady voltage. The voltage regulator

250 comprises an input terminal 254 connected to the terminal 240 of the power block 238, an adjust or ground terminal 256 connected to the negative terminal 236 of the battery 232 and the terminal 230 of the XBee™ chip 214, and an output terminal 258 connected to the terminals 226 and 228 of the XBee™ chip 214. By feeding the output voltage of the power block 238 to the input terminal 254 of the voltage regulator 250, the output voltage of the power block 238 may be regulated down by the voltage regulator 250. The ground terminal 256 allows to ground the battery 232, the XBee™ chip 214 and the resistors 220 and 222 as well as a resistor 270. The output terminal 258 provides a regulated voltage to the XBee™ chip 214 whose terminal 228 is in turn connected to the positive terminal 248 of the LED 244 via the resistor 270. As such, the LED 244 also receives a regulated voltage from the voltage regulator 250.

[0035] The connector 252 has five output terminals 260, 262, 264, 266, and 268. The outputs 268 and 266 are used to respectively connect to the FSRs™ 220 and 222 and to the analog input terminals 216 and 218 of the XBee™ chip 214, the output terminal 262 for powering the FSRs™ 220 and 222, the output 260 for connecting to the terminal 242 of the power block 238 so as to recharge the battery 232, whose positive terminal 234 is also connected to terminal 242 of the power block 238, and the output terminal 264 for connecting to the positive terminal 248 of the LED 244. A casing (not shown) housing the components for the wireless transmission device 104 is miniaturized in order to be provided in the footwear 101 without disturbing the wearer. In this manner, the wearer is prevented from feeling any discomfort, which may be due to the presence of the wireless transmission device 104 and the pressure sensors 103a, 103b in the sole 102 of the footwear 101 , while walking, running, dancing or the like. In one exemplary embodiment, the device 104 is approximately 5 cm x 2.5 cm x 1.5 cm. Transmission of the pressure measurements may occur in real-time or near real-time. When signals are transmitted in real-time, a rate of about 40 times per second may be used. [0036] Referring to Figure 4, the battery 232 may be recharged using a battery charger 272. The battery charger 272 may comprise a connector 274, which may be of USB type or other, adapted to mate with the connector 212 provided on the wireless transmission device 104. The battery charger 272 may further comprise a charging module 276 and a visual indicator 278, such as an LED. Using the battery charger 272, the battery 232 and accordingly the transmission device 104 may be recharged efficiently, illustratively in about 20 minutes.

[0037] The charging module 226 is illustratively adapted for charging a lithium polymer battery as in 232 or any other type of battery suitable for use with the system 100. For safety purposes, the charging module 226 may be connected to a charge timer 280 for stopping the battery charging process after a predetermined time.

[0038] The visual indicator 278 may illustratively be used for indicating that the battery 232 is being charged (e.g. the visual indicator 278 turns on when the battery 232 is in charge and off when the battery 232 is no longer in charge) as well as the charge status (e.g. the visual indicator 278 is of a first color, such as red, when the battery 232 being charged is very low, and a second color, such as green, when the battery 232 is fully charged). Suitable visual indicators as in 278 other than an LED, such as illuminated bar graphs and the like, may be used. [0039] Referring now to Figure 5, there is illustrated an exemplary wireless reception device 1 10. A reception module 402, which may comprise an XBee™ chip (not shown), cooperates with an antenna 108 to receive the signals sent from the wireless transmission device 104. A connector 404 is used for connecting the wireless reception device 1 10, and in particular the reception module 402, to a computer 1 12 for further processing of the signals. The connector 404 may be of USB type or other.

[0040] Figure 6 illustrates the computer 1 12 of Figure 1 a as a plurality of applications 506a, 506b, 506n running on a processor 502, the processor being coupled to a memory 504. It should be understood that while the applications presented herein are illustrated and described as separate entities, they may be combined or separated in a variety of ways. [0041 ] The memory 504 accessible by the processor 502 receives and stores data, such as all the signals comprising the pressure measurements. The memory 504 may be a main memory, such as a high speed Random Access Memory (RAM), or an auxiliary storage unit, such as a hard disk, a floppy disk, or a magnetic tape drive. The memory may be any other type of memory, such as a Read-Only Memory (ROM), or optical storage media such as a videodisc and a compact disc.

[0042] The processor 502 may access the memory 504 to retrieve data. The processor 502 may be any device that can perform operations on data. Examples are a central processing unit (CPU), a front-end processor, a microprocessor, a graphics processing unit (GPU/VPU), a physics processing unit (PPU), a digital signal processor, and a network processor. The applications 506a, 506b, 506n are coupled to the processor 502 and configured to perform various tasks as explained below in more detail. An output may be transmitted to a display 510 or another output device 512.

[0043] An exemplary application 506a running on the processor 502 is illustrated in the block diagram of Figure 7. An input signal is initially received by a signal input module 602. The signal gets transmitted to a signal analysis module 604, where the pressure measurements are extracted from the signal. Illustratively, the signal analysis module 604 analyzes and may be able to differentiate pressure measurements from each pressure sensor 103a or 103b even when the pressure level applied to the corresponding pressure sensor 103a or 103b is low. A low pressure level may for example result from a balance shift, without much movement from the wearer, from one pressure sensor 103a or 103b to another, such as from the heel portion of the footwear 101 to the toe portion thereof. For instance, this may occur when the wearer shifts his/her weight from his/her toes to his/her heels while standing still. Alternatively, a high pressure level may result from the wearer impacting a surface, such as a floor, by for example stomping the surface, with the footwear 101 . When low pressure levels are applied to the footwear 101 , such as when balance shifts occur, it may be difficult for the signal analysis module 604 to assess which one of the pressure sensors 103a and 103b has recorded a given pressure measurement received by the signal input module 602. [0044] To overcome this issue, the analysis module 604 illustratively evaluates differences in pressure measurements and computes the slope, i.e. the rate of change, between a pressure measurement recorded at the current time and a pressure measurement recorded a short time span (in the order of a few milliseconds) prior to the current time. For instance, if the slope is above a pre- determined threshold and accordingly identified as steep, the analysis module 604 illustratively assumes that an impact, rather than a simple balance shift, has occurred at the current time. As such, the analysis module 604 assesses from the steep shift in pressure that the current pressure measurement has been recorded at a sensor, e.g. pressure sensor 103a, different from the sensor, e.g. pressure sensor 103b, which recorded the previous pressure measurement. Alternatively, if the change in pressure is low or moderate, the analysis module 604 assesses that the current and previous pressure measurements have been recorded by the same sensor, e.g. pressure sensor 103. In this manner, it may be possible to precisely identify which pressure sensor 103a or 103b recorded the current pressure measurement and accordingly which action to be taken.

[0045] Still, if identification data corresponding to the pressure sensor 103a or 103b which recorded a given pressure measurement is sent by the wireless transmission device 104 to the signal input module 602 along with the pressure measurement, it may then be possible for the analysis module 604 to discriminate between different pressure measurements. Knowing the identity of the originating pressure sensor 103a or 103b, it may then be possible to generate an output, which is specific to the pressure sensor 103a or 103b and different from an output generated by the other pressure sensor(s). [0046] In one specific embodiment, the application 506a may generate audio cues or sounds, which may be pre-stored in the memory 504, as a function of the pressure measurements extracted from the signal. In this case, it is desirable for the sounds to be generated in real-time or near real-time with very low latency, illustratively less than 30 milliseconds.

[0047] The signal received at the signal analysis module 604 may comprise information related to characteristics of the pressure measurements, such as a rate at which the pressure measurements are recorded, such a rate corresponding to the pattern of steps taken by the wearer of the footwear 101 . In this manner, if the wearer of the footwear 101 is dancing, running, or the like, then the sounds may follow a rhythm comprising a sequence of noises and silences that will match the rhythm, i.e. the pattern of steps or movements, of the dancing, running, or the like.

[0048] Different sounds may further be produced depending on which pressure sensor 103a or 103b pressure is applied to. A sound may also be looped upon applying a single pressure to the pressure sensors as in 103a or 103b, i.e. making a single impact on a surface with the footwear 101 . In this manner, the sound may continue to play until another impact is made using the footwear 101 . The application 506 may further be designed to stop a sound produced previously by applying pressure to sensor 103a when pressure is currently being applied to sensor 103b. When both sensors 103a and 103b are impacted simultaneously and for a short period of time, the application 506a may also stop any sound previously generated, thus providing a mute function for the footwear 101 .

[0049] Depending on the type of dance, percussion sounds, tapping sounds to simulate tap dancing, or any other type of desirable sound may be used. Moreover, multiple types of sounds may be played simultaneously to enable a more varied sound experience and provide acoustic enhancement to the dancer. This may prove particularly useful in dance arts, such as flamenco or Irish dance, by enabling performers to be accompanied while moving freely on stage. The footwear 101 may also be used to generate sounds in order to stimulate exercise by providing the pressure sensors 103a, 103b, the wireless transmission device 104, and the wireless antenna 106 in a sneaker (not shown). In this manner, footwear customization may be achieved without the need for incorporating a loudspeaker in the footwear 101 . In addition, the wearer may be presented on the output device 512 with a user interface (not shown) enabling the user to make selections for further editing and personalizing the generated sound so it may reflect the wearer's music tastes. In this case, the application 506a may be configured to access the memory 504 so as to dynamically modify the sound to be output in real-time or near real-time according to the user's input. [0050] The musical note (e.g. octave or pitch) of the sound or the instrument playing the musical note may be dependent on the amplitude of the pressure exerted on each one of the one or more pressure sensors as in 103a or 103b present in the footwear of the wearer, whereby a lighter step may result in a higher note while a heavier step may result in a lower note. Moreover, the note of the generated sound may vary depending on the amount of time pressure is applied to the pressure sensors as in 103a or 103b. For instance, if pressure measurements remain substantially constant during several seconds, meaning that the wearer has applied a substantially constant pressure level on the pressure sensors as in 103a or 103b during the specific period of time, the sound generated as output to the application 506a may have a higher note than cases where pressure measurements only remain constant for about a second. The pressure may also be used to set the volume of the sound instead of the note, or a combination of both. It will also be apparent that, if the sole 102 of the footwear 101 is flexible, the pressure sensors 103a and 103b may measure a squeezing force exerted by the wearer on the footwear 101 for generating a sound of a given rhythm, note, volume, or the like.

[0051 ] Therefore, the signal analysis module 604 will illustratively transmit to the output generation module 606 control signals for the desired output to be generated as a function of the pressure measurements and with the desired latency. In the case of sound, the output generation module 606 may then send a signal to an output device such as a speaker in order to generate the corresponding sound effects.

[0052] In another embodiment, sounds are also generated as output to the application 506a, but the specific sound is chosen from a list of sounds that are associated with a range of pressure measurement magnitudes. For example, a reading found between 145*10^"6 psi and 150*10^"6 psi may result in a ringing sound, a reading found between 155*10^"6 psi and 160*10^"6 psi may result in a loud bang, and a reading found between 165x10^"6 psi and 170*10^~6 psi may result in a dog barking. Similarly, pre-recorded phrases, for example letters of the alphabet, may be played according to the pressure measurements. Any combination of sounds could then be generated by varying the pressure being applied by the wearer of the footwear. In another alternative embodiment, music may be composed using various combinations of pressure measurements. [0053] In this manner, a wearer of the footwear 101 may illustratively generate a first sound by heavily striking the heel portion of the sole 102 on the ground during a few seconds, thus activating pressure sensor 103a. As such, a loud bang may be looped during this period of time. The wearer may then lightly tap the toe portion of the sole 102 to activate the pressure sensor 103b and generate a quiet ringing sound. By applying additional pressure to the toe portion, the volume of the ringing noise may be increased. Characteristics of the ringing noise, such as the type of ringing, may further be edited by the wearer inputting selections via the user interface presented on the output device 512. Upon releasing the pressure on the toe portion, all sounds may be stopped. The wearer may then execute a sequence of tap dance steps by alternatively applying pressure to the toe and heel portions of the sole 102, thus producing a series of tapping sounds to simulate the tap dancing. The sounds may then be muted by the wearer applying pressure to both the toe and heel portions of the sole 102 simultaneously. [0054] In an alternative embodiment, the resulting output is graphical instead of audio. For this purpose, graphical cues may be pre-stored in the memory 504. For example, various commands of a drawing device, such as up, down, left, right, may be controlled with the different pressure measurements. This application would allow a user to create various designs using the footwear 101. It should be understood that the output may also be both graphical and audio.

[0055] In yet another embodiment, the application 506a is combined with a secondary application (not shown) and the footwear 101 is used as a control tool. For example, if the secondary application is a digital book reading application, applying a given pressure to a surface using the footwear may be used to control page scrolling or page turning in the secondary application. In another example, if the secondary application is a graphical design application, the footwear may be used to control different aspects of the design process, such as applying colors, highlighting elements, etc. The foot may be used as an input device to the computer to control various actions to be taken.

[0056] The wearer may also use the footwear 101 as a virtual mouse, which may be activated by the wearer tapping the sole 102 of the footwear 101 against a surface, such as the floor. An audio or graphical output may accordingly be generated by the computer 1 12, indicating that the virtual mouse has been activated. Deactivation of the virtual mouse may be effected in a similar manner. Once the virtual mouse is activated, the latter may be used as a pointer on the output device 512 so that the wearer may make a mouse input, i.e. moving an arrow on the output device 512, by moving the foot and associated footwear 101 on the surface while looking at the output device 512 to locate the arrow. In this embodiment, it is thus envisioned that the wearer may be in proximity of the computer 1 12 so as to be able to see the output device 512. An icon displayed on the output device 512 may be selected by the wearer by once again tapping the sole 102 of the footwear 101 against the surface. Again, an audio or graphical output may be generated to indicate that the icon has been selected. This may prove particularly useful for impaired users unable to operate a computer mouse.

[0057] It will be understood that many other applications, such as for use in children interactive/learning toys or interactive computer games are possible and fall within the scope of the described system.

[0058] For example, sounds generated as output to the application 506a can be used by parents to keep track of their children at home or in public areas. In this case, a child may be provided with the footwear 101 . As long as the child remains within communication range of the antenna 108 of the wireless reception device 1 10, any sound generated on the computer 1 12 with each step of the child may be heard by the parent located adjacent the computer 1 12. The child can therefore be easily located within the house or public area. To further facilitate location of the child and for safety purposes, the parent may choose an easily recognizable sound to be played by the computer 1 12 as the child walks. [0059] In another embodiment, the footwear 101 may be used as a learning shoe for the child. For this purpose, pre-recorded amusing sounds may be stored in the memory 504 of the computer 1 12 and played with each step the child takes. The pre-recorded sounds may also comprise language phrases that may be played to help the child learn to speak while walking. [0060] The footwear 101 may also be used for reinforcing gait training skills or as a gait adjusting device. In this embodiment, the pressure sensor 103a may provide auditory feedback at heel strike whereas the pressure sensor 103b may provide auditory feedback at toe off. The pressure sensors 103a, 103b may be selectively positioned in the sole 103 to provide auditory feedback when the wearer is working a given motor sequence, such as heel-heel, heel-toe, toe-toe, and the like. The pressure sensors 103a, 103b may also be used to perform plantar-force measurements for monitoring human walking. In this case, the contact force of the foot exerted on the sole 103 of the footwear 101 may be measured to detect gait- phases and provide auditory or visual feedback on the output device 512.

[0061 ] In yet another embodiment, the footwear 101 may be used as an emergency system, in which an alarm sound may be stored in the memory 504 and generated as output to the application 506a. The sound may be activated to send an alarm to request help when the wearer of the footwear 101 is in danger or in an emergency situation. Generation of the sound may be effected by stumping the sole 102 of the footwear 101 on the ground or another surface, such as the wearer's palm or other body part, thus triggering the computer 1 12 to generate the alarm. To prevent the alarm sound from being generated with each step the wearer takes, the system may be selectively activated/deactivated using the activation switch 208.

[0062] As discussed above with reference to Figure 1 b, the pressure sensors 103a, 103b, the wireless transmission device 104, and the wireless antenna 106 may be provided in a handwear , such as a glove 105 or partial glove, or footwear other than shoes, such as socks. For example, the glove 105 may have a pressure sensor as in 103a, 103b embedded at the tip of at least one of the fingers 107. As illustrated in Figure 1 b, pressure sensors 103c, 103d, 103e, 103f, and 103g may each be embedded at the tip of each finger 107. Similarly, a sock may have a pressure sensor as in 103a, 103b embedded at the tip of at least one of the toes. Sound may then be generated by the wearer tapping the tip(s) of the finger(s) 107 or toe(s) having a pressure sensor as in 103c embedded therein against a body part, such as the palm of his/her hand, or another surface, such as a wall, a floor, or a furniture surface (none shown). Alternatively, when used with handwear, the pressure sensors as in 103c may be recording a squeezing force to trigger generation of an output. This may prove useful when learning to play an instrument for example. Also, as described above in relation to the footwear 101 , the handwear may be used as a control tool or as an input device. [0063] Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling actions on a computer using the footwear as described above. In a first step 702, a series of pressure measurements are received from one or more pressure sensors. At least one signal comprising the pressure measurements is transmitted to a processing device at step 704. The signal is received at the processing device at step 706 and the pressure measurements are extracted therefrom at step 708. A control signal is then generated as a function of the pressure measurements at step 710 in accordance with a given application.

[0064] While illustrated in the block diagrams as groups of discrete components communicating with each other via distinct data signal connections, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present embodiments are provided by a combination of hardware and software components, with some components being implemented by a given function or operation of a hardware or software system, and many of the data paths illustrated being implemented by data communication within a computer application or operating system. The structure illustrated is thus provided for efficiency of teaching the present embodiment.

[0065] It should be noted that the present invention can be carried out as a method, can be embodied in a system, a computer readable medium or an electrical or electro-magnetic signal. The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to be exemplary only. The scope of the invention is therefore intended to be limited solely by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1 . A system for generating a control signal based on an applied pressure recorded by at least one pressure sensor, the system comprising:

a memory for storing at least one of an audio and a visual cue associated with varying levels of at least one characteristic of the applied pressure;

a processor;

an output device; and

an application coupled to the memory and the processor, wherein the application, when executed on the processor, performs steps of:

receiving a signal comprising at least one pressure measurement;

extracting the at least one pressure measurement from the received signal; determining a level of the at least one characteristic of the at least one pressure measurement;

retrieving from the memory the at least one of the audio and the visual cue associated with the level of the at least one characteristic; and

generating and sending a control signal to the output device for causing the at least one of the audio and the visual cue.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining a level of at least one characteristic comprises determining at least one of an amplitude, a timing component, a difference with a previous measurement, and a rate of change with the previous measurement of the at least one pressure measurement.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein at least two characteristics are determined from the at least one pressure measurement, and an independent parameter of the audio and the visual cue is associated with each one of the at least two characteristics, and wherein generating the control signal comprises generating the control signal with at least two parameters for the one of the audio and the visual cue.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least two characteristics comprise amplitude and originating sensor identity, and wherein the at least two parameters comprise a pitch of a musical note and an instrument playing the musical note.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least two characteristics comprise amplitude, a timing component, and an originating sensor identity, and wherein the at least two parameters comprise a pitch of a musical note, an octave for the musical note, and an instrument playing the musical note.

6. The system of anyone of claims 1 to 5, wherein the application is configured to extract from the signal at least two pressure measurements, determine the level of the at least one characteristic for each one of the at least two pressure measurements, and determine which one of the at least one pressure sensor recorded the pressure measurement.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the application is configured to determine which one of the at least one pressure sensor recorded the pressure measurement using a rate of change between a previous pressure measurement and a current pressure measurement for all of the at least one pressure sensor.

8. The system of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the application is configured to access the memory and modify the at least one characteristic associated with the at least one of the audio and the visual cue.

9. The system of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the application is configured to access the memory and modify the at least one of the audio and the visual cue associated with a given level of the at least one characteristic of the applied pressure.

10. The system of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the application is configured to generate the control signal as a function of a determination of which one of the at least one pressure sensor recorded the at least one pressure measurement.

1 1 . The system of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the application is configured to generate and send the control signal in substantially real time with respect to reception of the signal.

12. A computer-implemented method for generating a control signal based on an applied pressure recorded by at least one pressure sensor, the method comprising: receiving a signal comprising at least one pressure measurement recorded by the at least one pressure sensor;

extracting the at least one pressure measurement from the received signal; determining a level of at least one characteristic of the at least one pressure measurement;

retrieving from memory at least one of an audio and a visual cue associated with the level of the at least one characteristic; and

generating and sending a control signal to an output device for causing the at least one of the audio and the visual cue.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein determining a level of at least one characteristic comprises determining at least one of an amplitude, a timing component, a difference with a previous measurement, and a rate of change with the previous measurement of the at least one pressure measurement.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein at least two characteristics are determined from the at least one pressure measurement, and an independent parameter of the audio and the visual cue is associated with each one of the at least two characteristics, and wherein generating the control signal comprises generating the control signal with at least two parameters for the one of the audio and the visual cue.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the at least two characteristics comprise amplitude and originating sensor identity, and wherein the at least two parameters comprise a pitch of a musical note and an instrument playing the musical note.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the at least two characteristics comprise amplitude, a timing component, and an originating sensor identity, and wherein the at least two parameters comprise a pitch of a musical note, an octave for the musical note, and an instrument playing the musical note.

17. The computer-implemented method of any one of claims 12 to 16, further comprising associating the at least one of the audio and the visual cue to the at least one characteristic on the basis of at least one of an amplitude, a timing component, a difference with a previous measurement, and a rate of change with the previous measurement of the at least one pressure measurement.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein associating the at least one of the audio and the visual cue to the at least one characteristic comprises dynamically modifying the cue to cause a change in the control signal generated and sent to the output device in substantially real time.

19. The computer-implemented method of any one of claims 12 to 18, wherein determining a level of the at least one characteristic comprises identifying the at least one pressure sensor having recorded the at least one pressure measurement and generating the control signal as a function of the identity of the pressure sensor.

20. A system for generating a control signal based on an applied pressure recorded by at least one pressure sensor, the system comprising:

a wearable item comprising:

a supporting member for covering at least a part of a body when worn, the supporting member having a contact portion for providing contact between the part of the body covered and a surface;

at least one pressure sensor integrated into the supporting member at the contacting portion for measuring an applied pressure at a point of contact between the pressure sensor and the surface; and

a wireless transmission device connected to the at least one pressure sensor, the wireless transmission device having an antenna and a transmission module for receiving the applied pressure as measured and transmitting a signal comprising the applied pressure as measured wirelessly; and

a computer readable medium having recorded thereon program code executable by a processor for causing the processor to receive the signal comprising the applied pressure as measured by the at least one pressure sensor, extract pressure measurements from the signal; convert the pressure measurements into a control signal, and output the control signal at least one of visually and auditively.