Apple patents stylus that tracks hand tremors and grip strength
This patent describes a stylus equipped with sensors that measure how hard you grip it, how it moves, and your skin temperature. The system builds a personal baseline of your normal writing habits and alerts you if your hand movements change significantly over time.
In the filing’s own words
A system including a stylus with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and force/touch/temperature sensors on its sides and/or tip, in some instances in conjunction with force/touch sensors on a tablet computing device or sensors on a watch, is disclosed that obtains measurements such as stylus grip pressure, tilt and touch location, stylus tip pressure, stylus motion, and user temperature. In some instances, these measurements can be obtained through everyday use of the stylus, while in other instances, the user can be prompted to perform certain tasks (e.g., draw specific contours) to assist in data collection. With these measurements, a user profile and baseline profile data can be established and tracked over time, which can include parameters such as tremor amplitude and grip strength. Deviations from baseline profile data can be computed, and when those deviations exceed a threshold, an alert or other wellness insights can be presented to the user.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A computer-implemented method for generating wellness insights, comprising: capturing first data from at least one first sensor at an input device, the captured first data including first current data captured over a first time period and first historical data captured over a second time period nonoverlapping with the first time period; generating and maintaining a user profile over the first time period and the second time period, the user profile including first profile data based at least on the first historical data; detecting a first change between the first current data and the first profile data that exceeds a first predetermined threshold; and generating a first wellness insight based on the first change.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- Obtaining wellness insights using an input device
- Patent number
- US12743164B2
- Application number
- 18787641
- Filed
- Jul 29, 2024
- Granted
- Sep 22, 2026
- Inventors
- 1
- Claims
- 18
Classified under
G06F 3/03545 Physics & computingG16H 50/30 Physics & computingH04L 67/306 Electricity & electronicsMore from Apple in Wearables
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.