Future Apple Vision Pros may be able to detect your posture as evidenced by a newly granted Apple patent (number US 12078812 B2).
About the patent
In the patent Apple notes that a head-mountable device such as the Vision Pro can provide a user experience that’s immersive or otherwise natural “so the user can easily focus on enjoying the experience without being distracted by the mechanisms of the head-mountable device.” What’s more, a person can benefit from certain motions that promote the user’s health.
Regardless of whether such motions include rigorous cardiovascular activity, a person can benefit from small motions that break up long periods of maintaining a stationary posture or pose. Such motions, performed at least occasionally, periodically, and/or sporadically, can promote the health of the user, particularly in the portions of the body where such motions are performed.
However, devices such as the Vision Pro can be worn and operated by a user for extended periods of time, in which certain movements by the user aren’t intrinsically necessary for the operations and/or experience provided by the head-mountable device. For example, some operations of a head-mountable device can optionally be performed while the user is partially or completely stationary.
If the user remains stationary for extended periods of time, the user may not enjoy the benefits of body motion, as described herein. At the same time, it can be disruptive to the user’s experience with the head-mountable device to require that the user remove the head-mountable device and perform certain body motions.
Apple wants the Vision Pro to be able to provide additional or modified operations that allow a user to continue operating it while performing the desired body motions. The spatial computer could detect movement and/or stasis of the user and determine whether motion would be recommended.
Upon determining that motion, an additional motion, or a different motion would be beneficial, the Vision Pro could provide an output to the user that promote such motions. The output can include a notification to the user and/or a modification of the user interface that encourages the user to move in a particular way, according to Apple.
Summary of the patent
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: “While head-mountable devices can provide immersive experiences, a user wearing a head-mountable device can also benefit from activities that include body motion and promote the user’s health. Because such activities may not be intrinsically necessary to the operation of head-mountable devices, it can be beneficial to provide additional or modified operations that allow a user to continue operation of a head-mountable device while performing the desired body motions. The head-mountable device can detect movement and/or stasis of the user and determine whether motion would be recommended.
“Upon determining that motion, an additional motion, or a different motion would be beneficial, the head-mountable device can provide an output to the user that promote such motions. The output can include a notification to the user and/or a modification of the user interface that encourages the user to move in a particular way.”
About the Vision Pro
Demos of the Apple Vision Pro at Apple Stores in the U.S. can be reserved on Apple.com. To reserve a free Vision Pro demo online, go here, then follow the steps to book an appointment at your local Apple Store.
Pricing for the Vision Pro starts at US$3,499 with 256GB of storage. ZEISS Optical Inserts are available: $99 for reading lens and $149 for prescription lens.
