Microsoft Patents Skin

[Brad Adrian]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.com.com/Microsoft+patents+body+power/2100-1014_3-5244766.html?tag=nefd.pop' target='_blank'>http://news.com.com/Microsoft+paten...ml?tag=nefd.pop</a><br /><br /></div>"Microsoft has been awarded a patent for using human skin as a power conduit and data bus. Patent No. 6,754,472, which was published Tuesday, describes a method for transmitting power and data to devices worn on the body and for communication of data between those devices."<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/adrian/skinpatent.gif" /><br /><br />This CNET article goes on to describe the patent:<br /><br />In its filing, Microsoft cites the proliferation of wearable electronic devices, such as wristwatches, pagers, PDAs (worn on people's belts) and small displays that can now be mounted on headgear. <br /><br />"As a result of carrying multiple portable electronic devices, there is often a significant amount of redundancy in terms of input/output devices included in the portable devices used by a single person," says the filing. "For example, a watch, pager, PDA and radio may all include a speaker." To reduce the redundancy of input/output devices, Microsoft's patent proposes a personal area network that allows a single data input or output device to be used by multiple portable devices."<br /><br />"Furthermore, Microsoft said, the physical resistance offered by the human body could be used to create a virtual keyboard on a patch of skin."<br /><br />So, the bottom line is that Microsoft thinks it can develop a way to create a Personal Area Network by using the natural conductivity and resistance of our skin. Pretty nifty, huh? It does generate a few questions in my mind, though:<br /><br />• How much energy is actually needed for the PAN to work?<br />• What types of personal gadgets would this technology work with?<br />• Will my beloved SCOTTeVEST become obsolete [perish the thought]?<br /><br /><b>UPDATE:</b> <a href="http://ars.userfriendly.org/cartoons/?id=20040624">Here</a> is a cartoon that offers an interesting perspective on the topic.

[dean_shan]

If you want to hear what people said before (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=29346&highlight=) just click here (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=29346&highlight=).

[maximus]

And the PAN device is going to be powered by energy absorbed from human's body. Just like those seiko kinetic watches.

p.s. this will definitely outdated e-vest :mrgreen:

[dean_shan]

• Will my beloved SCOTTeVEST become obsolete [perish the thought]?

• You're becoming a nudist [cringe at the thought]?!?
:wink:

[Brad Adrian]

...this will definitely outdate e-vest
Hey! We'll have no profane language around here!!!

[ironguy]

Epidermal PAN? :idea:
Skin tight LAN?
What if I jump in a pool? 8)

...can I get my devices embedded under my skin?
8O

[ctmagnus]

I see the electricity coursing through the body shortening the average human lifespan by a small percentage.

[EnsignRam]

:D I actually made a post worthy of the front page!

It will be interesting to see what gadgets emerge using this technology. I imagine wrist watches, headphones and stuff as such would be first.

Static electricity keeps coming to my mind though..

[marovada]

Next they'll be getting a patent for the kinetic energy generated by breathing. How much do I have to pay to breathe now sir?

[Rob Alexander]

I love the cartoon you linked to in the first post. I think that about says it all. :lol:

[daS]

To reduce the redundancy of input/output devices, Microsoft's patent proposes a personal area network that allows a single data input or output device to be used by multiple portable devices."
"Furthermore, Microsoft said, the physical resistance offered by the human body could be used to create a virtual keyboard on a patch of skin."
While this is at least not one of those stupid "business method" patents, I thought that patents were supposed to be for inventions - not concepts that could be used to create something, sometime in the future. :roll:

As for the skin based PAN - I saw the IBM Fellow demo it at a handheld development conference almost ten years ago! 8O

It's high time for a major overhaul of the U.S. Patent Office. It has become a total joke that is only serving those in the patent business itself. :evil:

[JonathanWardRogers]

I love the cartoon you linked to in the first post. I think that about says it all. :lol:

I must be stupid or very tired, but I didn't get it. :oops:

I think the other portion of the patent is just as significant, if not more so, than the EAN (Epidermal Area Network?). Microsoft just patented the future of not only consumer electronics, but of electrical appliances/wiring as well. It has always been a pet peeve of mine that every device I have has a separate input and separate output. There is no reason for it. There is very little difference in a device that is wired to it's own buttons than a device wired to a simple serial interface chip. And the same for displays. As long as you had a simple standard for sending GDI (video drawing) commands across the line, any device that needed to display something would just send it to whichever display device was attached. It probably wouldn't work right now for desktop machines (I think some things, like games, are too fast to send the video across the network), but for PDAs and cell phones, the bandwidth would be minimal.

Then you could just shop for each piece separately:
Your display <font size="-2">(LCD? OLED? Retinal projection?)</font> which would merely be identified by number of colors supported and preferred resolutions.
Your input device <font size="-2">(Custom button pad? Skin keyboard? Exoskeletal resistance input? Voice recognition? Gesture recognition?)</font> These would, to the computer, just look like a collection of buttons, toggles, axis and key codes.
Audio/signal ouput <font size="-2">(Earphone(s)? Bone resonance? IR? RF? Laser? FM?)</font> Should identify which codecs it supported. Perhaps someone would make devices that allowed uploading of new codecs. Non audio devices such as consumer IR, RF (for remote controls, garage door openers, RC cars, etc.) could be used as well as audio signal output. FM output would allow you to listen to your audio over any FM radio.
Audio/signal input <font size="-2">(Microphone? Laser to measure fluctuations in the air pressure accross the opening of the ear canal? IR? RF? Laser? FM?)</font> By configuring the location of each audio input device you could do very effective noise reduction. A time-shifting continuous recording program would allow you to play back anything you hear...ever or even save portions of the recording. IR or RF receivers would allow for programming from remote controls, etc. FM receiver would let you listen to the radio and in combination with the time-lapse recording software would allow you to pause, rewind and playback live radio broadcasts.
Video input <font size="-2">(CCD? RCA? S-Video?)</font> A program could allow time-shifted recording of all incoming video and allow you to save off portions of video as well as live camera footage.

Woah, sorry! That was much longer than I intended, but talk of a continuous power source always get me thinking of the future meaning of PDA - Personal Digial Assistance

[T-Will]

Epidermal PAN? :idea:
Skin tight LAN?
What if I jump in a pool? 8)

...can I get my devices embedded under my skin?
8O

How about calling it the EpidermaLAN? Or ELAN for short. ;)

[rhmorrison]

I think there is already PRIOR ART on this.

Some researcher demonstrated several years ago the idea of using a handshake to transfer electronic business cards between wristwatch PDA's.

[Jonathon Watkins]

I think there is already PRIOR ART on this.

Some researcher demonstrated several years ago the idea of using a handshake to transfer electronic business cards between wristwatch PDA's.

Now you mention it, I do remember that. Be interseting to see if this Patent stands up.

[daS]

I think there is already PRIOR ART on this.

Some researcher demonstrated several years ago the idea of using a handshake to transfer electronic business cards between wristwatch PDA's.
That's the one I was talking about as well. As I recall it was a joint development between IBM and MIT's Media Lab.

I wish I could remember his name, but he was a great speaker. It was the first time I heard of the term "PAN" and in his presentation he painted a very colorful picture of his idea of the future:

He predicted very cheap RFIDs (remember this was almost 10 years ago!) on things like milk and egg cartons. The milk carton would signal his "smart refrigerator" when the carton was almost empty and egg carton signaled that the expiration date was being reached. This information was passed to the smart house. When he left the house and stepped on the doormat, the fact that he needed milk and eggs would be transmitted to his PDA via the PAN network connection via his "smart shoes (which, as I recall, he predicted would have piezoelectric generators 8) ). This information would not be told to him because there was nothing he could do about it at the moment.

His story went on to say that he got in his Ferrari (I remember him to say something like "hey, why not - after all this is my vision of the future…" :lol: ) he steps on the accelerator, and the car transmits to his PDA - via the shoe and skin-PAN, that he should add some engine oil. He notices that he needs gas, so he pulls into a gas station. As he grabs the pump handle, the skin-PAN transmits his credit card information to the pump and he gets instant authorization for the transaction. At the same time, the PDA sees that he is at a business, so it sends a query for the things that he needs to purchase: milk, eggs, oil. The pump sends back a signal indicating that he can buy oil there. At that point, his watch beeps and displays the fact that he needs oil which can be purchased here.

The story went on to have him stop at a 7-11 for gum and as he passes through the door he's informed that he needs milk and eggs since these items are available there. He gets on an airline via ticketless travel (again - he was at least 5 years ahead of this innovation) and when he gets to his hotel, he bypasses the check-in desk because the hotel doormat transmitted his room number to his PAN and he didn't need a key since touching the doorknob of the room authenticated him and also completed the credit card authorization.

There was more to his story, but there's no question this was prior art. Now if only I could remember this guy's name. :cry:

[serpico]

Is that the drawing that Microsoft included with their patent? Did Bill or his kid draw that? Or did Steve B. draw it on one of his martini napkins? :lol:

[ajcross]

How about hacking the interface?

How many would succumb to a beautiful woman/handsome man holding your hand?

They could actually be spies dumping all your data into a micro drive in their pocket.

Or holding hands may be a new way to promote intimacy within gadget couples. You hold hands to sync your calendars and other personal data.

Another facet may be pleasurable/painful sensations occuring at the device contact points.

As for the keyboard, how would it handle ctrl-alt-del? If utterly frustrated would I put my arm on the table so I can bash my head on it? Would drool be a problem if I fell asleep on my keyboard arm?

[Kacey Green]

I think there is already PRIOR ART on this.

Some researcher demonstrated several years ago the idea of using a handshake to transfer electronic business cards between wristwatch PDA's.
That's the one I was talking about as well. As I recall it was a joint development between IBM and MIT's Media Lab.

I wish I could remember his name, but he was a great speaker. It was the first time I heard of the term "PAN" and in his presentation he painted a very colorful picture of his idea of the future:

He predicted very cheap RFIDs (remember this was almost 10 years ago!) on things like milk and egg cartons. The milk carton would signal his "smart refrigerator" when the carton was almost empty and egg carton signaled that the expiration date was being reached. This information was passed to the smart house. When he left the house and stepped on the doormat, the fact that he needed milk and eggs would be transmitted to his PDA via the PAN network connection via his "smart shoes (which, as I recall, he predicted would have piezoelectric generators 8) ). This information would not be told to him because there was nothing he could do about it at the moment.

His story went on to say that he got in his Ferrari (I remember him to say something like "hey, why not - after all this is my vision of the future…" :lol: ) he steps on the accelerator, and the car transmits to his PDA - via the shoe and skin-PAN, that he should add some engine oil. He notices that he needs gas, so he pulls into a gas station. As he grabs the pump handle, the skin-PAN transmits his credit card information to the pump and he gets instant authorization for the transaction. At the same time, the PDA sees that he is at a business, so it sends a query for the things that he needs to purchase: milk, eggs, oil. The pump sends back a signal indicating that he can buy oil there. At that point, his watch beeps and displays the fact that he needs oil which can be purchased here.

The story went on to have him stop at a 7-11 for gum and as he passes through the door he's informed that he needs milk and eggs since these items are available there. He gets on an airline via ticketless travel (again - he was at least 5 years ahead of this innovation) and when he gets to his hotel, he bypasses the check-in desk because the hotel doormat transmitted his room number to his PAN and he didn't need a key since touching the doorknob of the room authenticated him and also completed the credit card authorization.

There was more to his story, but there's no question this was prior art. Now if only I could remember this guy's name. :cry:
methinks me remembers this didn't actually go to the event but heard reports of it

[wiley]

How about scott eBriefs.... now thats a "personal area" network