Wearable Device

Abstract

An interactive wrist cover for simulating riding a vehicle, such as a motorcycle, is provided. The interactive wrist cover includes various components that respond to realistic driving or riding motions of the user by generating appropriate outputs, such as increasing engine speed sound in response to wrist flexure to simulate throttle operation, even if no handlebar is present.

1 . An article of manufacture worn by a user, comprising: 
 a first section;    a second section coupled to the first section, the second section and the first section shaped to be worn proximate to a wrist of the user;    a sensor configured to indicate relative motion between the first and second section corresponding to wrist flexure of the user; and    an output generator coupled to the sensor, the output generator providing vehicle sounds in response to the relative motion indicated by the sensor.    
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , where the first section is shaped to be worn on a back of hand of the user, and the second section shaped to be worn on a forearm of a user, and where the first and second sections are rotatably coupled to one another via a hinge, with the sensor providing an indication of relative rotation about the hinge.  
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of stored sounds, where the output generator selectively plays the sounds responsive at least to actuation of the user's wrist as detected by the sensor, where the sounds include engine speed sounds so as to simulate a hand throttle actuator of a motorcycle.  
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the sensor is a 2-position sensor that indicates whether or not wrist flexure is detected.  
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1  further comprising a mode selector coupled to the output generator, where the output generator provides different output sounds responsive to wrist flexure depending on a mode indicated by the mode selector.  
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the sensor measures a degree of rotation, and the output generator provides sounds responsive to a degree of rotation detected by the sensor.  
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the vehicle sounds include transmission and engine sounds.  
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 7  wherein an increasing engine speed sound is provided by the output generator.  
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the output generator is integrally embedded in the second section.  
     
     
         10 . A pair of removable interactive wrist covers worn by a user, comprising: 
 a first wrist covering, comprising: 
 a first hand covering section;  
 a first forearm covering section rotatably coupled to the hand covering section;  
 a speaker coupled to an exterior of the hand covering section, and  
 a first sensor coupled to the first hand covering section and the first forearm covering; and  
 first electronics actuating the speaker to generating a plurality of engine sounds, where the electronics selectively generate the plurality of engine sounds response to flexure and non-flexure of a user's first wrist as indicated by the first sensor; and  
   a second wrist covering, comprising: 
 a second hand covering section;  
 a second forearm covering section rotatably coupled to the hand covering section;  
 a speaker coupled to an exterior of the hand covering section, and  
 a second sensor coupled to the second hand covering section and the second forearm covering; and  
 second electronics actuating the speaker to generating a horn sounds, where the electronics selectively generate the horn sound response to flexure and non-flexure of a user's second wrist as indicated by the second sensor.  
   
     
     
         11 . The pair of  claim 10  wherein each of the first and second wrist covering has at least a strap coupled to the hand covering section to removeably couple the wrist covering to the user.  
     
     
         12 . The pair of  claim 11 , where each of the forearm covering sections is shaped to cover only a portion of the user's arm, and each of the hand covering sections is shaped to cover at least a portion of a back of the user's hand without completely covering a user's fingers and palm.  
     
     
         13 . The pair of  claim 12  wherein the first electronics generate engine shifting sounds responsive to the flexure and non-flexure of the user's wrist as indicated by the first sensor.  
     
     
         14 . A method of operation of an article of manufacture, the article worn by a user, comprising: 
 receiving an input via the article, the motion generated by action of the user, the action corresponding to movements used to operate a vehicle; and    producing an output in response to the input, the output simulating a vehicle output that correlates to the vehicle operation movements.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the movements include wrist flexure.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the output includes a plurality of engine sounds, the method further comprising selectively producing the plurality of engine speed sounds responsive to wrist flexure indicated by the input.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the input includes an indication of whether a user's wrist is flexed or not.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the output is responsive to the indication, and whether the indication has changed.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  wherein output includes an increasing and decreasing engine sounds and transmission shifting sounds.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  wherein increasing engine speed sounds are generated upon detection of wrist flexure, and decreasing or idle speed sounds are generated upon detection of the absence of wrist flexure.