Wearable devices for detecting finger movements and related methods

A wearable device for detecting finger movements, the wearable device comprising:

• a frame defining a space for receiving a wearing finger;
• a hardware processor;
• and
• a storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to:
• receive a first input from a first proximity sensor coupled to the frame at a first position and facing a first direction, the first proximity sensor to detect movement of a first finger adjacent a first side of the frame;
• receive a second input from a second proximity sensor coupled to the frame at a second position and facing a second direction different than the first direction, the second proximity sensor to detect movement of a second finger adjacent a second side of the frame opposite the first side of the frame;
• determine, based on the first input, that a first finger action occurred, the first finger action being a first movement of the first finger detected by the first proximity sensor, the first finger action corresponding to selection of a first key of a virtual keyboard;
• determine, based on the second input, that a second finger action occurred, the second finger action being a second movement of the second finger detected by the second proximity sensor, the second finger action corresponding to selection of a second key of the virtual keyboard different than the first key;
• generate, based on the first finger action, a first output specifying the selection of the first key;
• generate, based on the second finger action, a second output specifying the selection of the second key;
• and
• provide the first output and the second output to a computing device.

A method for detecting finger movements, the method comprising:

• determining, by a hardware processor coupled to a ring-shaped frame to be worn on a wearing finger, a first position of the frame relative to a surface;
• determining, by the hardware processor, that a first finger movement occurred, based on a first distance meeting a first distance threshold, the first distance being measured by a first proximity sensor coupled to the frame, the first proximity sensor to measure distance between a first finger adjacent the wearing finger and the first proximity sensor;
• determining, by the hardware processor, that a second finger movement occurred based on a second distance meeting a second distance threshold, the second distance being measured by a second proximity sensor coupled to the frame, the second proximity sensor to measure distance between a second finger, different than the first finger, adjacent the wearing finger and the second proximity sensor;
• determining, based on the first position and the first finger movement, a first event associated with the first finger movement, the first event being selection of a first key of a virtual keyboard;
• determining, based on the first position and the second finger movement, a second event associated with the second finger movement, the second event being selection of a second key of the virtual keyboard;
• and
• providing a computing device with data indicating the first event associated with the first finger movement and the second event associated with the second finger movement.

A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to at least:

• receive a first input from a first proximity sensor coupled to a ring-shaped frame and facing a first direction away from a center of the ring-shaped frame, the first proximity sensor to detect movement of a first finger relative to the first proximity sensor;
• receive a second input from a second proximity sensor coupled to the ring-shaped frame and facing a second direction away from the center of the ring-shaped frame, the second proximity sensor to detect movement of a second finger relative to the second proximity sensor;
• determine, based on the first input, that a first movement of the first finger occurred;
• determine, based on the second input, that a second movement of the second finger occurred;
• generate a first output corresponding to the first movement of the first finger, the first output indicating selection of a first key of a virtual keyboard;
• generate a second output corresponding to the second movement of the second finger, the second output indicating selection of a second key of the virtual keyboard, the second key different than the first key;
• and
• provide the first output and the second output to a computing device.