Interface system utilizing musticatory electromyogram

An interface system comprising:

• an output section for visually presenting a manipulation menu for a device;
• a measurement section for measuring a masticatory electromyogram of a user;
• a menu presentation section for causing menu items of the manipulation menu to be presented in order via the output section;
• an amplitude calculation section for determining a maximum amplitude of a potential waveform of the masticatory electromyogram;
• a latency calculation section for determining a latency based on a point of highlighting each menu item as a starting point, the latency being an amount of time in which the potential waveform arrives at the maximum amplitude;
• a determination section for acquiring an average value and a variance value of each of maximum amplitude and latency of the user, and determining that the measured masticatory electromyogram has been intentionally issued with respect to the highlighting of the menu item if the maximum amplitude of the potential waveform of the measured masticatory electromyogram is contained in a range defined by the acquired average value of maximum amplitude±a standard deviation and the latency of the measured masticatory electromyogram is contained in a range defined by the acquired average value of latency±a standard deviation, wherein,
• in accordance with a result of determination by the determination section, the menu presentation section executes a process corresponding the highlighted menu item.

An interface system comprising:

• an output section for visually presenting a manipulation menu for a device;
• a measurement section for measuring a masticatory electromyogram of a user;
• a menu presentation section for causing menu items of the manipulation menu to be presented in order via the output section;
• an amplitude calculation section for determining a maximum amplitude of a potential waveform of the masticatory electromyogram;
• a latency calculation section for determining a latency based on a point of highlighting each menu item as a starting point, the latency being an amount of time in which the potential waveform arrives at the maximum amplitude;
• a determination section for acquiring maximum amplitude and latency of the user, and determining that the measured masticatory electromyogram has been intentionally issued with respect to the highlighting of the menu item, by using ranges which are defined by the acquired maximum amplitude ±50 μV and the acquired latency ±50 ms as detection target ranges for determining whether the masticatory electromyogram has been intentionally issued by the user or not.

A method to be executed in an interface system, the method comprising the steps of:

• visually presenting a manipulation menu for a device;
• receiving a measured masticatory electromyogram of a user;
• presenting menu items of the manipulation menu in order via the output section;
• determining a maximum amplitude of a potential waveform of the masticatory electromyogram;
• determining a latency based on a point of highlighting each menu item as a starting point, the latency being an amount of time in which the potential waveform arrives at the maximum amplitude;
• determining whether the maximum amplitude is greater than a previously determined threshold value and the latency is approximately 200 ms or not;
• and
• executing a process corresponding to the highlighted menu item in accordance with a result of determination by the determining step.

A computer program embodied in a computer-readable medium and to be executed by a computer,

• the computer program causing the computer to execute the steps of:
• visually presenting a manipulation menu for a device;
• receiving a measured masticatory electromyogram of a user;
• presenting menu items of the manipulation menu in order via the output section;
• determining a maximum amplitude of a potential waveform of the masticatory electromyogram;
• determining a latency based on a point of highlighting each menu item as a starting point, the latency being an amount of time in which the potential waveform arrives at the maximum amplitude;
• determining whether the maximum amplitude is greater than a previously determined threshold value and the latency is approximately 200 ms or not;
• and
• executing a process corresponding to the highlighted menu item in accordance with a result of determination by the determining step.