• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Our Services
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
  • Top Nav Social Icons

Mobile ID World

Mobile ID World

Identification Revolution

  • Mobile ID
    • What Is Mobile ID?
    • Identity Associations
    • Premier Partners
    • FAQ
  • News
  • Solutions
    • Behavioral
    • Facial Recognition
    • Fingerprint Biometrics
    • Iris Biometrics
    • Second Factor
    • Smart Cards
    • Smartphones
    • Vital
    • Voice
    • Wearable Tech
    • Other
  • Applications
    • Access Control
    • Cloud Technology
    • Commerce
    • Enterprise
    • Healthcare
    • Identification
    • Internet of Things
    • Law Enforcement
    • Strong Online Authentication
  • Exclusive
    • Interviews
    • Featured Articles
    • Podcasts
  • Companies
  • Events

Apple Patent Application Details Apple Watch’s New Handwashing System

March 9, 2021

The US Patent and Trademark Office has published an Apple patent application that sheds more light on the new handwashing feature in the latest version of the Apple Watch. The feature was designed to help people wash their hands properly, and was introduced with the release of watchOS 7 in June before appearing in the Apple Watch Series 6 a few months later.

Apple Patent Application Details Apple Watch's New Handwashing System

At the time, Apple suggested that the handwashing utility could help combat COVID-19. The new patent application reveals that the feature was in the works well before the onset of COVID-19, though the thinking behind it is the same, insofar as proper hygiene can help slow the spread of any disease. In that regard, the application details a system that uses the motion and audio sensors in a wearable device to monitor the user’s health-related activities.

As it relates to handwashing, that means that the Watch can use an accelerometer and other sensors to track a person’s movements when they are washing their hands. Based on that feedback, the system can determine when the wearer has completed each step of the handwashing process, from scrubbing all the way through to rinsing, to make sure that everything has been done correctly to minimize the threat of any contagions.

The patent goes on to describe systems that reduce power consumption, as would be the case with a system that uses motion data to trigger the activation of an audio sensor. The solution could also be deployed in other wearable devices, such as a smart ring or a fitness band. Unlike most patents, which describe technology that could make its way into a future device, the technology described in this particular application has already appeared in a commercial Apple product, and is therefore more likely to appear in others. 

In the meantime, Fujitsu modified its Actlyzer to watch for handwashing motions, while Samsung released its own Hand Wash app for its various wearable devices. 

Source: Patently Apple

Filed Under: Industry News Tagged With: Apple, Apple patents, Apple Watch, coronavirus, COVID-19, intellectual property, motion sensors, patent applications, patents, USPTO, watchOS 7

Related News & Articles

Beyond Identity Looks to Expand With New CRO

Apple Pay Has 252 Million Users And Counting: Loup Ventures

Scottish e-Gov Service Enables Yoti Authentication

Primary Sidebar

Learn About Mobile ID and Aviation

Tweets

Sponsored Links

facetec logo

FaceTec’s patented, industry-leading 3D Face Authentication software anchors digital identity, creating a chain of trust from user onboarding to ongoing authentication on all modern smart devices and webcams. FaceTec’s 3D FaceMaps™ make trusted, remote identity verification finally possible. As the only technology backed by a persistent spoof bounty program and NIST/iBeta Certified Liveness Detection, FaceTec is the global standard for Liveness and 3D Face Matching with millions of users on six continents in financial services, border security, transportation, blockchain, e-voting, social networks, online dating and more. www.facetec.com

FACEPHI is a global leader in Facial Recognition technology and in Mobile Biometrics technologies. With a strong concentration in the financial sector, FacePhi’s product is rapidly becoming a service used by banks all over the world. Its implementation doesn’t just save money, it is also a way to attract clients and build loyalty, while increasing the security of transactions for both the customer and the business. To learn more about FacePhi, visit https://www.facephi.com/en/

Recent Posts

  • NordPass, Yahoo! Japan, and Regula Keep Up Mobile Biometrics Momentum
  • NordPass Enables Biometric, TOTP-secured 2FA for Business Users
  • Mastercard Solution Certified Under UK’s Digital ID Framework
  • Transatlantic Digital Traveler Identity Project Gets High-Profile Tech Partner
  • Digital Identity Tech Demo Online Event

Footer

  • About Us
  • Company Directory
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Archives
  • CCPA: Do not sell my personal info.

Follow Us

Copyright © 2023 MobileIDWorld