Sense-based user interface platform for behavioral pattern analysis of young children

Abstract

This paper presents a system integration of a sense-based user interface (SUI) platform, comprised of flexible pressure and humidity sensor arrays with a commercial inertial measurement unit (IMU), to analyze behavioral patterns of young children. The pressure sensors utilize a sensor array created using flexible inkjet printing, with each sensor using a piezoresistive sensing layer. The humidity sensors employ an interdigitated capacitive sensor based on a polyimide humidity-sensitive layer and are also manufactured using the flexible inkjet printing technique. To achieve a wide measurement area, both the pressure and humidity sensors are expanded into 5 × 5 and 5 × 10 sensor arrays, respectively. Also, commercial IMU, including accelerometer/gyroscope sensors, is employed. Finally, the SUI platform is in the form of a cuboidal block model, with an IMU and circuits embedded within the block. Multilayered pressure and humidity sensor arrays are installed on the external surface of the block. Collected data from each sensor are visualized through heatmaps and 3D motion representation to create a platform that integrates fine-grained behavior as well as global behavior information of young children. This research would provide a foundation for the development of SUI technology, especially aimed at individuals who have difficulty with conventional forms of input–output devices.