Apple Patent Smart Ring
Photo credit: Patently Apple | Konstantin Milenin | The Apple Stack
Aside from the rumored VR headset, a recently approved Apple patent hints at a possible smart ring with health-focused features. This accessory could have several inputs including buttons, switches, voice, and even a small touchscreen. Force sensors would be used to measure compression, force, strain and load.


Apple Patent Smart Ring
Self-mixing interferometry sensor(s) (SMI) may include an emitter located within the housing that outputs light toward the skin of the user to measure heart rate and other bodily functions. In figure 1, we see the wearable ring paired with an iPhone while figure 3 depicts an SMI sensor positioned on the side of a finger. There’s no word yet on when or if Apple will release a smart ring, but these patent sketches does tease the functions of such a device.

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Apple Patent Smart Ring

Apple’s patent FIG. 5A above illustrates a detailed view of the positioning and interaction of the SMI sensor relative to a finger of a user; and FIG. 9 illustrates an example processes flow for using an SMI sensor to detect one or more physiological parameters of a user,” according to Patently Apple.

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