Apple Watch: the digital crown will be replaced by optical sensors

We know patents are a fundamental part of Apple device design. They cover the entire range of products and services from the Cupertino company. The most recent concerns Apple Watch and Coroa Digital.

Aimed at removing these lumps in equipment, the patent pending could transform mechanical stress into a more digital experience using optical sensors.

Patent: Replacing the digital crown of the Apple Watch with optical sensors

One of the most important mechanisms in the Apple Watch is the digital crown. This "button" allows users to navigate the watchOS interface without touching the screen constantly. However, it looks like Apple is working on a solution to replace the Digital Crown with optical sensors.

As reported PatentAppleThe US Patent and Trademark Office this week released a new patent from the Cupertino-based company that shows how the digital crown on the Apple Watch could be replaced with optical sensors to detect user gestures.

The patent is called Optical sensor watch for user input (word translation: watch with optical sensor for user input). This information allows us to look at Apple's use of new sensors that allow users to scroll through the interface, reducing the number of moving parts on smartwatches. Optical sensors will detect user gestures and turn them into system controls.

Less accessories, more durability

As the company notes in the patent, Removing the Digital Crown can do more than just make your Apple Watch more durable.but also frees up space that can be used by other components such as new sensors or even a larger battery.

For example, a user can provide motions and gestures next to an input component. In this case, the sensor will detect, interpret and control the clock. The movements and gestures provided by the user can be directly detected by the optical systems of the input component, so that the number of moving parts can be reduced and the space inside the watch can be used more efficiently.

Insofar as Digital crown also has an electrical heart sensor that allows ECGThe patent shows that new optical sensors can also be used to measure heart rate, respiration rate, blood oxygen level, blood pressure, etc.

According to some rumors, the Apple Watch 2022 will have new health features, including blood pressure monitoring.

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