Environmental control via wearable computing system

Abstract

Various embodiments relating to controlling ambient environmental conditions to affect one or more human subjects wearing wearable computing systems are disclosed. In one example, a head-mounted computing system includes a see-through display configured to present an augmented reality image in front of an environment when viewed through the see-through display, a logic subsystem, and a storage subsystem. The storage subsystem may hold instructions executable by the logic subsystem to present the augmented reality image via the see-through display, and during presentation of the augmented reality image, send a command to control an environmental control system external to the head-mounted computing system. The command may be configured to trigger adjustment of an environmental parameter of the environment to enhance presentation of the augmented reality image.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computing system, comprising:
 a logic subsystem; and   a storage subsystem holding instructions executable by the logic subsystem to
 receive, from a sensor subsystem, biometric data regarding a state of a human subject within a computing environment, 
 receive, from a head-mounted computing device worn by the human subject, information regarding virtual imagery displayed by the head-mounted computing device; and 
 based at least on the state of the human subject, control an environmental control system external to the head-mounted display device to adjust an environmental parameter of the computing environment to enhance presentation of the virtual imagery. 
   
     
     
         22 . The computing system of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions are further executable to:
 based on the information regarding the virtual imagery displayed by the head-mounted display, detect a content-based trigger for adjusting the environmental parameter; and   in response to detecting the context-based trigger, control the environmental control system to adjust the environmental parameter.   
     
     
         23 . The computing system of  claim 22 , wherein the environmental control system comprises a lighting control system, and wherein the instructions are executable to control the lighting control system to adjust one or more of a light intensity and a light color emitted by the lighting control system. 
     
     
         24 . The computing system of  claim 21 , wherein the environmental control system comprises a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, and wherein the instructions are executable to control the HVAC system to adjust an ambient temperature and/or an air flow provided by the HVAC system. 
     
     
         25 . The computing system of  claim 21 , wherein the instructions are further executable to determine a comfort characteristic of the human subject based on the biometric data, and wherein the instructions executable to control the environmental control system comprise instructions executable to control based on the comfort characteristic. 
     
     
         26 . The computing system of  claim 25 , wherein the comfort characteristic comprises a stress level, and wherein the instructions are executable adjust the environmental parameter to change the stress level of the human subject. 
     
     
         27 . The computing system of  claim 25 , wherein the comfort characteristic comprises an estimated eye strain level, and wherein the instructions are executable to adjust the environmental parameter to decrease the estimated eye strain level of the human subject. 
     
     
         28 . The computing system of  claim 21 , wherein instructions are further executable to:
 determine that a display parameter of a display of the head-mounted display device has reached an end of an adjustment range; and   control the environmental control system to adjust the environmental parameter based on the display parameter.   
     
     
         29 . A wearable computing system, comprising:
 a sensor subsystem including one or more biometric sensors configured to provide biometric data for a human subject wearing the wearable computing system;   a logic subsystem; and   a storage subsystem holding instructions executable by the logic subsystem to
 receive biometric data from the one or more biometric sensors of the sensor subsystem; 
 based on the biometric data, determine a comfort characteristic of the human subject; and 
 send a command to control an environmental control system external to the wearable computing system based on the comfort characteristic, wherein the command is configured to trigger adjustment of an environmental parameter to change the comfort characteristic of the human subject. 
   
     
     
         30 . The wearable computing system of  claim 29 , wherein the sensor subsystem comprises one or more of a temperature sensor to provide a temperature of the human subject, a galvanic skin response (GSR) sensor to provide a skin conductance of the human subject, an optical sensor to provide an optical characteristic of an eye of the human subject, a heart rate sensor to provide a heart rate of the human subject, and a carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) sensor to provide a CO 2  level of breath exhaled by the human subject. 
     
     
         31 . The wearable computing system of  claim 29 , wherein the environmental control system comprises one or more of a remote-controlled window shade and a remote-controlled lighting system, wherein the environmental parameter comprises an ambient light intensity of the environment, and wherein the command is configured to trigger adjustment of the ambient light intensity by adjusting the one or more of the remote-controlled window shade and the remote-controlled lighting system. 
     
     
         32 . The wearable computing system of  claim 31 , wherein the comfort characteristic comprises an estimated eye strain level of the human subject. 
     
     
         33 . The wearable computing system of  claim 32 , wherein the wearable computing system is a head-mounted computing system, wherein the display is a see-through display, and wherein the storage subsystem holds instructions executable by the logic subsystem to determine that a display parameter of the see-through display has reached an end of an adjustment range, and to send a command to control the one or more of the remote-controlled window shade and the remote-controlled lighting system to adjust the ambient light intensity of the environment based on the display parameter. 
     
     
         34 . The wearable computing system of  claim 29 , wherein the environmental control system comprises an HVAC system, wherein the environmental parameter comprises one or more of an ambient temperature and an air flow of the environment, and wherein the command is configured to trigger adjustment of the one or more of the ambient temperature and the air flow provided by the HVAC system to change the comfort characteristic of the human subject. 
     
     
         35 . The wearable computing system of  claim 34 , wherein the comfort characteristic comprises a temperature of the human subject. 
     
     
         36 . On a computing system, a method for adjusting one or more environmental parameters of a computing environment, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a sensor subsystem, biometric data representing one or more of brain activity, skin resistance, skin capacitance, respiration, and/or heart rate of a human subject within the computing environment; and   based at least on the biometric data and information regarding virtual imagery displayed by a head-mounted computing device worn by the human subject, controlling an environmental control system external to the head-mounted display device to adjust an environmental parameter of the computing environment to enhance presentation of the virtual imagery.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein controlling the environmental control system comprises controlling a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to adjust an ambient temperature and/or an air flow provided by the HVAC system. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein controlling the environmental control system comprises controlling a lighting system to adjust a color and/or an intensity of light emitted by the lighting system. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising determining a comfort characteristic of the human subject based on the biometric data, and wherein controlling the environmental control system comprises controlling based on the comfort characteristic. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the comfort characteristic comprises a stress level, and wherein adjusting the environmental parameter is configured to increase or decrease the stress level of the human subject.