There’s definitely a better way to find the right Apple Watch band size for your wrist than trying countless bands or printing a paper guide, and Apple thinks it has the answer. Apple has a newly disclosed patent application titled “Contactless wrist measurement.” Apple said in its patent application that existing measurement technology has various shortcomings in measuring a person’s wrist, which can require special measurement equipment and can be cumbersome and error-prone to use.
The patent application proposes that users or Apple Store workers use a scanner, which could be an iPhone that includes a depth sensor. The electronic device is placed on a surface with the depth sensor facing up, and the user can rotate their hand/wrist over the electronic device while capturing at least two depth map images of the wrist during the wrist scan.
The depth data consists of at least two depth map images of the wrist taken from different angles that are sufficiently separated to accurately represent the circumference of the wrist. For example, one of the depth map images of the user’s wrist may be captured with the palm facing the depth sensor, and another depth map image of the user’s wrist is captured with the palm facing the side.
Details in the patent show a system that scans the user’s wrist. Another difference between the Apples of the past and the Apples of today is machine learning. It even has a place in that patent application, as the depth data is fed into a machine learning (ML) model that outputs measurements that correspond to wrist circumference and/or strap size.
Another point is that the patent application is more than 9,000 words long and involves sensors in different configurations. But the ultimate goal is to take measurements and then provide strap size recommendations based on the output.