Patent ID: 8868295

Claim:
A movement input apparatus, comprising: a detector that is attached or embedded in a surface of a steering apparatus, the detector being configured to detect finger contact movement; an estimator configured to receive information on the finger contact movement detected by the detector, analyze movement patterns, and estimate a condition of an operator using a result of the analysis of the movement patterns; and an output unit configured to convert and output the analyzed movement patterns of the operator and the estimated condition of the operator into signals of a type that can be sensed by a user, wherein the detector includes a resistive conductive yarn, wherein the detector detects the finger contact movement that exerts a tensile or compressive force on the resistive conductive yarn in a longitudinal direction of the resistive conductive yarn, and wherein the detector detects the finger contact movement by detecting a resistance value of the resistive conductive yarn and converts the finger contact movement into electric signals, the resistance value varying linearly based on expansion or contraction of a length of the resistive conductive yarn due to the tensile or compressive force exerted in the longitudinal direction of the resistive conductive yarn.