This timeline records key stages in Rick Baker's work on personalized audio-visual computer interaction systems, from the original concept through patent filings, technical development, litigation, and the continuing relevance of the idea in the age of artificial intelligence.
Rick Baker conceived the idea of a computer system that could receive information about a person, compare it with stored expert information, and automatically generate a personalized audio-visual teaching presentation.
The original inspiration came from professional golf instruction and the idea that a person could receive expert guidance without the expert needing to be physically present.
Rick Baker filed for provisional patent protection in Australia for the original personalized audio-visual instructional system.
The invention involved capturing movement or information, transmitting it to a computer system, comparing it with stored preferred information, and returning a personalized visual and audio presentation.
The first Australian patent was granted, marking an important step in protecting the original invention.
Related patent protection was later pursued and obtained in other countries including New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.
During the early Internet and dot-com period, Rick Baker continued trying to commercialize the invention and attract development partners.
The surrounding technologies were improving, but motion tracking, computing power, graphics, and communications were still not yet mature enough for the full vision to be easily developed.
Rick Baker later developed a second invention using MEMS motion sensors including accelerometers, gyroscopes, and related sensing devices.
This work was intended to improve the capture of movement information and further support personalized audio-visual instruction.
The invention later received patent protection in multiple countries including Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.
US Patent No. 11,210,963 titled "Method and apparatus for providing personalized audio-visual instruction" was later issued in the United States in 2021.
As artificial intelligence, sensors, graphics, communications, and real-time computing continue to advance, the original vision of personalized computer interaction has become increasingly relevant.
Final Step - AI documents this historical journey and the continuing importance of computers becoming more interactive, visual, verbal, adaptive, and personally useful to people.