Epidermal electronics to monitor repetitive stress injuries and arthritis

• US 10,099,053 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2014
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Leuthardt, Eric C., Malamud, Mark A., Pan, Tony S., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Tegreene, Clarence T., Whitmer, Charles, Wood, Jr., Lowell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abouelela, May
• Application Number:
  US14/504,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20160015972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,475 Days
• Field of Search: 600300, 600301, 600587, 600595, 607 62
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/08 Elderly
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1121 Determining geometric values, e.g. centre of rotation or angular range of movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1125 Grasping motions of hands
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1127 using markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4514 Cartilage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4585 Evaluating the knee
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/459 Evaluating the wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36031 using physiological parameters for adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 : from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 : The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 : using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 : of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 : Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for monitoring, treating, and preventing a repetitive stress injury, arthritis or other medical condition. A system embodiment includes, but is not limited to, a deformable substrate configured to interface with a skin surface; a sensor assembly coupled to the deformable substrate, the sensor assembly including a motion sensor and a physiological sensor, the sensor assembly configured to generate one or more sense signals based on detection of a movement of a body portion by the motion sensor and a physiological parameter of the body portion by the physiological sensor; a processor operably coupled to the sensor assembly and configured to receive the one or more sense signals; and an effector operably coupled to the processor and configured to affect the body portion responsive to control by the processor.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first system including;

a deformable substrate configured to interface with a skin surface of a first body portion;

a sensor assembly coupled to the deformable substrate, the sensor assembly including a motion sensor and a physiological sensor, the motion sensor including a proximity sensor configured to detect a movement of the first body portion relative to a second body portion proximate the first body portion, the sensor assembly configured to generate one or more sense signals based on detection of the movement of the first body portion relative to the second body portion by the proximity sensor and a physiological parameter of the first body portion by the physiological sensor;

a processor operably coupled to the sensor assembly and configured to receive the one or more sense signals, the processor configured to compare the one or more sense signals to a threshold duration and to determine whether the first body portion is held in a position for a duration longer than the threshold duration; and

an effector operably coupled to the processor and configured to affect the first body portion responsive to control by the processor, the effector including a nerve stimulator configured to affect a nerve proximate to the first body portion responsive to control by the processor when the first body portion is determined to be held in the position for the duration longer than the threshold duration;

a second system including;

a second deformable substrate configured to interface with a second skin surface;

a second sensor assembly coupled to the second deformable substrate, the second sensor assembly including a second motion sensor and a second physiological sensor, the second sensor assembly configured to generate one or more sense signals based on detection of a movement of a third body portion by the second motion sensor of the second sensor assembly and a physiological parameter of the third body portion by the second physiological sensor of the second sensor assembly;

a second processor operably coupled to the second sensor assembly and configured to receive the one or more sense signals of the second sensor assembly; and

a second effector operably coupled to the second processor and configured to affect the third body portion responsive to control by the second processor; and

a communications interface between the first system and the second system, wherein the first system and the second system are configured to provide one or more communication signals to the respective other of the first system and the second system via the communications interface.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the second effector is a nerve stimulator.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the nerve stimulator is configured to therapeutically stimulate the nerve proximate to the first body portion.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the nerve stimulator is configured to stimulate a nerve conduction of the nerve to induce at least one of a movement or a sensation of the first body portion.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the nerve stimulator is configured to electrically block a nerve conduction of the nerve proximate to the first body portion.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications interface includes a reporter.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the reporter is configured to report at least one of an actuation of at least one of the effector and the second effector, a detected movement of at least one of the first body portion and the third body portion, and a detected physiological condition.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the reporter includes a transmitter configured to transmit data to a remote location.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the first system and the second system further includes a power supply, the power supply including at least one of a battery coupled to the deformable substrate or to the second deformable substrate, a thin film battery coupled to the deformable substrate or to the second deformable substrate, a wireless power coil configured to receive a remote power signal, an inductive coil configured to receive a remote power signal from a transmission coil, and a solar cell coupled to the deformable substrate or to the second deformable substrate.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the motion sensor and the second motion sensor is configured to measure at least one of a repeated motion of at least one of the first body portion and the third body portion, a number of repetitions of the movement of at least one of the first body portion and the third body portion, a speed of the movement of at least one of the first body portion and the third body portion, a duration of the movement of at least one of the first body portion and the third body portion, a disposition of the first body portion relative to a third body portion, and an angle of movement of at least one of the first body portion and the third body portion.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the physiological sensor and the second physiological sensor includes at least one of an electromyograph (EMG), a strain sensor, a temperature sensor, an optical sensor, a light emitting diode (LED), and an acoustic sensor.