Controlling prosthetic devices with smart wearable technology

• US 10,166,123 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2015
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dow, Eli M., Fitzsimmons, Thomas D., Harvey, Joseph D., Rohde, Douglas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US14/753,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20160374835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/70 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4155 characterised by programme execution, i.e. part programme or machine function execution, e.g. selection of a programme
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45168 Bone prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt

Abstract

A method, computer program product and computer system for mode selection of a prosthesis is provided. A processor of a wearable device receives a first input from a user. A processor of a wearable device determines the first input indicates a change to a mode of operation of the prosthesis. A processor of a wearable device sends a first command to the prosthesis to change the mode of operation of the prosthesis.

Claims

1. A computer program product for mode selection of a prosthesis, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to receive, by a wearable device, a first input from a user, wherein (i) the wearable device is a ring that comprises a rotatable housing with a touch surface sensitive surface, and (ii) the first user input comprises the user touching the touch surface;

program instructions to determine the first input indicates a change to a user-activated mode of operation of the prosthesis;

program instructions to send, by the wearable device, a first command to the prosthesis to change the user-activated mode of operation of the prosthesis;

in response to receiving the first command by the prosthesis, program instructions to operate one or more control devices of the prosthesis to change a user-activated current mode of operation of the prosthesis based, at least in part, on the determined user-activated mode of operation associated with the received first input;

program instructions to receive, by the wearable device, a second input from a user;

program instructions to determine, by the wearable device, the second input indicates an activation operation of the prosthesis;

program instructions to send, by the wearable device, a second command to the prosthesis to activate the prosthesis; and

in response to receiving the second command by the prosthesis, program instructions to operate the one or more control devices of the prosthesis to perform an action associated with the current user-activated mode of operation of the prosthesis.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, the program instructions further comprising:

in response to the user rotating the rotatable housing, program instructions to send, by the wearable device, the first command.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, the program instructions further comprising:

in response to the user contacting the touch sensitive surface, program instructions to send, by the wearable device, the second command.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, the program instructions further comprising:

program instructions to determine, by the wearable device, an identity of the user;

program instructions to identify, by the wearable device, a profile of the user based, at least in part, of the identity of the user; and

program instructions to connect, by the wearable device, to a prosthetic device associated with the profile of the user.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, the program instructions further comprising:

in response to a detection that the wearable device is removed, program instructions to prevent, by the wearable device, the sending of the first command.

6. A computer system for mode selection of a prosthesis, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors;

one or more computer readable storage media; and

program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to receive, by a wearable device, a first input from a user, wherein (i) the wearable device is a ring that comprises a rotatable housing with a touch surface sensitive surface, and (ii) the first user input comprises the user touching the touch surface;

program instructions to determine the first input indicates a change to a user-activated mode of operation of the prosthesis;

program instructions to send, by the wearable device, a first command to the prosthesis to change the user-activated mode of operation of the prosthesis;

in response to receiving the first command by the prosthesis, program instructions to operate one or more control devices of the prosthesis to change a user-activated current mode of operation of the prosthesis based, at least in part, on the determined user-activated mode of operation associated with the received first input;

program instructions to receive, by the wearable device, a second input from a user;

program instructions to determine, by the wearable device, the second input indicates an activation operation of the prosthesis;

program instructions to send, by the wearable device, a second command to the prosthesis to activate the prosthesis; and

in response to receiving the second command by the prosthesis, program instructions to operate the one or more control devices of the prosthesis to perform an action associated with the current user-activated mode of operation of the prosthesis.

7. The computer system of claim 6, the program instructions further comprising:

in response to the user rotating the rotatable housing, program instructions to send, by the wearable device, the first command.

8. The computer system of claim 6, the program instructions further comprising:

in response to the user contacting the touch sensitive surface, program instructions to send, by the wearable device, the second command.

9. The computer system of claim 6, the program instructions further comprising:

program instructions to determine, by the wearable device, an identity of the user;

program instructions to identify, by the wearable device, a profile of the user based, at least in part, of the identity of the user; and

program instructions to connect, by the wearable device, to a prosthetic device associated with the profile of the user.

10. The computer system of claim 6, the program instructions further comprising:

in response to a detection that the wearable device is removed, program instructions to prevent, by the wearable device, the sending of the first command.