Data collection from a subject using a sensor apparatus

• US 10,195,738 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2017
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heinz Hemken
• Original Assignee: Heinz Hemken
• Inventors: Hemken, Heinz
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cotey, Philip
• Application Number:
  US15/498,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20170225329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/0085 Cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/009 Nursing, e.g. carrying sick persons, pushing wheelchairs, distributing drugs
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/163 learning, adaptive, model based, rule based expert control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39254 Behaviour controller, robot have feelings, learns behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/008 based on physical entities controlled by simulated intelligence so as to replicate intelligent life forms, e.g. based on robots replicating pets or humans in their appearance or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

Using various embodiments, methods, systems, and apparatuses are disclosed for data collection from a subject using a sensor apparatus. In one embodiment, an apparatus for use by a subject, the sensor apparatus is disclosed, comprising a sensor configured to capture and transmit data related to movements by the subject and a computing device coupled to the sensor to receive sensor data transmitted by the sensor, save the data in a track in a data file. The data file can have a plurality of tracks, each track saving data of a different sensor. The data thus saved can then be processed by another computing device.

Claims

1. A sensor apparatus for use by a subject, the sensor apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to capture and transmit sensor data related to an action performed by the subject, wherein the sensor further transmits a unique identifier associated with its location on the sensor apparatus, and wherein the sensor data includes information that identifies characteristics related to the action performed by the subject, the characteristics including a sensor measurement, date and time of the sensor measurement, the location of the sensor measurement, an identification of the subject, and an activity performed by the subject that generated the sensor measurement; and

a computing device, wherein the computing device is configured to;

receive the sensor data and unique identifier transmitted by the sensor,

associate the sensor data with the unique identifier and save the sensor data in a sensor data file,

wherein the sensor data is saved in a track in the sensor data file, and wherein a plurality of tracks can be saved in the sensor data file.

2. The sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data file is further written as a series of time points, each time point comprising sensor data for at least one track corresponding to a time interval, and wherein the sensor data is processed by another computing device.

3. The sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor measurement includes objective measurements of motions, movements, auditory signals, visual signals, change in posture, or change in position, of the subject.

4. The sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor apparatus is included within a suit, and wherein the subject can be a living being or an autonomous robot.

5. The sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor can capture at least visual or auditory sensor data to provide a view or audio of the surrounding of the subject.

6. The sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor data can be processed by a machine learning algorithm to generate signals to train an autonomous robot.

7. The sensor apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor data is curated by manual or software-assisted correcting or smoothing.

8. A system to generate sensor data capturing the behavior of a subject, comprising:

a sensor apparatus comprising at least one sensor configured to;

capture and transmit sensor data related to an action performed by the subject, wherein the at least one sensor further transmits a unique identifier associated with its location on the sensor apparatus, and wherein the sensor data includes information that identifies characteristics related to the action performed by the subject, the characteristics including a sensor measurement, date and time of the sensor measurement, the location of the sensor measurement, an identification of the subject, and an activity performed by the subject that generated the sensor measurement;

a computing device, wherein the computing device is configured to;

receive the sensor data and unique identifier transmitted by the at least one sensor,

associate the sensor data with the unique identifier and save the sensor data in a sensor data file,

wherein the sensor data is processed by a machine learning algorithm to generate processed control signals to train an autonomous robot.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the machine-learning algorithm produces as its outputs information that encodes a set of first control signals needed to generate a set of second control signals for the next time interval of the autonomous robot.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the autonomous robot can be configured to vocally communicate using the processed sensor data.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the autonomous robot control signals can be generated via a bootstrap sensor data generation mechanism.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising another sensor apparatus, the another sensor apparatus similar to the sensor apparatus and wherein the another sensor apparatus is adorned by another subject.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the another subject is the autonomous robot, and wherein the another sensor apparatus receives the processed control signals from the another computing device, and wherein sensor data from the another sensor data generated due to the processed control signals are saved to a sensor data file.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the another sensor data is saved in a track in the sensor data file, and wherein a plurality of tracks can be saved in the sensor data file, and wherein the sensor data file is further written as a series of time points, each time point comprising sensor data for at least one track corresponding to a time interval.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor apparatus is included within a suit, and wherein the subject can be a living being or an autonomous robot.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the at least one sensor can capture at least visual or auditory sensor data to provide a view or audio of the surrounding of the subject.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor data is curated by manual or software-assisted correcting or smoothing.

18. The system of claim 8, wherein the autonomous robot can be driven by motion generating mechanisms including at least one of an electric motor, pneumatic or hydraulic system, an internal combustion motor, a pulley, a chain, a cables, a motorized linear actuators, or a moving piston.

19. The system of claim 8, wherein the autonomous robot is trained to perform actions in a field related to at least one of elder care, nursing, housemaid, general retail, information kiosk attendant, receptionist, security and surveillance, hazardous environment inhospitable to humans, agriculture, pet care, or tour guide.