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Freezing of gait cue apparatus

  • US 10,251,611 B2
  • Filed: 06/12/2012
  • Issued: 04/09/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for assisting a user with walking, the apparatus comprising:

  • a housing being associated with the user and including;

    a processor;

    at least one motion sensor being operable to sense motion and being in communication with the processor to communicate motion data; and

    a laser being operable to provide a visual cue and being in communication with the processor;

    wherein the processor determines a freezing of gait in the walking gait of the user, wherein to determine the freezing of gait, the processor is configured to;

    accept an acceleration level on each of three orthogonal axes of the user utilising the motion data communicated from the at least one motion sensor,perform a fast Fourier transform (FFT) on the motion data;

    determine that an amplitude level on at least one axis from the FFT for a time is above a predetermined level personally chosen and set by the user,divide data output from the FFT into frequency bands, namely a high frequency band indicative of a gait irregularity, a mid frequency band, and a low frequency band indicative of walking, the mid frequency band separating the high and low frequency bands,determine a ratio of a first average amplitude of the high frequency band to a second average amplitude of the low frequency band, andcompare the ratio with a predetermined ratio level;

    wherein in response to the ratio being above the predetermined ratio level, the processor is configured to activate the laser to provide the visual cue projected onto ground adjacent the user for assisting the user with walking.

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