Computer aided analysis and monitoring of mobility abnormalities in human patients

• US 10,271,776 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2011
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mordechai Shani, Yoram Feldman
• Original Assignee: Mordechai Shani, Yoram Feldman
• Inventors: Shani, Mordechai, Feldman, Yoram
• Primary Examiner(s): Cerioni, Daniel L
• Application Number:
  US13/883,012
• Publication Number:
  US 20130226039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,735 Days
• Field of Search: 600587, 600595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1128 using image analysis A61B5/1127 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4833 Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A method for analyzing and monitoring mobility abnormalities of human patients is provided herein. The method includes the following stages: capturing a physiotherapeutic sequence of a scene that includes 3D positioning and orientations of the body parts of the human patient over time; monitoring, over a physiotherapeutic session, the set of key points on the human patient while the human patient performs physiotherapeutic exercises comprising a set of predefined sequences of body-related and limb-related postures and gestures; and analyzing the monitored set of key points during the physiotherapeutic session, to yield an assessment of a level of compliance of the human patient in performing the physical training or physiotherapeutic exercises, based at least partially on the abnormality mobility profile. Additionally, an analysis during the physiotherapeutic session may be carried out, to yield an assessment of a level of compliance of the human patient in performing specified physiotherapeutic exercises.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or more two-dimensional or three-dimensional cameras configured to capture images depicting a human patient, over a calibration session, including 3D positioning and orientation of body parts of a human patient, wherein the human patient is instructed to follow a sequence of movements in said calibration session; and

a computer processor configured to;

monitor over the calibration session, a set of key points depicted in the captured images, wherein at least some of the key points are located in locations on the body parts of the human patient;

generate an abnormality mobility profile of the human patient by analyzing the monitored set of key points depicted in the images in view of deviations from predefined quantitative measures, wherein the abnormality mobility profile is indicative of mobility limitations and compensatory movements of the human patient,

wherein the one or more cameras are further configured to capture additional images in a physiotherapeutic or training session that depict 3D positioning and orientations of the body parts of the human patient over time,

wherein the computer processor is further configured to;

monitor, over the physiotherapeutic or training session, the set of key points on the human patient depicted in the captured additional images while the human patient performs physical training or physiotherapeutic exercises comprising a set of predefined sequences of body-related and limb-related postures and gestures; and

analyze the monitored set of key points during the physical training or physiotherapeutic session, to yield an assessment of a level of compliance of the human patient in performing the physiotherapeutic exercises, based at least partially on the abnormality mobility profile; and

instructing the human patient, during the calibration session, to follow a set of predefined sequences of postures and gestures and wherein the abnormality mobility profile is generated at least partially based on a comparison between the calibrated key points of the human patient responsive to the predefined sequences of postures and gestures and respective monitored key points of the healthy human responsive to the predefined sequences of postures and gestures.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the computer processor is configured to generate a set of physical training or physiotherapeutic exercises tailored for the human patient'"'"'s motor capabilities based on the abnormality mobility profile and additional input from a human expert.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the capturing of the physiotherapeutic sequence and the analyzing of the monitored set of key points during the physiotherapeutic session are carried out at different locations.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the capturing of the physiotherapeutic sequence is carried out at one or more different locations, wherein in each one of the different locations, a different human patient is following a tailored set of exercises, and wherein the assessment of at least some of the different human patients is presented to a human expert in real time.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the computer processor is further configured to provide a quantitative score indicative of the human patient compliance with the physiotherapeutic session, wherein the score is based on a comparison to a predefined database.

6. The system according to claim 4, wherein the computer processor is configured to provide at least one of:

feedback, exercise adjustments, and recommendations to the human patient, based on the assessment of the level of compliance of the human patient in performing the physical training or physiotherapeutic exercises.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the presenting of the assessment of level of compliance of the human patient in performing the physical training or physiotherapeutic exercises of at least some of the different human patients is carried out in accordance of a dynamic prioritization process.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the abnormality mobility profile of the human patient takes into account a complete representation of skeleton trajectories of the human patient, such that the feedback, the exercise adjustments, and the recommendations only promote exercises that are beneficial for the physical training or physiotherapeutic session of the human patient.