Multi-modal sensing wearable device for physiological context measurement

• US 10,298,282 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2016
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Camacho Perez, Jose Rodrigo, Ibarra Von Borstel, Alejandro, Cordourier Maruri, Hector Alfonso, Zamora Esquivel, Julio Cesar, Lopez Meyer, Paulo
• Primary Examiner(s): Abreu, Michael J D
• Application Number:
  US15/184,993
• Publication Number:
  US 20170366213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6802 Sensor mounted on worn items
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide techniques and configurations for an apparatus for a user'"'"'s physiological context measurements. In one instance, the apparatus may include a processing block and first and second piezoelectric sensors coupled with the processing block. The first and second sensors may include respectively first and second electrodes to provide contact with a user'"'"'s body in response to mounting of the apparatus on the user'"'"'s body. The processing block may comprise a multi-modal sensing system configured to perform measurements of a user'"'"'s physiological context during the contact of the user'"'"'s body with the first and second electrodes, based at least in part on a voltage signal generated by the user'"'"'s body and provided to the processing block via the first and second electrodes. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a sensor array to be coupled with a processing block, wherein the sensor array includes;

a first sensor, having;

a first electrode to provide a first contact with a user'"'"'s body, wherein the first electrode is to be coupled with the processing block with a first electrical contact;

a first sensing layer comprising piezoelectric material and disposed on top of the first electrode; and

a second electrode disposed on top of the first sensing layer, wherein the second electrode is to be coupled with the processing block with a second electrical contact, wherein the first and second electrical contacts are to provide first readings of vibrations produced by the user'"'"'s body and sensed by the first sensing layer; and

a second sensor, having;

a third electrode to provide a second contact with the user'"'"'s body, wherein the second electrode is to be coupled with the processing block with a third electrical contact;

a second sensing layer comprising the piezoelectric material and disposed on top of the third electrode, and a fourth electrode disposed on top of the second sensing layer, wherein the fourth electrode is to be coupled with the processing block with a fourth electrical contact, wherein the third and fourth electrical contacts are to provide second readings of vibrations produced by the user'"'"'s body and sensed by the second sensing layer, wherein the first electrode of the first sensor and the third electrode of the second sensor are to sense a voltage of the user'"'"'s body, and to provide the sensed voltage to the processing block via the first electrical contact of the first sensor and the third electrical contact of the second sensor, wherein one of the first electrode with the first contact of the first sensor and the third electrode with the third electrical contact of the second sensor serves as reference voltage for another one of the first electrode with the first contact of the first sensor and the third electrode with the third electrical contact of the second sensor,

wherein the processing block is to perform first measurements of a user'"'"'s physiological context, based at least in part on the sensed voltage provided by the first and third electrodes in response to the first and second contacts of the user'"'"'s body with the first and second sensors, and generate a first output that includes at least electrocardiogram (ECG), from the first measurements; and

perform second measurements of the user'"'"'s physiological context, based at least in part on the first and second readings of vibrations produced by the user'"'"'s body, and generate a second output indicative of the user'"'"'s body activity.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is further coupled with the processing block over a fifth electrical contact, wherein the first and fifth electrical contacts comprise a first thermocouple, and

wherein the second electrode is further coupled with the processing block over a sixth electrical contact, wherein the second and sixth electrical contacts comprise a second thermocouple, to provide respective signals indicative of a temperature of the user'"'"'s body to the processing block.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first sensor further includes a first optical sensing device disposed in the first sensor to provide a first proximity to or a third contact with the user'"'"'s body in response to mounting of the apparatus on the user'"'"'s body,

wherein the second sensor further includes a second optical sensing device disposed in the second sensor to provide a second proximity to or a fourth contact with the user'"'"'s body in response to mounting of the apparatus on the user'"'"'s body,

wherein the first and second optical sensing devices are coupled with the processing block, to provide respective signals that are indicative of photoplethysmography, PPMG, of the user'"'"'s body to the processing block.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the processing block includes:

a front end block, to receive, pre-process and digitize signals provided by the first and second sensors;

an array processing block coupled with the front end block, to receive the digitized signals, and to integrate the received digitized signals into a combined signal; and

a pattern recognition block coupled with the array processing block, to receive and analyze the combined signal, based at least in part on pre-defined signal patterns.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first output further includes at least one of:

electromyogram, EMG, or electroencephalogram, EEG.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing block includes an inertial measurement unit, IMU, to perform position tracking of the user'"'"'s body, and a global positioning system, GPS, unit to perform location tracking of the apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing block is to generate and induce voltage into the user'"'"'s body via the first and second electrodes of the first and second sensors, to perform further measurements of the user'"'"'s physiological context or to perform therapeutic treatment of the user.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a wearable device.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a processing block; and

first and second piezoelectric sensors coupled with the processing block, wherein the first sensor includes;

a first electrode to provide a first contact with a user'"'"'s body, wherein the first electrode is coupled with the processing block with a first electrical contact;

a first sensing layer comprising piezoelectric material and disposed on top of the first electrode; and

a second electrode disposed on top of the first sensing layer, wherein the second electrode is coupled with the processing block with a second electrical contact, wherein the first and second electrical contacts provide first readings of vibrations produced by the user'"'"'s body and sensed by the first sensing layer; and

wherein the second sensor includes;

a third electrode to provide a second contact with the user'"'"'s body, wherein the second electrode is to be coupled with the processing block with a third electrical contact;

a second sensing layer comprising the piezoelectric material and disposed on top of the third electrode, and a fourth electrode disposed on top of the second sensing layer, wherein the fourth electrode is to be coupled with the processing block with a fourth electrical contact, wherein the third and fourth electrical contacts are to provide second readings of vibrations produced by the user'"'"'s body and sensed by the second sensing layer, wherein one of the first electrode with the first contact of the first sensor and the third electrode with the third electrical contact of the second sensor serves as reference voltage for another one of the first electrode with the first contact of the first sensor and the third electrode with the third electrical contact of the second sensor,

wherein the processing block is to;

perform first measurements of a user'"'"'s physiological context during the first and second contacts of the user'"'"'s body with the first and third electrodes, based at least in part on the sensed voltage provided by the first and third electrodes in response to the first and second contacts of the user'"'"'s body with the first and second sensors, and generate a first output that includes at least electrocardiogram (ECG), from the first measurements; and

perform second measurements of the user'"'"'s physiological context, based at least in part on the first and second readings of vibrations produced by the user'"'"'s body, and generate a second output indicative of the user'"'"'s body activity.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first and second piezoelectric sensors include first and second thermocouples, to provide signals indicative of a temperature of the user'"'"'s body, and further include first and second optical sensing devices, to provide signals indicative of photoplethysmogrpaphy PPMG, of the user'"'"'s body to the processing block, wherein the processing block is to further perform measurements of the user'"'"'s physiological context based at least in part on the signals indicative of a temperature of the user'"'"'s body and the signals indicative of PPMG of the user'"'"'s body.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processing block is to:

integrate the voltage, signals indicative of the user'"'"'s body vibrations, the signals indicative of a temperature of the user'"'"'s body and the signals indicative of PPMG of the user'"'"'s body into a combined signal; and

generate data indicative of the user'"'"'s physiological context based at least in part on pre-determined signal patterns.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first output further includes at least one of:

electromyogram, EMG, or electroencephalogram, EEG.

13. A method, comprising:

disposing, in an apparatus, a first sensor having;

a first electrode to provide a first contact with a user'"'"'s body;

a first sensing layer comprising piezoelectric material and disposed on top of the first electrode; and

a second electrode disposed on top of the first sensing layer;

disposing, in the apparatus, a second sensor having;

a third electrode to provide a second contact with the user'"'"'s body;

a second sensing layer comprising the piezoelectric material and disposed on top of the second electrode; and

a fourth electrode disposed on top of the second sensing layer;

electrically coupling the first and second electrodes of the first sensor with a processing block of the apparatus, via respective first and second electrical contacts, to facilitate provision of first readings of vibrations produced by the user'"'"'s body and sensed by the first sensing layer; and

electrically coupling the third and fourth electrodes of the second sensor with the processing block, via respective third and fourth electrical contacts, to provide second readings of vibrations produced by the user'"'"'s body and sensed by the second sensing layer, wherein the electrical coupling to the processing block of the first electrode via the first electrical contact and the third electrode via the third electrical contact is to provide to the processing block a voltage signal generated by the user'"'"'s body and sensed by the first and third electrodes of the first and second sensors, and to further provide for one of the first electrode with the first contact of the first sensor and the third electrode with the third electrical contact of the second sensor serving as reference voltage for another one of the first electrode with the first contact of the first sensor and the third electrode with the third electrical contact of the second sensor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the apparatus comprises a wearable device.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

disposing the processing block in the apparatus.