Infant simulator

• US 20040077272A1
• Filed: 03/13/2003
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Realityworks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Realityworks, Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Charles F., Pelkus, Adrian, Jurmain, Mary M., Jurmain, Richard N.
• Granted Patent: US 8,414,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/268
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 2200/00 Computerized interactive toys, e.g. dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/001 simulating physiological processes, e.g. heartbeat, breathing or fever with fluid ingestion or emission A63H3/24
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/24 Drinking dolls; Dolls producing tears; Wetting dolls
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/28 Arrangements of sound-producing means in dolls; Means in dolls for producing sounds
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/281 for pregnancy, birth or obstetrics G09B23/286 takes precedence

Abstract

An infant simulator capable of emulating the care requirements of an infant and recording the quality of care and responsiveness of a person caring for the infant simulator and/or signaling the person caring for the infant simulator when care is required. The infant simulator is capable of (i) sensing the unacceptable environmental conditions of abusive impact, abusive compression, improper positioning, exposure to loud noises, overstimulation, exposure to smoke, exposure to direct sunlight and exposure to temperature extremes and to which the infant simulator is subjected, and (ii) periodically demanding that the student change the diaper, feed and burp the infant, rest the infant and rock the infant. The infant simulator is also programmed with the ancillary features of (a) multiple behavior modes based upon the selected options of age, feeding method (breast-v-bottle) and/or disposition of the infant (easy, average or difficult), and the dependent options of time of day (daytime-v-night time), the historic level of care experienced by the infant, and/or the health of the infant, (b) a comatose state when the infant is abused or severely neglected, (c) positive feedback when the proper interaction is provided in a timely fashion, (d) perceptibly different demand and distress signals for each type of environmental event and demand event, (e) a grace period within which a student can provide the requested satisfaction signal without the recording of time as a demand episode, (t) an identification system requiring the assigned student to be present in order to satisfy a demand event, (g) an escalating demand/distress signal when the proper interaction is not provided in a timely fashion, (h) periods of self-directed expression, ( ) a sound recorder for recording actual sounds at appropriate times during an assignment period, and (k) an unsatisfiable fussy period.

Claims

1. An infant simulator, comprising:

(a) a mannequin having a temperature sensor effective for sensing the environmental temperatures to which the mannequin is exposed; and

(b) a means effective for recording the sensed temperature.

3. The infant simulator of claim 1 further comprising a means for generating a perceptible thermal exposure signal when the sensed temperature falls outside a defined acceptable temperature range.

9. The infant simulator of claim 1 wherein the infant simulator has an approximate shape and weight of an infant.

12. The infant simulator of claim 1 further comprising an energy source retained within the mannequin for supplying the energy requirements of the infant simulator, and a means for indicating that the energy source has been accessed.

14. The infant simulator of claim 1 wherein the temperature sensor is a thermister.

15. The infant simulator of claim 1 wherein the temperature sensor is retained within the mannequin and access to the temperature sensor is restricted.

16. The infant simulator of claim 15 further comprising a means for indicating that the temperature sensor has been accessed.

18. The infant simulator of claim 1 wherein the temperature recording means is effective for recording at least the first instance in which the sensed temperature falls outside a defined acceptable temperature range.

19. The infant simulator of claim 3 wherein the temperature recording means is effective for recording the number of instances in which the sensed temperature falls outside the defined acceptable temperature range.

20. The infant simulator of claim 1 wherein the temperature recording means is effective for recording the value of the highest and lowest temperatures sensed during an assignment period.

21. The infant simulator of claim 1 wherein the temperature recording means is effective for recording the value of at least the outermost temperature sensed during each instance in which the sensed temperature falls outside a defined acceptable temperature range.

22. The infant simulator of claim 18 wherein the acceptable temperature range has a minimum temperature of between about 10 to 15°

C. and a maximum temperature of between about 35 to 40°

C.

23. The infant simulator of claim 19 wherein the acceptable temperature range has a minimum temperature of between about 10 to 15°

C. and a maximum temperature of between about 35 to 40°

C.

24. The infant simulator of claim 21 wherein the acceptable temperature range has a minimum temperature of between about 10 to 15°

C. and a maximum temperature of between about 35 to 40°

C.

25. The infant simulator of claim 1 wherein the recording means is effective for continuously recording the value of the sensed temperature throughout a thermal exposure period.

27. The infant simulator of claim 1 wherein the temperature recording means is effective for continually recording the environmental temperature to which the mannequin is exposed for the duration of an assignment period.

28. The infant simulator of claim 3 wherein the temperature recording means is effective for continually recording the environmental temperature to which the mannequin is exposed for the duration of an assignment period.

2. An infant simulator, comprising:

(a) a mannequin having a temperature sensor effective for sensing the environmental temperatures to which the mannequin is exposed; and

(b) a means for generating a perceptible thermal exposure signal when the sensed temperature falls above or below a defined acceptable temperature range.

4. The infant simulator of claim 2 wherein the acceptable temperature range has a minimum temperature of between about 10 to 15°

C. and a maximum temperature of between about 35 to 40°

C.

5. The infant simulator of claim 2 wherein the perceptible thermal exposure signal is generated continuously throughout a thermal exposure period.

6. The infant simulator of claim 2 further comprising a means in communication with the thermal exposure signal generating means for escalating the intensity of the thermal exposure signal as the difference between the sensed temperature and the acceptable temperature range increases.

7. The infant simulator of claim 5 further comprising a means in communication with the thermal exposure signal generating means for escalating the intensity of the thermal exposure signal as the duration of the thermal exposure period increases.

8. The infant simulator of claim 6 wherein the thermal exposure signal intensity-escalating means is effective for escalating the intensity of the thermal exposure signal to at least two higher intensity thermal exposure signals.

10. The infant simulator of claim 2 wherein the infant simulator has an approximate shape and weight of an infant.

11. The infant simulator of claim 2 wherein the perceptible thermal exposure signal is shivering when the sensed temperature falls below the defined minimum acceptable temperature.

13. The infant simulator of claim 2 wherein the perceptible thermal exposure signal is expressed as an audible cry.

17. The infant simulator of claim 2 wherein the temperature sensor is retained within the mannequin and the infant simulator further comprises a means for indicating that the temperature sensor has been accessed.

26. The infant simulator of claim 5 wherein the recording means is effective for recording the duration of each thermal exposure period.