Videoconference goniometer

• US 20060098090A1
• Filed: 12/02/2002
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Marie-Naoldeine Bernard, Mathias Fruhwirth
• Original Assignee: Marie-Naoldeine Bernard, Mathias Fruhwirth
• Inventors: Fruhwirth, Mathias, Bernard, Marie-Naoldeine
• Application Number:
  US10/497,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20060098090A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/77
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1038 Measuring plantar pressure during gait
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1071 measuring angles, e.g. using goniometers A61B5/1123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1121 Determining geometric values, e.g. centre of rotation or angular range of movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1127 using markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence

Abstract

The invention deals with the process and devices for the automated measure of the range of motion by means of a specialized videoconference systems connected to a network. The process consists of steps of: viewing in real-time on a display device an image of the parts of the body of a remotely located subject over a network with which the range of motion may be evaluated by the assignment, by an operator/evaluator of three points representing the anatomic landmarks making up the angle of a joint by means of a pointing device in the order distal anatomic landmark—joint—distal anatomic landmark, the automated subject image capture and calculation and display of the range of motion angle, the registration and recording to a database of the results of the evaluation. The invention is intended for the goniometric assessment of the range of motion in kinetics studies.

Claims

1. ) A process for the automated measurement of the amplitude of the range of motion by the measurement of the spatial position of a body member or part of a member of an individual mediated by a system consisting of videoconference software application adapted to include goniometric measurements, including the following steps.

a) Localization by a camera of a part of the body where joint angle will be evaluated.

b) Real-time visualization by an operator by means of a display device over a network of an image of the remotely located subject.

c) Capture of an image initiated by means of a pointing device, such as a computer mouse or a touch screen to register the image deemed satisfactory by the operator/evaluator.

d) The identification by the operator of three points of the subject'"'"'s anatomy (11) which form a joint angle and the registration by means of a pointing device in the order:

anatomic distal landmark—

anatomic joint landmark—

anatomic distal landmark.

e) Transformation of the three anatomic landmarks to form an angle of the range of motion and the calculation of the angle magnitude employing trigonometric principles.

f) Display on the viewing device of the calculated range of motion angle magnitude.

g) If necessary, the modification of any of the anatomic landmark points by the pointing device and the automatic repetition of steps e and f

h) If necessary, a reiteration of the three steps (d, e, f) until the operator/evaluator is satisfied with the quality of the position of the points.

i) Registration and recording of the captured image, the anatomic landmark points, the calculated angle, the date of the evaluation, and the name of the operator/evaluator and subject.

j) Ability to print on paper and/or transcribe the captured images, points and angle data to recording media such as magnetic and optical disks.

2. ) The process for the automated and optimized measurement of the amplitude of the range of motion of any joint according to claim 1 with the following characteristics that:

The visualization and identification of the landmark points may be determined simultaneously by two operator/evaluators at separate locations or nodes of a common network.

3. ) The process for the automated and optimized measurement of the range of motion of any joint according to he claim 1) with the following characteristics that:

The angle calculation step may be made by a technique employing polar coordinates.

4. ) Devices for the implementation of the process for the automated and optimized measurement of the range of motion of any joint according to claims 1 to 3 with the following characteristics:

A camera to view the portion of the subject'"'"'s body where an articulation is to be evaluated.

A personal computer, connected to the said camera, with a display device consisting of a computer monitor or commercial television and having the following minimum characteristics;

a. 32 bit microprocessor operating at 200 MHz.

b. 32 Mbytes volatile system memory

c. 1.5 Gbytes non-volatile or hard disk memory,

 

allowing the operation of a customized videoconferencing application.

A telecommunications network with a communications bandwidth equal to or greater than 56 kilo bits per second, kbps for the transmission of captured images of the subject and equal to or 128 kbps for the observation of movement before the capture of an image of the subject.

A means of recording a captured image for later evaluation of the magnitude of the angle of an articulated member.

A means of calculating, displaying, recording and printing the results of the procedure.

5. ) Devices according to claim 4) with the following characteristics that:

The computing devices are connected over a communications network with connections techniques employing Integrated Subscriber Digital Network, ISDN or Internet Protocol, IP, protocols on terrestrial or satellite communications links.

6. ) Software code which performs data registration and calculations and allows the steps of the process according to claims 1) to 3) when executed by an electronic computer.