Device for Conditioning Balance and Motor Co-Ordination

• US 20070249466A1
• Filed: 06/14/2004
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oregon Health & Science University, Alma Mater Studiorum Universita' Di Bologna (Repubblica Italiana)
• Original Assignee: Oregon Health & Science University, Universita Degli Studi Di Cagliari
• Inventors: Chiari, Lorenzo, Cappello, Angelo, Horak, Fay, Dozza, Marco
• Granted Patent: US 7,867,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1124 Determining motor skills
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence

Abstract

A device for conditioning the balance and motor co-ordination of a user (2) comprises a system (3) for acquisition of information relative to the kinematics of at least one part (4) of the body of the user (2), a processing interface (9) connected to the acquisition system (3) to encode the information in a signal, a pair of earphones (12, 13) operating between the processing interface (9) and the user (2), to feed the user the signal suitably defined by a stereophonic sound which can be transmitted in an audio channel.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A system for conditioning the balance and motor coordination of a user, the system comprising:

an acquisition subsystem for acquisition of kinematic information representative of kinematics of a body part of the user;

a processing subsystem in data communication with the acquisition subsystem for encoding the kinematic information as stereophonic sound; and

a communication link between the processing subsystem and the user for providing the kinematic information to the user.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing subsystem comprises an electronic card for modulating the frequency and volume of the stereophonic sound at least in part on the basis of an anteroposterior oscillation of the body part, and for activating the communication link.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the electronic card is configured to modulate a volume of the stereophonic sound at least in part on the basis of a mediolateral oscillation of the body part.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the communication link comprises first and second sound transducers.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the electronic card is configured to balance the stereophonic sound between the first and second sound transducers.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the first and second sound transducers comprises first and second earphones.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the acquisition subsystem comprises an accelerometric sensor attached to the body part.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the accelerometric sensor is a biaxial accelerometric sensor.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the accelerometric sensor is a triaxial accelerometric sensor.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein the acquisition subsystem is configured for acquisition of kinematic information from a torso.

22. The system of claim 12, wherein the acquisition subsystem, the processing subsystem, and the communication link are configured to be worn by the user.

23. A method for conditioning the balance and motor coordination of a user, the method comprising:

acquiring kinematic information representative of kinematics of a body part of the user;

encoding the kinematic information as stereophonic sound; and

providing the stereophonic sound to the user.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein encoding the kinematic information comprises modulating frequency and volume of the stereophonic sound at least in part on the basis of an anteroposterior oscillation of the body part.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein encoding the kinematic information comprises modulating a volume of the stereophonic sound at least in part on the basis of a mediolateral oscillation of the body part.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein providing the stereophonic sound comprises actuating first and second sound transducers.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein actuating first and second sound transducers comprises balancing the stereophonic sound between the first and second sound transducers.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein actuating first and second sound transducers comprises actuating first and second earphones.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein acquiring kinematic information comprises measuring acceleration of the body part.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein measuring acceleration comprises measuring biaxial acceleration.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein measuring acceleration comprises measuring triaxial acceleration.

32. The method of claim 23, wherein acquiring kinematic information comprises acquiring kinematic information from a torso.

33. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon software for conditioning the balance and motor coordination of a user, the software including instructions for:

acquiring kinematic information representative of kinematics of a body part of the user;

encoding the kinematic information as stereophonic sound; and

providing the stereophonic sound to the user.