APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING THE POSITION OF A SUBJECT'S HAND

• US 20080079902A1
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NOTAL Vision Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Reichert, Inc. (Ametek Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mandelstam-Manor, Yair, Rafaely, Omer, Benyamini, Gideon Hanoch, Alster, Yair
• Granted Patent: US 8,226,237 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 351/222
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0091 Fixation targets for viewing direction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/024 for determining the visual field, e.g. perimeter types
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/032 Devices for presenting test symbols or characters, e.g. test chart projectors A61B3/036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement

Abstract

A system for delivering a touch sensitive screen task to a subject includes a touch sensitive display for presenting visual stimuli to a subject and for providing a response of the subject, hand position monitoring unit(s) for receiving input indicative of the position of a hand of the subject and for providing output signals representing said position and a controller/processor unit operatively coupled to the touch sensitive display unit and to the hand position monitoring unit(s) for receiving output signals from the hand position monitoring unit(s) and for processing the output signals to control the displaying of the visual stimuli on the touch sensitive display unit. A method for operating the system includes receiving from the subject signals representing a response of the subject to visual stimuli, receiving signals indicative of the position of the subject'"'"'s hand and processing the signals to control the presenting of visual stimuli.

Claims

1. A system for delivering a touch sensitive screen task to a subject, the system comprising:

a touch sensitive display unit for presenting visual stimuli to a subject and for providing responses of said subject to at least some of said visual stimuli;

at least one hand position monitoring unit for receiving input indicative of the position of a hand of said subject and for providing output signals representing said position; and

a controller/processor unit operatively coupled to said touch sensitive display unit and to said at least one hand position monitoring unit for receiving said output signals from said at least one hand position monitoring unit and for processing at least said output signals to control the displaying of said visual stimuli on said touch sensitive display unit.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one hand position monitoring unit is selected from a mechanical hand position monitoring unit, an electromechanical hand position monitoring unit, an ultrasonic hand position hand position, a stationary switching unit, a hand held switching unit, a switching mechanism, an electromechanical switching mechanism, an electro-optical switching mechanism, a magnetic switching mechanism, an optical switch, an ultrasonic hand position monitoring unit, a radio frequency based hand position monitoring unit, an infa-red proximity sensing based hand position monitoring unit, a motion detecting device, a passive infra-red sensor based motion detecting device, a video camera based motion detecting device, a mechanical sensor, a magnetic sensor a capacitive sensor a proximity sensor, a passive motion sensor, an active motion sensor, an intrusion detecting sensor, an electro-optical sensor an electromechanical sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, an infra-red sensor a microwave sensor, a Doppler radar based sensor, a magnetostrictive material based sensor, and any combinations thereof.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one hand position monitoring unit comprises at least one switch, said at least one switch is selected from a pushbutton switch, a latching switch, an optical switch, an electro-optical switch, a mechanical switch, an electromechanical switch, a magnetic switch and any combinations thereof.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one hand position monitoring unit comprises two hand position monitoring units comprising a first hand position monitoring unit usable for monitoring the position of the right hand of a right handed user and a second hand position monitoring unit usable for monitoring the position of the left hand of a left handed user.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein said at least one hand position monitoring unit is a hand held positioning/marking unit comprising a marking portion for marking on said touch sensitive display unit.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein said output signals of said at least one hand position monitoring unit are communicated to said controller/processor unit by communicating means selected from communication wires for connecting said at least one hand position monitoring unit and said controller/processor unit and wireless communication devices.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein said wireless communication devices are selected from wireless transmitters, wireless receivers, wireless transceivers, IR wireless transmitters, infra-red wireless receivers, infra-red transceivers, ultrasonic wireless transmitters, ultrasonic wireless receivers, ultrasonic wireless transceivers, radio-frequency receivers, radio frequency transmitters, radio frequency transceivers, Bluetooth wireless receivers, Bluetooth wireless transmitters, Bluetooth wireless transceivers and any combinations thereof.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein said hand position monitoring unit comprises a platform configured for providing an output signal when a hand of a user is positioned on said platform.

9. The system according to claim 1 wherein said controller/processor unit is configured for presenting said visual stimuli to said subject upon receiving position signals indicative that a hand of the subject does not visually obstruct the visual field of said subject.

10. The system according to claim 1 wherein said controller/processor unit is configured for presenting said visual stimuli to said subject upon receiving position signals indicative that a hand of the subject does not block the subject'"'"'s view of said touch sensitive display unit.

11. A method for controlling the delivering of visual stimuli to a subject, the method comprising the steps of:

presenting to said subject visual stimuli on a touch sensitive display unit;

receiving from said subject, through said touch sensitive display unit, signals representing responses of said subject to at least some of said visual stimuli;

receiving position signals indicative of the position of a hand of said subject; and

processing at least said position signals to control the timing of presenting said visual stimuli to said subject.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein said step of receiving position signals comprises the step of presenting said visual stimuli to said subject upon receiving position signals indicative that a hand of the subject does not visually obstruct the visual field of said subject.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein said step of receiving position signals comprises the step of presenting said visual stimuli to said subject upon receiving position signals indicative that a hand of the subject does not block the subject'"'"'s view of said touch sensitive screen.

14. The method according to claim 11 wherein said position signals are output by at least one hand position monitoring unit selected from a mechanical hand position monitoring unit, an electromechanical hand position monitoring unit, an ultrasonic hand position hand position, a stationary switching unit, a hand held switching unit, a switching mechanism, an electromechanical switching mechanism, an electro-optical switching mechanism, a magnetic switching mechanism, an optical switch, an ultrasonic hand position monitoring unit, a radio frequency based hand position monitoring unit, an infra-red proximity sensing based hand position monitoring unit, a motion detecting device, a passive infra-red sensor based motion detecting device, a video camera based motion detecting device, a mechanical sensor, a magnetic sensor a capacitive sensor a proximity sensor, a passive motion sensor, an active motion sensor, an intrusion detecting sensor, an electro-optical sensor an electromechanical sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, an infra-red sensor a microwave sensor, a Doppler radar based sensor, a magnetostrictive material based sensor, and any combinations thereof.

15. The method according to claim 11 wherein said position signals are selected from wirelessly received position signals and position signals received through wires.

16. The method according to claim 11 wherein said step of receiving position signals indicative of the position of a hand of said subject is selected from receiving position signals indicative of the position of the right hand of said subject and receiving position signals indicative of the position of the left hand of said subject.

17. The method according to claim 11 wherein said step of presenting said first step of receiving, said second step of receiving and said step of processing are performed in the order recited in claim 13.

18. The method according to claim 11 wherein said position signals are caused by an active action of said subject.

19. The method according to claim 18 wherein said active action comprises of said subject comprises intentionally activating a switching mechanism.

20. A method for controlling the delivering of visual stimuli to a subject, the method comprising the steps of:

presenting to said subject visual stimuli on a touch sensitive display unit;

receiving from said subject, through said touch sensitive display unit, signals in response to at least some of said visual stimuli;

receiving signals indicating that a hand of the subject does not block the subject'"'"'s view of said touch sensitive screen; and

presenting to said user the next visual stimulus only after receiving said signals indicating that a hand of the subject does not block the subject'"'"'s view of said touch sensitive screen.