MEASURING HUMAN MOVEMENTS - METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20080306412A1
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nieminen, Heikki V., Kallio, Jorma
• Granted Patent: US 7,782,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/595
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for measuring human movement of a test subject during a standard coordination and balance test. The test subject is placed in a selected test position, e.g. standing on one leg for a selected test period. A sensor device is attached to at least one body member of the test subject. The sensor generates and transmits a signal representative of movement of the body member during the test (hereinafter “the test”). The test subject is viewed through a viewfinder of a visual recorder. The recorder and sensor device are activated and generate image and sensor signals which are transmitted to an analyzer for determining the movement of the body members during the test. A coordination and balance score is calculated from the test based on the body movement, body member location and test time. The score is compared a standard associated with the test, and provides an indicator of the test subject'"'"'s coordination and balance skill.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

a) displaying a test subject within a viewfinder of a visual recording device, said test subject having had at least one sensor device attached to at least one body member for generating and transmitting a signal representative of movement of the body member during the test;

b) recording a visual image signal(s) and sensor signal(s) representative of movement by the test subject during the test; and

c) analyzing the image and sensor signals to determine movement of the test subject during the test.

2. The method claim 1, further comprising:

including a template aligned in the viewfinder with the test subject during the test; and

visually recording the test subject while within the template and the at least one sensor device is activated during the test.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein in the analyzing step analyzing of the image signal with a test specific position template by aligning the position template over the test subject and detecting movements of the body member of the subject that overlaps an outline of the position template during the test.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a coordination and balance score for the test subject during the test.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing results of the test to a standard associated with the test.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the image signals are representative of movement of a body member of the subject that overlaps an outline of the template during the test.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the visual recording device generates a signal to activate the at least one sensor device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the visual recording device installs a start time stamp in the image and sensor data.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein de-activating the visual recording device installs a stop time stamp in the image and sensor data and deactivates the sensor device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an analysis of movement data provided by the image and sensor signal for corresponding body members of the test subject during the test.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting image and sensor signals via short-range communication protocols.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual recording device is taken from the group consisting of a portable camera phone, a stationary time-controlled camera, a digital camcorder, and a digital camera.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor device is taken from the group consisting of an accelerometer, angular rate sensor, gyroscope, and magnetometer.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the test position for a test subject is taken from the group consisting of standing on one leg, one leg standing with different hand positions, one leg standing with different torso positions, and different hand movements with eyes blinded.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the communications protocol is taken from the group consisting of Bluetooth, IrDA, WLAN, WiBri.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the template is installed in the viewfinder after capture of the image data.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the visual recording device and the analyzer are located in a same device.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the sensor device and the analyzer are located in a same device.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

said processor calculating a coordination and balance score for the test subject during the test.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

said processor comparing the test results to a standard associated with the test.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the image signals are representative of the movement of a body member that overlaps the template during the test.

23. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein activating the visual recording device generates a signal to activate the at least one sensor device.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein means for activating the visual recording device installs a start time stamp in the visual and sensor data.

26. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a display for displaying an analysis of movement data provided by the image and sensor signal for corresponding body members of the test subject during the test.

27. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising

a transceiver for transmitting image and sensor signals via short-range communication protocols.

28. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the visual recording device is taken from the group consisting of a portable camera phone, a stationary time-controlled camera, and a digital camera.

29. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the sensor device is taken from the group consisting of an accelerometer, angular rate sensor, gyroscope, and magnetometer.

30. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a test position for a test subject is taken from the group consisting of standing on one leg, one leg standing with different hand positions, one leg standing with different torso positions, different hand movements with eyes blinded.

32. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the template is installed in the viewfinder after capture of the image data.

34. The computer program product of claim 30 wherein said test subject is positioned in a selected test position to measure coordination and balance skill of the test subject during the test for a selected time period test, said test subject having had at least one sensor device attached to at least one body member for generating and transmitting a signal representative of movement of the body member during the test.

36. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein said test subject having been positioned in a selected test position to measure coordination and balance skill of the test subject during the test for a selected time period test, said test subject having had at least one sensor device attached to at least one body member for generating and transmitting a signal representative of movement of the body member during the test;

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a) a visual recording device for recording a test subject during a selected movement test (hereinafter “

the test”

) for a selected time period test;

b) at least one sensor device attached to at least one body member of the test subject for generating and transmitting a signal representative of movement of the body member during the test;

c) an analyzer for receiving and processing image/video and sensor test data generated by the visual recorder and the at least one sensor device during the test; and

d) a processor controlling the analyzer in calculating movement data of the test subject during the test and providing a test score for the test.

25. The apparatus of claim l 5, wherein means for de-activating the visual recording device installs a stop time stamp in the image and sensor data and deactivates the sensor device.

31. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the communications protocol is taken from the group consisting of Bluetooth, IrDA, WLAN, WiBri.

33. A computer program product, comprising:

a) a computer readable medium, executable in a computer system, and including program code;

b) program code in said computer readable medium for displaying a test subject within a viewfinder of a visual recording device, the viewfinder including a template aligned with the test subject during a movement test (hereinafter “

the test”

);

c) program code in said computer readable medium for visually recording the test subject while within the template and the at least one sensor device is activated during the test;

d) program code in said computer readable medium for receiving image signals and sensor signals representative of movement by the test subject during the test; and

e) program code in said computer readable medium for analyzing the image and sensor signals to determine movement of a body member during the test.

35. An apparatus, comprising:

a) means for displaying a test subject within a viewfinder of a visual recording device, the viewfinder including a template aligned with the test subject during a movement test (hereinafter “

the test”

);

b) means for visually recording the test subject while within the template and the at least one sensor device is activated during the test;

c) means for receiving image signals and sensor signals representative of movement by the test subject during the test; and

d) means for analyzing the image and sensor signals to determine movement of a body member during the test.