SWITCHABLE JOINT CONSTRAINT SYSTEM

• US 20100116277A1
• Filed: 10/09/2007
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Bongers, Edwin Gerardus Johannus Maria, Lanfermann, Gerd, Te Vrugt, Juergen, Willmann, Richard Daniel
• Application Number:
  US12/444,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20100116277A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/846
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1038 Measuring plantar pressure during gait
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4851 Prosthesis assessment or monitoring

Abstract

The present invention concerns a switchable joint constraint system comprising at least one motion sensor, a joint constraint which is switchable between a mobile and an immobile state, a signal processing unit and a database. Motion sensor signals are compared to predefined situations. The joint constraint is switched according to whether predefined situations are met. The present invention furthermore concerns a process for handling sensor signals in such a system. The system may be used to support a constraint induced therapy (CIT) for the treatment of e. g. hemiplegy.

Claims

1. A switchable joint constraint system for use in a constraint induced therapy, comprising:

at least one motion sensor (1),

a joint constraint (2) which is switchable between a mobile and an immobile state,

a processing unit (3) which receives signals from the at least one motion sensor (1) and which issues switching commands to the joint constraint (2),

a database (4) in communication with the processing unit (3),

wherein the database (4) stores data from the at least one motion sensor (1) resolved into individual spatial descriptors and time, and

the database (4) furthermore comprises comparison data resolved into individual spatial descriptors and time,

which comparison data is assigned to at least one predefined situation, and

the processing unit (3) compares the data from the at least one motion sensor to the data assigned to the at least one predefined situation, and

the processing unit (3) issues switching commands to the joint constraint (2), based on whether the data from the at least one motion sensor corresponds to comparison data.

2. System according to claim 1, further comprising a user interface (5) for accessing data from the database (4).

3. System according to claim 1, further comprising a display unit (6) displaying the status of the system with respect to at least the movement or position of at least one motion sensor (1).

4. System according to claim 1, wherein the signals from at least one motion sensor (1) to the processing unit (3) and/or the commands from the processing unit (3) to the switchable joint constraint (2) are transmitted wirelessly.

5. System according to claim 1, wherein the joint constraint (2) is switched between a mobile and an immobile state by applying an electrical field to an electrorheological fluid or by applying a magnetic field to a magnetorheological fluid.

6. System according to claim 1, wherein the joint constraint (2) is switched between a mobile and an immobile state by an inflatable cuff.

7. System according to claim 1, wherein the joint constraint (2) is switched between a mobile and an immobile state by locking the joints of an orthosis.

8. System according to claim 1, further comprising a release unit which switches the joint constraint (2) to a mobile state after a manual input.

9. System according to claim 1, further comprising sensors selected from the group comprising electromyographical sensors, skin perspiration sensors, pulse sensors, blood pressure sensors and/or blood oxygen level sensors, and wherein the sensors further provide input to the processing unit.

10. Process for handling sensor signals in a system for use in a constraint induced therapy, comprising:

calibrating the at least one motion sensor (1) by bringing the at least one motion sensor (1) into a predetermined position and registering the output signal from the at least one motion sensor (1) in this position;

gathering motion sensor output signals;

assigning the motion sensor output signals to a position and a movement of the respective at least one motion sensor;

storing the position and movement signals in a database (4); and

comparing the position and movement signals which have been stored within a predetermined timeframe to predetermined position and movement data in the database (4), wherein the predetermined position and movement data corresponds to predefined situations

f) deciding whether a predefined situation is met and switching the joint constraint (2) to an appropriate state for the situation, as defined in a decision table.