STRESS DETECTION DEVICE AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF

• US 20110040191A1
• Filed: 11/05/2007
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Silver Path, LLC
• Original Assignee: Silver Path, LLC
• Inventors: Abreo, Gabe, BENSON, Vardis, KYLE, Bobby
• Granted Patent: US 8,577,446 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/473
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/164 Lie detection

Abstract

Described herein are stress detection systems and methods of using such systems.

Claims

1. A system for detecting stress in a subject, comprising:

an infrared video camera for capturing infrared video images of the subject;

a visible-light video camera for capturing visible-light video images of the subject;

a computing system comprising a processor system, a display and a user interface, the computing system programmed or configured to;

receive the visible-light and infrared images from the infrared video camera and visible-light camera; and

display the images on the display, including simultaneously displaying an infrared video image of the subject and corresponding visible-light video image of the subject.

2. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the computing system is further programmed or configured to provide the graphical user interface with a timeline control with which a user can select a point in a captured image to begin playing.

3. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the computing system is further programmed or configured to record captured infrared and visible-light video images on a data storage medium.

4. The system claimed in claim 1, further comprising a microphone, and wherein the computing system is further programmed or configured to receive an audio signal from the microphone and play the audio through a speaker.

5. The system claimed in claim 4, wherein the computing system is further programmed or configured to display a graphical representation of an audio waveform in response to the audio signal.

6. The system claimed in claim 5, wherein the computing system is further programmed or configured to display the graphical representation of the audio waveform in a color responsive to one or more predetermined pixels of a displayed infrared video image.

7. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the computing system is further programmed or configured to count pixels of a display infrared video image exceeding a predetermined threshold value and to display a representation of the count.

8. The system claimed in claim 7, wherein the computing system is further programmed or configured to receive a bounding box input from a user and count only the pixels within the bounding box.

10. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the computing system is further programmed or configured to interleave data elements relating to a plurality of video images to form an interleaved data stream.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the infrared camera is configured so that it does not measure changes in skin temperature of the periorbital region of the subject.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the level of stress is detected by the system of claim 1.

12. A system for detecting stress in a subject, comprising:

an infrared video camera for capturing infrared video images of the subject, wherein the infrared camera is configured so that it does not measure changes in skin temperature of the periorbital region of the subject;

a visible-light video camera for capturing visible-light video images of the subject; and

a computing system comprising a processor system, a display and a user interface, the computing system programmed or configured to receive the visible-light and infrared images from the infrared video camera and visible-light camera.

13. The system claimed in claim 12, wherein the computing system displays the images on the display, including simultaneously displaying an infrared video image of the subject and corresponding visible-light video image of the subject.

14. The system claimed in claim 12, further comprising a microphone, and wherein the computing system is further programmed or configured to receive an audio signal from the microphone and play the audio through a speaker.

15. The system claimed in claim 12, wherein the infrared video camera detects changes in skin temperature of the cheeks, forehead, ears, neck, or any combination thereof.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the infrared video camera is concealed from the subject.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the device is portable.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the level of stress is detected by the system of claim 12.

18. Software for remotely analyzing infrared video images and visible-light video images produced by a device comprising:

an infrared video camera for capturing infrared video images of the subject;

a visible-light video camera for capturing visible-light video images of the subject; and

a computing system comprising a processor system, a display and a user interface, the computing system programmed or configured to receive the visible-light and infrared images from the infrared video camera and visible-light camera.

19. A method for detecting stress in a subject comprising:

a. providing facts to the subject that will increase or decrease the level of stress of the subject;

b. requesting the subject to describe an event and detecting changes in the level of stress of the subject;

c. requesting the subject to provide additional details regarding sections or portions of information provided by the subject in step (b) and detecting changes in the level of stress of the subject; and

d. requesting the subject to respond to questions comprising information only known to the subject and detecting changes in the level of stress of the subject.