Method and System for Detecting Parameters for the Characterization of Motion Sequences at the Human Body and Computer-Implemented Method for Analyzing Parameters for the Characterization of Motion Sequences at the Human Body

• US 20110067253A1
• Filed: 02/25/2010
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Epionics Medical GmbH
• Original Assignee: Epionics Medical GmbH
• Inventors: Happel, Tobias
• Application Number:
  US12/712,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20110067253A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 33/512
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0261 Strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0244 with signalling or indicating means, e.g. of incorrect posture, for deep-breathing exercises

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for detecting function parameters for the characterization of motion sequences at the human body, comprising: a bending sensor with at least one strain gauge for detecting bending parameters, wherein said at least one strain gauge changes its impedance during an extension or compression, and sensor electronics for reading out and processing the bending parameters detected by said at least one strain gauge; and a fixing element for fixing the bending sensor on the skin of the human body, wherein said fixing element is adapted to accommodate said bending sensor such that it is fixed only at one point of said fixing element and follows motions of that part of the human body on which said fixing element is fixed without following possible extensions of the skin of the human body.

Claims

1. A system for detecting function parameters for the characterization of motion sequences at the human body, comprising:

a bending sensor with at least one strain gauge for detecting bending parameters, wherein said at least one strain gauge changes its impedance during an extension or compression, and sensor electronics for reading out and processing the bending parameters detected by said at least one strain gauge; and

a fixing element for fixing the bending sensor on the skin of the human body, wherein said fixing element is adapted to accommodate said bending sensor such that it is fixed only at one point of said fixing element and follows motions of that part of the human body on which said fixing element is fixed without following possible extensions of the skin of the human body.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said bending sensor comprises a plurality of strain gauges which are arranged in a plurality of measuring zones.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein every two strain gauges are arranged in a measuring zone From said plurality of measuring zones, and wherein said sensor electronics further comprise a Wheatstone measuring bridge and a plurality of toggles that are connected with the measuring bridge, and wherein for each measuring zone from said plurality of measuring zones at least one of said plurality of toggles is provided and is connected with said two strain gauges of the corresponding measuring zone.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said toggles are adapted to connect said respective two strain gauges of a measuring zone from said plurality of measuring zones with said measuring bridge, and wherein said sensor electronics further comprise a microprocessor adapted to control said measuring bridge and said plurality of toggles such that always only said two strain gauges of a measuring zone from said plurality of measuring zones are connected with said measuring bridge and the bending parameters detected by said strain gauges are read out sequentially for the different measuring zones.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein said microprocessor of said sensor electronics is further adapted to read out the bending parameters detected by said strain gauges at a predetermined sampling rate.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said microprocessor of said sensor electronics is further adapted to digitize and store the read-out bending parameters.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a position sensor for detecting the position of said bending sensor relative to the gravitation field of the earth or the earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a memory unit that is adapted to:

read out the processed bending parameters from said sensor electronics and store them; and

be connected with a PC in a wireless or wired manner and to transmit the stored bending parameters to the PC.

9. A method for detecting function parameters for the characterization of motion sequences at the back of a carrier, comprising:

providing a first and a second bending sensor each comprising at least one strain gauge and sensor electronics;

providing a first and a second fixing element for fixing said first and said second bending sensors on the skin of the carrier;

fixing said first and said second bending sensors on the back of the carrier by means of said first and said second fixing elements, wherein said first and said second bending sensors are arranged at the back in a V-shaped manner;

detecting bending parameters by means of said at least one strain gauge of said first and said second bending sensors; and

reading out and processing the bending parameters detected by said at least one strain gauge of said first and/or said second bending sensors by means of said sensor electronics of said first and/or said second bending sensors.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

detecting of torsional motions by forming the difference from the processed bending parameters of said first bending sensor and the processed bending parameters of said second bending sensor.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

providing a memory unit;

reading out the processed bending parameters from the respective sensor electronics of said first and said second bending sensors by means of said memory unit; and

storing the read-out bending parameters in said memory unit.

12. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

detecting a position of said bending sensor by means of a position sensor, wherein the position is detected relative to the field of gravitation of the earth or to the earth'"'"'s magnetic field.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the bending parameters are detected in a space-resolved way by using a plurality of strain gauges for the detection of bending parameters.

14. Computer-implemented method for the analysis of function parameters for the characterization of motion sequences at the human body, comprising:

receiving of measurement values with bending parameters detected with a plurality of bending-sensitive segments of a first and a second bending sensor at different discrete points in time;

converting the bending parameters to pertinent angles;

forming angle sums for the first bending sensor for the different discrete points in time, wherein for each discrete point in time the sum is formed from the angles detected by the plurality of segments of the first bending sensor at the respective discrete point in time;

forming of angle sums for the second bending sensor for the different discrete points in time, wherein for each discrete point in time the sum is formed from the angles detected by the plurality of segments of the second bending sensor at the respective discrete point in time;

forming the difference from the angle sums of the first and the second bending sensors for the different discrete points in time, wherein for each discrete point in time the difference from the angle sum of the first bending sensor for the respective point in time and the angle sum of the second bending sensor for the respective point in time is formed; and

generating a graphic illustration for at least one of the following data sets;

the angle sums of the first bending sensor for the different discrete points in time;

the angle sums of the second bending sensor for the different discrete points in time;

the difference from the angle sums of the first and of the second bending sensors for the different discrete points in time.

15. Computer program for performing the method according to claim 14.