Ergonomic Sensor Pad with Feedback to User and Method of Use

• US 20110275939A1
• Filed: 03/29/2011
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alexander Saal, Brandon Loye, Ethan Epstein, Frank Winter, Matthew Davis, Michael C. Walsh, Rhonda Epstein, Sean Colford, Victor Tung, Wesley Koga
• Original Assignee: Alexander Saal, Brandon Loye, Ethan Epstein, Frank Winter, Matthew Davis, Michael C. Walsh, Rhonda Epstein, Sean Colford, Victor Tung, Wesley Koga
• Inventors: Davis, Matthew, Walsh, Michael C., Epstein, Ethan, Saal, Alexander, Winter, Frank, Epstein, Rhonda, Koga, Wesley, Colford, Sean, Tung, Victor, Loye, Brandon
• Granted Patent: US 9,196,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/473
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 31/126 for chairs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4561 Evaluating static posture, e.g. undesirable back curvature A61B5/1116 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/003 Repetitive work cycles; Sequence of movements

Abstract

A portable system is provided for sensing and training a user to maintain correct posture while seated in a chair with a seat portion and a back portion. The system includes a first pad attachable to the seat portion of a chair, said first pad having a front area and a rear area, and a second pad attachable to the back portion of a chair and having a lower area and an upper area. There is a first sensor located in the first pad capable of sensing that a user is seated in the seat portion of the chair, a second sensor located in the first pad capable of sensing whether the lower posterior portion of the user'"'"'s body is in contact with the rear area of the first pad, a third sensor operably attached to the lower area of the second pad capable of sensing whether the user'"'"'s lumbar region is in contact with the second pad, a fourth sensor operably attached to the upper area of the second pad capable of sensing the distance between the user'"'"'s upper back and the upper area of the second pad and a neck-position sensor operably attached to the second pad and capable of sensing the distance between the neck-position sensor and the user'"'"'s neck. The system also includes a microprocessor operably connected to the first sensor, second sensor, third sensor, fourth sensor and neck-position sensor and capable of collecting data from each of the first sensor, second sensor, third sensor, fourth sensor and neck position sensor. The system also includes software for a personal computer, which configures the personal computer to receive the data from the microprocessor and to display the data received from the microprocessor, so that the user can utilize the ergonomic seat pad to receive feedback regarding his posture and over time, improve his posture.

Claims

1. A portable system for sensing and training a user to maintain correct posture while seated in a chair with a seat portion and a back portion comprising:

a first pad attachable to the seat portion of a chair, said first pad having a front area and a rear area;

a second pad attachable to the back portion of a chair and having a lower area and an upper area;

a first sensor located in the first pad capable of sensing that a user is seated in the seat portion of the chair;

a second sensor located in the first pad capable of sensing whether the lower posterior portion of the user'"'"'s body is in contact with the rear area of the first pad;

a third sensor operably attached to the lower area of the second pad capable of sensing whether the user'"'"'s lumbar region is in contact with the second pad;

a fourth sensor operably attached to the upper area of the second pad capable of sensing the distance between the user'"'"'s upper back and the upper area of the second pad;

a neck-position sensor operably attached to the second pad and capable of sensing the distance between the neck-position sensor and the user'"'"'s neck;

a microprocessor operably connected to the first sensor, second sensor, third sensor, fourth sensor and neck-position sensor and capable of collecting data from each of the first sensor, second sensor, third sensor, fourth sensor and neck position sensor;

a personal computer configured to receive the data from the microprocessor; and

wherein the personal computer is configured to display the data received from the microprocessor.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the personal computer is further configured to display data received from the microprocessor on a graphical user interface so that a user seated in the chair can observe the data regarding the user'"'"'s posture.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the personal computer is further configured to use the data received from the microprocessor to determine whether the user'"'"'s posture is ergonomically correct.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the personal computer is further configured such that the graphical user interface will display an indication of whether the user'"'"'s current posture is ergonomically correct.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the personal computer is further configured such that, when the user is seated in an ergonomically incorrect position, the graphical user interface will display an indication of how a user should adjust his posture in order to resume an ergonomically correct posture.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the personal computer is further configured to record data received from the microprocessor over a period of time, and further configured to record the indication of whether the user'"'"'s current posture is ergonomically correct, such that a record can be created of the user'"'"'s posture over the period of time.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the personal computer is further configured to produce an audible signal when the user has assumed an ergonomically incorrect posture.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the height of the neck-position sensor is adjustable.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the fourth sensor is an infrared sensor.

10. A portable system for sensing and training a user to maintain correct posture, during at least one training session, while the user is seated in a chair with a seat portion and a back portion comprising:

a first pad attachable to the seat portion of a chair, said first pad having a front area and a rear area;

a second pad attachable to the back portion of a chair and having a lower area and an upper area;

a first sensor located in the first pad capable of sensing that a user is seated in the seat portion of the chair;

a second sensor located in the first pad capable of sensing whether the lower posterior portion of the user'"'"'s body is in contact with the rear area of the first pad;

a third sensor operably attached to the second pad capable of sensing whether the user'"'"'s lumbar region is in contact with the second pad;

a fourth infrared sensor operably attached to the upper area of the second pad capable of sensing the distance between the user'"'"'s upper back and the fourth sensor;

a neck-position sensor operably attached to the second pad and capable of sensing the distance between the neck-position sensor and the user'"'"'s neck and wherein the height of the neck-position sensor is adjustable;

a microprocessor operably connected to the first sensor, second sensor, third sensor, fourth sensor and neck-position sensor and capable of collecting data from each of the first sensor, second sensor, third sensor, fourth sensor and neck position sensor;

a personal computer configured to receive the data from the microprocessor; and

wherein the personal computer is configured to display data received from the microprocessor on a graphical user interface so that a user seated in the chair can observe the data regarding the user'"'"'s posture;

wherein the personal computer is further configured to use the data received from the microprocessor to determine whether the user'"'"'s posture is ergonomically correct and to display an indication of whether the user'"'"'s current posture is ergonomically correct, and when the user is seated in an ergonomically incorrect position, to produce an audible signal and display on the graphical user interface an indication of how a user should adjust his posture in order to resume an ergonomically correct posture;

wherein the personal computer is further configured to record data received from the microprocessor during the at least one training session, and further configured to record the indication of whether the user'"'"'s current posture is ergonomically correct, such that a record can be created of the user'"'"'s posture over the period of time of the at least one training session; and

wherein the personal computer is further configured to be capable of separately saving the data created during the course of multiple different training sessions by the same user.

11. A method for training a user to maintain correct posture while seated in a chair with a seat portion and a back portion, using an ergonomic chair pad with one or more position sensors, a microprocessor for collecting data from the one or more position sensors, operably connected to a personal computer for processing the data from the one or more position sensors and displaying the data via a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

activating the ergonomic chair pad by using a first sensor in the seat pad to detect the presence of a user seated in the chair with the ergonomic chair pad;

instructing the user to adopt an ergonomically correct posture through the graphical user interface of the personal computer;

sensing the user'"'"'s posture using the one or more sensors the ergonomic chair pad and using the microprocessor to convert signals from the one or more sensors into data;

transmitting the data to a personal computer;

determining whether the user has adopted an ergonomically correct posture;

storing the data on the personal computer;

establishing a baseline ergonomically correct posture for the user;

displaying the data via the graphical user interface shown on the personal computer screen, for observation by the user;

alerting the user, via the graphical user interface, if the user has shifted so that the user is using an ergonomically incorrect posture.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the alert to the user is provided as soon as the user has adopted an ergonomically incorrect posture.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the alert to the user is provided only when the user has adopted an ergonomically incorrect posture for at least two minutes.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining step further comprises using the graphical user interface to request that the user indicate when the user has adopted an ergonomically correct posture and waiting for the user to provide said indication via an input to the personal computer.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

instructing the user, via the graphical user interface, if the user has shifted so that the user is using an ergonomically incorrect posture, how the user should move in order to reestablish an ergonomically correct posture.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

prompting the user, via the graphical user interface, to enter user identification information using an input to the personal computer; and

wherein the step of storing the data on the personal computer includes storing the data in association with the user identification information.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

performing all of the above steps during at least two separate training sessions for the same user.

wherein the step of storing the data further includes storing the data for each of the at least two separate training sessions for the same user in a separately accessible record so that the data from each training session can be separately reviewed and processed.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

reviewing the data from the at least two separate training sessions of the same user to determine whether that user'"'"'s posture improved during the course of the at least two separate training sessions.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining step further comprises comparing the data to a set of previously stored correct posture data.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

prompting the user, via the graphical user interface, to enter user identification information using an input to the personal computer; and

wherein the step of storing the data on the personal computer includes storing the data in association with the user identification information;

wherein the determining step further comprises comparing the data to a set of previously stored correct posture data; and

wherein the set of previously stored correct posture data is composed of sensor data stored in association with the same user'"'"'s identification information, from previous periods of time during which the same user was seated in an ergonomically correct posture.