Skin Elasticity Measurement

• US 20120215134A1
• Filed: 05/01/2012
• Published: 08/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alexander Isakov, Nicholas Hunter-Jones
• Original Assignee: Alexander Isakov, Nicholas Hunter-Jones
• Inventors: Hunter-Jones, Nicholas, Isakov, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 10,123,733 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/587
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0055 by applying suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/442 Evaluating skin mechanical properties, e.g. elasticity, hardness, texture, wrinkle assessment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4875 Hydration status, fluid retention of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/68 Arrangements of detecting, measuring or recording means, e.g. sensors, in relation to patient

Abstract

A method of measuring a characteristic of a skin, including varying an air pressure in a chamber positioned adjacent to a skin, in which the chamber has an opening that exposes the skin to changes in the air pressure in the chamber. A plurality of measurements of surface profiles of the skin are made over a period of time as the surface profile of the skin varies in response to changes in the air pressure.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

varying an air pressure in a chamber positioned adjacent to a skin, the chamber having an opening that exposes the skin to changes in the air pressure in the chamber;

making a plurality of measurements of a level of a surface of the skin over a period of time as the surface of the skin rises or falls in response to changes in the air pressure in the chamber, including

identifying a highest point of the skin surface, and

determining how the highest point of the skin changes over time in response to the changes in the air pressure in the chamber; and

using information about how the highest point of the skin changes over time in response to the changes in the air pressure in the chamber to determine an elasticity of the skin.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein measuring the level of the surface of the skin comprises using a linear potential meter to measure the level of the surface of the skin.

3. The method of claim 2 in which using the linear potential meter to measure the level of the surface of the skin comprises using the linear potential meter to measure a height of an object attached to the surface of the skin.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein measuring the level of the surface of the skin comprises using a Hall sensor to measure a magnetic field generated by a magnet attached to the surface of the skin.

5. The method of claim 4 in which using the Hall sensor to measure the level of the surface of the skin comprises using the Hall sensor to measure a height of a magnetic disk attached to the surface of the skin.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising calibrating the Hall sensor by using the Hall sensor to measure changes in a magnetic field due to changes in the position of the magnetic disk and generating a calibration table to correlate the output of the Hall sensor to a corresponding skin displacement.

7. The method of claim 1 in which measuring the level of the surface of the skin comprises using a pair of Hall sensors to measure the level of the surface of the skin, the pair of Hall sensors being positioned at an angle relative to each other.

8. The method of claim 1 in which varying the air pressure in the chamber comprises abruptly increasing the air pressure from a preset low-pressure level to an atmospheric pressure.

9. The method of claim 8 in which making a plurality of measurements of the level of the surface of the skin comprises determining the amount of time for the highest point of the skin to drop to a predetermined height.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising determining the elasticity of the skin based on the amount of time for the highest point of the skin to reach the predetermined height.

11. The method of claim 8 in which making a plurality of measurements of the level of the surface of the skin comprises determining the amount of change in the height of the highest point of the skin after a predetermined period of time.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising determining the elasticity of the skin based on the amount of change in the height of the highest point of the skin after the predetermined period of time.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an indication of a likelihood of dehydration of a person or an animal based on the elasticity of the skin.

14. An apparatus for measuring a characteristic of a skin, the apparatus comprising:

a chamber to be positioned adjacent to a skin, the chamber defining an opening that exposes the skin to changes in an air pressure in the chamber;

a pump to vary the air pressure in the chamber;

a sensor configured to measure a highest point of a surface of the skin in the chamber over a period of time as the surface of the skin in the chamber rises or falls in response to changes in the air pressure in the chamber; and

a data processor configured to analyze the measurements and determine how the highest point of the skin surface changes over time in response to the changes in the air pressure in the chamber.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the sensor comprises a linear potential meter to measure the level of the surface of the skin.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the sensor comprises a Hall sensor to measure a magnetic field generated by a magnet attached to the surface of the skin.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, comprising a storage device to store a calibration table having information for correlating an output of the Hall sensor to a corresponding skin displacement.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the sensor comprises a pair of Hall sensors, positioned at an angle relative each other, to measure a magnetic field generated by a magnet attached to the surface of the skin.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, comprising a storage device to store a calibration table having information for correlating an output of the Hall sensors to a corresponding skin displacement.

20. An apparatus for measuring a characteristic of a skin, the apparatus comprising:

a chamber to be positioned adjacent to a skin, the chamber defining an opening that exposes the skin to changes in an air pressure in the chamber;

means for varying the air pressure in the chamber;

means for measuring a highest point of a surface of the skin in the chamber over a period of time as the surface of the skin in the chamber rises or falls in response to changes in the air pressure in the chamber; and

means for analyzing the measurements and determining how the highest point of the skin surface changes over time in response to the changes in the air pressure in the chamber.