GROOMING SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS INCLUDING DETECTION OF HAIR-COVERED SKIN LESIONS DURING GROOMING AND INCLUDING TOPOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS

• US 20150164406A1
• Filed: 12/13/2013
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., McKnight, Gary L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,301,598 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 24/10 combined with additional devices
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0004 with a controlling means
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0036 with a lighting means, e.g. laser, bulb A46B15/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 15/0055 Brushes combined with other articles normally separate from the brushing process, e.g. combs, razors, mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/1093 Brush for use on animal A46B2200/1086 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/023 arranged like in hair brushes, e.g. hair treatment, dyeing, streaking
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0266 Optical strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0064 Body surface scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1032 Determining colour for diagnostic purposes measuring colour in general G01J3/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1072 measuring distances on the body, e.g. measuring length, height or thickness A61B5/1076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1077 Measuring of profiles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1079 using optical or photographic means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/444 Evaluating skin marks, e.g. mole, nevi, tumour, scar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 : Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 : using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 : characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/08 : Detecting organic movements or changes, e.g. tumours, cysts, swellings A61B8/02 - A61B8/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/085 : for locating body or organic structures, e.g. tumours, calculi, blood vessels, nodules
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0858 : involving measuring tissue layers, e.g. skin, interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/13 : Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4455 : Features of the external shape of the probe, e.g. ergonomic aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 : Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 : involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/488 : involving Doppler signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5223 : for extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data for algorithms to analyse biomedical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 : Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods are described for acquiring, among other things, lesion information from a hair or fur-covered region of a biological subject.

Claims

1. A grooming system, comprising:

a body structure including a plurality of spaced-apart projections configured to engage hair;

a sensor array operably coupled to the body structure, and configured to scan a scalp region; and

a scalp lesion morphology module operably coupled to the sensor array.

2. The grooming system of claim 1, further comprising:

an inertial navigation module operably coupled to the body structure.

3. The grooming system of claim 2, wherein the inertial navigation module includes circuitry configured to determine the location of one or more of the plurality of spaced-apart projections with respect to a scalp region location.

6. The grooming system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of spaced-apart projections include a plurality of bristles dimensioned and configured to groom hair.

8. The grooming system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of spaced-apart projections form part of the sensor array.

12. The grooming system of claim 1, wherein the sensor array includes a plurality of optical fibers dimensioned and configured to deflect during grooming responsive to contacting topographic features on a scalp.

15. The grooming system of claim 1, wherein the sensor array includes a plurality of optical fibers configured to mechanically deform and to generate an output signal responsive to contacting topographic features on a scalp during grooming.

25. The grooming system of claim 1, wherein the sensor array is operable to measure surface variations on a scalp as a function of position during grooming.

26. The grooming system of claim 25, wherein the scalp lesion morphology module is configured to store data associated with the measured surface variations by position.

29. The grooming system of claim 1, wherein the sensor array includes one or more sensor elements configured to detect skin contact;

and wherein the scalp lesion morphology module is operable to collect lesion information associated a scalp region responsive to an indication that at least one of the one or more sensor elements is in contact with the scalp region.

32. The grooming system of claim 1, wherein the scalp lesion morphology module is configured to determine a lesion rate of change responsive to a comparison of user-specific reference information to one or more inputs from the sensor array.

34. The grooming system of claim 1, wherein the scalp lesion morphology module is configured to generate cancer classification information responsive to one or more inputs from the sensor array.

36. The grooming system of claim 1, wherein the scalp lesion morphology module includes a component configured to generate lesion information.

45. The grooming system of claim 1, wherein the scalp lesion morphology module is configured to generate topographic information associated with a scalp lesion responsive to one or more inputs from the sensor array.

46. The grooming system of claim 1, wherein the scalp lesion morphology module is configured to generate infection information associated with a scalp lesion responsive to one or more inputs from the sensor array.

50. The grooming system of claim 1, wherein the scalp lesion morphology module is configured to combine measurements from the sensor array obtained at different spatial locations.

51. The grooming system of claim 1, wherein the scalp lesion morphology module is configured to generate scalp surface variation information.

52. The grooming system of claim 1, wherein the scalp lesion morphology module is configured to generate scalp topographic information.

54. The grooming system of claim 1, wherein the scalp lesion morphology module includes at least one of a receiver component, a transceiver component, and a transmitter component operable to communicate lesion information.

57. The grooming system of claim 1, wherein the scalp lesion morphology module is configured to generate one or more of a tactile, an audible, and a visual response indicative of a user instruction.

59. The grooming system of claim 1, wherein the scalp lesion morphology module is configured to generate one or more of a tactile, an audible, or a visual response indicative of a user instruction to groom region using a different imaging modality.

60. The grooming system of claim 1, further comprising:

a scalp lesion dielectric module.

61. The grooming system of claim 1, further comprising:

a scalp lesion imaging module.

62. The grooming system of claim 1, further comprising:

a scalp lesion ultrasound imaging module.

63. The grooming system of claim 1, further comprising:

a scalp examination module operably coupled to the scalp lesion morphology module.

67. The grooming system of claim 1, further comprising:

an examined region module operably coupled to one or more marker-dispenser components.

68. The grooming system of claim 67, wherein the examined region module is configured to activate release of one or more particles to mark scalp regions.

70. The grooming system of claim 67, wherein the examined region module is configured to activate release of a dye to mark scalp regions.

74. The grooming system of claim 67, wherein the one or more marker-dispenser components are operably coupled to one or more of the plurality of spaced-apart projections.

76. The grooming system of claim 67, wherein the examined region module is operable to detect a marker previously released by the marker-dispenser component.

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79. A grooming device, comprising:

a comb component including a spine having a plurality of spaced-apart teeth extending outward from the spine;

circuitry for acquiring surface variations information of a scalp lesion during grooming; and

circuitry for generating classification information associated with the scalp lesion.

80. The grooming device of claim 79, wherein the circuitry for acquiring surface variations information is operably coupled to one or more sensors forming part of at least one of the plurality of spaced-apart teeth.

82. The grooming device of claim 79, wherein the circuitry for generating classification information associated with the scalp lesion is configured to generate cancer classification information.

83. The grooming device of claim 79, wherein the circuitry for generating classification information associated with the scalp lesion is configured to generate classification information responsive to one or more inputs indicative of a lesion shape.

89. The grooming device of claim 79, further comprising:

circuitry for negotiating user-specific scalp lesion information based on at least one cryptographic protocol, encryption protocol, or decryption protocol.

90. The grooming device of claim 79, further comprising:

circuitry for communicating with a remote enterprise and to receive control command information from the remote enterprise

91. The grooming device of claim 79, further comprising:

circuitry for actuating a discovery protocol that allows the grooming device and a remote enterprise to identify each other and to negotiate one or more pre-shared keys.

92. The grooming device of claim 79, further comprising:

circuitry for actuating a discovery protocol that allows the system and a remote enterprise to identify each other and negotiate information.

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93. A method, comprising:

acquiring surface variation information of a hair-covered scalp region; and

generating scalp lesion morphology information based on acquiring surface variation information of the scalp region.

94. The method of claim 93, wherein acquiring surface variation information of the scalp region includes detecting surface variation information of a scalp region during grooming.

96. The method of claim 93, wherein acquiring surface variation information of the scalp region includes storing the detected surface variation information of a scalp region as a function of position.

97. The method of claim 93, wherein acquiring surface variation information of the scalp region includes accessing stored data associated with previously detected surface variations at the position.

98. The method of claim 93, wherein acquiring surface variation information of the scalp region includes comparing the detected surface variations with the previously detected surface variations.

99. The method of claim 93, wherein acquiring surface variation information of the scalp region includes detecting a deflection of an array of projections forming part of a grooming device.

103. The method of claim 93, wherein generating the scalp lesion morphology information includes generating classification information associated with one or more scalp lesions responsive to one or more inputs from a sensor array as a function of position during grooming.

108. The method of claim 93, wherein generating the scalp lesion morphology information includes generating lesion configuration information responsive to one or more inputs from a sensor array.

110. The method of claim 93, wherein generating the scalp lesion morphology information includes generating cancer classification information associated with a scalp lesion responsive to one or more inputs from a sensor array.

113. The method of claim 93, wherein generating the scalp lesion morphology information includes generating lesion dimension information responsive to one or more inputs from a sensor array.

118. The method of claim 93, further comprising:

releasing a marker to the scalp region.

119. The method of claim 118, further comprising:

detecting a previously released marker within the scalp region.

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