WEARABLE GAIT MONITORING APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20160066820A1
• Filed: 11/21/2014
• Published: 03/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beijing Zitiao Network Technology Company Limited (ByteDance Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Vision Service Plan (VSP Global, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sales, Jay William, Klosinski, Richard Chester Jr., Workman, Matthew Allen, Murphy, Meghan Kathleen, Steen, Matthew David
• Granted Patent: US 10,448,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0475 Special features of memory means, e.g. removable memory cards
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0223 Magnetic field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0257 Proximity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/00 Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence; image processing per se G06T; details of algorithms for analysing medical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/112 for measuring diameter of pupils
• 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 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1032 Determining colour for diagnostic purposes measuring colour in general G01J3/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1103 Detecting eye twinkling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1128 using image analysis A61B5/1127 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/117 : Identification of persons methods or arrangements for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints, G06F18/00, G06V40/00; identification of persons by analysing their voice or speech G10L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1176 : Recognition of faces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 : Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 : Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 : Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 : Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4076 : Diagnosing or monitoring particular conditions of the nervous system A61B5/4821, A61B5/4824 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4266 : sweat secretion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/443 : Evaluating skin constituents, e.g. elastin, melanin, water
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 : Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4884 : inducing physiological or psychological stress, e.g. applications for stress testing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 : Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 : using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 : Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 : Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 : Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/76 : Means for assembling, fitting or testing prostheses, e.g. for measuring or balancing, e.g. alignment means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7695 : Means for testing non-implantable prostheses for testing implantable prostheses A61F2240/008; for implanting artificial joints A61F2/468
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 : Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/22 : Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 : communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2218/00 : Aspects of pattern recognition specially adapted for signal processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 : Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/18 : Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/19 : Sensors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/197 : Matching; Classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/25 : Recognition of walking or running movements, e.g. gait recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 : using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/02 : Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0423 : detecting deviation from an expected pattern of behaviour or schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0461 : integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0476 : Cameras to detect unsafe condition, e.g. video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0092 : Nutrition
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 : Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 : with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 : relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 : for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 : using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231

Abstract

A system, according to various embodiments, includes eyewear (or any other suitable wearable device) that includes one or more sensors (e.g., one or more accelerometers, magnetometers, position sensors, gyroscopes, and/or other suitable sensors) that may be used to monitor the gait of an individual (e.g., by monitoring the movement of the user'"'"'s head, or other portions of the user'"'"'s body, as the user ambulates). The system may further include one or more suitable computing devices for analyzing the individual'"'"'s gait. This information may then be used, for example, to: (1) identify one or more medical conditions associated with the individual; (2) assess the fit of a prosthetic device worn by the individual, and/or (3) assess an individual'"'"'s recovery from a particular injury or medical procedure.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:

receiving information obtained from at least one sensor worn adjacent the individual'"'"'s head;

using the information to assess the gait of the individual;

analyzing the assessed gait to determine whether the assessed gait includes one or more particular gait patterns that are associated with a particular medical condition; and

in response to determining that the assessed gait includes the one or more gait patterns, generating an alert that the individual may have the particular medical condition.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is embedded into a pair of glasses worn by the individual.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, wherein the at least one sensor is a gyroscope.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the step of using the information to assess the gait of the individual comprises:

using the information to assess one or more movements of the individual'"'"'s head as the individual ambulates; and

using the one or more movements of the individual'"'"'s head to assess the gait of the individual.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing the assessed gait to determine whether the assessed gait includes one or more particular gait patterns that are associated with a particular medical condition comprises:

using the information to assess one or more movements of the individual'"'"'s head as the individual ambulates; and

comparing the one or more movements of the individual'"'"'s head with one or more head movements that are associated with the particular medical condition; and

at least partially in response to determining that the one or more movements of the individual'"'"'s head are at least similar to one or more head movements that are associated with the particular medical condition, determining that the assessed gait includes one or more particular gait patterns that are associated with the particular medical condition.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more gait patterns is foot drop.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the particular medical condition is a medical condition selected from a group consisting of:

stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Charcot Marie Tooth disease, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, hereditary spastic paraplegia, and Friedrich'"'"'s ataxia.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more gait patterns is propulsive gait.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the particular medical condition is a medical condition selected from a group consisting of:

carbon monoxide poisoning, manganese poisoning, and Parkinson'"'"'s disease.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more gait patterns is waddling gait.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the particular medical condition is a medical condition selected from a group consisting of:

congenital hip dysplasia, muscular dystrophy, and spinal muscle atrophy.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the step of analyzing the assessed gait to determine whether the assessed gait includes one or more particular gait patterns that are associated with a particular medical condition comprises:

comparing one or more particular gait patterns from the assessed gait of the individual with the one or more gait patterns that are associated with the particular medical condition; and

in response to determining that the one or more particular gait patterns are at least substantially similar to the one or more gait patterns that are associated with the particular medical condition, determining that the assessed gait includes one or more particular gait patterns that are associated with a particular medical condition.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the step of comparing one or more particular gait patterns from the assessed gait of the individual with the one or more gait patterns that are associated with the particular medical condition comprises comparing one or more relative peaks in linear acceleration associated with the assessed gait of the individual with one or more relative peaks in linear acceleration of the one or more gait patterns that are associated with the particular medical condition.

14. A method of monitoring the proper fit of a prosthesis on an individual, said method comprising:

receiving information obtained from at least one sensor worn adjacent the individual'"'"'s head;

using the information to assess the gait of the individual;

analyzing the assessed gait to determine whether the assessed gait includes one or more gait patterns that are consistent with an improper fit of the prosthesis; and

in response to determining that the assessed gait includes the one or more gait patterns, generating an alert that the prosthesis may fit the individual improperly.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the prosthesis comprises a prosthetic limb.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one sensor is embedded into a pair of glasses worn by the individual

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the prosthesis comprises a prosthetic foot.

18. A system for monitoring the gait of an individual, said system comprising:

a pair of glasses comprising one or more sensors for assessing the gait of the individual;

a computer system comprising a processor, the computer system being configured for;

analyzing the assessed gait to determine whether the assessed gait includes one or more gait patterns that are consistent with a particular medical state of an individual; and

in response to determining that the assessed gait includes the one or more gait patterns, generating an alert that communicates the particular medical state.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the particular medical state includes an indication of the level of an individual'"'"'s recovery from a medical procedure.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the particular medical state includes an indication of the level of an individual'"'"'s recovery from a particular injury.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the step of analyzing the assessed gait to determine whether the assessed gait includes one or more particular gait patterns that are consistent with a particular medical state of an individual comprises:

using the information to assess one or more movements of the individual'"'"'s head as the individual ambulates; and

comparing the one or more movements of the individual'"'"'s head with one or more head movements that are consistent with a particular medical state of an individual; and

at least partially in response to determining that the one or more movements of the individual'"'"'s head are consistent with the particular medical state, determining that the assessed gait includes one or more particular gait patterns that are consistent with the particular medical state.