A GAIT MONITOR AND A METHOD OF MONITORING THE GAIT OF A PERSON

• US 20160263437A1
• Filed: 08/18/2015
• Published: 09/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Well Being Digital Limited
• Original Assignee: Well Being Digital Limited
• Inventors: KOW, Ping, WONG, Ming Yip Wallace
• Granted Patent: US 10,512,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0214 of power generation or supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/04 Arrangements of multiple sensors of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/40 Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• 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

Abstract

A gait monitor 100 is disclosed which has a pair of movement sensors 501, 503 configured to be placed on either side of a user'"'"'s head, preferably secured in the ears. Therefore, the movement sensors 501, 503 are each placed on both sides of the user'"'"'s body but in equal distance to the midsagittal plane of the user and can monitor the gait of the user without need of any movement sensor centrally aligned in the midsagittal plane. Furthermore, the gait monitor 100 is able to determine if the steps of the user strikes the ground in a heel strike or forefoot strike in order to help the user improve his running efficiency.

Claims

1. A gait monitor 100 comprising

a pair of movement sensors,

the pair of movement sensors configured to be worn on the left and right sides of a user respectively,

the left and right sides being opposite parts of symmetry on the body which is generally not engaged in independent movements relative one to the other.

2. A gait monitor 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the movement sensors are configured to monitor force patterns in the steps of the user.

3. A gait monitor 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein

a difference in readings between the pair of movement sensors is indicative of skew of the user'"'"'s midsagittal plane towards any one side of the body in his movements.

4. A gait monitor 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the gait monitor 100 comprises a structure suitable for being worn on the user'"'"'s head;

and

the movement sensors being arranged in the structure such that the movement sensors are positioned on the opposite sides of the user'"'"'s head when the gait monitor 100 is worn.

5. A gait monitor 100 as claimed in claim 4, wherein

the gait monitor is a spectacle frame 1500, and

the movement sensors are arranged into the temples of the spectacle frame.

6. A gait monitor 100 as claimed in claim 5, wherein

the spectacle frame 1500 comprises a visual feedback system to alert the user of poor gait.

7. A gait monitor 100 as claimed in claim 4, wherein

the movement sensors arranged in the gait monitor 100 such that each movement sensor is attached to the user'"'"'s ear when the gait monitor is worn.

8. A gait monitor 100 as claimed in anyone of claim 7, wherein

the gait monitor is a headphone or earphone.

9. A gait monitor 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the gait monitor 100 comprises processing capability to determine if the force pattern indicates that the user lands on the heel of his foot in the steps.

10. A gait monitor 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the gait monitor 100 comprises processing capability to compare the force patter of the left and right steps of the user detected by each of the pair of movement sensors.

11. A gait monitor 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the force pattern of a step of the user is disregarded if a change in vertical force component in the step is accompanied by a concurrent change in the force component lateral to the user.

12. A gait monitor 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the force pattern of a step of the user is disregarded if a change in vertical force component in the step is accompanied by a concurrent change in the force component along the forward and backward direction to the user.

19. A gait monitor 100 as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gait monitor 100 comprises a headphone suitable for being worn on the user'"'"'s head, the headphone comprising

two earpieces;

the ear pieces each installed with a movement sensor for detecting the force patter of the steps of the wearer of the headphone.

20. A gait monitor 100 as claimed in claim 19, further comprising

processing capability for comparing the force patterns of the left and right steps of the wearer of the headphone to determine if the user has a balanced gait about the midsagittal plane of the user.

21. A gait monitor 100 as claimed in claim 19, further comprising

processing capability for analysis the force pattern of the steps of the wearer of the headphone to determine if the user has a heel strike or forefoot strike landing pattern.

22. A gait monitor as claimed in claim 1, wherein each one of the pair of movement sensors is configured to be placed apart from the other to monitor the difference in movement detected by each of the movement sensors;

wherein the difference is useable an indication of the device being tilted.

23. The gait monitor of claim 22 wherein the movement sensors are powered by energy harvested from a person wearing the device.

24. The gait monitor of claim 22, wherein the gait monitor has a screen that is capable of being strapped to the wrist of a user, wherein the screen displays a pre-determined type of information when the tilt of the screen is generally level to the ground.

25. The gait monitor of claim 22, wherein the device may prevent the same information from being displayed on the screen if the screen is detected to be generally perpendicular to the ground.

26. The gait monitor of claim 22 wherein two or more movement sensors are arranged about the edge of the surface of the gait monitor.

27. The gate monitor of claim 22, wherein a movement sensor is placed centrally in the plane of the device surface monitored for tilt.

13. A method of monitoring the gait of a person, comprising the steps of:

attaching a first movement sensor to the left side of the person and

attaching a second movement sensor on the corresponding right side of the person, such that the first and second movement sensors are equidistance to the midsagittal plane of the person;

the left and right sides being opposite parts of symmetry on the body which is generally not engaged in independent movements relative one to the other; and

monitoring each foot of the person using the movement sensor on the respective side of the person to obtain force patter of the steps of each foot.

14. A method of monitoring the gait of a person as claimed in claim 13, wherein

each movement sensor is attached to the respective ear of the person.

15. A method of monitoring the gait of a person as claimed in claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

determining that the force pattern shows that the person lands on the ground by a heel strike; and

indicating to the person that the force pattern shows that the person lands on the ground by a heel strike.

16. A method of monitoring the gait of a person as claimed in claim 13, comprising the steps of:

comparing the force pattern of the steps of both feet to determine if the use of force is imbalanced between both feet.

17. A method of monitoring the gait of a person as claimed in claim 13, comprising the steps of:

disregarding the force patter of a step of either foot when the force components indicate the force pattern to be affected by nodding of the head of the person.

18. A method of monitoring the gait of a person as claimed in claim 13, comprising the steps of:

disregarding the force pattern of a step of either foot when the force components indicate the force patter to be affected by sidewise tilting of the head or swaying of the person.