SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING SAFETY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF PHYSICAL TASKS

• US 20170245806A1
• Filed: 05/12/2017
• Published: 08/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: One Million Metrics Corp.
• Original Assignee: One Million Metrics Corp.
• Inventors: Elhawary, Haytham, Bansal, Aditya, Janoos, Firdaus, Youssry, Selim, Ruiz de Villa, Enrique
• Granted Patent: US 10,674,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/20 Workers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0223 of calibration, e.g. protocols for calibrating sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1121 Determining geometric values, e.g. centre of rotation or angular range of movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1122 of movement trajectories
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

Methods and systems for monitoring workplace safety and evaluating risks is provided, the method comprising receiving signals from at least one wearable device, identifying portions of the signals corresponding to physical activities, excerpting the portions of the signals corresponding to the physical activities, and calculating risk metrics based on measurements extracted from the excerpted portions of the signals, the risk metric indicative of high risk lifting activities.

Claims

1. A computer-based method for calibrating a wearable device comprising:

determining that an actual physical posture of a user wearing the wearable device corresponds to a known physical posture;

receiving, at a processor, a first signal from the wearable device generated from dynamic activity of the wearable device over time;

initiating a calibration sequence, the calibration sequence including excerpting a calibration window of the first signal and recording, at a memory, offsets in the first signal relative to physical characteristics corresponding to the known physical posture;

incorporating the offsets into an adjusted first signal;

identifying, in a portion of the adjusted first signal following the calibration window, a signal segment corresponding to a physical activity; and

identifying the physical activity based on the signal segment.

2. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein the physical activity is a lifting activity performed by the user of the wearable device and the method further comprises calculating a risk metric from a risk model based on the signal segment, the risk metric being indicative of high risk physical activity.

3. The computer-based method of claim 2, wherein the identifying of the signal segment is by identifying an initiation time for the lifting activity performed by the wearer of the wearable device, and excerpting the signal segment corresponding to a time period after the initiation time.

4. The computer-based method of claim 3, further comprising determining a conclusion time for the lifting activity and repeating the method to identify a plurality of lifting activities over an evaluation period.

5. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein the determining that an actual physical posture of the user wearing the wearable device corresponds to a known physical posture comprises:

providing the user with the wearable device;

monitoring a clip of the wearable device; and

confirming the closure of the clip,

wherein the device is applied to a user while the user is in a known physical posture.

6. The computer-based method of claim 5, wherein the confirming of the closure of the clip is by registering the closure with a magnetic field sensor.

7. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein the determining that an actual physical posture of a user wearing the wearable device corresponds to a known physical posture comprises recording an indication by a user that the user is in a predetermined physical posture or by instructing the user to conform to an initial posture and indicate the assumption of that initial posture.

8. The computer-based method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying, in the adjusted first signal, a signal segment corresponding to a known category of calibration error;

identifying, in the adjusted first signal, a signal segment corresponding to a known activity incorporating the known category of calibration error; and

initiating the calibration sequence.

9. The computer-based method of claim 8, wherein, the known category of calibration error is a rotated device and the known activity is a user walking.

10. The computer-based method of claim 1, further comprising identifying, in the first signal, a calibration signal segment corresponding to an expected pattern for a calibration activity;

and

identifying a device location relative to the user based on a variance between the calibration signal segment and the expected pattern.

11. The computer-based method of claim 10, wherein the device location is a side of the body or a height relative to a user'"'"'s hips.

12. A computer-based method for identifying risk during lifting activities comprising:

receiving a first signal from a wearable device generated from dynamic activity of the first device over time;

identifying, from the first signal, an initiation time for a physical activity performed by a wearer of the wearable device;

excerpting a first signal segment from the first signal for a time period following the initiation time for the physical activity;

calculating measurements of the wearer for the time period during the physical activity from the first signal segment; and

calculating a risk metric from a risk model based on the measurements of the wearer for the time period during the physical activity, the risk metric being indicative of high risk lifting activity.

13. The computer-based method of claim 12 further comprising determining a conclusion time for the physical activity and repeating the method to identify a plurality of physical activities over an evaluation period, wherein the excerpted first signal segment is for the time period following the initiation time and prior to the conclusion time for the physical activity.

14. The computer-based method of claim 13 further comprising calculating a cumulative risk metric indicative of high risk physical activity over time and outputting feedback indicative of a high risk when the cumulative risk metric is above a threshold level.

15. The computer-based method of claim 12 wherein the wearable device is mounted at a user'"'"'s hip, and the measurements calculated include measurements of a user'"'"'s back inferred from movement of the user'"'"'s hip detected by the wearable device.

16. The computer based method of claim 15 wherein the movement of the user'"'"'s hip is detected by an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and an altimeter.

17. The computer-based method of claim 12 wherein the physical activity is a user jumping off of a raised surface, and wherein the identification of the initiation time of the first signal segment is by observing acceleration in the vertical direction and a change in height.

18. The computer-based method of claim 12 wherein the physical activity is a user falling, and wherein the identification of the initiation time of the first signal segment is by observing acceleration and angular velocity.

19. The computer-based method of claim 12 wherein the wearable device has a communication interface for transmitting a wireless signal comprising the measurements of the wearer for the time period during the physical activity and an identification of the wearer, and wherein a second wearable device has a communication interface for receiving the wireless signal, the method further comprising:

transmitting, by the wearable device, the wireless signal to the second wearable device, and

transmitting, by the second wearable device, the wireless signal to a server.

20. A computer-based method for enforcing safety rules comprising:

receiving, at a processor, a first signal from a wearable device indicative of dynamic activity of the first device over time;

identifying, in the first signal, a signal segment corresponding to one of several expected physical activities; and

determining that the physical activity to which the signal segment corresponds requires a specified item of safety equipment;

determining the presence of a specified item of safety equipment; and

triggering an alert to a third party in the absence of the specified item of safety equipment.

21. The computer-based method of claim 20 further comprising receiving a signal, at the processor, confirming the presence of the specified item of safety equipment and wherein the signal further indicates that the item of safety equipment is properly installed.

22. The computer-based method of claim 20 further comprising identifying the presence of a piece of industrial equipment and selecting the several expected physical activities and the specified item of safety equipment based on the piece of industrial equipment.

23. The computer-based method of claim 20 further comprising identifying a user wearing the wearable device, and selecting the several expected physical activities and the specified item of safety equipment based on the piece of industrial equipment based on physical activities expected to be performed by that user.

24. The computer-based method of claim 20 wherein the signal segment indicates that a user is at a high altitude and the specified item of safety equipment is a harness or a hardhat.

25. A system for enforcing safety rules comprising:

a wearable device for transmitting an activation key; and

a piece of equipment to be activated upon receipt of the activation key;

wherein use of the piece of equipment requires an item of safety equipment or a safety certification, and

wherein the wearable device transmits the activation key only if the presence of the item of safety equipment or safety certification is confirmed.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the item of safety equipment transmits a first signal, and wherein the wearable device transmits the activation key upon receipt of the first signal.

27. A system for ensuring safety of workers in an environment, the system comprising:

a first wearable device having a first and second communication interface;

a plurality of secondary devices each containing an environmental sensor and a transmitter for transmitting a wireless signal containing environmental data;

a server; and

a database associated with the server,

wherein the wearable device is configured to;

receive the wireless signal of a first of the plurality of secondary devices at the first communication interface when the wearable device is within range of the corresponding secondary device;

transmit a secondary wireless signal comprising the environmental data and an identification of the corresponding secondary device to the server or a second wearable device at the second communication interface; and

wherein the server is configured to record the environmental data with the identification of the corresponding secondary device in the database upon receipt of the secondary wireless signal.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the wearable device is further configured to receive the wireless signal of a second of the plurality of secondary devices at the first communication interface when the wearable device is within range of the corresponding second secondary device and transmit the secondary wireless signal comprising the environmental data and an identification of the corresponding second secondary device to the server or the second wearable device at the second communication interface, and

wherein the server records the environmental data with the identification of the corresponding second secondary device in the database upon receipt of the secondary wireless signal, and

wherein the server triggers an alert when the environmental data recorded differs from expected environmental data corresponding to a particular secondary device.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the environmental data is temperature, humidity, or gas level.

30. A computer-based method for evaluating efficiency of workers comprising:

receiving, at a processor, a first signal from a wearable device indicative of physical characteristics of the first device over time;

identifying, in the first signal, a plurality of signal segment corresponding to at least one of several expected physical activities;

correlating each of the plurality of signal segments with a corresponding physical activity; and

generating a log of physical activity performed by a user wearing the wearable device.

31. The computer-based method of claim 30 further comprising:

receiving, at the processor, an indication of a location of the wearable device;

selecting the several expected physical activities based on physical activities expected at the location of the wearable device.

32. The computer-based method of claim 30 further comprising:

receiving, at the processor, an indication of a location of the wearable device;

receiving, at the processor, an indication of a location of a second wearable device associated with a second user or a location of a piece of equipment;

triggering an alert when the location of the wearable device is within a threshold distance of the location of the second wearable device or the piece of equipment.

33. The computer-based method of claim 30 further comprising:

receiving, at the processor, an indication of a location of the wearable device;

identifying a permissible location within which the user is permitted to travel;

triggering an alert when the location of the wearable device is outside the permissible location.