System and method of monitoring and modifying human activity-based behavior
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of modifying an activity level of a subject, said subject being one of a human being and a primate, comprising the steps of:
- detecting a level of physical movement of a subject;
measuring an intensity of physical movement of the subject, said intensity of physical movement being based on the detected level of physical movement, said measuring beginning at the start of, and being reset at the end of, an epoch, such that a measurement of intensity is produced for each epoch, wherein said epoch is a predetermined period of time which is continuously repeated;
determining whether an epoch intensity measurement crosses an epoch threshold;
sending, if the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold, an epoch feedback signal to one of the subject, a supervisor, and both the subject and the supervisor, where said epoch feedback signal is proportional to an amount that the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold;
recording the epoch intensity measurement at the end of each epoch; and
calculating a session intensity measurement based on the recorded epoch intensity measurements.
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Abstract
A system and method for monitoring the activity level of one or more individuals and modifying the behavior of those individuals based on feedback from the activity level monitoring is disclosed. When applying the system and method to hyperactive children in a classroom environment, an activity monitor is attached to each hyperactive child. The activity monitor determines the intensity of the subject'"'"'s activity at the end of each epoch (approximately every 5 seconds), stores the determined intensity, and compares the determined intensity to an epoch threshold. If the determined intensity exceeds the epoch threshold, the hyperactive child is given vibrotactile feedback by the attached activity monitor. The length of time that the vibrotactile feedback is applied is proportional to the amount the determined epoch intensity exceeds the epoch threshold. When the hyperactive child presses a button on the activity monitor to thereby request session feedback, the session intensity is compared to two different session thresholds, and one of three LEDs on the activity monitor is lit up, depending on where the session intensity is in comparison to the two session thresholds. A base station, either a simple hand-held device or a more complicated desk-top device, is under the control of the teacher and has a wireless communication link with the activity monitors so that information may be downloaded and the activity monitors may be controlled.
197 Citations
62 Claims
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1. A method of modifying an activity level of a subject, said subject being one of a human being and a primate, comprising the steps of:
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detecting a level of physical movement of a subject;
measuring an intensity of physical movement of the subject, said intensity of physical movement being based on the detected level of physical movement, said measuring beginning at the start of, and being reset at the end of, an epoch, such that a measurement of intensity is produced for each epoch, wherein said epoch is a predetermined period of time which is continuously repeated;
determining whether an epoch intensity measurement crosses an epoch threshold;
sending, if the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold, an epoch feedback signal to one of the subject, a supervisor, and both the subject and the supervisor, where said epoch feedback signal is proportional to an amount that the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold;
recording the epoch intensity measurement at the end of each epoch; and
calculating a session intensity measurement based on the recorded epoch intensity measurements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
detecting a level of acceleration of the subject.
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3. The activity level modification method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting the level of physical movement of the subject is performed by a motion sensor in an activity monitor which is physically attached to the subject.
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4. The activity level modification method of claim 3, wherein the motion sensor comprises one of a solid state accelerometer, a mercury switch, an optical sensor, and a pair of piezoelectric bimorph beams.
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5. The activity level modification method of claim 1, wherein the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold by one of being greater than the epoch threshold and being less than the epoch threshold.
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11. The activity level modification method of claim 1, wherein the calculating the session intensity measurement comprises the step of:
calculating a session intensity measurement from an average of recorded epoch intensity measurements.
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12. The activity level modification method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
determining the relationship of the calculated session intensity measurement to a session threshold.
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13. The activity level modification method of claim 12, wherein the determined relationship of the calculated session intensity measurement to the session threshold is one of an amount by which the calculated session intensity measurement is in excess of the session threshold and an amount by which the calculated session intensity measurement is short of the session threshold.
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14. The activity level modification method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:
sending, if the session intensity measurement crosses a session threshold, a session feedback signal to one of the subject, a supervisor, and both the subject and the supervisor.
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15. The activity level modification method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:
sending a session feedback signal to one of the subject, a supervisor, and both the subject and the supervisor, where said session feedback signal is proportional to the determined relationship of the calculated session intensity measurement to the session threshold.
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16. The activity level modification method of claim 1, wherein the step of calculating a session intensity measurement is performed when a session intensity measurement request is received.
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17. The activity level modification method of claim 16, wherein the session intensity measurement request is generated by input from one of the subject and a supervisor.
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18. The activity level modification method of claim 1, wherein the epoch feedback signal comprises one of vibrotactile feedback, audio feedback, and visual feedback.
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19. The activity level modification method of claim 1, wherein one of a length of time of the epoch feedback signal and an amplitude of the epoch feedback signal is proportional to the amount that the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold.
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20. The activity level modification method of claim 1, wherein, before the determining and sending steps, said method further comprises the steps of:
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measuring the intensity of physical movement of the subject human being over at least one epoch;
recording the measured intensity of physical movement of the subject human being at the end of each epoch of the at least one epoch;
calculating an average intensity of physical movement of the subject human being, said average intensity of physical movement being an average of the recorded measured intensities; and
setting the epoch threshold equal to the calculated average intensity.
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6. A method of modifying an activity level of a subject, said subject being one of a human being and a primate, comprising the steps of:
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detecting a level of physical movement of a subject;
measuring an intensity of physical movement of the subject, said intensity of physical movement being based on the detected level of physical movement, said measuring beginning at the start of, and being reset at the end of, an epoch, such that a measurement of intensity is produced for each epoch, wherein said epoch is a predetermined period of time which is continuously repeated;
determining whether an epoch intensity measurement crosses an epoch threshold; and
sending, if the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold, an epoch feedback signal to one of a subject, a supervisor, and both the subject and the supervisor, where said epoch feedback signal is proportional to an amount that the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold;
wherein the intensity of physical movement in a graph of the detected of the detected level of physical movement over time is defined by a line in the graph representing a physical movement threshold and a line in the graph representing the detected level of physical movement. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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21. A system for modifying an activity level of a subject, said subject being one of a human being and a primate, comprising:
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a motion sensor for detecting a level of physical movement of a subject;
means for measuring an intensity of physical movement of the subject, said intensity of physical movement being based on the detected level of physical movement, said measuring beginning at the start of, and being reset at the end of, an epoch, such that a measurement of intensity is produced for each epoch, wherein said epoch is a predetermined period of time which is continuously repeated;
means for determining whether an epoch intensity measurement crosses an epoch threshold;
means for sending, if the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold, an epoch feedback signal to one of the subject, a supervisor, and both the subject and the supervisor, where said epoch feedback signal is proportional to an amount that the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold;
means for recording the epoch intensity measurement at the end of each epoch; and
means for calculating a session intensity measurement based on recorded epoch intensity measurements. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
an activity monitor which is physically attached to the subject, said activity monitor comprising said motion sensor.
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23. The activity level modification system of claim 21, wherein said motion sensor comprises:
a pair of piezoelectric bimorph beams.
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24. The activity level modification system of claim 21, wherein said motion sensor comprises one of a solid state accelerometer, a mercury switch, and an optical sensor.
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25. The activity level modification system of claim 21, further comprising:
means for recording the detected level of physical movement.
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26. The activity level modification system of claim 21, wherein the means for calculating a session intensity measurement comprises:
means for calculating a session intensity measurement as an average of recorded epoch intensity measurements.
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27. The activity level modification system of claim 21, further comprising:
means for determining the relationship of the session intensity measurement to a session threshold.
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28. The activity level modification system of claim 27, wherein the means of determining the relationship of the session intensity measurement to a session threshold further comprises:
means for determining whether the session intensity measurement crosses a session threshold.
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29. The activity level modification system of claim 21, further comprising:
means for sending a session feedback signal to one of the subject, a supervisor, and both the subject and the supervisor.
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30. The activity level modification system of claim 27, wherein the session feedback signal is proportional to the determined relationship of the session intensity measurement to a session threshold.
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31. The activity level modification system of claim 21, further comprising:
a session feedback means for receiving a session measurement request from the subject and for generating a session feedback signal to the subject, said session feedback signal corresponding to the calculated session intensity measurement.
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32. The activity level modification system of claim 31, wherein the session feedback means comprises:
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means for calculating a session intensity measurement as an average of recorded epoch intensity measurements;
means for determining the difference between the calculated session intensity measurement and a session threshold and for determining whether the calculated session intensity measurement is less than or greater than the session threshold; and
means for sending a session feedback signal to the subject human being, where said session feedback signal corresponds to a magnitude of the determined difference and whether the calculated session intensity measurement is less than or greater than the session threshold.
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33. The activity level modification system of claim 21, wherein the epoch feedback signal comprises one of vibrotactile feedback, audio feedback, and visual feedback.
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34. The activity level modification system of claim 21, wherein one of a length of time of the epoch feedback signal and an amplitude of the epoch feedback signal is proportional to the amount that the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold.
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35. The activity level modification system of claim 21, further comprising:
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means for setting the epoch threshold, said means comprising means for measuring the intensity of physical movement of the subject over at least one epoch;
means for recording the measured intensity of physical movement of the subject at the end of each epoch of the at least one epoch;
means for calculating an average intensity of physical movement of the subject, said average intensity of physical movement being an average of the recorded measured intensities; and
means for setting the epoch threshold equal to the calculated average intensity.
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36. A system for modifying an activity level of a subject, said subject being one of a human being and a primate, comprising:
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a motion sensor for detecting a level of physical movement of a subject;
an epoch feedback unit comprising;
means for measuring an intensity of physical movement of the subject, said intensity of physical movement being based on the detected level of physical movement, said measuring beginning at the start of, and being reset at the end of, an epoch, such that a measurement of intensity is produced for each epoch, wherein said epoch is a predetermined period of time which is continuously repeated;
means for determining whether an epoch intensity measurement crosses an epoch threshold; and
epoch feedback signal means for generating, if the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold, an epoch feedback signal, where said epoch feedback signal is proportional to an amount that the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold; and
a session feedback unit comprising;
means for recording the epoch intensity measurement at the end of each epoch;
means for calculating a session intensity measurement from an average of recorded epoch intensity measurements;
means for determining whether the session intensity measurement crosses a session threshold; and
session feedback signal means for generating a session feedback signal, where said epoch feedback signal is proportional to an amount that the session intensity measurement crosses the session threshold. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
an activity monitor attached to the subject, said activity monitor comprising said motion sensor, said epoch feedback unit, said session feedback unit, and further comprising;
means for producing epoch feedback which is apprehended by the subject, said epoch feedback being generated from an epoch feedback signal;
means for producing session feedback which is apprehended by the subject, said session feedback being generated from a session feedback signal.
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38. The activity level modification system of claim 37, wherein the means for producing epoch feedback comprises one of a display means for generating a visual display, a vibrating means for generating vibrotactile feedback, and an audio means for generating audio feedback.
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39. The activity level modification system of claim 37 wherein the means for producing session feedback comprises one of a display means for generating a visual display, a vibrating means for generating vibrotactile feedback, and an audio means for generating audio feedback.
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40. The activity level modification system of claim 36, wherein one of a length of time of the epoch feedback signal and an amplitude of the epoch feedback signal is proportional to the amount that the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold.
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41. The activity level modification system of claim 38, wherein the vibrating means receives a generated epoch feedback signal and generates a vibrotactile signal, where one of a length of time of said vibrotactile signal and an amplitude of said vibrotactile signal is proportional to the amount that the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold.
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42. The activity level modification system of claim 39, wherein the display means comprises a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) and wherein the generated visual display uses one of icons, numerals, images, and words to represent the amount that the session intensity measurement crosses the session threshold.
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43. The activity level modification system of claim 39, wherein the display means comprises at least one Light Emitting Diode (LED) and wherein the generated visual display uses one of color, luminosity, a number of lit LEDs of a plurality of said at least one LED, and a location of at least one lit LED of said at least one LED to represent the amount that the session intensity measurement crosses the session threshold.
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44. The activity level modification system of claim 37, further comprising:
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a communication link between an activity monitor and a base station;
said activity monitor attached to the subject, the activity monitor comprising;
means for establishing a connection to the communication link; and
a base station for downloading information from a group of activity monitors, said group of activity monitors comprising at least said activity monitor attached to the subject, the base station comprising;
means for establishing a connection with the communication link.
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45. The activity level modification system of claim 44, wherein the base station further comprises:
means for output of said downloaded information, where said output may be apprehended by a supervisor.
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46. The activity level modification system of claim 44, wherein the base station further comprises:
means for receiving input from a supervisor.
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47. The activity level modification system of claim 44, wherein the communication link comprises a wireless communication link, wherein the connection establishment means of the activity monitor comprises one of a wireless transmitter and a wireless transceiver, and wherein the connection establishment means of the base station comprises one of a wireless receiver and a wireless transceiver.
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48. The activity level modification system of claim 44, wherein the communication link comprises a wire communication link, said wire communication link comprising one of a network and a direct wire connection between connection establishment means of the activity monitor and the connection establishment means of the base station.
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49. The activity level modification system of claim 44, wherein the base station comprises one of a hand-held unit and a desk-top unit.
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50. The activity level modification system of claim 44, wherein the base station comprises a personal computer (PC).
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51. The activity level modification system of claim 44, wherein the base station further comprises:
means for controlling an activity monitor.
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52. The activity level modification system of claim 45, wherein the means for output of said downloaded information means comprises one of a vibrotactile output means, an audio output means, and a visual output means.
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53. The activity level modification system of claim 45, wherein the visual output means comprises one of a cathode ray tube (CRT), a plasma display screen, at least one Light Emitting Diode (LED), a touchscreen, and a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD).
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54. The activity level modification system of claim 53, wherein the visual output means comprises at least one LED, and the generated visual display uses one of color, luminosity, a number of lit LEDs of a plurality of said at least one LED, and a location of at least one lit LED of said at least one LED.
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55. The activity level modification system of claim 53, wherein the visual output means comprises a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) and wherein the generated visual display uses one of icons, numerals, images, and words to represent the amount that the session intensity measurement crosses the session threshold.
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56. A method of modifying an activity level of a subject, said subject being one of a human being and a primate, comprising the steps of:
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detecting a level of physical movement of a subject;
searching for a match between the detected level of physical movement and a predetermined pattern of physical movement;
sending, if there is a match between the detected level of physical movement and the predetermined pattern of physical movement, a pattern recognition feedback signal to one of the subject, a supervisor, and both the subject and the supervisor;
recording a number of times a pattern recognition feedback signal is sent during an epoch, wherein said epoch is a predetermined period of time which is continuously repeated;
determining, at an end of each epoch, whether the recorded number of times a pattern recognition feedback signal was sent during the epoch which ended crosses an epoch threshold; and
sending, if the recorded number of times a pattern recognition feedback signal was sent during the epoch which ended crosses the epoch threshold, an epoch feedback signal to the subject, where said epoch feedback signal is proportional to an amount that the recorded number of times a pattern recognition feedback signal was sent during the epoch which ended crosses the epoch threshold. - View Dependent Claims (57)
detecting a level of acceleration of the subject.
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58. A method of modifying an activity level of a subject, said subject being one of a human being and a primate, comprising the steps of:
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detecting a level of physical movement of an object;
recording the detected level of physical movement;
searching for a match between the detected level of physical movement and a predetermined pattern of physical movement by maintaining a sliding window of analysis, wherein said sliding window is a time period over which the recorded detected level of physical movement is searched for the predetermined pattern of physical movement, said sliding window sliding forward in time; and
sending, if there is a match between the detected level of physical movement and the predetermined pattern of physical movement, a pattern recognition feedback signal to one of a subject, a supervisor, and both the subject and the supervisor. - View Dependent Claims (62)
detecting a level of acceleration of the subject.
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59. A method of modifying an activity level of a subject, said subject being one of a human being and a primate, comprising the steps of:
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detecting a level of physical movement of a subject;
measuring an intensity of physical movement of the subject, said intensity of physical movement being based on the detected level of physical movement, said measuring beginning at the start of, and being reset at the end of, an epoch, such that a measurement of intensity is produced for each epoch, wherein said epoch is a predetermined period of time which is continuously repeated;
determining whether an epoch intensity measurement crosses an epoch threshold;
sending, if the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold, an epoch feedback signal to one of the subject, a supervisor, and both the subject and the supervisor;
wherein the epoch threshold is set by performing the steps of;
measuring the intensity of physical movement of the subject human being over at least one epoch;
recording the measured intensity of physical movement of the subject human being at the end of each epoch of the at least one epoch;
calculating an average intensity of physical movement of the subject human being, said average intensity of physical movement being an average of the recorded measured intensities; and
setting the epoch threshold equal to the calculated average intensity.
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60. A system for modifying an activity level of a subject, said subject being one of a human being and a primate, comprising:
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a motion sensor for detecting a level of physical movement of a subject, said motion sensor comprising a pair of piezoelectric bimorph beams;
means for measuring an intensity of physical movement of the subject, said intensity of physical movement being based on the detected level of physical movement, said measuring beginning at the start of, and being reset at the end of, an epoch, such that a measurement of intensity is produced for each epoch, wherein said epoch is a predetermined period of time which is continuously repeated;
means for determining whether an epoch intensity measurement crosses an epoch threshold; and
means for sending, if the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold, an epoch feedback signal to one of the subject, a supervisor, and both the subject and the supervisor, where said epoch feedback signal is proportional to an amount that the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold.
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61. A system for modifying an activity level of a subject, said subject being one of a human being and a primate, comprising:
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a motion sensor for detecting a level of physical movement of a subject;
means for measuring an intensity of physical movement of the subject, said intensity of physical movement being based on the detected level of physical movement, said measuring beginning at the start of, and being reset at the end of, an epoch, such that a measurement of intensity is produced for each epoch, wherein said epoch is a predetermined period of time which is continuously repeated;
means for determining whether an epoch intensity measurement crosses an epoch threshold;
means for sending, if the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold, an epoch feedback signal to one of the subject, a supervisor, and both the subject and the supervisor, where said epoch feedback signal is proportional to an amount that the epoch intensity measurement crosses the epoch threshold; and
means for setting the epoch threshold, said means comprising;
means for measuring the intensity of physical movement of the subject over at least one epoch;
means for recording the measured intensity of physical movement of the subject at the end of each epoch of the at least one epoch;
means for calculating an average intensity of physical movement of the subject, said average intensity of physical movement being an average of the recorded measured intensities; and
means for setting the epoch threshold equal to the calculated average intensity.
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Specification