Self-contained real-time gait therapy device

• US 7,648,441 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2004
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Silk, Jeffrey E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Richaman; Glenn
• Application Number:
  US10/986,557
• Publication Number:
  US 20060100546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,896 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 482/51, 482/54, 482/74, 482900-902, 434/247, 600/481, 600/546, 600/587, 600/595, 600/592, 702/160
• US Class Current: 482/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1038 Measuring plantar pressure during gait
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7415 Sound rendering of measured values, e.g. by pitch or volume variation A61B5/741 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/90 Ergometer with feedback to load or with feedback comparison

Abstract

A self-contained, real-time self-use gait therapy device with a gait sensor, actuator, output speaker, and battery receptacle enclosed in a component case with a belt clip. Based upon step duration, step impact force, or step form data generated by the gait sensor, the actuator drives the speaker, producing beeps on a real-time basis with the pitch of each beep being a function of the step duration, step impact force, or step form for each step of the user. The speaker output is monitored and used by the user on a real-time basis to modify and improve his or her gait.

Claims

1. Self-contained, portable, real-time gait therapy device attachable to the body of a user or to clothing or accessories worn by the user for self-use by the user comprising:

a) gait sensor for sensing the impact or form of successive steps of the user;

b) real-time actuator in communication with the gait sensor for determining the real-time differences between left step and right step duration, left step and right step impact force, or left step and right step form;

c) output element in communication with the real-time actuator for providing a real-time output signal to the user based upon the real-time differences between left step and right step duration, left step and right step impact force, or left step and right step form;

d) one or more power supplies, the gait sensor, the real-time actuator, and the output element respectively being connected to one or more of the power supplies; and

e) component case attachable to the body of the user or to clothing or accessories worn by the user, the component case housing the gait sensor, the real-time actuator, the output element, and the power supplies.

2. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the gait sensor comprises a reed switch.

3. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the gait sensor comprises a vibration sensor.

4. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the gait sensor comprises an accelerometer.

5. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the gait sensor comprises a gyroscopic sensor.

6. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the actuator comprises a printed circuit board with a microprocessor for generating the actuator signal, the gait sensor and the output element being connected to the circuit board, the power supply being connected to the gait sensor, the actuator and the output element through the circuit board.

7. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the actuator further comprises a timing element.

8. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the output element comprises one or more speakers.

9. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the output element comprises an annunciator.

10. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the output element comprises a light bar.

11. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the output element comprises an LCD display.

12. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the output element comprises one or more output jacks.

13. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 further comprising data download means.

14. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a data download port.

15. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the component case further comprises an attachment clip.

16. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 further comprising an attachment means for attaching the component case to the clothing, belt or body of the user.

17. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the power supply comprises a battery receptacle for one or more batteries.

18. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the power supply is a rechargeable battery pack with a recharge jack mounted in the component case.

19. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the actuator includes means for determining the step duration for successive left steps and successive right steps of the user and the actuator signal is a function of the step duration of the successive left steps and right steps.

20. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the actuator includes means for determining the step duration for successive left steps and successive right steps of the user and the actuator signal for each step is a function of the ratio of the step duration for the step to the step duration for the previous step.

21. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the actuator includes means for determining the step impact force for successive left steps and successive right steps of the user and the actuator signal for each step is a function of the step impact force for the step.

22. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the actuator includes means for determining the step impact force for successive left steps and successive right steps of the user and the actuator signal for each step is a function of the ratio of the step impact force for the step to the step impact force for the previous step.

23. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the actuator includes means for determining the step rotation for successive left steps and successive right steps of the user and the actuator signal for each step is a function of the step rotation for the step.

24. Self-contained, real-time gait therapy device as recited in claim 1 wherein the actuator includes means for determining the step rotation for successive left steps and successive right steps of the user and the actuator signal for each step is a function of the ratio of the step rotation for the step to the step rotation of the previous step.

25. Self-contained, portable, real-time gait therapy device attachable to the body of a user or to clothing or accessories worn by the user for self-use by the user comprising:

a) sensing means for generating a sensor signal of real-time left step and right step impact or left step and right step form data for the user;

b) actuator means for receiving the sensor signal from the sensing means and generating a real-time actuator signal which is a function of the real-time differences between left step and right step duration, left step and right step impact force, or left step and right step form;

c) output means for receiving the actuator signal and producing a real-time sensory output to the user from the actuator signal, the sensory output being a function of the real-time differences between left step and right step duration, left step and right step impact force, or left step and right step form of the user;

d) power supply means for the gait sensor, the output element and the actuator; and

e) component case attachable to the body of the user or to clothing or accessories worn by the user for housing the sensing means, the actuator means, the output means, and the power supply means.