Adaptive, portable, multi-sensory aid for the disabled

• US 8,494,507 B1
• Filed: 07/02/2012
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Handhold Adaptive LLC
• Original Assignee: Handhold Adaptive LLC
• Inventors: Tedesco, Daniel E., Tedesco, Robert C., Jorasch, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HTUN, SAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/540,148
• Time in Patent Office: 386 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455418-420, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 4555751-5757, 455/463, 715700-866, 345418-475, 382312-325, 434111-117, 434236-238, 704/271
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 4/00 Methods or devices enabling patients or disabled persons to operate an apparatus or a device not forming part of the body operating or control means for prostheses A61F2/48, A61F2/68
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/00 Teaching, or communicating with, the blind, deaf or mute audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04; devices or methods for replacing direct visual or auditory perception by another kind of perception A61F9/08, A61F11/04; audible indication of meter readings or of colour G01D7/12; watches for blind persons G04B25/02; speech analysis, speech recognition G10L; sound-recording or reproducing, per se G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/001 Teaching or communicating with blind persons G09B21/02 - G09B21/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/009 Teaching or communicating with deaf persons G09B21/04 takes precedence; deaf and dumb persons G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72475 specially adapted for disabled users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42391 where the subscribers are hearing-impaired persons, e.g. telephone devices for the deaf

Abstract

A mobile terminal is used to assist individuals with disabilities. The mobile terminal (e.g., a “smartphone” or other commercially available wireless handheld device) may be loaded with software. The software may be configured to: (i) receive information about a sensory deficit associated with a user, (ii) receive information about a sensory proficiency associated with the user, (iii) determine whether an event associated with a sensory deficit satisfies a criterion, and if so (iv) provide an assistive output based on a sensory proficiency and the event.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal comprising:

a plurality of sensors, wherein the plurality of sensors includes at least two sensors from a group that includes sensors operable to detect light, sound, motion, temperature, geographic location, blood glucose level, blood pressure, electrodermal skin response, or heart rate;

a user interface, wherein the user interface includes at least one of a touch-sensitive display screen, an audio speaker, and a vibration unit as a user interface component; and

a control system operatively coupled to the plurality of sensors and the user interface and adapted to;

receive profile information associated with a user of the mobile terminal, wherein the profile information is stored electronically in a database and defines;

a sensory disability associated with the user of the mobile terminal, wherein the sensory disability comprises at least one among a vision, hearing, locomotion, balance, smell, and touch disability;

a sensory proficiency associated with the user of the mobile terminal, wherein the sensory proficiency comprises a vision, hearing, or touch proficiency;

an assistive output rule, which associates the sensory disability with at least one sensor from the plurality of sensors, associates the sensory proficiency with at least one user interface component, and associates the sensory disability with the sensory proficiency, such that at least one user interface component is employed in a manner that compensates for the sensory disability; and

an event comprising a threshold criterion associated with the at least one sensor from the plurality of sensors;

compare a measurement from the at least one sensor to the threshold criterion to determine if the event has occurred; and

execute the assistive output rule by employing the at least one user interface component so as to compensate for the sensory deficit of the user such that the user perceives the event through a sense associated with the sensory proficiency and does not have to rely on a sense associated with the sensory disability to perceive the event.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a sensor positioned within a housing of the mobile terminal.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a peripheral device positioned outside of a housing of the mobile terminal.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 3 wherein the peripheral device is selected from the group consisting of:

eyeglasses, skin patch, watch, ring, microphone, headphones, and camera.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 4 wherein the peripheral device comprises a plurality of elements within the group within a single housing.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1 wherein the control system is adapted to receive the profile from a caregiver.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1 wherein the control system is further adapted to use a sensor to determine if the mobile terminal is positioned in a desired configuration and output a reminder to position the mobile terminal in the desired configuration.

8. The mobile terminal of claim 1 wherein the control system is further adapted to receive the profile information by evaluating survey responses.

9. The mobile terminal of claim 1 wherein the control system is further adapted to receive the profile information by evaluating selections made from a prepopulated list.

10. The mobile terminal of claim 1 wherein the control system is further adapted to receive the profile information by evaluating results from a diagnosis received through direct testing.

11. The mobile terminal of claim 1 wherein the assistive output uses a combination of user interface components.

12. The mobile terminal of claim 1 wherein the sensory disability comprises a hearing deficit and the sensory proficiency comprises a touch proficiency.

13. The mobile terminal of claim 12 wherein the hearing deficit comprises hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity to sound.

14. The mobile terminal of claim 1 wherein the sensory disability comprises a vision deficit and the sensory proficiency comprises a hearing proficiency.

15. The mobile terminal of claim 14 wherein the vision deficit comprises hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity to light.

16. The mobile terminal of claim 1 wherein the sensory disability comprises a balance deficit and the sensory proficiency comprises a vision proficiency.

17. The mobile terminal of claim 1 wherein the sensory disability comprises a touch deficit and the sensory proficiency comprises a hearing proficiency.