System and method for measuring balance and track motion in mammals

• US 8,626,472 B2
• Filed: 08/03/2010
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James C. Solinsky
• Original Assignee: James C. Solinsky
• Inventors: Solinsky, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): KUNDU, SUJOY K
• Application Number:
  US12/805,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20110208444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 702/141, 702/142, 702/145, 702/146, 702/150, 702/151, 702/160, 73488-490, 734/93, 735/10, 235/105
• US Class Current: 702/160
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0223 Magnetic field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1122 of movement trajectories
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/224 Measuring muscular strength
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4023 Evaluating sense of balance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4076 Diagnosing or monitoring particular conditions of the nervous system A61B5/4821, A61B5/4824 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers

Abstract

An example sensor band configured for attachment to a calf of a mammal and used in measuring track and balance motion of the mammal includes one or more first sensors for sensing muscle circumferential pressure at multiple positions; one or more second sensors for sensing Earth'"'"'s magnetic field; and one or more third sensors for sensing Earth'"'"'s gravitational field.

Claims

1. A sensor band configured for attachment to a calf of a mammal and used in measuring track and balance motion of the mammal, comprising:

one or more first sensors for sensing muscle circumferential pressure at multiple calf positions;

one or more second sensors for sensing Earth'"'"'s magnetic field; and

one or more third sensors for sensing Earth'"'"'s gravitational field.

2. The sensor band according to claim 1, wherein the first, second and third sensors are arranged on plural multi-sensor modules, each module comprising at least one of the first sensors, at least one of the second sensors and at least one of third sensors.

3. The sensor band according to claim 2, comprising eight or less multi-sensor modules.

4. The sensor band according to claim 2, wherein the first, second and third sensors are arranged on plural sensor modules.

5. The sensor band according to claim 1, further comprising electronic control and data processing circuitry in communication with the first, second and third sensors.

6. The sensor band according to claim 5, further comprising RF communication circuitry.

7. The sensor band according to claim 6, further comprising a power supply.

8. The sensor band according to claim 7, wherein the electronic control and data processing circuitry, the RF communication circuitry and the power supply are arranged in the vicinity of a buckle for the sensor band.

9. The sensor band according to claim 1, wherein the first sensors each include a force amplifier for increasing measurement sensitivity.

10. The sensor band according to claim 1, further comprising:

one or more feedback devices for applying feedback to the calf.

11. A system comprising the sensor band according to claim 1 and processing circuitry for processing data from the one or more first sensors, the one or more second sensors and the one or more third sensors.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry processes the data in a synchronous manner so that relative body motion dynamics drive output patterns for the first, second and third sensors for a coherent processing of balance and track.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein outputs of the first, second and third sensors retain a coherent pattern that distinguishes between stance phases and swing phases of a gait cycle.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry processes the outputs of the first, second and third sensors so as to preserve stance transition to swing phase patterns and swing phase to stance phase transitions.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the processing circuitry processes outputs of the first, second and third sensors to preserve a relationship between multiple sensor bands to have a coherent comparison of stance to swing and swing to stance.