Adaptive, portable, multi-sensory aid for the disabled

• US 8,630,633 B1
• Filed: 07/01/2013
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• 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:
  US13/932,604
• Time in Patent Office: 197 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455418-420, 455/463, 455/550.1, 455/552.1, 455/553.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 4555751-5757, 455/90.3, 455/344, 455/346, 455/347, 455/348, 455/350, 715700-866, 345418-475, 382312-325, 704/271, 434111-117, 434236-238
• 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 system comprising:

a mobile terminal, and peripheral eyeglasses coupled communicatively with the mobile terminal;

at least one sensor, the sensor operable to detect at least one of;

ectrodermal skin response, and heart rate;

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

a peripheral eyeglasses user interface, wherein the peripheral eyeglasses user interface includes at least one of a display screen and an audio speaker as a peripheral eyeglasses user interface component, and

a control system operatively coupled to the at least one sensor, the mobile terminal user interface, and the peripheral eyeglasses 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, associates the sensory proficiency with at least one mobile terminal user interface component or peripheral eyeglasses user interface component, and associates the sensory disability with the sensory proficiency, such that the at least one mobile terminal user interface component or peripheral eyeglasses user interface component may be 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 a 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 mobile terminal user interface component or peripheral eyeglasses user interface component to compensate for the sensory disability and allow the user to perceive the event.

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

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a peripheral device positioned within a housing of the peripheral eyeglasses.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the control system is adapted to receive the profile information from a caregiver.

5. The system 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.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the control system is further adapted to use a sensor to determine if the peripheral eyeglasses are positioned in a desired configuration and output a reminder to position the peripheral eyeglasses in the desired configuration.

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

8. The system 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.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the assistive output uses a combination of user interface components.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the combination of user interface components comprises a combination of mobile terminal user interface components.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the combination of user interface components comprises a combination of peripheral eyeglasses user interface components.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the combination of user interface components comprises a combination of both mobile terminal user interface components and peripheral eyeglasses user interface components.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensory disability comprises a hearing deficit and the sensory proficiency comprises a touch proficiency.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the hearing deficit comprises hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity to sound.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensory disability comprises a vision deficit and the sensory proficiency comprises a hearing proficiency.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the vision deficit comprises hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity to light.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensory disability comprises a balance deficit and the sensory proficiency comprises a vision proficiency.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensory disability comprises a touch deficit and the sensory proficiency comprises a hearing proficiency.

19. A mobile terminal comprising:

a housing, wherein the housing comprises eyeglasses;

at least one sensor positioned within the housing, the sensor operable to detect at least one of;

light, sound, motion, temperature, geographic location, blood glucose level, blood pressure, electrodermal skin response, and heart rate;

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

a control system operatively coupled to the at least one sensor 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, associates the sensory proficiency with at least one mobile terminal user interface component or peripheral eyeglasses user interface component, and associates the sensory disability with the sensory proficiency, such that at least one user interface component may be 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 a 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 to compensate for the sensory disability and allow the user to perceive the event.