Methods and apparatuses for rehabilitation exercise and training

• US 8,915,871 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2005
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Einav, Omer
• Primary Examiner(s): SKORUPA, VALERIE LYNN
• Application Number:
  US10/597,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20080242521A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,609 Days
• Field of Search: 601/5, 601 23- 40, 600/595, 482142-147, 434247-261, 273/449, 273/450
• US Class Current: 601/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/392 Detecting gastrointestinal contractions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4023 Evaluating sense of balance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4519 Muscles A61B5/389, A61B5/224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6891 Furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/702 Posture restraints
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0018 for wheelchair users
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0233 in 90/90 position, like on a chair
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 26/003 for improving balance or equilibrium balance beams A63B4/00; apparatus for rope dancing A63B7/08; balancing drums, balancing boards or the like A63B22/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0009 for handicapped persons
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

A rehabilitation chair system, comprising: a seat adapted for sitting of a human thereon; at least one extender adapted to move relative to said seat; at least one sensor which generates an indication of a balance state of said human; and a controller configured to move said extender while measuring said balance state using said at least one sensor.

Claims

1. A rehabilitation chair system, comprising:

a seat adapted for sitting of a human thereon;

a motorized first ball mechanism attached to the seat to provide rotational movement of the seat;

at least one extender adapted to move relative to said seat using a motorized second ball mechanism;

at least one sensor which generates an indication of a balance state of said human; and

a controller configured to move the seat and said extender using the first ball mechanism and the second ball mechanism in response to the balance state measured by said at least one sensor.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said extender is mechanically coupled to said seat.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said controller moves said extender and measures a responsive change in balance state.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said seat is adapted to rotate out of plane of the seat.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein said seat comprises a back.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein said back is articulated.

7. A system according to claim 5, wherein said back rotates around a vertical axis thereof.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein said seat is adapted to resist rotating thereof by using a brake.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein said seat is adapted to lift under power at least 10 cm.

10. A system according to claim 1, comprising at least one leg mover adapted to lift at least one leg of the human from a floor on which the leg rests.

11. A system according to claim 10, comprising at least a second leg mover adapted to lift at least a second leg from said floor.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein said leg movers are adapted to be locked together.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein said leg movers are separately movable.

14. A system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one balance sensor comprises at least one pressure mat for a foot of the human.

15. A system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one pressure sensor for an armrest of said seat.

16. A system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one pressure sensor positioned on the seat for a buttock.

17. A system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one pressure sensor positioned to be placed on a table near said seat.

18. A system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least two pressure sensors configured to be symmetrically positioned relative to a person sitting in the seat.

19. A system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least four spatially separated pressure sensors.

20. A system according to claim 1, wherein said controller drives said extender according to a rehabilitation plan stored within the controller.

21. A system according to claim 1, wherein said controller drives said seat according to a rehabilitation plan stored within the controller.

22. A rehabilitation system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a leg lift mechanism adapted to lift at least one leg of a human sitting on the seat, and the controller further configured to control the lift mechanism to repeatedly lift the at least one leg of the human, such that a spine of the human is manipulated.

23. A method of controlling a rehabilitation chair system, comprising:

providing a seat adapted for sitting a human thereon;

rotationally moving the seat using a motorized first ball mechanism;

moving at least one extender relative to the seat using a motorized second ball mechanism;

generating an indication of a balance state of the human sitting on the seat using at least one sensor; and

,

configuring a controller to move the seat and the at least one extender using the first ball mechanism and the second ball mechanism while measuring the balance state using the at least one sensor and wherein said configuring includes programming the controller with a rehabilitation plan.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein said rehabilitation plan comprises moving the at least one extender to at least partially simulate the reaching of one or more hands of the human.

25. A method according to claim 23, wherein said rehabilitation plan comprises moving the at least one extender to at least partially simulate the lifting and placing of an object.

26. A method according to claim 23, wherein said rehabilitation plan comprises a manipulation of hands extended away from the seat.

27. A method according to claim 23, wherein said rehabilitation plan comprises an interactive exercise with feedback as the complexity of the rehabilitation plan increases.

28. A method according to claim 23, wherein said generating comprises monitoring a plurality of sensors attached to a plurality of body parts.

29. A method according to claim 23, wherein generating an indication of the balance state is divided between body sides of the human while performing the rehabilitation plan.

30. A method according to claim 23, comprising monitoring the position of at least one sensor attached to an organ of the human and analyzing the position to determine an assistance of the organ to the balance state of the human.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein at least one sensor is attached to an arm.

32. A method according to claim 30, wherein at least one sensor is attached to a torso.

33. A method according to claim 30, wherein at least one sensor is attached to a leg.

34. A method according to claim 30, wherein monitoring the position of the organ comprises monitoring movement.

35. A method according to claim 30, wherein monitoring the position of the organ comprises monitoring resistance of the organ to motion of another body part.

36. A method according to claim 23, wherein said rehabilitation plan comprises moving a body part with at least one of the seat and the at least one extender.

37. A method according to claim 23, wherein said rehabilitation plan comprises resisting the motion of a body part with at least one of the seat and the at least one extender.

38. A method according to claim 23, wherein said rehabilitation plan comprises preventing loss of balance with at least one of the seat and the at least one extender.

39. A method according to claim 23, wherein said rehabilitation plan comprises inducing loss of balance with at least one of the seat and the at least one extender.

40. A method according to claim 23, wherein at least one of the seat and the at least one extender lifts said human.