Force and/or motion measurement system and a method of testing a subject

• US 9,526,443 B1
• Filed: 07/12/2015
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bertec Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bertec Corporation
• Inventors: Berme, Necip, Barnes, Scott Zerkle, Nashner, Lewis Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Amini, Javid A
• Application Number:
  US14/797,149
• Time in Patent Office: 534 Days
• Field of Search: 345/633
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/00 Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/163 of potentiometers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0007 Image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/125 wherein one of the images is motion video
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/12 Use of DVI or HDMI protocol in interfaces along the display data pipeline
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/12 Avionics applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/002 to project the image of a two-dimensional display, such as an array of light emitting or modulating elements or a CRT
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/003 to produce spatial visual effects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 : Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/00 : Cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors; Control thereof

Abstract

A force measurement system includes a force measurement assembly configured to receive a subject thereon, at least one visual display device having an output screen, and one or more data processing devices configured to generate a screen image comprising a plurality of substantially concentric bands on the output screen of the at least one visual display device that is configured to create a visual stimuli for the subject disposed on the force measurement assembly. A plurality of methods for testing a subject is also disclosed herein. The methods for testing a subject utilize a force measurement assembly and/or augmented reality glasses. A measurement system including a motion detection system, an object position detection system, and/or an eye movement tracking device is additionally disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A measurement and analysis system, comprising:

at least one visual display device having an output screen, the at least one visual display device displaying one or more scene images on the output screen so that the images are viewable by a subject;

an eye movement tracking device tracking eye movement and/or eye position of the subject while the subject performs one or more simulated tasks, interactive games, training exercises, or balance tests, the eye movement tracking device outputting one or more first signals that are representative of the detected eye movement and/or eye position of the subject;

a head position detection device, the head position detection device detecting a position of a head of the subject and outputting one or more second signals that are representative of the detected position of the head of the subject; and

a data processing device operatively coupled to the at least one visual display device, the eye movement tracking device, and the head position detection device, the data processing device receiving the one or more first signals that are representative of the detected eye movement and/or eye position of the subject and the one or more second signals that are representative of the detected position of the head of the subject, the data processing device determining one or more gaze directions of the subject using the one or more first signals and the one or more second signals, the data processing device further determining a position of one or more objects in the one or more scene images of the at least one visual display device by computing positional coordinates of the one or more objects on the output screen of the at least one visual display device, and comparing the one or more gaze directions of the subject to the position of the one or more objects in the one or more scene images of the at least one visual display device, or computing a first time delay between a movement of the one or more objects in the one or more scene images of the at least one visual display device and a change in the gaze direction of the subject, the data processing device additionally assessing a performance of the subject while performing the one or more simulated tasks, interactive games, training exercises, or balance tests using the comparison of the one or more gaze directions of the subject to the position of the one or more objects or the first computed time delay of the subject.

2. The measurement and analysis system according to claim 1, further comprising an object position detection system, the object position detection system detecting a position of a body portion of a subject and outputting one or more third signals representative of the detected position, the object position detection system comprising at least one of the following:

(i) one or more inertial measurement units, (ii) a touchscreen interface of the at least one visual display device, (iii) one or more infrared (IR) sensing devices, and (iv) one or more cameras; and

wherein the data processing device is further operatively coupled to the object position detection system, the data processing device receiving the one or more third signals that are representative of the position of the body portion of the subject and computing the position and/or orientation of the body portion of the subject using the one or more third signals, the data processing device further computing a difference value between the computed position and/or orientation of the body portion of the subject and the position determined for the one or more objects in the one or more scene images of the at least one visual display device, or computing a second time delay between the movement of the one or more objects in the one or more scene images of the at least one visual display device and a movement of the body portion of the subject, the data processing device additionally assessing a performance of the subject while performing the one or more simulated tasks, interactive games, training exercises, or balance tests using the computed difference value or the computed second time delay of the subject.

3. The measurement and analysis system according to claim 1, further comprising a force measurement assembly configured to receive the subject, the force measurement assembly including:

a surface for receiving at least one portion of the body of the subject; and

at least one force transducer, the at least one force transducer sensing one or more measured quantities and outputting one or more fourth signals that are representative of forces and/or moments being applied to the surface of the force measurement assembly by the subject; and

wherein the data processing device is further operatively coupled to the force measurement assembly, the data processing device receiving the one or more fourth signals that are representative of the forces and/or moments being applied to the surface of the force measurement assembly by the subject and converting the one or more fourth signals into output forces and/or moments, and the data processing device further assessing a performance of the subject while performing the one or more simulated tasks, interactive games, training exercises, or balance tests using the output forces and/or moments being measured by the force measurement assembly.

4. The measurement and analysis system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one visual display device comprises a projector having a lens and a concavely shaped projection screen, wherein the lens is disposed at a non-zero, angled orientation relative to a body of the projector, and wherein the projector projects an image through the lens, and onto the concavely shaped projection screen.

6. The measurement and analysis system according to claim 1, further comprising an instrumented motion capture glove detecting one or more finger motions of the subject while the subject performs the one or more simulated tasks, interactive games, training exercises, or balance tests, the instrumented motion capture glove outputting one or more fifth signals that are representative of the detected finger movement of the subject, the instrumented motion capture glove being operatively coupled to the data processing device, and the data processing device determining one or more finger positions of the subject during the performance of the one or more simulated tasks, interactive games, training exercises, or balance tests using the one or more fifth signals outputted by the instrumented motion capture glove.

7. The measurement and analysis system according to claim 1, wherein the head position detection device comprises at least one inertial measurement unit configured to be disposed on the head of the subject, the at least one inertial measurement unit detecting the position of the head of the subject and outputting the one or more second signals that are representative of the detected position of the head of the subject.

8. The measurement and analysis system according to claim 1, further comprising a scene camera configured to be disposed on the head of the subject, the scene camera capturing one or more video images of an environment surrounding the subject, the scene camera operatively coupled to the data processing device, and the data processing device utilizing the one or more video images captured by the scene camera in a virtual reality environment displayed on the at least one visual display device.

9. The measurement and analysis system according to claim 1, wherein the positional coordinates of the one or more objects on the output screen of the at least one visual display device that are computed by the data processing device comprise pixel coordinates defining the position of the one or more objects on the output screen of the at least one visual display device.

10. The measurement and analysis system according to claim 9, wherein the data processing device further transforms the pixel coordinates defining the position of the one or more objects on the output screen of the at least one visual display device into dimensional coordinates of a global coordinate system.

11. The measurement and analysis system according to claim 1, wherein the data processing device determines the one or more gaze directions of the subject as a function of an eye angular position of the subject determined by the eye movement tracking device and an angular position of the head of the subject determined by the head position detection device.

5. A measurement and analysis system, comprising:

at least one visual display device having an output screen, the at least one visual display device displaying one or more scene images on the output screen so that the images are viewable by a subject, the at least one visual display device comprising a projector having a fisheye lens and a concavely shaped projection screen, wherein the fisheye lens is disposed at a non-zero, angled orientation relative to a body of the projector, wherein the projector projects an image through the fisheye lens, and onto the concavely shaped projection screen, and wherein the non-zero, angled orientation at which the fisheye lens is disposed relative to the body of the projector is approximately 90 degrees;

an eye movement tracking device tracking eye movement and/or eye position of the subject while the subject performs one or more simulated tasks, interactive games, training exercises, or balance tests, the eye movement tracking device outputting one or more first signals that are representative of the detected eye movement and/or eye position of the subject;

a head position detection device, the head position detection device detecting a position of a head of the subject and outputting one or more second signals that are representative of the detected position of the head of the subject;

a force measurement assembly configured to receive the subject, the force measurement assembly including;

a surface for receiving at least one portion of the body of the subject; and

at least one force transducer, the at least one force transducer sensing one or more measured quantities and outputting one or more third signals that are representative of forces and/or moments being applied to the surface of the force measurement assembly by the subject; and

a data processing device operatively coupled to the at least one visual display device, the eye movement tracking device, the head position detection device, and the force measurement assembly, the data processing device receiving the one or more first signals that are representative of the detected eye movement and/or eye position of the subject and the one or more second signals that are representative of the detected position of the head of the subject, the data processing device determining one or more gaze directions of the subject using the one or more first signals and the one or more second signals, the data processing device further determining a position of one or more objects in the one or more scene images of the at least one visual display device, and comparing the one or more gaze directions of the subject to the position of the one or more objects in the one or more scene images of the at least one visual display device, or computing a first time delay between a movement of the one or more objects in the one or more scene images of the at least one visual display device and a change in the gaze direction of the subject, the data processing device additionally receiving the one or more third signals that are representative of the forces and/or moments being applied to the surface of the force measurement assembly by the subject and converting the one or more third signals into output forces and/or moments, and the data processing device assessing a performance of the subject while performing the one or more simulated tasks, interactive games, training exercises, or balance tests using the comparison of the one or more gaze directions of the subject to the position of the one or more objects or the first computed time delay of the subject, and using the output forces and/or moments being measured by the force measurement assembly.