Motion recognition clothing (TM) with two different sets of tubes spanning a body joint

• US 9,588,582 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2014
• Issued: 03/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medibotics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Medibotics, LLC
• Inventors: Connor, Robert A., Behymer, Jedidiah, Hardyman, Matthew, Hericks, Matt, Hommer, Garrison, Lopez, Gus, Olson, Tyler, Smida, John, Stein, Alex, Valencia, Daniel, Wong, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Larkin, Daniel S
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOLB, NATHANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US14/463,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20150075303A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 738/654
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/1281 with incorporated means for medical monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/002 Monitoring the patient using a local or closed circuit, e.g. in a room or building A61B5/0017 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0024 for multiple sensor units attached to the patient, e.g. using a body or personal area network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1071 measuring angles, e.g. using goniometers A61B5/1123 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1121 Determining geometric values, e.g. centre of rotation or angular range of movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4585 Evaluating the knee
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• 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 3/017 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: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

This invention can be embodied in smart clothing for recognizing full-body human motion based on the pressure levels of a flowable substance within two different sets of flexible tubes or channels which are integrated into clothing (or a wearable accessory) and which span the same body joint. This technology can be used to create a wearable, mobile, reasonably-priced, and relatively-unobtrusive full-body motion-capture system which can be used in diverse environments. Compared to camera-based motion capture systems, this invention can be mobile and does not suffer from optical occlusion.

Claims

1. A wearable device for recognizing human motion comprising:

an article of clothing or wearable accessory that is configured to span at least a portion of at least one body joint;

at least one pressure sensor;

at least one flowable substance;

a first set of one or more tubes or channels, wherein this first set is attached to or integrated into the article of clothing or wearable accessory, wherein this first set spans at least a portion of at least one body joint, wherein this first set contains a flowable substance, and wherein the pressure levels of the flowable substance in this first set are measured by at least one pressure sensor;

a second set of one or more tubes or channels, wherein this second set is attached to or integrated into the article of clothing or wearable accessory, wherein this second set spans at least a portion of at least one body joint that is spanned by the first set, wherein this second set contains a flowable substance, wherein the pressure levels of the flowable substance in this second set are measured by at least one pressure sensor, wherein one or more design characteristics are different for the second set than for the first set, and wherein the first set and the second set differ with respect to the cross-sectional shape of tubes or channels in a set; and

a data transmitter that receives pressure information from at least one pressure sensor and transmits this information and/or a data processor that receives pressure information from at least one pressure sensor, wherein this pressure information is used to estimate at least one angle of at least one body joint and/or to model the movement of at least one body joint, and wherein using pressure information from the first set and from the second set enables more accurate estimation of at least one angle of a body joint and/or more accurate modeling of the movement of a body joint than using pressure information from either the first set alone or the second set alone.

2. A wearable device for recognizing human motion comprising:

an article of clothing or wearable accessory that is configured to span at least a portion of at least one body joint;

at least one pressure sensor;

at least one flowable substance;

a first set of one or more tubes or channels, wherein this first set is attached to or integrated into the article of clothing or wearable accessory, wherein this first set spans at least a portion of at least one body joint, wherein this first set contains a flowable substance, and wherein the pressure levels of the flowable substance in this first set are measured by at least one pressure sensor;

a second set of one or more tubes or channels, wherein this second set is attached to or integrated into the article of clothing or wearable accessory, wherein this second set spans at least a portion of at least one body joint that is spanned by the first set, wherein this second set contains a flowable substance, wherein the pressure levels of the flowable substance in this second set are measured by at least one pressure sensor, wherein one or more design characteristics are different for the second set than for the first set, and wherein the first set and the second set differ with respect to the cross sectional size of tubes or channels in a set; and

a data transmitter that receives pressure information from at least one pressure sensor and transmits this information and/or a data processor that receives pressure information from at least one pressure sensor, wherein this pressure information is used to estimate at least one angle of at least one body joint and/or to model the movement of at least one body joint, and wherein using pressure information from the first set and from the second set enables more accurate estimation of at least one angle of a body joint and/or more accurate modeling of the movement of a body joint than using pressure information from either the first set alone or the second set alone.

3. A wearable device for recognizing human motion comprising:

an article of clothing or wearable accessory that is configured to span at least a portion of at least one body joint;

at least one pressure sensor;

at least one flowable substance;

a first set of one or more tubes or channels, wherein this first set is attached to or integrated into the article of clothing or wearable accessory, wherein this first set spans at least a portion of at least one body joint, wherein this first set contains a flowable substance, and wherein the pressure levels of the flowable substance in this first set are measured by at least one pressure sensor;

a second set of one or more tubes or channels, wherein this second set is attached to or integrated into the article of clothing or wearable accessory, wherein this second set spans at least a portion of at least one body joint that is spanned by the first set, wherein this second set contains a flowable substance, wherein the pressure levels of the flowable substance in this second set are measured by at least one pressure sensor, wherein one or more design characteristics are different for the second set than for the first set, and wherein the first set and the second set differ with respect to the compressibility of tubes or channels in a set; and

a data transmitter that receives pressure information from at least one pressure sensor and transmits this information and/or a data processor that receives pressure information from at least one pressure sensor, wherein this pressure information is used to estimate at least one angle of at least one body joint and/or to model the movement of at least one body joint, and wherein using pressure information from the first set and from the second set enables more accurate estimation of at least one angle of a body joint and/or more accurate modeling of the movement of a body joint than using pressure information from either the first set alone or the second set alone.