Force measurement system and a method of testing a subject

• US 9,770,203 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2016
• Issued: 09/26/2017
• 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:
  US15/365,325
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 345633
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0223 of calibration, e.g. protocols for calibrating sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/032 Devices for presenting test symbols or characters, e.g. test chart projectors A61B3/036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1038 Measuring plantar pressure during gait
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1123 Discriminating type of movement, e.g. walking or running A61B5/1116, A61B5/112 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1171 based on the shapes or appearances of their bodies or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4023 Evaluating sense of balance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7425 Displaying combinations of multiple images regardless of image source, e.g. displaying a reference anatomical image with a live image geometric transforms for image registration G06T3/14; enhancement using image fusion G06T5/50; algorithms for registration of images G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/744 Displaying an avatar, e.g. an animated cartoon character
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• 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: 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• 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 3/0346 : with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 : using force sensing means to determine a position
• 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: G06T 19/006 : Mixed reality object pose determination, tracking or camera calibration for mixed reality G06T7/00
• 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

Abstract

A force measurement system is disclosed herein. The 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 method for testing a subject is also disclosed herein. The method for testing a subject utilizes reality-altering glasses that are used to perturb a visual input of a subject. Also, in one or more embodiments, the reality-altering glasses are used in conjunction with a force measurement assembly configured to receive the subject thereon.

Claims

1. A method of testing a subject, the method comprising the steps of:

providing reality-altering glasses configured to be worn on a head of a subject, the reality-altering glasses including;

one or more visual displays configured to generate a virtual screen image for the subject; and

one or more cameras configured to capture one or more video images of an environment surrounding the subject;

providing a data processing device operatively coupled to the reality-altering glasses, the data processing device configured to manipulate the virtual screen image that is displayed on the one or more visual displays of the reality-altering glasses;

positioning the reality-altering glasses on the subject;

capturing one or more video images of an environment surrounding the subject using the one or more cameras of the reality-altering glasses; and

altering and/or displacing, by using the data processing device, the one or more video images of the environment surrounding the subject so that, when the one or more video images are displayed to the subject on the one or more visual displays of the reality-altering glasses, the one or more video images no longer depict an accurate representation of the environment surrounding the subject so as to perturb a visual input of the subject during the performance of a balance test where one or more sensory inputs of the subject are modified to determine whether any sensory systems of the subject are deficient or whether the subject is relying too heavily upon one or more of the sensory systems;

wherein the step of altering and/or displacing the one or more video images of the environment surrounding the subject using the data processing device comprises displacing the one or more video images of the environment surrounding the subject and/or modifying a size of the one or more video images of the environment surrounding the subject based upon a displacement position of the subject.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing a force measurement assembly configured to receive the subject, the force measurement assembly being operatively coupled to the data processing device, and 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 configured to sense one or more measured quantities and output one or more signals that are representative of forces and/or moments being applied to the surface of the force measurement assembly by the subject;

positioning the subject on the surface of the force measurement assembly while displaying the one or more altered and/or displaced video images to the subject using the one or more visual displays of the reality-altering glasses;

converting, by using the data processing device, the one or more signals that are representative of the forces and/or moments being applied to the surface of the force measurement assembly by the subject into one or more load output values; and

altering and/or displacing, by using the data processing device, the one or more video images of the environment surrounding the subject based upon the one or more load output values determined from the one or more signals from the force measurement assembly.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of positioning the subject on the surface of the force measurement assembly comprises positioning the subject in a rearwardly inclined angular position on the surface of the force measurement assembly;

and the method further comprises the step of;

detecting the rearwardly inclined angular position of the subject using the force measurement assembly; and

wherein the step of altering and/or displacing the one or more video images of the environment surrounding the subject using the data processing device comprises enlarging and downwardly rotating the one or more video images of the environment surrounding the subject and displaying the one or more altered video images on the one or more visual displays of the reality-altering glasses so as to create an illusion for the subject that he or she is disposed in a straight upright position on the force measurement assembly.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of positioning the subject on the surface of the force measurement assembly comprises positioning the subject in a forwardly inclined angular position on the surface of the force measurement assembly;

and the method further comprises the step of;

detecting the forwardly inclined angular position of the subject using the force measurement assembly; and

wherein the step of altering and/or displacing the one or more video images of the environment surrounding the subject using the data processing device comprises decreasing and upwardly rotating the one or more video images of the environment surrounding the subject and displaying the one or more altered video images on the one or more visual displays of the reality-altering glasses so as to create an illusion for the subject that he or she is disposed in a straight upright position on the force measurement assembly.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

generating, by using the data processing device, an additional screen image comprising a plurality of substantially concentric bands; and

displaying the additional screen image comprising the plurality of substantially concentric bands on the one or more visual displays of the reality-altering glasses so as to create a visual stimuli for the subject disposed on the force measurement assembly.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of generating the additional screen image comprising the plurality of substantially concentric bands further comprises generating, by using the data processing device, the plurality of substantially concentric bands having blurred edge portions without any clearly defined boundary lines;

and

wherein the step of displaying the additional screen image further comprises displaying the additional screen image comprising the plurality of substantially concentric bands having blurred edge portions without any clearly defined boundary lines on the one or more visual displays of the reality-altering glasses so that the subject is unable to establish a particular focal point of reference.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of generating the additional screen image comprising the plurality of substantially concentric bands further comprises generating, by using the data processing device, the plurality of substantially concentric bands in the form of one or more of the following:

(i) a plurality of circular concentric bands, (ii) a plurality of elliptical or oval concentric bands, (iii) a plurality of rectangular concentric bands, (iv) a plurality of square concentric bands, and (v) a plurality of concentric bands having generally straight side portions with rounded corner portions; and

wherein the step of displaying the additional screen image further comprises displaying the additional screen image comprising the plurality of substantially concentric bands in the form of one or more of the following;

(i) a plurality of circular concentric bands, (ii) a plurality of elliptical or oval concentric bands, (iii) a plurality of rectangular concentric bands, (iv) a plurality of square concentric bands, and (v) a plurality of concentric bands having generally straight side portions with rounded corner portions on the one or more visual displays of the reality-altering glasses to the subject.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of generating the additional screen image comprising the plurality of substantially concentric bands further comprises generating, by using the data processing device, the plurality of substantially concentric bands in a three-dimensional arrangement;

and

wherein the step of displaying the additional screen image further comprises displaying the additional screen image comprising the plurality of substantially concentric bands in a three-dimensional arrangement on the one or more visual displays of the reality-altering glasses so as to create a three-dimensional tunnel effect for the subject.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more visual displays of the reality-altering glasses comprise a pair of visual displays;

and

wherein the step of displaying the one or more video images to the subject comprises displaying the one or more video images on the pair of visual displays of the reality-altering glasses.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more cameras of the reality-altering glasses comprise a pair of cameras;

and

wherein the step of capturing one or more video images of an environment surrounding the subject comprises capturing one or more video images of the environment surrounding the subject using the pair of cameras of the reality-altering glasses.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of positioning the reality-altering glasses on the subject comprises positioning the reality-altering glasses on the subject such that the subject has no direct view of the surrounding environment.

12. A method of testing a subject, the method comprising the steps of:

providing reality-altering glasses configured to be worn on a head of a subject, the reality-altering glasses including;

one or more visual displays configured to generate a virtual screen image for the subject; and

one or more cameras configured to capture one or more video images of an environment surrounding the subject;

providing a data processing device operatively coupled to the reality-altering glasses, the data processing device configured to manipulate the virtual screen image that is displayed on the one or more visual displays of the reality-altering glasses;

providing a force measurement assembly configured to receive the subject, the force measurement assembly being operatively coupled to the data processing device, and 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 configured to sense one or more measured quantities and output one or more signals that are representative of forces and/or moments being applied to the surface of the force measurement assembly by the subject;

positioning the subject on the surface of the force measurement assembly;

positioning the reality-altering glasses on the subject;

capturing one or more video images of an environment surrounding the subject using the one or more cameras of the reality-altering glasses;

converting, by using the data processing device, the one or more signals that are representative of the forces and/or moments being applied to the surface of the force measurement assembly by the subject into one or more load output values; and

altering and/or displacing, by using the data processing device, the one or more video images of the environment surrounding the subject based upon the one or more load output values determined from the one or more signals from the force measurement assembly so that, when the one or more video images are displayed to the subject on the one or more visual displays of the reality-altering glasses, the one or more video images no longer depict an accurate representation of the environment surrounding the subject so as to perturb a visual input of the subject during the performance of a balance test where one or more sensory inputs of the subject are modified to determine whether any sensory systems of the subject are deficient or whether the subject is relying too heavily upon one or more of the sensory systems;

wherein the step of altering and/or displacing the one or more video images of the environment surrounding the subject using the data processing device comprises displacing the one or more video images of the environment surrounding the subject and/or modifying a size of the one or more video images of the environment surrounding the subject based upon a displacement position of the subject determined using the one or more load output values of the force measurement assembly.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the step of positioning the reality-altering glasses on the subject comprises positioning the reality-altering glasses on the subject such that the subject has no direct view of the surrounding environment.