System and method for monitoring a runner'S gait

• US 9,993,181 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2015
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MedHab, LLC
• Original Assignee: MedHab, LLC
• Inventors: Ross, Johnny
• Primary Examiner(s): Desta, Elias
• Application Number:
  US14/709,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20150257679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/34 with electrical or electronic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 3/44 with sensors, e.g. for detecting contact or position
• CPC Class Codes: A43B 5/14 Shoes for cyclists
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/10 Athletes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/12 Manufacturing methods specially adapted for producing sensors for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1038 Measuring plantar pressure during gait
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/112 Gait analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1122 of movement trajectories
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6811 External prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6898 Portable consumer electronic devices, e.g. music players, telephones, tablet computers
• 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 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 22/006 Pedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/26 Auxiliary measures taken, or devices used, in connection with the measurement of force, e.g. for preventing influence of transverse components of force, for preventing overload
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 25/00 : Testing or calibrating of apparatus for measuring force, torque, work, mechanical power, or mechanical efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 3/24 : Devices for determining the value of power, e.g. by measuring and simultaneously multiplying the values of torque and revolutions per unit of time, by multiplying the values of tractive or propulsive force and velocity
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/00 : Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0038 : applying a pushing force
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0052 : measuring forces due to impact G01L5/0061, G01L5/14 take precedence; impact testing of structures G01M7/08; impact testing of material G01N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/162 : of piezoresistors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 : using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49128 : Assembling formed circuit to base

Abstract

A sensor system for performing gait analysis of a person includes a sensor system that includes a pair of sensor insoles that include a plurality of force sensors, an accelerometer, and a transmitter for transmitting data to a portable electronic device. A monitoring program operably installed on the portable electronic device performs the following steps: receiving a desired cadence; receiving the data from the sensor insoles; determining an actual cadence of the person'"'"'s footsteps based upon the data received; and comparing the actual cadence with the desired cadence.

Claims

1. A sensor system for gait analysis of a person by monitoring movement of the person'"'"'s feet and forces of the person'"'"'s feet against a ground while running, the sensor system comprising:

a pair of sensor insoles, each comprising a substrate layer shaped to be worn adjacent one of the person'"'"'s feet, each of the substrate layers having a plurality of force sensors, an accelerometer, and a transmitter for transmitting data from the plurality of force sensors and the accelerometer;

a portable electronic device having a computer processor and a computer memory for receiving the data transmitted from the transmitters of the sensor insoles; and

a monitoring program operably installed in the computer memory of the portable electronic device for performing the following steps;

receiving the data from the accelerometers regarding movements of the sensor insoles;

receiving the data from the force sensors to periodically determine a force exerted by the person'"'"'s feet against each of the sensor insoles;

determining a gait analysis of the movements of the person'"'"'s feet based upon the data received, the gait analysis including for each foot a flight time, a ground contact time, and a sequential force strike analysis of how each of the person'"'"'s feet strike the ground; and

reporting the gait analysis.

2. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring program performs the following steps:

determining a waveform using total acceleration on the Y and Z axes of the accelerometers; and

determine an average time from peak to peak of the waveform and extrapolate that over a period of time to determine an actual cadence.

3. The sensor system of claim 2, wherein the monitoring program performs the following steps:

calculating a power based upon the actual cadence and the force data received from the force sensors; and

outputting the power calculated.

4. The sensor system of claim 2, further comprising the step of determining the flight time and the ground contact time from the waveform.

5. The sensor system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring program performs the following steps:

determining a waveform from the force sensors;

determine an average time from peak to peak of the waveform from the force sensors; and

extrapolating that over a period of time to determine an actual cadence.

6. The sensor system of claim 5, wherein the monitoring program performs the following steps:

calculating a power based upon the actual cadence and the force data received from the force sensors; and

outputting the power calculated.

7. The sensor system of claim 5, further comprising the step of determining the flight time and the ground contact time from the waveform.

8. A sensor system for gait analysis of a person by monitoring forces of the person'"'"'s feet against a ground while running, the sensor system comprising:

a pair of sensor insoles, each comprising a substrate layer shaped to be worn adjacent one of the person'"'"'s feet, each of the substrate layers having a plurality of force sensors and a transmitter for transmitting data from the plurality of force sensors;

a portable electronic device having a computer processor and a computer memory for receiving the data transmitted from the transmitters of the sensor insoles; and

a monitoring program operably installed in the computer memory of the portable electronic device for performing the following steps;

receiving the data from the force sensors to periodically determine a force exerted by the person'"'"'s feet against each of the sensor insoles;

determining a gait analysis of the movements of the person'"'"'s feet based upon the data received, the gait analysis including for each foot a sequential force strike analysis of how each of the person'"'"'s feet strike the ground; and

reporting the gait analysis.

9. The sensor system of claim 8, wherein each of the substrate layers includes at least one force sensor in a heel portion of the substrate layer underneath a heel of the person, and at least one force sensor in a ball portion of the substrate layer underneath a ball of the person'"'"'s foot;

and

wherein the sequential force strike analysis comprises the steps of;

determining the order in which the force sensors detect force against the person'"'"'s foot;

determining the magnitude of the force detected by each of the force sensors; and

determining characteristics of the person'"'"'s gait based upon the determinations made.

10. The sensor system of claim 8, wherein the gait analysis further includes the steps of determining, for each foot, a flight time during which the foot is not contacting the ground, and a ground contact time during which the person'"'"'s foot is in contact with the ground.

11. The sensor system of claim 8, further comprising the step of comparing gait analysis for each of the two feet to determine bilateral equivalence.