CONTACTLESS AND MINIMAL-CONTACT MONITORING OF QUALITY OF LIFE PARAMETERS FOR ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION

• US 20100152543A1
• Filed: 09/23/2009
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ResMed Sensor Technologies Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: BiancaMed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: DE CHAZAL, Philip, ZAFFARONI, Alberto, FOX, Niall, HANLEY, Conor, HENEGHAN, Conor
• Granted Patent: US 10,891,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• 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 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4815 Sleep quality
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/72 Signal processing specially adapted for physiological signals or for diagnostic purposes character recognition, recognising digital ink, document-oriented image-based pattern recognition G06V30/00; recognition or understanding of postal images G06V30/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7271 Specific aspects of physiological measurement analysis A61B5/316, A61B5/349 and A61B5/374 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/74 Details of notification to user or communication with user or patient indicating measured values G01D7/00; user input means input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method for the measurement, aggregation and analysis of data collected using non-contact or minimally-contacting sensors provides quality of life parameters for individual subjects, particularly in the context of a controlled trial of interventions on human subjects (e.g., a clinical trial of a drug, or an evaluation of a consumer item such as a fragrance). In particular, non-contact or minimal-contact measurement of quality-of-life parameters such as sleep, stress, relaxation, drowsiness, temperature and emotional state of humans may be evaluated, together with automated sampling, storage, and transmission to a remote data analysis center. One component of the system is that the objective data is measured with as little disruption as possible to the normal behavior of the subject. The system can also support behavioral and pharmaceutical interventions aimed at improving quality of life.

Claims

1. A quality-of-life monitoring system for human subjects, comprising

a plurality of multi-parameter physiological and environmental sensors configured to detect a plurality of physiological and environmental parameters related to a quality of life assessment, wherein each of said plurality of sensors either have no contact or minimal contact with a monitored subject;

a timer that controls sampling of the detected parameters and allows a chronological reconstruction of recorded signals relating thereto;

an input device which captures subjective responses from the monitored subject;

a data storage device configured to record sampled signals

a data transmission capability so that data collected from a subject can be transmitted to a remote data monitoring center, and messages can be transmitted to the monitoring sensors

a data monitoring and analysis capability so that overall quality-of-life parameters can be calculated based on the measured signals.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors configured to receive a reflected radio-frequency signal off a living subject.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the measured quality of life parameter pertains to sleep quality.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the measured quality-of-life parameter comprises an objective measurement of sleep combined with a subjective assessment of sleep.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the measured quality-of-life parameter is an objective measurement of sleep.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the outputs of the monitoring system include one or more objective measurements of sleep, one or more subjective measurements of sleep, and one or more environmental parameters.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of multi-parameter physiological and environmental sensors are arranged at least 50 cm from the subject being monitored to provide an open space therebetween.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein there is no direct mechanical coupling between aid plurality of multi-parameter physiological and environmental sensors and the monitored subject.

9. A method for assessing a quality of life index, the method comprising:

measuring multi-parameter physiological and environmental parameters which are related to a quality of life assessment of a monitored subject with no contact or minimal contact with the monitored subject;

collecting subjective responses from the monitored subject about their quality-of-life;

analyzing objective and subjective measurements to generate a quantitative quality-of-life index; and

generating suggested interventions to affect the measured quality of life index of the monitored subject.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the measured multi-parameter physiological parameters pertain to sleep.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the subjective responses pertain to sleep.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the multi-parameter physiological and environmental parameters are collected by sensing elements arranged more than 50 cm from the monitored subject.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the multi-parameter physiological and environmental parameters are collected with no direct mechanical coupling between the sensing elements and the monitored subject.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the suggested interventions pertain to a future behavior of the monitored subject, wherein the method further comprises remeasuring at least one quality of life parameter and comparing a current value to a past value thereof.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the suggested interventions pertain to a potential change in a pharmaceutical dosing.