ACCURACY BIOSENSOR THROUGH PRESSURE COMPENSATION

• US 20110092791A1
• Filed: 10/15/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Affectiva, Inc. (Smart Eye AB)
• Original Assignee: Affectiva, Inc. (Smart Eye AB)
• Inventors: Picard, Rosalind Wright, Wilder-Smith, Oliver, Zhang, Tao
• Granted Patent: US 8,311,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/388
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0533 Measuring galvanic skin response
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/442 Evaluating skin mechanical properties, e.g. elasticity, hardness, texture, wrinkle assessment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6825 Hand
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure

Abstract

A biosensor is described which can obtain physiological data from an individual. The biosensor may collect electrodermal activity, skin temperature, and other information. The biosensor may be attached to the body through the use of a garment which may be fastened in multiple locations on the human body. The biosensor includes compensation for electrodermal activity measurements based on the amount of pressure applied to the electrodes that are in contact with the skin. As pressure is increased the electrodermal activity values typically increase. By compensating for the influence that pressure changes have on electrodermal activity, more accurate analysis of physiology and therefore mental state analysis may be performed.

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring physiology comprising:

a pair of electrodes;

one or more pressure sensing devices attached to one or more of each of the pair of electrodes;

circuitry to evaluate electrodermal activity of skin to which the pair of electrodes contacts; and

circuitry to compensate electrodermal activity evaluation based on force applied to the pair of electrodes.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the one or more pressure sensing devices include one of a group comprising force sensitive resistors, piezoelectric devices, piezoelectric polymers, and pressure sensitive gels.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuitry to evaluate electrodermal activity includes a processor and one of software and firmware.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuitry to compensate electrodermal activity includes a processor and one of software and firmware.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising circuitry to correct electrodermal activity evaluations based on temperature of the skin.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising circuitry to correct electrodermal activity evaluations based on sensed humidity.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a garment to hold the pair of electrodes against a body.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the garment is suitable to be worn in multiple locations on the body.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising circuitry to evaluate skin temperature.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising circuitry to compensate skin temperature evaluation based on the force applied to the pair of electrodes.

11. A method for measuring physiology comprising:

capturing electrodermal activity readings from a body to which electrodes are in contact with skin;

collecting pressure information on an amount of pressure applied to the electrodes which are in contact with the skin; and

compensating the electrodermal activity readings based on the pressure information which was collected.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the pressure information is collected using one of a group comprising force sensitive resistors, piezoelectric devices, piezoelectric polymers, pressure sensitive materials, and pressure sensitive gels.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the compensating is accomplished using one of a group comprising circuitry, a processor, software and firmware.

14. The method according to claim 11 wherein the compensating is accomplished real time as the electrodermal activity readings are captured.

15. The method according to claim 11 further comprising correcting electrodermal activity evaluations based on temperature of the skin.

16. The method according to claim 11 further comprising correcting electrodermal activity evaluations based on sensed humidity.

17. The method according to claim 11 further comprising evaluating skin temperature.

18. The method according to claim 17 further comprising compensating skin temperature evaluation based on force applied to the electrodes.

19. A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executed, performs steps of:

capturing electrodermal activity readings from a body to which electrodes are in contact with skin;

collecting pressure information on an amount of pressure applied to the electrodes which are in contact with the skin; and

compensating the electrodermal activity readings based on the pressure information which was collected.

20. A system for measuring physiology comprising:

a sensor including a pair of electrodes and one or more pressure sensing devices; and

a processor attached to the sensor wherein the processor is configured to perform steps of;

capturing electrodermal activity readings from skin of a body to which the pair of electrodes are in contact;

collecting pressure information on an amount of pressure applied to the electrodes with the one or more pressure sensing devices; and

compensating the electrodermal activity readings based on the pressure information which was collected.