AUTOMATED NEAR-FALL DETECTOR

• US 20120101411A1
• Filed: 06/24/2010
• Published: 04/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Medical Research, Infrastructure And Health Services Fund Of The Tel Aviv Medical Center
• Original Assignee: The Medical Research, Infrastructure And Health Services Fund Of The Tel Aviv Medical Center
• Inventors: Hausdorff, Jeffrey M., Giladi, Nir
• Granted Patent: US 10,548,512 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4082 Diagnosing or monitoring movement diseases, e.g. Parkinson, Huntington or Tourette
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses

Abstract

A method of gait data collection, the method comprising collecting movement data, determining from the data a movement parameter that includes a third order derivative of position, comparing the movement parameter with a threshold value, and counting at least a near fall if the movement parameter exceeds the threshold value.

Claims

1. A method of gait data collection, the method comprising:

electronically collecting movement data; and

electronically determining from said data near falls during the gait; and

electronically recording a plurality of near falls.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining a fall.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining comprises determining from said data a movement parameter, and counting at least a near fall based on said movement parameter.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein determining comprises matching the pattern with respect to time of the movement data with a reference pattern.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the reference pattern represents proper gait pattern.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the reference pattern represents improper gait pattern.

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein the reference pattern represents a gait pattern exhibiting at least one near fall.

9. A method according to claim 5, wherein the matching classified the data as exhibiting fall, near fall or lack thereof.

10. A method according to claim 5, wherein the matching comprises at least one of correlation, cross-correlation, wavelets matching or neural networks or a combination thereof.

11. A method according to claim 4, comprising comparing said movement parameter with a threshold value to identify a near fall.

12. A method of gait data collection according to claim 4, wherein said movement parameter comprises a difference between a maximum acceleration derivative and a minimum acceleration derivative.

13. A method of gait data collection according to claim 12, wherein said movement parameter relates to movement in substantially a vertical direction.

14. A method of gait data collection according to claim 11, wherein determining from said data further includes determining a second movement parameter,

comparing said movement parameter further includes comparing said second movement parameter with a second threshold value, and

counting at least a near fall comprises counting at least a near fall if said movement parameter exceeds said threshold value and said second movement parameter exceeds said second threshold value.

15. A method of gait data collection according to claim 14, wherein said second movement parameter includes a second order derivative of position.

16. A method of gait data collection according to claim 14, wherein said movement parameter and said second movement parameter relate to movement in substantially a vertical direction.

17. A method of gait data collection according to claim 11, wherein said threshold value is a predetermined value.

18. A method of gait data collection according to claim 11, wherein said threshold value is a continuously updated function of said movement parameter.

19. A method of gait data collection according to claim 18, wherein said function is a mean of said movement parameter plus a multiple of a standard deviation of said movement parameter.

20. A method of gait data collection according to claim 4, wherein determining a movement parameter comprises collecting acceleration data and taking a derivative of said acceleration data with respect to time.

21. A method of gait data collection according to claim 4, wherein determining a movement parameter comprises collecting velocity data and taking a second order derivative of said velocity data with respect to time.

22. A method of gait data collection according to claim 4, wherein determining a movement parameter comprises collecting position data and taking a third order derivative of said position data with respect to time.

23. A method of gait data collection according to claim 4, wherein said count of at least a near fall provides a quantitative measure of effectiveness of therapeutic interventions.

42. A method according to claim 4, wherein said movement parameter includes a third order derivative of position.

2. (canceled)

24. A method of gait data collection, the method comprising:

electronically collecting movement data,

electronically determining from said data a plurality of movement parameters, each of said movement parameters including at least one of a second order derivative of position and a third order derivative of position,

electronically comparing each of said movement parameters with an associated threshold value,

electronically counting at least a near fall if a predetermined combination of movement parameters from said plurality of movement parameters exceeds their associated threshold value; and

electronically recording a magnitude of said near fall.

25. A method of gait data collection, the method comprising:

electronically collecting movement data,

electronically extracting from said movement data an indicator indicating a loss of control,

electronically counting at least a near fall if said indicator indicates said loss of control, and

electronically recording a date or time for said near fall.

26. A device to detect falling body movement, the device comprising:

a sensor operatively connected to said body and responsive to movement of said body, and

a processor to receive movement data from said sensor, and to process said movement data to identify events that are at least near falls and to count a number of identified near falls.

27. A device according to claim 26, wherein said processor is configured to log a record of events that are at least near falls.

28. A device according to claim 26, wherein said sensor is responsive to movement of said body in substantially a vertical direction.

29. A device according to claim 26, wherein said sensor is responsive to acceleration of said body.

30. A device according to claim 26, further including a user interface to communicate with a user of said device.

31. A device according to claim 26, wherein said sensor and said processor are enclosed in a housing.

32. A device according to claim 26, wherein said processor is located remote from said sensor.

33. A device according to claim 32, further including a radio transmitter operatively connected to said sensor and a radio receiver operatively connected to said processor,

wherein said transmitter and said receiver are configured to enable said processor to receive movement data from said sensor in real time.

34. A method for assisting a person'"'"'s gait, comprising:

(a) electronically detecting, based on time derivation of gait movements, near falls during the gait; and

(b) electronically providing gait regulating cueing signals responsive to said detecting.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein the signals are at least one of audible, tactile or visual.

36. An apparatus for assisting a person'"'"'s gait, comprising:

(a) a sensor operatively connected to the person and responsive to movement of said person;

(b) a processor adapted to receive movement data from said sensor and to process said movement data to detect near falls during the movement; and

(c) at least one device operable to provide cuing signals responsive to detected near falls.

37. A device according to claim 36, wherein the signals are at least one of audible, tactile or visual.

38. A method for augmenting a Timed Up and Go test, comprising:

(a) electronically determining rate of change of acceleration of movement about at least one of seating or rising; and

(b) electronically screening, based on the rate of change of the acceleration, a tendency to fall.

39. A method according to claim 38, wherein the screening is determined of a rate larger than that of a healthy person.

40. A method according to claim 38, wherein the screening is determined when the rate of the acceleration of a sitting movement is about 1 g/sec.

41. A method according to claim 38, wherein the screening is determined when the rate of the acceleration of a rising movement is about 2 g/sec.