System and method for ergonomic tracking for individual physical exertion

• US 7,652,582 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2007
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stephanie Littell
• Original Assignee: Stephanie Littell
• Inventors: Littell, Stephanie
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu; Julie
• Application Number:
  US11/986,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20080136650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 798 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/573.7
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/20 Workers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/24 Computer workstation operators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1128 using image analysis A61B5/1127 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4561 Evaluating static posture, e.g. undesirable back curvature A61B5/1116 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 600/92 Method of making endoscopes

Abstract

A system and method are provided for tracking a user'"'"'s posture. The system and method include an environmental module for determining the user'"'"'s physical environment, a biomechanical module for determining at least a user'"'"'s posture in the user'"'"'s physical environment, and an output module for outputting to the user an indication of at least the user'"'"'s posture relative to at least a target correct posture. The physical environment can include a computer workstation environment, a manufacturing environment, a gaming environment, and/or a keypadding environment.

Claims

1. A computer system for providing real-time feedback about a user'"'"'s posture, comprising:

an environmental module for determining a subject physical environment;

a biomechanical module for determining at least a portion of a user'"'"'s posture in the determined subject physical environment; and

an output module for providing to the user a real-time indication of the determined user'"'"'s posture relative to a target correct posture associated with the determined subject physical environment, the target correct posture being in accord with a standardized posture for the determined subject physical environment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the standardized posture is an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the standardized posture is a published standard.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the standardized posture is an industry standard.

5. A computer system for providing real-time feedback about a user'"'"'s posture, comprising:

an environmental module for determining a subject physical environment of the user;

a biomechanical module for determining at least a portion of a user'"'"'s posture in the determined subject physical environment, the portion of a user'"'"'s posture including a body portion controlled by at least one of small muscles and large muscles; and

an output module for providing to the user a real-time indication of the determined user'"'"'s posture relative to a target correct posture associated with the determined subject physical environment.

6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein the body portion controlled by at least one of small muscles and large muscles includes at least one of:

a torso;

a hand area;

a neck;

an arm area; and

a leg area.

7. A computer system for providing real-time feedback about a user'"'"'s posture, comprising:

an environmental module for determining a subject physical environment;

a biomechanical module for determining at least a portion of a user'"'"'s posture in the determined subject physical environment; and

an output module for providing to the user a real-time indication of the determined user'"'"'s posture relative to a target correct posture associated with the determined subject physical environment, the user'"'"'s posture being one of a seated posture, a standing posture, a reaching posture, and a manipulating posture.

8. The computer system of claim 7 wherein the biomechanical module further determines at least a portion of a user'"'"'s posture when transitioning from a first posture to a subsequent posture;

and

wherein the output module further provides a real-time indication of the determined user'"'"'s transition relative to a target transition from the first posture to the subsequent posture.

9. The computer system of claim 7 wherein the user'"'"'s posture is static.

10. A method for providing real-time feedback about a user'"'"'s posture, comprising computer implemented steps of:

determining a subject physical environment;

determining at least a portion of a user'"'"'s posture based on the determined subject physical environment; and

providing to the user a real-time indication of the determined user'"'"'s posture relative to a target correct posture associated with the determined subject physical environment, the target correct posture being in accord with a standardized posture for the determined subject physical environment.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the standardized posture is an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the standardized posture is a published standard.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the standardized posture is an industry standard.

14. A method for providing real-time feedback about a user'"'"'s posture, comprising computer implemented steps of:

determining a subject physical environment;

determining at least a portion of a user'"'"'s posture based on the determined subject physical environment, the portion of a user'"'"'s posture including a body portion controlled by at least one of small muscles and large muscles; and

providing to the user a real-time indication of the determined user'"'"'s posture relative to a target correct posture associated with the determined subject physical environment.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the body portion controlled by at least one of small muscles and large muscles includes at least one of:

a torso;

a hand area;

a neck;

an arm area; and

a leg area.

16. A method for providing real-time feedback about a user'"'"'s posture, comprising computer implemented steps of:

determining a subject physical environment;

determining at least a portion of a user'"'"'s posture based on the subject physical environment; and

providing to the user a real-time indication of the determined user'"'"'s posture relative to a target correct posture associated with the determined subject physical environment, the user'"'"'s posture being one of a seated posture, a standing posture, a reaching posture, and a manipulating posture.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of determining at least a portion of the user'"'"'s posture in the determined subject physical environment further includes determining at least a portion of a user'"'"'s posture when transitioning from a first posture to a subsequent posture;

and

wherein the step of providing to the user a real-time indication of the determined user'"'"'s posture relative to a target correct posture associated with the determined subject physical environment further includes providing a real-time indication of the determined user'"'"'s transition relative to a target transition from the first posture to the subsequent posture.

18. The computer system of claim 16 wherein the user'"'"'s posture is static.