Systems and methods for monitoring and modifying behavior

• US 7,914,468 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2005
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Svip 7 LLC
• Original Assignee: Svip 7 LLC
• Inventors: Shalon, Tadmor, Shalon, Tidhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg; Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): EISEMAN, ADAM JARED
• Application Number:
  US11/230,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20060064037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,015 Days
• Field of Search: 600/586, 600/587, 600/590, 600/593, 600/595, 600/589
• US Class Current: 600/590
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0204 Acoustic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/222 combined with detection or measurement of physiological parameters, e.g. heart rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4205 Evaluating swallowing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4542 Evaluating the mouth, e.g. the jaw
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4547 Evaluating teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6817 Ear canal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6824 Arm or wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 Foot or ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7267 involving training the classification device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 : Detecting lung or respiration noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/008 : Detecting noise of gastric tract, e.g. caused by voiding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/023 : for introduction into the body, e.g. into the oesophagus oesophageal ECG probes A61B5/285
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 : Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 : Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2218/12 : Classification; Matching
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 : using propagating acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/60 : relating to nutrition control, e.g. diets
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation

Abstract

A system for detecting non-verbal acoustic energy generated by a subject is provided. The system includes a sensor mountable on or in a body region of the subject, the sensor being capable of sensing the non-verbal acoustic energy; and a processing unit being capable of processing the non-verbal acoustic energy sensed by the sensor and deriving an activity related signature therefrom, thereby enabling identification of a specific activity associated with the non-verbal acoustic energy.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring ingestion activity of a subject comprising:

(a) a sensor mountable on or in a body region of the subject, said sensor being configured for mechanically sensing jaw motion by sensing tissue deformation in an ear resulting from said jaw motion; and

(b) a processing unit being capable of processing said jaw motion and deriving an ingestion activity related signature therefrom, thereby monitoring the ingestion activity of the subject.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said jaw motion is caused by biting or chewing.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor is a strain gauge.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor is mountable on a head of the subject.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor is mountable within an ear canal of the subject.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor and said processing unit are housed in a single device.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional sensor selected from the group consisting of a heart rate sensor, an accelerometer, a skin conductance sensor, a muscle tone sensor, a blood sugar level sense, a bite sensor and a stomach contraction sensor.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one feedback device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor is an accelerometer.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor is a bone conduction microphone.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor and said processing unit are housed separately.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor is adapted to communicate with the processing unit.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensor is adapted to communicate with the processing unit wirelessly.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the sensor is adapted to communicate with the processing unit via a wired connection.

15. A method of monitoring ingestion activity of a subject comprising:

(a) mechanically sensing jaw movement by sensing tissue deformation in an ear resulting from said jaw motion; and

(b) processing said jaw movement and deriving an ingestion activity related signature therefrom, thereby monitoring the ingestion activity of the subject.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising mounting a jaw motion sensor on the subject'"'"'s head.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising mounting a jaw motion sensor within an ear canal of the subject.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the processing is performed at least partially in a processing unit, the method further comprising communicating jaw motion information from the sensor to the processing unit.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising sensing at least one additional patient parameter selected from the group consisting of heart rate, skin conductance, muscle tone, blood sugar and stomach contraction.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing feedback to the subject based on the sensed and processed jaw motion.

21. A device for monitoring food and/or drink consumption of a subject comprising:

(a) a sensor configured for sensing ingestion activity of the subject from tissue deformation in an ear of the subject; and

(b) at least one feedback device for providing feedback relating to said ingestion activity of the subject, wherein said feedback device is capable of modifying a type of feedback according to a change in said ingestion activity of the subject.

22. The device of claim 21, further comprising a microphone for receiving acoustic input from the subject.