System, device, and method for measurement of hand hygiene technique

• US 9,483,930 B1
• Filed: 09/09/2015
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innerproduct Partners Fund, L.P.
• Original Assignee: Peter (I) D. Haaland
• Inventors: Haaland, Peter D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings, Travis
• Assistant Examiner(s): Casillashernandez, Omar
• Application Number:
  US14/849,241
• Time in Patent Office: 419 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.11
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/80 Implements for cleaning or washing the skin of surgeons or patients
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/18 in two or more dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/245 Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands

Abstract

A device, system, and method for evaluating compliance with a hand hygiene standard using acceleration measurements of the hand or wrist. The method is based on the scalar quantities vigor and/or rocking angle.

Claims

1. A device for monitoring hand hygiene, the device comprising:

a housing configured to be worn on a user'"'"'s wrist, the housing including an accelerometer configured to measure acceleration vectors, {right arrow over (a)}(t)={right arrow over (a)}, of the user'"'"'s wrist projected along three linearly independent axes of motion; and

a processing unit in communication with the accelerometer and configured to

receive a plurality of the acceleration vector measurements taken over a period of time during a hand hygiene event carried out by the user,

determine vigor values from the plurality of acceleration vector measurements by calculating

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to alert the user if the one or more vigor thresholds are not satisfied.

3. The device of claim 2, further comprising a motor coupled to the housing, and wherein the alert to the user is a vibration provided by the motor.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a motor coupled to the housing, and wherein the alert to the user is a vibration provided by the motor.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the hand hygiene standard is the World Health Organization'"'"'s consensus standard for hand hygiene.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is further configured to alert the user if the one or more vigor thresholds are satisfied.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a RFID transceiver configured to read a RFID signal generated by a RFID tag affixed to a sanitizer station or a soap station.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more vigor thresholds are based on the user.

9. A method of evaluating compliance with a hygiene standard, the method comprising:

measuring acceleration vectors, {right arrow over (a)}, with an accelerometer applied to one or more of hands, wrists, or forearms during events that comply with the standard;

measuring acceleration vectors, {right arrow over (a)}, with an accelerometer applied to one or one or more of hands, wrists, or forearms during events that do not comply with the standard;

determining at least one vigor value by calculating

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the standard is the World Health Organization'"'"'s consensus standard for hand hygiene technique.