Multi-device health parameter monitoring system, method, and device

Abstract

The system, method, and apparatus includes a platform having a transparent material defining a first measurement surface. A light surface is disposed to provide light into the transparent material and generate a frustrated total internal reflection (FTIR) event in response to contact at the first measurement surface. The system also includes one or more wearable devices having a base material operable to cover a portion of a human body. An inner surface of the base material defines a second measurement surface. Further, one or more sensors disposed on the base material are operable to collect data at the second measurement surface. Further, the health parameter monitoring system presents displacement motion regimen information on a display screen, such as a virtual reality (VR) headset. The system collects first health parameter data from the first measurement surface based on the FTIR event; and / or collects second health parameter data from the second measurement surface.

Description

Cross-referencing related applications

[0001] This application claims U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 579,605, filed August 30, 2023, entitled "Suppressed Total Internal Reflection (FTIR) Surface Morphology and Composition Analysis System, Method, and Apparatus," U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 579,616, filed August 30, 2023, entitled "Wearable Electroacoustic Monitoring System, Method, and Apparatus," U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 579,627, filed August 30, 2023, entitled "System, Method, and Apparatus for Acoustic Enhancement Implants," and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 579,627, filed August 30, 2023, entitled "System, Method, and Apparatus with Sensors Having Multiple Detection Signal Types." Priority is claimed in U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 579,633, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 579,640, filed August 30, 2023, entitled “Multi-device health parameter monitoring system, method, and apparatus”, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 579,647, filed August 30, 2023, entitled “Health parameter detection system, method, and apparatus based on suppressed total internal reflection (FTIR)”, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 579,663, filed August 30, 2023, entitled “System, method, and apparatus for characterizing neurological and / or musculoskeletal parameters”; the entire contents of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0002] Current motion tracking systems used in virtual reality environments rely on multi-camera setups to track user body movements. These systems are limited in accuracy / granularity when attempting to assess user posture. Furthermore, they cannot provide effective direct muscle monitoring.

[0003] It is in light of the above observations and others that various aspects of this disclosure have been conceived and developed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The systems, methods, and apparatuses disclosed herein can solve the aforementioned problems. For example, a health parameter monitoring system may include: a platform comprising a transparent material defining a first measuring surface and having one or more light surfaces configured to provide light into the transparent material and generate suppressed total internal reflection (FTIR) events in response to contact at the first measuring surface. The health parameter monitoring system may also include one or more wearable devices comprising a substrate material operable to cover a portion of a human body, an inner surface of the substrate material defining a second measuring surface, and / or one or more sensors disposed on the substrate material operable to acquire data at the second measuring surface. Furthermore, the health parameter monitoring system may include a display screen; and / or one or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the health parameter monitoring system to present locomotion scheme information on the display screen; collect first health parameter data from the first measuring surface based on FTIR events; and / or collect second health parameter data from the second measuring surface using one or more sensors.

[0005] In some examples, the display screen may be a virtual reality headset display screen. Furthermore, when instructions are executed by one or more processors, indications of data acquired at a first or second measuring surface may be displayed on the screen. The substrate material may form a sleeve; and / or the second measuring surface may contact a target area on the subject's arm, leg, or torso. Furthermore, displacement motion scheme information may include instructions for various human movements; and / or the first and second health parameter data may represent biomechanical information corresponding to various human movements. The first health parameter data may be acquired by a visible light camera configured to receive light emitted from a transparent material. Furthermore, one or more sensors may include multiple acoustic sensors and multiple electrical sensors. Additionally, one or more wearable devices may include multiple acoustic actuators and multiple electrical actuators. The first health parameter data may represent a pressure distribution map formed by the subject's feet located on the first measuring surface; and / or the second health parameter data may represent tissue activity data based on electrical or acoustic stimulation generated and detected by one or more wearable devices.

[0006] In some cases, a health parameter monitoring system includes a first measurement surface defined by a transparent material forming a platform with one or more light surfaces for delivering light into the transparent material and generating a suppressed total internal reflection (FTIR) event in response to contact at the first measurement surface. The health parameter monitoring system may include a camera configured to detect light from the FTIR event; and / or one or more second measurement surfaces defined by one or more inner surfaces of one or more wearable devices. The wearable device may include one or more sensors operable to acquire data at the one or more second measurement surfaces. Furthermore, the health parameter monitoring system may include a computing device comprising one or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, enable the computing device to acquire first health parameter data from the first measurement surface based on light detected by the camera; and / or acquire second health parameter data from the one or more second measurement surfaces using one or more sensors.

[0007] In some scenarios, a health parameter monitoring system may include a display screen of a computing device operable to present displacement motion scheme information including instructions for various human movements; and / or present one or more indications of first health parameter data or second health parameter data. Furthermore, one or more sensors may include multiple acoustic actuators and multiple acoustic sensors. One or more sensors may also include multiple electrical actuators and multiple electrical sensors. Additionally, the health parameter monitoring system may include one or more force sensors disposed below a first measuring surface, operable to generate force value data in response to forces applied to the first measuring surface. Furthermore, when executed by one or more processors, the instructions may cause the computing device to normalize the first health parameter data based on the force value data. The one or more wearable devices may include multiple wearable sleeve devices; and / or the one or more second measuring surfaces may include multiple second measuring surfaces formed by the multiple wearable sleeve devices.

[0008] In some examples, methods for monitoring health parameters include: acquiring first health parameter data at a first measurement surface defined by a transparent material, the transparent material forming a platform having one or more optical surfaces configured to provide light into the transparent material and generate a suppressed total internal reflection (FTIR) event in response to contact at the first measurement surface; and / or acquiring second health parameter data at one or more second measurement surfaces defined by one or more inner surfaces of one or more wearable devices, the one or more wearable devices including one or more sensors operable to measure electrical or acoustic signals at the one or more second measurement surfaces. The method may further include: determining displacement-motion related characteristics of a subject based on the first health parameter data and the second health parameter data; and / or displaying indications of the displacement-motion related characteristics on a display screen of a computing device.

[0009] In some cases, acquiring the first health parameter data may include receiving scattered light from an FTIR event at a camera positioned below the platform. Furthermore, the method may include presenting displacement motion scheme information, including instructions for one or more human movements, on a virtual reality (VR) headset display; and / or detecting one or more human movements based on the first and second health parameter data. Determining displacement motion-related features may include determining pressure distribution based on the first health parameter data; and / or determining muscle activation or neural activation based on the second health parameter data. Attached Figure Description

[0010] The above-described invention and the following detailed description will be better understood when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. For illustrative purposes, the drawings show certain embodiments of the disclosed subject matter. However, it should be understood that the subject matter of this disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments and features shown. The accompanying drawings are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrating implementations of systems and methods consistent with the subject matter of this disclosure, and together with the specification serve to explain the advantages and principles consistent with the disclosed subject matter, wherein: Figure 1 An exemplary health parameter monitoring system using multiple data acquisition devices is shown.

[0011] Figure 2 An exemplary health parameter monitoring system is shown, comprising at least one platform based on suppressed total internal reflection (FTIR).

[0012] Figure 3 An exemplary health parameter monitoring system is shown, which includes at least one dynamic motion measurement device with an FTIR-based platform.

[0013] Figure 4An exemplary health parameter monitoring system including at least one wearable device is shown.

[0014] Figure 5 An exemplary health parameter monitoring system including at least one cross-domain data analysis is shown.

[0015] Figure 6 It shows that it can be made by Figures 1 to 5 An exemplary method performed by any of the systems shown. Detailed Implementation

[0016] It should be understood that, for the sake of simplicity and clarity, reference numerals are used repeatedly in different figures where appropriate to indicate corresponding or similar elements. Furthermore, numerous specific details are set forth herein to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, steps, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure relevant important features. Moreover, this description should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, and some portions may be enlarged to better illustrate the details and features of this disclosure.

[0017] The wording and terminology used herein are for descriptive purposes only and should not be considered restrictive. For example, the use of the singular form "a" is not intended to limit the number of items. Furthermore, related terms used in the specification (including, but not limited to, "top," "bottom," "left," "right," "upper," "lower," "downward," "upward," and "side") are used for clarity when specifically referring to the accompanying drawings and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure or the appended claims. Moreover, it should be understood that any feature of this disclosure may be used alone or in combination with other features. Other systems, methods, features, and advantages disclosed in this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the accompanying drawings and detailed descriptions, or will become apparent to them. All such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages are intended to be included in this specification, fall within the scope of this disclosure, and are protected by the appended claims.

[0018] Furthermore, since the technology disclosed herein is applicable to a variety of different embodiments, this disclosure is intended to be regarded as an example of the principles of the technology disclosed herein, and not as a limitation to the specific embodiments shown and described. Any feature of the technology disclosed herein may be used alone or in combination with any other feature. References to the terms "embodiment," "example," etc., in the specification mean that one or more features mentioned are included in at least one aspect of the specification. When multiple examples, multiple embodiments, etc., are mentioned in the specification, they do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment and are not mutually exclusive, unless expressly stated and / or unless readily apparent from the specification to those skilled in the art. For example, features, structures, processes, steps, actions, etc., described in one embodiment may also be included, but not necessarily included in other embodiments. Therefore, the technology disclosed herein may include various combinations and / or combinations of the examples herein. Additionally, as stated herein, not all aspects of this disclosure are essential for its implementation. Similarly, other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the technology disclosed will be apparent, or will become apparent, to those skilled in the art upon review of the drawings and specification. All such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages are intended to be included in this specification, fall within the scope of this disclosure, and are covered by the claims.

[0019] Any degree terms used in this specification and the appended claims, such as, but not limited to, “substantially,” should be understood to cover a precise construction, or a similar but not precise construction. For example, “substantially flat surface” means a surface having a precisely flat surface or a similar but not precisely flat surface. Similarly, the terms “about” or “approximately” used in this specification and the appended claims should be understood to include the stated value or a value three times greater or one-third of the stated value. For example, about 3 millimeters includes all values ​​from 1 millimeter to 9 millimeters, and about 50 degrees includes all values ​​from 16.6 degrees to 150 degrees.

[0020] The term "coupling" is defined as a connection, which can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through intermediate components, and is not necessarily limited to a physical connection. The connection can be a permanent or releasable connection between objects. The terms "including," "containing," and "having" are used interchangeably in this disclosure. The terms "including," "containing," and "having" mean including, but not limited to, the described content. The term "real-time" means substantially instantaneous.

[0021] Finally, the terms “or” and “and / or” as used herein should be interpreted inclusively, or mean any one or any combination thereof. Therefore, “A, B, or C” or “A, B, and / or C” means any of the following: “A”, “B”, or “C”; “A and B”; “A and C”; “B and C”; “A, B, and C”. Exceptions to this definition exist only when the combination of elements, functions, steps, or actions is inherently mutually exclusive to some extent.

[0022] The systems, methods, and apparatus disclosed herein integrate various types of sensor systems to enhance the monitoring of subjects' health parameters. The apparatus may include a standing platform employing suppressed total internal reflection (FRIT) for measuring pressure distribution, blood perfusion distribution, three-dimensional surface morphology, and / or other physical or physiological characteristics of a subject positioned on the platform. Additionally or alternatively, the system may include various wearable devices, including electroacoustic sensors and actuators, for stimulating and / or measuring soft tissue activity in target areas of the subject, such as muscles, nerves, and / or tendons. The acquisition and utilization of such data when a subject interacts with a virtual reality (VR) environment via a VR headset enhances the system's ability to analyze health parameters, as described herein. This technology can be applied to gaming, sports, physical rehabilitation, and / or military training. Furthermore, the techniques disclosed herein can be combined with one or more screens or VR screens, VR headsets, to allow subjects or gamers to experience specific scenarios or interactions, thereby guiding users to perform various physical movements.

[0023] Furthermore, the systems, methods, and devices disclosed herein can provide subject footprint pressure distribution maps and / or body tissue activity measurements to better understand subject posture. The techniques disclosed herein can be used for improved direct muscle monitoring, thereby better resolving muscle activation patterns and their correspondence with specific body movements. In addition, the acquired data can be presented in real time to display the mapping of measured parameters on a digital map of the subject's body. For example, in VR video games, the muscle activity and / or posture of a player attempting to pick up a heavy object can be tracked to determine whether the subject's muscles are sufficiently contracted.

[0024] Other beneficial effects and advantages disclosed in this disclosure will become apparent in the detailed description below.

[0025] Figure 1An exemplary health parameter monitoring system 100 is depicted, having multiple synchronous data acquisition devices, including an FTIR-based platform 102 and / or one or more wearable devices 104. Based on contact between the foot 103 of a subject 107 and a first measurement surface 108 of the FTIR-based platform 102, the FTIR-based platform 102 can acquire first health parameter data 106 representing the body and / or physiological characteristics of the subject 107. Wearable devices 104 may define a second measurement surface 109 for acquiring second health parameter data 110 representing other body and / or physiological characteristics of the subject 107 or specific target areas (e.g., muscles or nerves). The FTIR-based platform 102 will be described below in conjunction with... Figure 2 and Figure 3 For a detailed discussion, wearable device 104 will be discussed below. Figure 4 We will have a detailed discussion.

[0026] In some examples, the health parameter monitoring system 100 may include a display device 112, such as a VR headset 114. The subject 107 may wear the VR headset 114 during data acquisition procedure 111, for example, to present motion protocol information on the display screen of the VR headset 114. The motion protocol information may include instructions given to the subject 107 to perform various movements of their body (e.g., standing, walking, running, squatting, standing on one leg, tilting, using virtual objects, etc.). This motion protocol information may include fitness applications, physical therapy applications, video games, videos, songs, text, and / or combinations thereof. Additionally or alternatively, the VR headset 114 may present information based on first health parameter data 106 and / or second health parameter data 110, such as various indicators of the measured physiological characteristics (e.g., stress distribution maps, running speed, etc.).

[0027] In some examples, the FTIR-based platform 102, wearable device 104, and / or VR headset 114 can transmit the data they generate to one or more computing devices 115. The computing device 115 can be an additional, standalone device or integrated into other devices such as the FTIR-based platform 102, wearable device 104, and / or VR headset 114. The computing device 115 can receive and / or send data to other components of the health parameter monitoring system 100 via a network 116 (e.g., using one or more network connections). The network 116 can include any type of network, such as the Internet, intranet, virtual private network (VPN), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network, wireless network (such as Bluetooth), cellular network (such as 4G, 5G, LTE, etc.), satellite network, and combinations thereof. The network 116 can include a communication network with numerous components, including but not limited to gateways, routers, servers, and registrars, enabling communication across the network 116. In one embodiment, the communication network includes multiple ingress / egress routers communicating with the network 116, each router having one or more ports. Additionally or alternatively, the FTIR-based platform 102, wearable device 104, and / or VR headset 114 may be accessed or connected to the network 116 via another type of communication network, which may be a public switched telephone network (PSTN) and / or wireless network operated by a local switching operator (LEC).

[0028] The health parameter monitoring system 100 may further include at least one server 118 hosting a website or application that enables the FTIR-based platform 102, wearable device 104, and / or VR headset 114 to access the health parameter monitoring system 100. Server 118 may access (e.g., read and / or write) one or more databases 119. The website or application may receive input from the FTIR-based platform 102, wearable device 104, VR headset 114, and other computing devices 115, and analyze this input to generate output from the health parameter monitoring system 100 (e.g., this output may be stored in database 119). Server 118 may be a single server, multiple servers (each of which may be a physical server or a virtual machine), or a hybrid combination of physical servers and virtual machines. In another embodiment, one or more components of the health parameter monitoring system 100 are hosted in the cloud. Server 118 may represent one of many application server instances in a cloud computing environment, data center, or other computing environment. Server 118 may access data stored in one or more databases 119. The FTIR-based platform 102, wearable device 104, VR headset 114, and / or other resources connected to network 116 can access one or more other servers to access resources such as websites, applications, network service interfaces, storage devices, and computing devices, thereby providing the health parameter monitoring system 100.

[0029] In some cases, computing device 115 may include a computer, personal computer, desktop computer, laptop computer, terminal, workstation, cellular phone or mobile phone, mobile device, smart mobile device, tablet computer, wearable device (e.g., smartwatch, smart glasses, smart epidermal device), multimedia console, television, Internet of Things (IoT) device, smart home device, other virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) device, and / or the like. It should be noted that the specific implementation of these devices may employ different specific computing architectures.

[0030] The computing device 115 may be a computing system capable of executing computer program products to perform computer processes. Data and program files may be input to the computing device 115, which reads the files and executes the programs therein. Some components of the computing device 115 may include one or more hardware processors 120, one or more storage devices 122, and / or one or more ports (such as input / output (I / O) ports 124 and communication ports 126). Various components of the computing device 115 may communicate with each other via communication ports 126 and / or one or more communication buses, point-to-point communication paths, or other communication methods.

[0031] Processor 120 may include, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a graphics processing unit (GPU), and / or one or more internal-level cache memories. There may be one or more processors 120, such that processor 120 includes a single central processing unit, or includes multiple processing units (typically referred to as a parallel processing environment) capable of executing instructions and performing operations in parallel with each other.

[0032] The computing device 115 may be a single computer, multiple computers (e.g., a distributed computer), or any other type of computer, such as one or more external computers provided through a cloud computing architecture. The techniques described herein may optionally be implemented in software, which is stored on a data storage device such as memory device 122 and / or transmitted via one or more of ports 124 / 126 to an FTIR-based platform 102, a wearable device 104, and / or a VR headset 114, thereby transforming the computing device 115 into a dedicated machine for performing the operations described herein.

[0033] One or more memory devices 122 may include any non-volatile data storage device capable of storing data generated or used within the computing device 115, such data being, for example, computer-executable instructions for performing computer processes, which may include application program instructions and operating system (OS) instructions for managing the components of the computing device 115. Memory device 122 may include, but is not limited to, disk drives, optical disc drives, solid-state drives (SSDs), flash drives, etc. Memory device 122 may include removable data storage media, non-removable data storage media, and / or external storage devices provided via wired or wireless networks, the external storage devices carrying computer program products, including one or more database management products, network server products, application server products, and other additional software components. Examples of removable data storage media include: read-only optical disc drives (CD-ROMs), digital versatile read-only optical disc drives (DVD-ROMs), magneto-optical discs, flash drives, etc. Examples of non-removable data storage media include: internal magnetic hard drives, solid-state drives, etc. One or more memory devices 122 may include volatile memory (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), etc.) and / or non-volatile memory (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, etc.).

[0034] A computer program product containing the mechanisms for implementing the systems and methods described herein may reside in a memory device 122, which may be referred to as a machine-readable medium. It is understood that a machine-readable medium may include a tangible, non-transient medium capable of storing or encoding instructions to perform operations of the health parameter monitoring system 100. This machine-readable medium may store machine-executable computer-readable instructions, and / or be capable of storing or encoding data structures and / or modules used or associated with such instructions.

[0035] In some embodiments, computing device 115 includes one or more ports (such as I / O port 124 and communication port 126) for communicating with other computing devices, networks, or devices. It is understood that I / O port 124 and communication port 126 may be combined or separated, and computing device 115 may include more or fewer ports.

[0036] I / O port 124 can be connected to I / O devices or other devices to input or output information to or from computing device 115. Such I / O devices may include, but are not limited to, one or more input and / or output devices. Input devices can convert human-generated signals (such as human voice, body movement, body touch, or pressure) into electrical signals, which are then input to computing device 115 as input data via I / O port 124. Similarly, output devices can convert electrical signals received from computing device 115 via I / O port 124 into signals that can be perceived by a human as output, such as sound, light, and / or touch. Input devices may be alphanumeric input devices, including alphanumeric keys and other buttons, for transmitting information and / or command selections to processor 120 via I / O port 124. Input devices may also be other types of user input devices, including but not limited to: directional and selection control devices (such as a mouse, trackball, cursor arrow keys, joystick, and / or scroll wheel); one or more sensors (such as a camera, microphone, position sensor, orientation sensor, inertial sensor, accelerometer); and / or a touch-sensitive display (“touchscreen”). Output devices may include, but are not limited to, displays, touchscreens, speakers, tactile or haptic output devices, etc. In some embodiments, the input device and the output device may be the same device, such as a touchscreen.

[0037] In one implementation, communication port 126 is connected to network 116, and computing device 115 can receive network data useful for performing the methods and systems described herein, and send information and network configuration changes determined therefrom. In other words, communication port 126 can connect computing device 115 to one or more communication interface devices configured to send and receive information between computing device 115 and other devices via one or more wired or wireless communication networks or connections. Examples of such network connections include, but are not limited to, Universal Serial Bus (USB), Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth®, Near Field Communication (NFC), etc. One or more such communication interface devices can be used via communication port 126 to communicate with one or more other machines, whether directly via a point-to-point communication path, via a wide area network (WAN) (e.g., the Internet), via a local area network (LAN), via a cellular network (e.g., 3G, 4G, LTE, 5G, etc.), or via other communication devices. Furthermore, communication port 126 can communicate with an antenna or other link for the transmission and / or reception of electromagnetic signals.

[0038] The operation of the health parameter monitoring system 100 and the various methods disclosed herein performed by the health parameter monitoring system 100 can be embodied in data structures and / or instructions stored in memory device 122 and executed by processor 120. For example, the disclosed methods and operations can be implemented as a set of instructions readable by computing device 115.

[0039] Figure 2 An exemplary health parameter monitoring system 100 is shown, which includes an FTIR-based platform 102 for generating first health parameter data 106. Figure 2 The described system 100 can be configured Figure 1 At least a portion of the depiction system 100 is described. The FTIR-based platform 102 may be a scanning device 202 that captures electromagnetic waves using a transparent material 127 (e.g., a glass slide), while a subject 107 stands on a plane 204 (e.g., a first measurement surface) of the transparent material. A camera 128 located on the other side of the glass slide (e.g., the side adjacent to the glass slide or below the glass slide opposite the first measurement surface) records scattered photons generated by the FTIR event. The amount of scattered light detected by the camera 128 may correspond to the amount of contact between the subject 107 and the glass slide and / or the amount of pressure applied. Furthermore, LEDs 129 of different wavelengths may be turned on one by one (e.g., sequentially), for example, from shorter wavelengths to longer wavelengths, or vice versa. The camera 128 may record scattered photons at different LED illumination stages, thereby recording slices of the contact area at different distances from the glass surface. Different distances from the glass surface where light scattering occurs correspond to different wavelengths of the LEDs. By combining these images, a three-dimensional surface topography of the contact area can be generated. Furthermore, a specific group of LEDs with a particular frequency combination may be illuminated to generate a three-dimensional surface topology. Based on this three-dimensional surface topology, body and / or physiological parameters of the skin surface, foot, and / or subject 107 can be determined. For example, the three-dimensional surface topology can be evaluated to determine roughness factors or friction factors, such as smoothness / uniformity based on the three-dimensional surface topology. Furthermore, various anatomical features (such as muscles, veins, tendons, etc.) beneath the skin surface can be detected and / or identified through the three-dimensional surface topology.

[0040] Furthermore, the techniques disclosed herein can provide information about the material composition of surfaces in contact with skin. FTIR spectroscopy can be performed simultaneously while generating the three-dimensional surface topology to determine the material composition. One or more visible light cameras 128 can detect electromagnetic waves emitted sequentially, specifically at wavelengths required for material composition analysis. Additionally, specific groups of LEDs with specific frequency combinations can be illuminated for specific material spectral analysis. For example, if the FTIR-based platform 102 is used to detect oxygen levels at the contact surface, LEDs 129 emitting specific wavelengths of electromagnetic waves (e.g., 1400-1600 nm) for oxygen detection can be used. In some examples, chemical composition analysis performed using camera 128 and multiple different wavelengths offers improvements over other FTIR spectroscopy devices that can use spectrometers.

[0041] In some examples, multiple LEDs 129 may be arranged in a strip or array within the FTIR-based platform 102. Furthermore, the FTIR-based platform 102 may include one or more interchangeable LED assemblies 206, corresponding to specific application scenarios, material compositions, etc. The glass medium may also form conductive regions, such as transparent conductive ink 208, on the contact surfaces of the glass sheets, which can send and / or receive electrical signals to and / or receive electrical signals to the contact areas of the subject 107. Additionally, other portions of the transparent medium 127 may be covered with a shielding layer, coating, or other opaque material to trap photons within the transparent medium 127. The FTIR-based platform 102 may include one or more force sensors 210 to acquire force data from the first measurement surface 108, and / or one or more acoustic sensors / actuators 212 (e.g., for detecting or transmitting acoustic signals from the subject's foot 109). Furthermore, in addition to the FTIR-based sensing portion, any type of pressure mapping or force plate platform may be additionally employed or used instead.

[0042] Figure 3 An exemplary FTIR-based platform 102 that can be integrated into a dynamic motion measurement device 302 is described. Figure 3 The described system 100 can be formed Figure 1At least a portion of the depicted system 100. The FTIR-based platform 102 can be integrated into dynamic or mobile equipment, such as fitness equipment, physical therapy equipment, or other displacement motion equipment. These devices provide higher spatial resolution for measuring health parameters, thereby capturing data corresponding to specific movements that can be repeatedly performed over a specific time period (e.g., several minutes). For example, the dynamic measurement device can be a fitness or physical therapy device, such as a treadmill 130, elliptical trainer 304, leg press machine 306, stair climber 308, and / or rowing machine 310 integrating the FTIR-based platform 102. Furthermore, the specific movements of the dynamic motion measurement device can be presented as displacement motion scheme information, such as virtual performances in VR video games (e.g., rowing, climbing stairs, etc.).

[0043] In some cases, the dynamic motion measurement device 302 may be a treadmill 130 that captures light from multiple LEDs 129 within a flexible running belt 132 formed of a transparent medium 127 on which a subject 107 moves (e.g., stands, walks, and / or runs). Multiple cameras 128 may record footprints that generate pressure and / or FTIR events on the transparent medium 127, and the processing unit 120 then converts the footprints into a pressure distribution map. Alternatively or additionally, the treadmill 130 may include a rigid deck comprising a transparent material 127 of an FTIR-based platform 102, with the flexible running belt 132 stacked on top of the rigid deck. Furthermore, the treadmill 130 may include multiple slats or bars 304 forming a continuous track of transparent material 127. Additionally, the treadmill 130 may include one or more motors 306 connected to one or more rollers 308 to rotate the one or more rollers. The treadmill 130 may also include a frame for securing / mounting other components. The flexible running belt 132 and / or continuous track may wrap around one or more rollers. Additionally, the treadmill 130 may include a tilting mechanism for adjusting the height dimension of one side of the treadmill, and a belt fastening mechanism for securing the flexible running belt 132 in place. Furthermore, the treadmill 130 may include one or more cameras 128, such as multiple or array cameras 128 disposed inside the treadmill 130, facing upward toward the transparent medium 127. Additionally, the treadmill 130 may include one or more light sources, such as multiple LEDs 129 for providing light into the flexible running belt 132.

[0044] Figure 4 An exemplary health parameter monitoring system 100 comprising a variety of wearable devices 104 is described. Figure 4 The described system 100 can be formed Figure 1 At least a portion of the system 100 depicted.

[0045] In some examples, the wearable device 104 disclosed herein is capable of simultaneously and independently performing acoustic and electrical sensing and actuation. Simultaneously, these wearable devices 104 can be used to stimulate a human body in either the electrical or acoustic domain and monitor the human body's response using the other. The wearable device 104 may include an inner surface 136 forming a second measurement surface 109 for acquiring second health parameter data 110 (e.g., acoustic and / or electrical data).

[0046] In certain circumstances, the second health parameter data 110 acquired by the wearable device 104 can be used for various physical and / or physiological assessments, which can be performed concurrently with the generation and / or presentation of the first health parameter data 106 from the FTIR-based platform 102. For example, the wearable device 104 can be used to perform: acoustic stimulation procedures; acoustic diagnostic and / or monitoring procedures; electromyography procedures; electrical impedance tomography procedures; electroacoustic neuromodulation procedures; electroacoustic muscle characterization procedures; and / or combinations thereof.

[0047] Therefore, the wearable device 104 disclosed herein can be used for various purposes targeting different areas of the user. This device can be used to monitor muscle activity, muscle health, and the muscle healing process. Furthermore, the health parameter monitoring system 100 disclosed herein can utilize the wearable device 104 to monitor bone density, water content, and the bone healing process. The health parameter monitoring system 100 can also monitor the implant healing process and / or perform diagnoses of implant fixation defects.

[0048] In some examples, wearable device 104 may be made of fabric, plastic, or other flexible / semi-flexible materials and / or various other types of materials to form different shapes, sizes, and form factors. Wearable device 104 may also include one or more sensors / actuators, such as a plurality of sensors / actuators 138. The plurality of sensors / actuators 138 may include any combination of acoustic actuators, acoustic sensors, electrical actuators, and / or electrical sensors. Wearable device 104 may include one or more integrated sensors / actuators, which are combinations of acoustic sensors, acoustic actuators, and / or electrodes. Wearable device 104 may include an array of integrated sensors. Wearable device 104 may also include a power source, such as a battery disposed on (or separately from) wearable device 104 and / or an AC power adapter. Wearable device 104 may also include a controller (such as processor 120 or a microcontroller) for implementing a sensing control system, an execution control system, and / or a sensing analysis engine. As described above, the controller and / or any component of the controller may be integrated with the wearable device 104 (e.g., disposed on the wearable device 104), or as described above, the controller and / or any component of the controller may be located away from or separate from the wearable device 104. The sensing analysis engine may perform one or more sensor data analyses and / or cross-domain analyses 502 using sensor data.

[0049] In some cases, the acoustic-electric wearable device 104 can generate acoustic and electrical signals with different waveforms (e.g., pure tones, Gaussian waves, etc.), different frequencies (e.g., 1 Hz to 10 MHz), and / or different intensities. The generated signals can interact with soft and hard tissues, leading to tissue changes or wave variations. The altered waves can be measured using the same or different arrays of electrical or acoustic sensors. Furthermore, multiple sensors / actuators 138 may include one or more piezoelectric transducers for significant sensing and actuation, and / or one or more microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphones and / or speakers for constructing high-density arrays. The wearable device 104 may also include miniaturized FTIR-based sensors, and / or any components of the FTIR-based platform 102, formed on the substrate material of the wearable device 104 in the form of millimeter, micrometer, or centimeter-scale sensor assemblies. The sensing analytics engine may include one or more machine learning (ML) models for extracting information from acoustic, electrical, thermal, and / or optical signals measured at the wearable device 104, such as performing time series analysis using various architectures.

[0050] In some examples, the wearable device 104 may form one or more cuffs or sleeves 402 configured to at least partially cover and / or wrap around specific target areas or portions of the body. For example, the wearable device 104 may include one or more of the following: hand sleeves 404, wrist sleeves 406, arm sleeves 408 (e.g., upper arm sleeves and / or forearm sleeves), leg sleeves 410 (e.g., thigh sleeves and / or calf sleeves), torso straps 412, head caps 414, back straps 416, chest straps, back harnesses, and / or any combination thereof. Furthermore, in a scenario where the health parameter monitoring system 100 is used in animal husbandry, the wearable device 104 may form animal leg sleeves and / or body harnesses operable for animals such as horses 418, dogs 420, and cats 422.

[0051] In some examples, acoustic and / or electrical signals from wearable device 104 can be detected directly at the FTIR-based platform 102, and / or via a response from the first measurement surface 108. Furthermore, signal actuation (e.g., acoustic, electrical, optical, and / or thermal signals) generated at the FTIR-based platform 102 can be detected directly at wearable device 104, and / or via a biological response (e.g., muscle or neural response) at a target area measured by the second measurement surface 109.

[0052] Figure 5 An exemplary schematic diagram 501 depicts a multi-device, multi-signal type analysis 504 (e.g., cross-domain analysis 502) that can be performed by the system 100 described herein. Figure 5 The described system 100 can be configured Figure 1 At least a portion of the system 100 depicted. Figure 5 The schematic diagrams depicted illustrate how different combinations of signals from FTIR-based platform 102 and / or wearable device 104 can be used for different sensing and analysis procedures. For example, Figure 5This demonstrates how two, three, or four different signal types (such as optical signal 506, electrical signal 508, acoustic signal 510, and / or thermal signal) can be integrated into a cross-domain analysis 504. For example, the optical sensing / actuation mode 506 can be used to determine surface topology, surface contact mechanics (such as friction, roughness, and slip), and / or surface composition. The electrical sensing / actuation mode 508 can be used for neuromodulation, muscle activity monitoring, and / or implant characterization. The acoustic sensing / actuation mode 510 can include monitoring or stimulating muscle, bone, and / or tendon tissue, blood flow, device assembly, and / or diagnosis / treatment. When combined for a dual-signal cross-domain analysis, the optical sensing / actuation mode 506 can be combined with the electrical sensing / actuation mode 508 for optical or thermal stimulation 512 and electrical and / or compositional analysis 514. When combined for two-signal cross-domain analysis, the optical sensing / actuation mode 506 can be combined with the acoustic sensing / actuation mode 510 to perform acoustic stimulation 516 and optical analysis 518 (e.g., for skin tumor analysis, diabetic foot analysis, etc.). When combined for two-signal cross-domain analysis, the acoustic sensing / actuation mode 510 can be combined with the electrical sensing / actuation mode 508 to perform muscle characterization and activation 520 and electrical sensing and / or acoustic stimulation 522. When combined for three-signal or four-signal cross-domain analysis 524, optical, electrical, acoustic, and / or thermal sensing / actuation modes can be combined to achieve optical-thermal-acoustic and / or electrical stimulation and optical-acoustic-electrical and / or thermal monitoring, which can be applied to any of the functions discussed herein.

[0053] Figure 6 An example of a method 600 for monitoring one or more health parameters is depicted. This method 600 can be executed by any system 100 described herein.

[0054] In some examples, at step 602, method 600 may acquire first health parameter data at a first measuring surface defined by a transparent material forming a platform. The platform has one or more light surfaces configured to provide light into the transparent material and generate suppressed total internal reflection (FTIR) events in response to contact at the first measuring surface. At step 604, method 600 may acquire second health parameter data at one or more second measuring surfaces defined by one or more inner surfaces of one or more wearable devices including one or more sensors operable to measure electrical or acoustic signals at the one or more second measuring surfaces. At step 606, method 600 may determine displacement-motion-related characteristics of the subject based on the first and second health parameter data. At step 608, method 600 may display an indication of the displacement-motion-related characteristics on a display screen of a computing device.

[0055] It should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods described throughout this disclosure is merely an exemplary scheme and can be adapted to remain within the scope of the subject matter of this disclosure. For example, any operation described throughout this disclosure may be omitted, repeated, performed in parallel, performed in a different order, or performed in combination with any other operation shown throughout this disclosure.

[0056] While this disclosure has been described with reference to various embodiments, it should be understood that these embodiments are merely exemplary and the scope of this disclosure is not limited thereto. Numerous variations, modifications, additions, and improvements are possible. More generally, specific embodiments of this disclosure have been described in a particular context. In different embodiments, functions may be separated or combined in different ways, and different terms may be used to describe them. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements all fall within the scope of protection of this disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A health parameter monitoring system, comprising: A platform comprising a transparent material defining a first measurement surface and having one or more optical surfaces configured to provide light into the transparent material and generate suppressed total internal reflection (FTIR) events in response to contact at the first measurement surface; One or more wearable devices, including: A substrate material operable to cover a portion of a human body, the inner surface of the substrate material defining a second measuring surface; and One or more sensors are disposed on the substrate material and are operable to acquire data at the second measurement surface; Display screen; and One or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, enable a health parameter monitoring system to: The displacement motion scheme information is displayed on the screen. First health parameter data are acquired from the first measurement surface based on FTIR events; and The second health parameter data is acquired from the second measuring surface using one or more of the sensors.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein, The display screen is a virtual reality headset display screen.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein, When executed by one or more processors, the instructions cause an indication of data acquired at the first or second measuring surface to be displayed on the screen.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein, The base material forms a sleeve; and The second measuring surface contacts the target area on the subject's arm, leg, or torso.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The displacement motion scheme information includes instructions for various human body movements; and The first health parameter data and the second health parameter data represent biomechanical information corresponding to the various human movements.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The first health parameter data is acquired by a visible light camera, which is configured to receive light emitted from the transparent material.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The one or more sensors include multiple acoustic sensors and multiple electrical sensors.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein, The one or more wearable devices include multiple acoustic actuators and multiple electrical actuators.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The first health parameter data represents a pressure distribution map formed by the subject's feet located on the first measuring surface; and The second health parameter data represents tissue activity data based on electrical or acoustic stimulation generated and detected by one or more wearable devices.

10. A health parameter monitoring system, comprising: A first measurement surface defined by a transparent material, the transparent material forming a platform having one or more optical surfaces configured to provide light into the transparent material and generate a suppressed total internal reflection (FTIR) event in response to contact at the first measurement surface; A camera set up to detect light from FTIR events; One or more second measurement surfaces defined by one or more inner surfaces of one or more wearable devices, the one or more wearable devices including one or more sensors operable to acquire data at the one or more second measurement surfaces; as well as A computing device includes one or more non-transitory storage media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, enable the computing device to: Based on the light detected by the camera, first health parameter data is collected from the first measurement surface; as well as Second health parameter data are acquired from the one or more second measurement surfaces using the one or more sensors.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising: The display screen of the computing device is operable to display: Displacement motion scheme information, which includes instructions for various human movements; as well as One or more indications of the first health parameter data or the second health parameter data.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein, The one or more sensors include multiple acoustic actuators and multiple acoustic sensors.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein, The one or more sensors include multiple electrical actuators and multiple electrical sensors.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising: One or more force sensors disposed below the first measuring surface are operable to generate force value data in response to a force applied to the first measuring surface.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein, When executed by the one or more processors, the instructions cause the computing device to standardize the first health parameter data based on the force value data.

16. The system according to claim 10, wherein, The one or more wearable devices include multiple wearable sleeve devices; and The one or more second measuring surfaces include a plurality of second measuring surfaces formed by the plurality of wearable sleeve devices.

17. A method for monitoring health parameters, comprising: First health parameter data is acquired at a first measurement surface defined by a transparent material, the transparent material forming a platform having one or more light surfaces configured to provide light into the transparent material and generate suppressed total internal reflection (FTIR) events in response to contact at the first measurement surface; Second health parameter data are acquired at one or more second measurement surfaces, the second measurement surfaces being defined by one or more inner surfaces of one or more wearable devices, the one or more wearable devices including one or more sensors operable to measure electrical or acoustic signals at the one or more second measurement surfaces; Based on the first health parameter data and the second health parameter data, the displacement motion-related characteristics of the subject are determined; as well as Indicators related to displacement motion are displayed on the screen of the computing device.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein, Collecting the first health parameter data includes receiving scattered light from the FTIR event at a camera located below the platform.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising: Presenting displacement motion scheme information, including instructions for one or more human movements, on the display screen of a virtual reality (VR) headset; as well as The one or more human movements are detected based on the first health parameter data and the second health parameter data.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein, Determining the displacement motion-related features includes: Determine the pressure distribution based on the first health parameter data; and Muscle activation or nerve activation is determined based on the second health parameter data.

Images