Reduce the inhalation of pollutants when traveling

Abstract

A method and system for determining recommended implementation levels for an individual. Pollution levels are identified and used to recommend implementation levels that take into account the amount of pollution inhaled by the individual.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of methods and systems for reducing an individual's exposure to pollution, and in particular to reducing the inhalation of pollution. Background Art

[0002] Air pollution or airborne allergens may cause significant short-term and long-term effects to individuals who exercise or travel outdoors. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce or minimize an individual's exposure to pollution / allergens while exercising or traveling.

[0003] One existing method of reducing exposure to air pollution involves the use of anti-pollution masks to reduce the inhaled dose of pollution. The filtering strategies, effectiveness, and comfort of these masks can vary widely. For example, the popular 3M N95 mask filters particulates but does not filter other pollutants, such as ozone or volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The efficiency of the fiber filters that make up most mask filters varies with flow rate and the size of the particles filtered. Due to this, and increased leakage through the sides of the mask, anti-pollution masks are increasingly less effective in filtering particles during strenuous exercise due to increased breathing rate and depth. Moreover, anti-pollution masks can significantly affect an individual's comfort by increasing temperature, humidity, and breathing resistance, which is a particular problem during exercise.

[0004] Another known method of reducing air pollution exposure is to use routing programs that spatially interpret pollution data to construct a "healthiest route" for individuals, thereby minimizing the pollution breathed in during active journeys. However, the reduction varies based on available route options, which can be limiting. Summary of the invention

[0005] According to an example based on one aspect of the present invention, a system for determining a recommended exercise rate for an individual when traveling through an area is provided, the system comprising: a pollution identification device suitable for identifying a pollution level, the pollution level being a measure of pollutants and / or particles in an area that the individual is to travel through; and a recommended exercise calculation unit suitable for calculating the recommended exercise for the individual based on the identified pollution level, the recommended exercise taking into account the pollution inhalation caused by the individual when traveling through the area.

[0006] Thus, the system determines recommended practice levels for an individual based on pollution levels (e.g., amounts of pollen, other particulates, or noxious gases) in areas they will be traveling through. This is performed by identifying, determining, or assessing pollution levels in areas the individual will be traveling through and calculating a recommended practice that takes into account the individual's expected inhalation of pollutants / allergens while traveling through that area.

[0007] In this way, an implementation level can be recommended to an individual that results in a reduced amount of pollutants / allergens inhaled compared to an individual traveling using a non-recommended implementation level. Alternatively, one or more implementation levels that result in less than a (medically acceptable) maximum level of pollutants inhaled can be recommended to an individual, for example while maximizing travel speed.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention is intended to provide a recommendation implementation that takes into account an individual's pollution intake based on the pollution levels of the area the individual is traveling or will be traveling through.

[0009] Trips are human-powered transport (e.g. biking, walking, or running). In this way, increased mobility by individuals tends to increase trip speed.

[0010] It is also understood that increased implementation levels cause the individual to breathe more vigorously (i.e., faster and / or deeper), causing the individual to breathe in more pollutants / allergens in any single breath. However, increased implementation levels also cause the individual to spend less time in (e.g., heavily polluted) areas, meaning that the individual is exposed to fewer pollutants / allergens over a period of time.

[0011] Therefore, one embodiment of the present invention proposes to recommend an implementation level that balances or at least takes into account these two factors. In other words, the present invention recognizes that there is a trade-off between the time spent on a trip and the depth / rate of breathing during said trip to minimize / reduce the total pollution inhaled during the journey.

[0012] Other factors or characteristics may influence the recommended implementation level, such as individual goals or abilities, and will be described in more detail later. Thus, embodiments may aim to balance multiple factors to identify a recommended implementation level.

[0013] The pollution level is a measure or other indication of the amount of (air) pollutants and / or particles. Thus, the pollution level may indicate the amount of pollen, small particles, irritants or harmful substances (e.g. toxic gases) in the air.

[0014] The recommended performance may be expressed as a human understandable metric, such as a recommended speed, heart rate, relative effort (e.g., a numeric metric between 0 and 100% or a categorical metric of high, medium, or low), etc. In other words, the recommended performance may be a calculated numerical value or discrete output where there are at least three (and preferably at least four) possible options for the recommended performance.

[0015] The recommended performance calculation unit is adapted to calculate the recommended performance by calculating a numerical (e.g. non-discrete) metric representing the recommended performance of the individual. The numerical metric may be, for example, a recommended speed, a vital sign (e.g. heart rate), or a perceived level of effort (e.g. from 0% to 100%). Preferably, as stated below, the recommended performance is a recommended speed, as this provides a more intuitive indication of the recommended performance level.

[0016] In at least one embodiment, the recommended performance calculation unit is further adapted to use the identified pollution level to determine a relationship between the amount of pollution inhaled by the individual and the individual's performance. This can be used to calculate the recommended performance level for the individual.

[0017] By way of example, the system may be adapted to calculate the individual's breathing rate and / or depth and use the pollution level to determine a relationship between the amount of pollution inhaled by the individual and the individual's exercise This may be used to recommend an exercise level.

[0018] The amount of pollution inhaled by an individual may be, for example, the amount of pollution inhaled during a single breath, or represent the amount inhaled over a period of time, such as a pollution inhalation rate.

[0019] This provides a system that can obtain an individual's pollution intake to recommend implementation levels. Other methods will be apparent to the skilled person.

[0020] The system may further comprise a performance monitoring device adapted to determine a current performance of the individual, wherein the recommended performance calculation unit is adapted to calculate a recommended adjustment to the performance of the individual based on the recommended performance and the current performance of the individual.

[0021] In this way, the individual's current implementation can be monitored or estimated, and recommended adjustments (to achieve the recommended level of implementation) can be suggested. This provides an intuitive mechanism for individuals to understand how they are being asked to adjust their level of implementation. Therefore, such a system may be counterproductive to the individual's current implementation.

[0022] Preferably, the monitoring device comprises a vital signs monitoring system adapted to monitor vital signs of an individual.

[0023] Vital signs have been identified as particularly good indicators of an individual's level of performance. Specifically, there is a correlation between the level of vital signs and the individual's breathing / respiratory rate / volume, which greatly affects the individual's pollution exposure.

[0024] The vital signs monitoring system may be adapted to monitor one or more of an individual's respiratory rate, pulse rate, body temperature, or blood pressure.

[0025] The performance monitoring device may alternatively monitor other characteristics of the individual or the terrain immediately adjacent to the individual, such as the individual's speed, acceleration or sweat rate or the slope or surface roughness of the terrain. These characteristics are also identified as also indicative of the individual's current performance level.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the delivery monitoring means comprises a respiratory rate monitor adapted to determine a current respiratory rate of the individual representative of a current delivery of the individual.

[0027] Monitoring an individual's respiratory rate (i.e., breathing rate) has been identified as providing a highly accurate method of assessing an individual's level of sedation. Specifically, the respiratory rate can accurately indicate the amount of air (and pollutants) that the individual is inhaling and therefore exposed to. By assessing current sedation based on breathing rate, the amount of pollutants inhaled by the individual can be reduced.

[0028] The system may also include a sensory output system adapted to provide a sensory output indicative of recommended implementation by the individual.

[0029] Thus, a recommended level of implementation may be suggested to the individual. The sensory output system may provide one or more tactile, audio, or visual outputs to recommend a level of implementation to the individual. Thus, the sensory output system may include one or more of: a tactile output (e.g., a vibrating member), an audio output (e.g., a speaker), or a visual output (e.g., an LED screen).

[0030] In examples where an individual's current implementation is monitored, the sensory output system may provide instructions on how the individual should adjust their implementation (eg, increase implementation or decrease implementation) based on the recommended implementation level and the individual's current implementation.

[0031] In some embodiments, the system further comprises an individual characteristic determination unit adapted to determine one or more characteristics of the individual, wherein the recommended implementation calculation unit is adapted to calculate the recommended implementation for the individual further based on the determined one or more characteristics of the individual.

[0032] Thus, the individual characteristics of the individual may be used to modify or personalize the recommended implementation for the individual. It is recognized that different individuals will have different capabilities or requirements, which may affect their sensitivity to contaminants or ability to provide a particular implementation.

[0033] This allows the recommended level of implementation to be tailored to the individual, thereby providing a more personalised and therefore more appropriate recommended level of implementation. This increases the likelihood that the individual will follow the recommended level of implementation.

[0034] By way of example, individual characteristics may include one or more of the individual's: fitness level; age; gender; size; height; weight; pollutant / allergen sensitivity; ability to perform certain exercises; mode or method of transportation (e.g., by bicycling, running, walking, etc.); time taken for breathing rate to change between changing exercise levels ("lag time"), etc.

[0035] A system may further comprise a terrain determination device adapted to determine one or more characteristics of terrain in an area through which the individual will travel, wherein the recommended action calculation unit is adapted to calculate a recommended action for the individual further based on the determined one or more characteristics of the terrain.

[0036] Characteristics of the terrain may affect an individual's ability to maintain a particular level of practice (e.g., due to difficulty in traveling), or may prevent an individual from traveling at a consistent level of practice (e.g., due to obstacles along the terrain). Characteristics of the terrain may include one or more of the following: terrain slope, terrain roughness, terrain obstacles (e.g., road intersections, traffic, traffic flow controllers (such as traffic lights), etc.).

[0037] By calculating the recommended level of implementation based on the characteristics of the terrain, a more appropriate and individually specific recommended implementation can be provided. This increases the likelihood that the individual will follow the recommended level of implementation and also allows the characteristics of the route to be taken into account, thereby reducing the amount of pollution inhaled by the individual.

[0038] The system may further comprise a route determination unit adapted to determine an expected route of the individual, wherein the recommended action calculation unit is further adapted to calculate a recommended action for the individual based on the expected route of the individual.

[0039] Thus, the recommended actions may be based on the characteristics of the intended route. By way of example, multiple recommended actions may be generated for different points / segments along the intended route. This allows for more customized and appropriate recommended actions to be calculated.

[0040] The pollution identification device is adapted to identify pollution levels along an expected route of the individual, wherein the recommended action calculation unit is further adapted to calculate a recommended action for the individual based on the identified pollution levels along the expected route of the individual.

[0041] In this way, the recommended implementation may take into account the changing pollution levels along the route taken by the individual. This means that the recommended implementation may change along the route taken by the individual. This allows the recommended implementation level to more accurately reflect the pollution encountered by the individual.

[0042] The system may comprise an individual goal obtaining unit adapted to obtain one or more goals of the individual while travelling through the area, wherein the recommended action calculation unit is adapted to calculate a recommended action for the individual further based on the determined one or more goals of the individual.

[0043] Thus, the recommended implementation may be within a range defined by the individual's desired goals. Specifically, the individual's goals may specify the level of implementation they wish to include or provide (e.g., minimum / maximum level of implementation). Thus, the recommended implementation calculation unit may be adapted to limit the possible recommended implementations to only include implementation levels based on such goals of the individual.

[0044] Possible individual goals include a minimum level of performance, a maximum level of performance, or a desire to perform a specific level of performance within a predetermined time period or distance.

[0045] The recommended implementation for an individual may be a recommended pace for the individual. The individual may intuitively understand the recommended pace, and improving the individual's understanding of their recommended implementation increases the likelihood that they will adhere to the recommended level of implementation.

[0046] The system may include an individual assistance device adapted to reduce the amount of assistance exerted by the individual while travelling, wherein the individual assistance device is adapted to vary the level of assistance based on an identified pollution level of an area through which the individual is travelling.

[0047] The system may further comprise a pleasure determination means adapted to predict a pleasure of an individual travelling through the area.The recommended action calculation unit may further calculate the recommended action based on the predicted pleasure of the individual.

[0048] In a similar manner to the individual goal attainment unit, the pleasure determination device may define limits (eg, upper or lower limits) for the recommended implementation for the individual based on the individual's predicted pleasure. That is, the recommended implementation may fall within the range defined by the pleasure determination device.

[0049] According to an example based on one aspect of the present invention, a method for determining a recommended implementation rate for an individual when traveling through an area is also provided, the method comprising: determining a pollution level in an area through which the individual is to travel; and based on the identified pollution level, calculating a recommended implementation for the individual by calculating a numerical metric representing the recommended implementation for the individual, the recommended implementation taking into account the pollution inhaled by the individual when traveling through the area.

[0050] The method may also include determining a current practice of the individual; and calculating a recommended adjustment to the individual's practice based on the recommended practice and the current practice of the individual.

[0051] Also proposed is a computer program comprising code means for implementing the method described previously when said program is run on a computer.

[0052] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] For a better understanding of the invention, and in order to more clearly show how the invention may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0054] Figure 1 A system according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated;

[0055] Figure 2 A system according to another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated;

[0056] Figure 3 A system according to yet another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated;

[0057] Figure 4 An exemplary relationship between individual implementation levels and tidal volume is illustrated;

[0058] Figure 5 An exemplary relationship between individual implementation levels and airway rates is illustrated;

[0059] Figure 6 and 7 A system for providing an indication of a recommended implementation to an individual is illustrated;

[0060] Figure 8 A system including an individual auxiliary device according to an embodiment is illustrated; and

[0061] Fig. 9 A method according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0063] It should be understood that, while indicating exemplary embodiments of the device, the detailed description and specific examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These and other features, aspects and advantages of the devices, systems and methods of the present invention will be better understood through the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are schematic only and are not drawn to scale. It should also be understood that the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to indicate the same or similar parts.

[0064] According to the concept of the present invention, a method and system for determining recommended implementation levels for an individual is proposed. Pollution levels are identified and used to recommend implementation levels that take into account the amount of pollution inhaled by the individual.

[0065] Embodiments are based at least in part on the recognition that an individual's level of behavior affects the amount of pollution they breathe in. Thus, by determining pollution levels in an area that an individual will travel through, a recommended behavior can be generated that takes into account the amount of pollution that the individual will breathe.

[0066] For example, the illustrative embodiments may be employed in a system for recommending performance levels, such as a fitness application, or with an automatic assistive device, such as a powered assistive device.

[0067] The basic purpose of the invention is to determine and recommend an individual's performance level taking into account the amount of pollution the individual breathes in. For example, this may include determining an appropriate speed range or heart rate range for the individual which controls the individual's performance level.

[0068] The recommended implementation level is preferably intended to ensure that the amount of inhaled pollution accumulated by an individual, for example, in a single breath or throughout a journey, does not exceed an allowed level or a safe level. For this reason, at least (multiple) pollution levels are used to determine the recommended implementation level. For example, the pollution level can be used to define an individual implementation level range that does not result in (for a long time or in a single breath) pollutant inhalation exceeding the recommended level.

[0069] However, other variables / factors may also be considered in determining the recommended level of implementation. These other variables include the individual's goals or expectations, the individual's characteristics or abilities, the characteristics of the terrain, or the individual's predicted enjoyment level.

[0070] In this way, an embodiment aims to minimize pollution exposure while still allowing the individual to achieve their goals and enjoy the trip.Examples of the effects of these variables will become apparent through the embodiments described below.

[0071] As used herein, the term "pollution" refers to the presence of any harmful, toxic or irritating substances in the air. Therefore, the term "pollution" generally refers to air pollution, which may include pollen, exhaust gas, NO2, CO, CFCs, SO2, dust, VOC, particulates, etc.

[0072] The term "effort" refers to the level of (perceived) physical effort that an individual provides when traveling through an area. Thus, the greater the individual's effort, the more physical effort the individual provides to travel (e.g., attempting to travel faster).

[0073] Figure 1The diagram shows the framework of a system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system 1 includes a pollution identification device 2 and a recommended implementation calculation unit 3. The system may also include one or more other optional units, such as Figure 1 Illustrated and described subsequently.

[0074] The pollution identification device 2 is adapted to identify pollution levels in an area that the individual is travelling through. Thus, the pollution identification device 2 may sense pollution in the immediate vicinity of the individual, or identify pollution in an upcoming area (eg along a route that the individual is to take).

[0075] The pollution identification device 2 may, for example, include a pollution monitoring device or sensor suitable for directly detecting pollution near the individual. In other examples, the pollution identification device includes a location monitoring device and a pollution mapping database (mapping pollution information to locations) to determine the pollution level in the area through which the individual will travel (or is traveling). Other examples will be apparent to the skilled person.

[0076] The recommended performance calculation unit 3 is adapted to calculate a recommended performance for the individual based on the identified pollution level, the recommended performance taking into account the pollution inhalation caused by the individual when traveling through the area. The recommended performance for the individual can therefore provide the individual with an indication of the level of physical exertion they should provide when traveling through the area. The recommended performance can be expressed as a numerical (e.g. non-discrete) indicator, such as a recommended speed, a vital sign metric (e.g. heart rate) or a perceived physical exertion level (e.g. a range from 0% to 100%).

[0077] By reducing exercise or physical exertion level, the amount of pollution inhaled by the individual in a single breath is reduced. The recommended exercise calculation unit 3 may therefore be adapted to recommend a (maximum) exercise that keeps the pollution inhaled in a single breath of the individual below a predetermined value, such as a medically recommended maximum value.

[0078] However, by reducing physical effort, speed is also reduced, which means that the individual may spend more time in the contaminated area (i.e., breathe more in the contaminated area), thereby inhaling additional pollution over time.

[0079] Thus, in another example, the recommended practice calculation unit 3 may calculate a recommended practice that balances speed and breathing rate / depth to optimize the individual's overall contamination inhalation (rather than breath by breath). Thus, the recommended practice may aim to balance these two factors and provide a recommended practice that reduces or optimizes or at least takes into account the individual's overall contamination inhalation.

[0080] The recommended performance for an individual may be one or more recommended characteristics of the individual that are affected by or otherwise represent their physical strength, such as speed, heart rate, breathing rate, etc. Preferably, the recommended performance calculation unit 3 calculates a recommended speed for the individual when traveling through the area to reduce the amount of pollution inhaled by the individual.

[0081] The system 1 may include a strength monitoring device 4 adapted to determine the current strength of the individual. Thus, the strength monitoring device 4 assesses or estimates the current level of strength provided by the individual. This may be performed by monitoring characteristics of the individual or the nearest terrain (which may affect the level of strength required by the individual to traverse the terrain).

[0082] The recommended performance calculation unit 3 may be adapted to calculate a recommended adjustment to an individual's performance based on the individual's recommended performance and current performance.

[0083] Thus, the recommended behavior calculation unit 3 may receive as input the individual's current behavior (from the behavior monitoring device 4) and the pollution level of the area through which the individual is to travel (from the pollution monitoring device 2). The recommended behavior calculation unit may therefore recommend adjustments to the individual's current behavior based on the pollution level to account for the individual's pollution inhalation.

[0084] The performance monitoring device 4 may assess, determine or estimate the individual's current performance in a variety of ways.

[0085] For example, the implementation monitoring device 4 may monitor one or more vital signs of an individual (such as heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure or body temperature) to assess the implementation level provided by the individual. Monitoring vital signs provides a particularly accurate indication of the implementation level of an individual.

[0086] Other characteristics of the individual that may be monitored by the performance monitoring device 4 and also indicate the current performance level may include: the individual's speed / acceleration, cadence / turnover rate, amount of sweat, skin color, skin resistance / impedance, glucose level, etc. Such characteristics have also been shown to provide a good indicator of the individual's performance level.

[0087] In other examples, the performance monitoring device 4 monitors the terrain characteristics that will affect the individual's current performance. For example, an individual has a higher performance level on steep ground than on flat ground. Therefore, the performance monitoring device can estimate the current performance by evaluating the characteristics of the terrain (such as slope, surface roughness, height, etc.).

[0088] The recommendation implementation calculation unit 3 may be adapted to take other factors into account when calculating the recommendation implementation (such as the individual's abilities, expectations or goals). Hereafter, the described units / modules are used to allow the recommendation implementation calculation unit to take such factors into account.

[0089] Each of the other factors may define a desired range for the recommended implementation calculation unit. For example, a first factor (e.g., an individual's goal) may provide a lower limit for the recommended implementation, and a second factor (e.g., an individual's ability) may provide an upper limit. The recommended implementation calculation unit may then be adapted to identify a recommended implementation that meets the requirements of the other factors while also taking into account the individual's pollution inhalation.

[0090] The system 1 may comprise an individual characteristic determination unit 5 adapted to determine one or more characteristics of an individual.

[0091] The recommended performance calculation unit 3 may be adapted to calculate the recommended performance for the individual also based on the determined one or more characteristics of the individual.Thus, the recommended performance calculation unit 3 may take the characteristics of the individual into account when determining the recommended performance level for the individual.

[0092] In particular, the individual characteristic determination unit may be adapted to determine individual characteristics that may affect the level of performance they can produce. By way of example, the individual characteristic determination unit may determine the fitness level of the individual. The higher the fitness level, the greater the performance the individual can produce.

[0093] In an embodiment, the recommended implementation calculation unit is adapted to determine the capabilities of the individual based on individual characteristics, and to recommend implementation levels only within the capabilities of the individual. By way of example, the capabilities of the individual may be represented by a percentage likelihood that the individual will adhere to a possible recommended implementation (e.g., speed), and the recommended implementation calculation unit may be adapted to recommend only implementations for which the associated percentage likelihood is above a predetermined value (e.g., between 60-90%, such as approximately 75%).

[0094] Therefore, the implementation of the recommendations may be limited to the capabilities of the individual. This ensures that the recommended implementation is realistic and does not exceed the scope of what the individual is able to perform.

[0095] The individual characteristics that may be determined by the individual characteristic determination unit include one or more of the following: individual tidal volume, individual breathing capacity, step length, height, weight, age, gender, fitness level, maximum heart rate, resting heart rate, maximum speed, maximum performance level, medical history (e.g., presence of asthma or COPD), past fitness information, allergen information, pollutant sensitivity, allergen sensitivity, etc. These characteristics may define the individual's ability to adhere to performance, or may affect the individual's sensitivity to pollution (i.e., limit the amount of pollution that can be safely inhaled)

[0096] The system 1 may further comprise a terrain determining means 6 adapted to determine one or more characteristics of the terrain in an area through which the individual is to travel.

[0097] The recommended performance calculation unit 3 may accordingly be adapted to calculate the recommended performance for the individual also based on one or more characteristics of the determined terrain.Thus, the recommended performance calculation unit 3 may take characteristics of the terrain into account when determining the recommended performance level for the individual.

[0098] Characteristics of the terrain may affect the level of performance an individual provides (ie, affect the current level of performance) or the maximum level of performance an individual is capable of providing (eg, speed). By taking into account the characteristics of the terrain, a more accurate or realistic recommended performance for an individual may be determined.

[0099] In some embodiments, terrain determination device 6 communicates information about terrain characteristics to effort monitoring device 4, as terrain characteristics may affect the effort provided by the individual. By way of example, maintaining a speed on rough terrain may require more effort than maintaining a speed on smooth terrain (i.e., for the same speed, effort is higher on rougher terrain). In other words, effort monitoring device 4 may receive information about terrain characteristics and use the information when determining the individual's current effort (e.g., increasing the determined current effort in response to determining that the terrain is steep).

[0100] The system 2 may include a route determination unit 7 adapted to determine an expected route for the individual. The recommended implementation calculation unit 3 may accordingly be adapted to calculate the recommended implementation for the individual also based on the expected route for the individual. Thus, the recommended implementation calculation unit 3 may take into account the expected route for the individual or characteristics of the route when determining the recommended implementation level for the individual.

[0101] The route taken by an individual (eg, length, intended location, etc.) will affect the level of performance that the individual can provide or the level of contamination along the route.

[0102] By way of example, if an individual intends to travel along a main road, they will experience more pollution than if the individual intends to travel along a rural path. Therefore, by taking into account the individual's intended route, it is recommended that the computing unit may be able to more accurately assess the pollution dose that the individual will experience per inhalation.

[0103] By way of another example, if an individual intends to travel for a long time, they will not be able to maintain a high level of exercise (e.g., based on their fitness level). Therefore, the recommended level of exercise may at least take into account the length of the intended route in order to recommend an exercise level to the individual, such as limiting the maximum allowed recommended exercise based on the length of the route.

[0104] In other examples, the recommended actions may differ along the intended route. Hence, the recommended action calculation unit 3 may be adapted to calculate a plurality of recommended actions for different locations / segments / sections along the intended route.

[0105] The system 2 may include an individual goal obtaining unit 8 adapted to obtain one or more goals of the individual. The recommended performance calculation unit is adapted to calculate the recommended performance of the individual also based on the determined one or more goals of the individual. Thus, the recommended performance calculation unit may use the goals or individual objectives to calculate the recommended performance level or to limit the range of the recommended performance level allowed.

[0106] The individual goal obtaining unit 8 may obtain one or more goals, for example, from a user interface or from another device / unit storing individual goals, such as a server suitable for storing individual goals or fitness / sports plans (which may define individual goals).

[0107] In one example, a goal for an individual may be to maintain a minimum level of performance to adhere to a particular exercise regimen. The recommended performance calculation unit may take this goal of the individual into account, for example to provide a minimum allowed recommended performance to adhere to the goal.

[0108] By way of another example, an individual's goal may be to provide a burst of speed or high level of performance within a predetermined time period. The recommended performance calculation unit may be adapted to identify the best location to perform such a burst of speed to minimize their overall contamination intake, for example by indicating when it is safe to provide a high level of performance.

[0109] Thus, it will be appreciated from the foregoing that a recommended practice calculation unit may be able to process variables from a plurality of sources to determine a recommended practice for an individual that takes into account the individual's pollution inhalation while travelling through the area.

[0110] Specifically, different sources may set a range of allowable or desired implementation levels that may provide recommended implementation based on the identified pollution levels. For example, individual capabilities (e.g., fitness level) may provide an upper limit to the recommended implementation level, and individual goals / objectives may provide a lower limit to the recommended implementation level.

[0111] Exemplary embodiments of the apparatus described hereinafter include a system that employs a number of these sources or a selection of these sources to determine a recommended practice for an individual.

[0112] Preferably, the system is incorporated into a portable device, such as a mobile phone, smart watch or fitness tracker. The system can be integrated into a human-powered vehicle such as a bicycle.

[0113] Figure 2 A device 20 employing a system according to an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The device 20 provides recommendations that are responsive to the individual's current circumstances.

[0114] The apparatus 20 comprises a pollution identification device 22 adapted to sense pollution in the vicinity of the individual. The pollution identification device may comprise a pollution monitoring device (eg an ambient pollution sensor) or a location monitoring device and a pollution mapping database adapted to map the individual's current location to known pollution levels.

[0115] The pollution identification device 22 outputs pollution data indicating the pollution level in the immediate vicinity of the individual or the individual's current environment. The pollution data may indicate the type and / or intensity of pollution near the individual, such as a measure of the pollution level near the individual.

[0116] The apparatus 22 also comprises a conduction monitoring device 24 which is adapted to measure the individual's current conduction level. The conduction monitoring device 24 may, for example, monitor the individual's heart rate, which is indicative of their current conduction.

[0117] The device 20 further comprises a recommended practice calculation unit 23, here formed by two separate modules 23a, 23b. The recommended practice calculation unit 23 is adapted to process the pollution data and the current practice level of the individual in order to provide a recommended adjustment to the practice level of the individual.

[0118] The first module of the recommended performance calculation unit 23 is an ideal performance calculation module 23a. The ideal performance calculation module is adapted to determine an ideal (i.e., recommended) performance level for an individual based on the pollution data (i.e., for the individual's current environment taking into account pollution inhalation). The ideal performance calculation module 23a may include a table lookup of target performance (e.g., heart rate zones) for different pollution types and / or intensities (i.e., different values ​​of the pollution data).

[0119] The second module of the recommended performance calculation unit 23 is a performance adjustment system 23b, which is adapted to recommend adjustments to an individual's performance based on the individual's ideal performance and current performance. By way of example, if the individual's current heart rate is higher than the ideal heart rate for their environment, the recommended performance calculation unit may recommend that the individual lower their heart rate or lower their speed (which in turn will lower their heart rate).

[0120] The recommended performance level is not the same metric used to identify the current performance level. By way of example, the current performance level may be represented by the current heart rate, and the recommended performance level may be expressed in terms of speed (e.g., to encourage the individual to speed up or slow down).

[0121] In this way, the device 20 provides a reactive system for reducing or accounting for contaminant inhalation by recommending changes to individual practices. This provides a highly accurate and low-cost method of calculating recommended practice levels.

[0122] Figure 3 An apparatus 30 employing a system according to another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

[0123] Figure 3 The device 30 is adapted to calculate a recommended action for an individual travelling along a route. In particular, the system is adapted to associate different parts of the route to different recommended actions for the individual.

[0124] The apparatus 30 comprises an individual tracking device 31 adapted to track or monitor the position of an individual. The individual tracking device 31 may use a satellite navigation device to determine the position of the individual. In one example, the individual tracking device tracks the coordinates of the individual on a 2D grid.

[0125] The device 30 also includes a mapping database 32 that contains pre-acquired mapping data about the individual's surroundings. The mapping database can be stored in the memory system 40 and can be updated periodically, such as via an Internet connection, etc. In another embodiment, the mapping database 32 (or a portion thereof) is stored external to the device 30, such as on a server or cloud computing network.

[0126] The mapping data may relate the coordinates of the 2D grid to reference values, which refer to: the spatial distribution of pollution types and their intensity and the topology of the route, such as the location of the path, the intensity of the slope, etc. In other words, the mapping data may include at least information about the pollution level and topographic information of the area surrounding the individual (such as the location of the path / road). The mapping data may include information about speed interference factors, such as the timing of road intersections or estimated waiting times.

[0127] The device 30 also includes a user interface 33 that is adapted to display the individual's mapping data and location and allow the individual to input a desired or expected travel route. In some embodiments, routing software is used to define the expected route (e.g., by establishing a route from the individual's location to a selected location). The expected route can be transferred to and stored by the mapping database 32. By way of example, the user interface 33 can include a touch-sensitive display (touch screen) or a combination of a display and a separate input device (e.g., a keyboard).

[0128] Hence, the individual tracking device 31, mapping database 32 and user interface 33 together act as a route determination unit adapted to determine an expected route of an individual.Other embodiments of the route determination unit, such as a module for receiving an expected route from another device, will be apparent to the skilled person.

[0129] The device 30 also includes an individual characteristic database 34 adapted to store characteristic data. The characteristic data includes information about individual characteristics, such as fitness characteristics or demographic information (e.g., age, gender, weight, etc.). Fitness characteristics may be obtained by tracking individuals using wearable devices such as fitness trackers, smart watches, and smartphones. The individual characteristic database may be stored in the memory system 40.

[0130] The device 30 further comprises a pollution dose calculator 35. The pollution dose calculator is adapted to determine the relationship between the implementation level and at least the pollution dose (ie the amount of inhaled pollution in a single breath) at different points along the intended route.

[0131] The pollution dose calculator 35 includes a route segmenter 35a. The route segmenter 35a divides the expected route into segments (i.e., areas or portions) that share similar pollution levels to provide a "segmented route". For example, a first segment of a route may be a segment having approximately a first pollution level, and a second segment of the route may be a segment having approximately a second different pollution level. Information about pollution levels along a route may be obtained from the mapping database 32.

[0132] Optionally, the route segmenter 35a divides the expected route into areas / segments that share similar pollution levels and similar terrain characteristics (e.g., slope, gradient, or surface roughness / type). Thus, two different segments may have the same pollution level but different route characteristics, and vice versa. Information about route characteristics may also be obtained from the mapping database 32.

[0133] Therefore, each segment of the segmented route is associated with a specific pollution level.

[0134] The pollution dose calculator 35 includes a relationship determiner 35b. The relationship determiner 35b may determine, for each segment of the segmented route, a relationship between the individual's performance and the estimated amount of inhaled pollution.

[0135] Specifically, the relationship determiner 35b can estimate the breathing air volume for different implementation levels using the characteristic data from the individual characteristic database 34. The breathing air volume is the amount of air or gas that an individual inhales in a single breath, which varies based on the implementation level. For example, the determination can be performed by referring to a database that relates individual characteristics to the estimated breathing air volume or using a function that relates them.

[0136] Thus, the relationship determiner 35b determines the relationship between the individual implementation and the estimated amount of air / gas inhaled in a single breath.

[0137] Figure 4 An exemplary (eg, default) relationship between an individual's implementation and an estimated tidal volume (the amount of gas inhaled in a single breath) is shown. The implementation of an individual x1 is expressed here in Watts (W), i.e., Joules per second (Js -1 ), and the tidal volume y1 is expressed in liters (l). The illustrated relationship represents a normal individual.

[0138] It is understood that individual characteristics will affect the volume of air inhaled in a single breath. Some such individual characteristics include: age, gender, weight, fitness level, mode of transportation, height, demographics, etc.

[0139] The relationship determiner 35b may then use this relationship and information about the pollution level of each segment of the segmented route to estimate the amount of inhaled pollution in a single breath for different implementation levels. Thus, the implementation level may be associated with the estimated amount of inhaled pollution.

[0140] Thus, the relationship determiner may calculate a function or equation that receives as input at least the individual's exercise level (eg, speed or heart rate) and outputs an estimated amount of pollution inhaled in a single breath while traveling through a given segment, or vice versa.

[0141] Therefore, the relationship determiner 35b determines the relationship between the individual dose and the estimated amount of contamination inhaled in a single breath. This relationship may be referred to as an estimated dose curve.

[0142] Reference Figure 3 The device 30 further comprises a recommended implementation calculation unit 36 ​​adapted to calculate, based on the output of the relationship determiner, a recommended implementation for the individual for each segment, taking into account the estimated pollution inhalation of the individual when travelling through the segment.

[0143] In a preferred embodiment, the recommended implementation calculation unit is adapted to determine a recommended speed for the individual.Thus, the relationship determiner may be adapted to relate the speed of the individual to the estimated amount of pollution inhaled in a single breath.

[0144] In one example, the recommended practice calculation unit 36 ​​may identify the maximum allowable inhaled contamination amount in a single breath (e.g., according to medical standards or individual characteristics), and for each segment, use the relationship established by the relationship determiner 35b to identify the highest practice (e.g., speed) associated with an inhaled contamination amount equal to or lower than the maximum allowable amount. The highest practice may be output as the recommended practice.

[0145] In some embodiments, the relationship determiner 35b can determine the relationship between the individual's performance level and the individual's breathing rate. This information can be stored, for example, in the individual characteristics database 34, or can be based on standard estimates (e.g., for high-level exercise, the estimated breathing rate is about 35-40 breaths per minute, and for minimal level exercise, it is about 12-20 breaths). Alternatively, the determination can be performed by reference to a database (the database relates individual characteristics to estimated breathing rates).

[0146] To understand, Figure 5An exemplary (eg, default) relationship between an individual's performance level x2 and an individual's breathing rate y2 is shown. The individual's performance level x2 is expressed here in Watts (W), i.e., Joules per second (Js -1 ), and the respiratory rate is expressed in breaths per minute. The relationship shown is representative of an average individual.

[0147] The relationship determiner 35b can use the relationship between the implementation and the breathing rate and the relationship between the implementation and the pollution volume inhaled in a single breath to calculate the relationship between the pollution volume inhaled over time and the implementation level. Therefore, it is recommended that the implementation calculation unit 36 ​​or the relationship determiner can determine the relationship between the implementation level (e.g., speed) and the amount of pollution inhaled over time in each segment.

[0148] Recommended performance calculation unit 36 ​​may use this latter relationship to determine the recommended performance for individuals in each segment.

[0149] By way of example, the recommended practice calculation unit 36 ​​may be adapted to identify a maximum allowable inhaled contamination amount (eg, according to medical standards) or inhalation rate over a period of time and determine a recommended practice that results in the maximum allowable inhaled contamination amount or rate.

[0150] In other examples, the recommended performance calculation unit 36 ​​may be adapted to identify a performance level (e.g., speed) that minimizes the amount of contamination taken in over time in each segment. Thus, the performance level may identify a performance level that balances the time spent in a segment with the speed and depth associated with the performance level.

[0151] In some other embodiments, the relationship determiner 35b may determine a relationship between the individual's performance level and the individual's speed. This information may be stored, for example, in an individual characteristics database 34 (e.g., from data obtained from a fitness tracking device), may be based on standard estimates, or may be performed by referencing a database that relates individual characteristics to estimated speeds.

[0152] The recommended implementation calculation unit can use the relationship to determine the recommended implementation for individuals in each segment.

[0153] By way of example, the recommended practice calculation unit may determine the maximum allowable amount of inhaled pollution during a journey. If the relationship between practice and speed, the relationship between practice and polluted breathing rate and the length of the journey are known, it is possible to calculate how much pollution is inhaled by an individual completing the journey. Thus, a recommended practice that balances these characteristics may be identified.

[0154] The minimum level of implementation may be subject to conditions described later (eg, individual minimum expected implementation / speed). In this way, for each segment of the intended route, a recommended implementation may be calculated.

[0155] For example, information regarding recommended implementation for an individual may be displayed via user interface 33. In other examples, information regarding recommended implementation may be provided through another sensory output system such as a speaker or a haptic device (eg, a vibration unit).

[0156] In some embodiments, the recommended implementation unit 36 ​​may be adapted to determine the current recommended implementation for the individual based on the current position of the individual tracked by the individual tracking device 31. Specifically, the recommended implementation unit may be adapted to use the determined individual position to establish which segment of the segmented route the individual is currently located at, and select the recommended implementation associated with the segment as the current recommended implementation for the individual.

[0157] The individual's current recommended implementation may be provided to the individual via the user interface 33 or another sensory output system.

[0158] In some embodiments, the apparatus 30 further comprises a grip monitoring means 37 adapted to determine the current grip of the individual. This may be obtained using any of the previously described methods of determining current grip.

[0159] For example, the performance monitoring device 34 may include a vital sign monitor 37a, which is suitable for monitoring the vital signs of the individual, which may indicate their performance level. For example, the vital sign monitor may include a microphone or a (chest-worn) motion sensor for tracking the individual's breathing. In other examples, the performance monitoring device includes a heart rate monitor or other vital sign monitor (also indicating current performance).

[0160] In another example, the performance monitoring device 34 may include a speed detector 37b, such as a speedometer or accelerometer, adapted to determine the current speed of the individual. The speed of the individual may be indicative of their performance level. Of course, it is to be understood that the method of transportation will affect the performance provided by the individual at a given speed.

[0161] In such an embodiment, the recommended implementation calculation unit 36 ​​can be adapted to receive the current implementation and determine adjustments to be made to the current implementation to meet the recommended implementation for the individual. By way of example, the current implementation and the recommended implementation can be processed to determine how the current implementation should be adjusted (e.g., increased or decreased) to align with the recommended implementation. Thus, adjustments to the current implementation can be calculated.

[0162] Adjustments to the current implementation may be provided to the individual, for example, via the user interface 33 or any other sensory output system. Of course, an indicator of the individual's current implementation may also be provided to the individual (eg, via the user interface 33 or other sensory output system).

[0163] It has been previously explained how other factors or variables may be taken into account when determining (ie, providing conditions for) a recommended action for an individual. Optional modules of the apparatus 30 are described hereinafter which take into account possible other variables.

[0164] In one such example, the device 30 includes an individual goal database 38 adapted to store the individual's desired travel criteria. Specifically, the individual goal database may store one or more goals or desired results for the individual when traveling along the intended route. The individual goal database 38 may be stored in the memory system 38.

[0165] As shown, the individual goal database 38 can obtain these goals from the user interface 33 or from an external source such as a server (e.g., providing a movement guide). Therefore, the user interface 33 can act as an individual goal obtaining unit, which is suitable for obtaining one or more goals of an individual when traveling through the area of ​​the route.

[0166] The recommended action calculation unit 36 ​​may use one or more goals of the individual when calculating the recommended action for each segment of the segmented travel route.

[0167] For example, an individual's goal may be to complete a desired route (ie, journey) within at least a preset time. The recommended performance calculation unit may be adapted to determine a performance level for each segment that enables the individual to meet the preset time while also minimizing pollution inhalation while travelling.

[0168] In another example, the individual's goal may be to include short periods of high intensity practice while travelling the intended route. The recommended practice calculation unit may be adapted to determine in which segment(s) the practice cycle may be performed to minimize pollution inhalation.

[0169] In this manner, it will be apparent that various desired outcomes for an individual may be taken into account when calculating the recommended action(s) for an individual traveling along a desired route.

[0170] In some embodiments, the recommended exercise calculation unit may be adapted to take into account the time it takes for a change in an individual's exercise level to result in a change in the individual's breathing ("lag time"). It is recognized that, due at least to oxygen debt, there may be a lag or delay between an individual increasing their exercise level and a corresponding increase in the individual's breathing rate / depth, or vice versa. Methods of determining an individual's response to changes in exercise intensity are well known in the art.

[0171] Therefore, the recommendation calculation unit may also adjust or determine the recommended implementation based on the lag time for the individual.

[0172] For example, consider a scenario where a segment of the intended route is associated with very high pollution levels, but is very short in length. In this scenario, the recommendation enforcement unit may recommend that the individual provide a very high enforcement level to traverse the high pollution segment to reduce the total amount of pollution inhaled by the individual, because the individual's breathing will not have time to catch up with the increase in enforcement before the individual leaves the high pollution segment.

[0173] It is understood herein that as an individual moves from high intensity practice to low intensity practice, there is a delay before the breathing rate / depth decreases, and vice versa. Therefore, at the transition between segments of a segmented route, the lag time before the change in segment is preferably taken into account.

[0174] Therefore, the recommendation calculation unit may be adapted to account for lag times at transitions between segments.

[0175] For example, when moving from a low pollution area (where the individual can provide high breathing levels) to a high pollution area (where the individual may only be able to provide low breathing levels), the recommendation calculation unit may be adapted to encourage the individual to provide low breathing towards the end of the low pollution area - so that the individual's breathing rate / depth can catch up with the change in breathing before entering the high pollution area.

[0176] By way of another example, as an individual approaches the end of an area of ​​high pollution, they may be encouraged to speed up (i.e., provide greater breathing) so that they exit the area of ​​high pollution more quickly without breathing in additional pollutants due to heavy / rapid breathing, as the individual's breathing rate / depth will not have a chance to catch up with the increased breathing before exiting the area of ​​high pollution.

[0177] The lag time of an individual may be obtained, for example, from characteristic data stored in the individual characteristic database 34. In other examples, the lag time may be a predetermined value (e.g., a common average of lag times). In other examples, the lag time may be calculated based on characteristics of the individual (e.g., age, gender, fitness, etc.).

[0178] In some embodiments, the apparatus 20 further comprises enjoyment determination means 39a adapted to predict the enjoyment of the individual at different parts of the intended route.

[0179] The predicted pleasantness may be based, for example, on characteristics of the route, such as stored in the mapping database 32. For example, if a portion of the route is known to have good views, a high pleasantness may be predicted, and if a portion of the route is known to be associated with a bad smell, a low pleasantness may be predicted. The predicted pleasantness may be given, for example, as a percentage on a scale of 0-10, or as a discrete prediction (e.g., high, medium, or low).

[0180] The recommendation calculation unit 36 ​​may also calculate individual recommendations based on the predicted pleasantness of various portions of the route.

[0181] By way of example, for a portion of a route associated with high pleasure, the recommended practice may be reduced (so that the individual has more time to enjoy that portion). For a portion of a route associated with low pleasure, the recommended practice may be increased (so that the individual can quickly move past the unpleasant portion of the route).

[0182] In particular, the recommendation calculation unit may be adapted to maximize the individual's pleasure while meeting other conditions of the individual's implementation (eg a maximum allowed implementation set based on pollution levels and optionally the individual's capabilities, or a minimum allowed implementation based on the individual's goals).

[0183] This allows for an individual's pollution exposure to be reduced, monitored, or otherwise taken into account while also taking into account the individual's enjoyment.

[0184] In at least one example, the device 30 is adapted to receive individual feedback (e.g., via the user interface 33) about the enjoyment of their journey (e.g., by indicating enjoyable sections or portions of the route). This can be stored (e.g., in the mapping database 32) and used as a basis for calculating the enjoyment of future journeys using the device 30. Other methods / devices for obtaining feedback about enjoyment will be readily recognized by the skilled person, such as sensors. Such sensors may include cameras (e.g., for capturing facial expressions indicating enjoyment levels), galvanic skin sensors (for measuring stress / relaxation indicators), or heart rate variability monitors (for measuring stress / relaxation heart rate indicators).

[0185] In some embodiments, the recommended performance calculation unit 36 ​​is adapted to calculate the recommended performance also based on characteristics of the terrain, in particular potential mandatory changes in the individual's performance level due to obstacles along the expected route or obstacles, such as traffic lights, traffic jams, road intersections, etc.

[0186] Such mandatory changes in the individual's implementation level can often be correlated to changes in the pollution level surrounding the individual. It would therefore be advantageous to take such mandatory changes into account.

[0187] Furthermore, this enforced change will also affect the individual's speed, meaning that the predicted time the individual spends within a particular segment of the route will increase, which may affect the calculation of the recommended action (for the remainder of that segment).

[0188] By way of example, the recommended action calculation unit may recommend reducing the action level when approaching a road intersection so that individuals do not breathe heavily / deeply while waiting near a high pollution level environment (eg, to be allowed to cross), thereby reducing their pollution exposure.

[0189] By way of another example, the recommended performance calculation unit may recommend that the individual provide a lower level of performance throughout the segment because it is apparent that they will need to wait for the obstacle to clear, thereby increasing the time they spend on the segment.

[0190] Other examples of modifying recommended implementations based on terrain characteristics will be apparent to the skilled person.Information about terrain characteristics (eg, potential mandatory changes, including location and / or severity) may be stored in the mapping database 32 .

[0191] In some embodiments, the mapping data may also be resolved in time. That is, the mapping data may include predicted future pollution levels for locations along an individual's expected route. The predicted future pollution levels may be used to more accurately determine the individual's predicted pollutant intake and / or more accurately recommend implementation levels that take into account the expected pollution levels along the route (i.e., which may change over time).

[0192] In a preferred example, the recommended implementation calculation unit may be able to give a suggested time for performing a journey, for example after pollution levels have changed or decreased, to meet the individual's journey goals (such as a desire to maintain a minimum implementation level). By way of example, the recommended implementation calculation unit may be adapted to give a notification when pollution levels decrease so that the individual can travel along the entire intended route at speed without having to

[0193] Therefore, it is recommended that the calculation unit may be adapted to also take into account changes in the pollution level over time.

[0194] In some examples, the characteristic data stored by the individual characteristic database 34 may include data regarding the individual's sensitivity to different pollutants or pollution types, such as pollen or exhaust gas. The recommended implementation calculation unit 36 ​​may be adapted to modify the recommended implementation level based on the individual's sensitivity to different pollutant types.

[0195] By way of example, it is recommended that the computing unit may prioritize slow breathing rates in areas of high pollen counts. This functionality may also be used to guide individual allergy management as part of a broader allergy management system.

[0196] In some embodiments, the device 30 comprises a route determiner 39b adapted to identify alternative routes that may avoid high pollution areas. The route determiner 39b may, for example, use mapping software to identify alternative routes for the individual and use a recommended performance calculation unit to calculate a recommended performance level along each route.

[0197] Thus, the recommended performance calculation unit may determine recommended performance levels along a plurality of different routes, and the route determiner 39b may be adapted to identify suitable routes for individuals to minimise their pollution exposure.

[0198] In other words, the aforementioned modules / units may be used to calculate a plurality of possible routes and associated recommended implementation level(s) for an individual, and the recommended implementation calculation unit may be adapted to identify a route based on the amount of pollution inhaled by the individual.

[0199] As previously described, in a possible embodiment the recommended action calculation unit may be adapted to calculate (for each segment) the recommended action also based on characteristics of the individuals (eg stored by the individual characteristics database 34).

[0200] By way of example, a fitness level (eg, the likelihood that an individual will be able to exercise at a particular pace) may provide an upper limit on possible recommended implementations for that individual.

[0201] The recommended practice may be based on the type of transportation the individual uses. For example, where the recommended practice is speed, the recommended practice will be higher for an individual traveling by bicycle compared to walking.

[0202] Although the above embodiments have been described in the context of calculating recommendations for each segment of an intended route, it will be appreciated that, for example, when performing a reactive calculation (e.g., as described with reference to Figure 2 Various aspects may be applied to other embodiments, etc. Therefore, it is recommended that the computing unit need not know the expected route of the individual to adopt some of the above-mentioned variations of the embodiment.

[0203] Figure 6 and 7 Various embodiments for informing an individual of their recommended level of implementation are illustrated.

[0204] exist Figure 6 In the embodiment, the system 1 is adapted to generate display data indicating a recommended level of practice or a change in practice for an individual. The display 41 receives the display data and displays it (eg via a screen). This provides a visual indication of the recommended level of practice or the recommended change in practice.

[0205] exist Figure 7 In one embodiment, the system 1 is adapted to generate a recommended performance level, such as a recommended speed or a recommended pace for an individual.

[0206] The song selector 51 selects a playlist of songs from a song database 52 based on the recommended performance level. Each song is matched with an individual recommended performance, for example based on the tempo or speed of the song(s).

[0207] It is recognized that individuals naturally synchronize their movements with the music they listen to while walking / jogging. By selecting songs based on the level of recommended practice, these songs can be used to regulate or control the pace of the individual's movement, thereby increasing the likelihood that the individual will comply with the recommended practice. In this way, a playlist of songs can be selected that matches the individual's recommended practice.

[0208] In a preferred embodiment, when multiple different recommended performances are generated (eg, for different points along a route), the length of the song can be adapted to match the different performance levels and timings.

[0209] An output device 54 or output connection (such as a 3mm socket) outputs the selected song to the individual, for example via a speaker.

[0210] Other methods of informing individuals about their recommended implementation will be apparent to the skilled person, such as using a tactile output mechanism such as a vibrating element.

[0211] Figure 8 Another embodiment for implementing recommendations for an individual utilizing the output of system 1 is illustrated. Figure 8 Embodiments of the invention may be used in situations where an individual travels using an electrically assisted but manually actuated transportation device, such as an electric bicycle (“electric bicycle”).

[0212] A personal assistance device 60 is provided, which is suitable for reducing the effort of a person to take when traveling. The personal assistance device 60 comprises an assistance control unit 61 and an assistance provider 62 .

[0213] The assistance control unit 61 is adapted to control the operation of the assistance provider 62 based on individual recommended implementations.

[0214] The assist provider 62 may be an electric motor of an electric bicycle. As will be appreciated by the skilled person, such an assist provider is adapted to vary the assist level, such as the electrical power applied by the motor, in order to vary / control the speed of the electrical device, thereby assisting the individual in using the electric bicycle.

[0215] The assistance control unit 60 may be adapted to maintain a predetermined speed of the transport device. Thus, in response to recommending to perform a descent, the assistance control unit 61 may increase the assistance provided by the assistance provider 62.

[0216] Where the recommended performance over the course of an intended journey is known, the assistance control unit 61 may be adapted to generate a plan based on the recommended performance for the assistance provider 62. The plan may be aimed at maintaining a minimum speed for the individual, or ensuring that they reach their destination before a predetermined time, whilst ensuring that their pollution intake remains below a desired or recommended level.

[0217] Thus, the individual assistance device is adapted to vary the assistance level based on the identified pollution level of the area through which the individual is to travel.

[0218] From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that a system is provided having a recommended implementation calculation unit that recommends one or more implementation levels. The recommended implementation levels may be calculated to minimize contamination inhalation while also meeting a number of other conditions.

[0219] The conditions are determined based on a number of variables. Specifically, different variables can be used to establish a range of permissible performance levels for an individual, which can be used to establish a recommended performance level. Possible variables include: the individual's enjoyment of the journey, the individual's abilities and / or characteristics, and the individual's desired goals or objectives.

[0220] For example, an individual's capabilities may establish a maximum permissible level of performance for that individual (eg, what that individual is capable of doing). An individual's goals may establish a minimum level of performance (ie, the minimum level of performance that the individual desires).

[0221] Preferably, the recommended performance calculation unit is adapted to select recommended performance level(s) that meet or compromise these conditions, while also minimizing the level of contamination inhaled by the individual.

[0222] Any system described herein may also include a fitness tracking module adapted to determine an individual's fitness level or fitness data. The fitness tracking module may be adapted to analyze the individual's performance over time and the route taken by the individual (e.g., length and / or slope changes) and / or the individual's speed to determine their fitness level. For example, this may be performed by actively monitoring the individual's performance compared to a predicted performance of a location (e.g., based on a standard value).

[0223] Fig. 9 An embodiment of a method 70 for determining a recommended implementation rate for an individual when traveling through a zone is illustrated.

[0224] The method comprises a step 71 of determining pollution levels in an area through which an individual is to travel, and a step 72 of calculating a recommended action for the individual based on the identified pollution levels, the recommended action minimising the individual's inhalation of pollution while travelling through the area.

[0225] The method 70 may be suitably adapted to include the steps for determining contamination levels performed by any aspect of the previously described systems.

[0226] As discussed above, embodiments utilize a system. The system can be implemented in a variety of ways using software and / or hardware to perform the various functions required. A processor is an example of a system that employs one or more microprocessors that can be programmed using software (e.g., microcode) to perform the desired functions. However, the system can be implemented with or without a processor, and can also be implemented as a combination of dedicated hardware that performs some functions and a processor (e.g., one or more programmed microprocessors and associated circuitry) that performs other functions. Therefore, the disclosed method can be a computer-implemented method.

[0227] Examples of system components that may be used for various embodiments of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, conventional microprocessors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).

[0228] In various embodiments, a processor or system may be associated with one or more storage media, such as volatile and non-volatile computer memory, such as RAM, PROM, EPROM, and EEPROM. The storage media may be encoded with one or more programs that perform desired functions when executed on one or more processors and / or systems. The various storage media may be fixed within a processor or system, or may be portable so that one or more programs stored thereon may be loaded into a processor or system.

[0229] By studying the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims, those skilled in the art can understand and implement variations of the disclosed embodiments when practicing the claimed invention. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "one" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may perform the functions of several items recited in the claims. The fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used advantageously. The computer program may be stored / distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or solid-state medium supplied together with or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunications systems. Any reference numerals in the claims should not be interpreted as limiting the scope.

Claims

1. A system (1) for determining a recommended implementation rate for an individual when traveling through an area, the system comprising: a pollution identification device (2) adapted to identify a pollution level, said pollution level being a measure of pollutants and / or particles in said area through which said individual is to travel; as well as A recommended practice calculation unit (3) is adapted to calculate the recommended practice for the individual based on the identified pollution level according to a numerical measure representing the recommended practice for the individual, the recommended practice taking into account the pollution inhalation caused by the individual when traveling through the area. 2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the recommended implementation is a calculated numerical output, wherein there are at least three possible options for the recommended implementation.

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the recommended performance calculation unit is further adapted to use the identified pollution level to determine a relationship between the amount of pollution inhaled by the individual and the performance of the individual, Wherein the recommended performance calculation unit is adapted to calculate the recommended performance for the individual based on the relationship between the amount of pollution inhaled by the individual and the performance of the individual.

4. The system according to any one of claims 1-2, further comprising a performance monitoring device adapted to determine the current performance of the individual, Wherein the recommended performance calculation unit is adapted to calculate a recommended adjustment to the individual's performance based on the recommended performance and the individual's current performance.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the live monitoring device comprises a vital signs monitoring system adapted to monitor vital signs of the individual.

6. The system of any one of claims 1-2, 5, further comprising a sensory output system adapted to provide a sensory output indicative of the recommended implementation by the individual.

7. The system according to any one of claims 1-2, 5, further comprising an individual characteristic determination unit (5) adapted to determine one or more characteristics of the individual, Wherein the recommended performance calculation unit is adapted to calculate the recommended performance for the individual further based on the determined one or more characteristics of the individual.

8. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 2 and 5, further comprising a terrain determination device (6) adapted to determine one or more characteristics of the terrain in the area through which the individual is to travel, Wherein the recommended action calculation unit is adapted to calculate the recommended action for the individual also based on the determined one or more characteristics of the terrain.

9. The system according to any one of claims 1-2, 5, further comprising a route determination unit (7) adapted to determine the expected route of the individual, Wherein the recommended action calculation unit is adapted to calculate the recommended action for the individual also based on the expected route of the individual.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the pollution identification device is adapted to identify pollution levels along the expected route of the individual, Wherein the recommended action calculation unit is adapted to calculate the recommended action for the individual further based on the pollution levels identified along the expected route of the individual.

11. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 2, 5 and 10, further comprising an individual target obtaining unit (8) adapted to obtain one or more targets of the individual when traveling through the area, Wherein the recommended performance calculation unit is adapted to calculate the recommended performance for the individual further based on the determined one or more goals for the individual.

12. The system according to any one of claims 1-2, 5, 10, further comprising an individual assistance device (60) adapted to reduce the effort of the individual when travelling, Wherein the individual assistance device is adapted to vary a level of assistance based on the identified pollution level of the area through which the individual is to travel.

13. A computer-implemented method (70) for determining a recommended implementation rate for an individual when traveling through an area, the method comprising: identifying (71) a pollution level, the pollution level being a measure of pollutants and / or particulates in the area through which the individual is to travel; as well as Based on the identified pollution level, a recommended practice for the individual is calculated (72) by calculating a numerical metric representing the recommended practice for the individual, the recommended practice taking into account pollution inhalation by the individual while traveling through the area.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: determining a current implementation of said individual; as well as A recommended adjustment to the individual's implementation is calculated based on the recommended implementation and the individual's current implementation.

15. A computer program comprising code means for implementing the method according to any one of claims 13 or 14 when the program is run on a computer.

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