A device for measuring the temperature of parts of the human body.

Abstract

A device for measuring the temperature of a human body part (1), specifically the hands and / or feet, comprising a receptacle (2) for the body part (1), and a sensing device (3) equipped with at least one temperature sensor (4) for determining the temperature of at least one area of ​​the body part (1) positioned on the receptacle (2), specifically the surface temperature, and further comprising a cooling device (7) for cooling the receptacle (2) and / or the body part (1) positioned on the receptacle (2) using a coolant (8).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for measuring the temperature of a human body part, specifically the hand and / or foot, having a receptacle for the body part and a sensing device comprising at least one temperature sensor for determining the temperature of at least one area of the body part, specifically the surface temperature, positioned on the receptacle.

Background Art

[0002] In the field of medical research, the ability to draw conclusions about existing diseases based on the measurement of the temperature of the human body surface is already known. For example, in so-called thermography, the surface temperature of a body area is shown and an evaluation regarding the presence of pathological changes is made by a physician.

[0003] In recent years, for example, it has been found that rheumatoid arthritis can be detected at an early stage by sensing the physiological warming of the hand over a certain period after stimulation by cold air. For this purpose, the hand is placed on a table under a thermal detection camera. The thermal detection camera is fixed to a stand above the hand. If rheumatoid arthritis is present, the inflammation present in the hand causes non-uniform warming, which can, in an ideal case, be estimated from the recorded temperature profile. Specifically, it can be shown that the joints with inflammation warm up faster than the surrounding tissue.

[0004] However, it is regarded as a problem that the recordings or data obtained with known configurations are clearly affected by disturbing variables, and as a result, the reliability is not high enough to enable the identification of pathological changes in the temperature profile.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Therefore, the fundamental objective of the present invention is to provide and improve a device for measuring the temperature of human body parts so that reliable and meaningful measurements can be achieved using simple design means. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The above objective is achieved according to the present invention by the features described in claim 1. Accordingly, a device for measuring the temperature of a human body part, specifically the hands and / or feet, comprising a receptacle for the body part, and a sensing device having at least one temperature sensor for determining the temperature, specifically the surface temperature, of at least one area of ​​the body part positioned on the receptacle, and further comprising a cooling device for cooling the body part on and / or positioned on the receptacle using a coolant.

[0007] According to the present invention, the fundamental objective can be achieved, surprisingly, by providing a cooling device that can stimulate the receptacle or the body part positioned thereon with cold air. This has the advantage that, after stimulation with cold air, the body part does not need to be moved and is instead left on the receptacle, so that physiological warming can then be measured by the sensing device. By using the sensing device, a highly accurate temperature profile of the body part or a region of the body part can be recorded, particularly during the warming of the body part.

[0008] The use of the device according to the present invention not only enables precise cooling of the body part but also allows for the body part to be consistently held in a precisely defined position, i.e., on or over the receptacle. As a result of this design, disturbance variables that may arise due to movement or inaccurate positioning and inaccurate cooling of the body part are prevented. Therefore, the data obtained by the sensing device is particularly suitable for software-based assessment of the presence of disease, preferably rheumatoid arthritis, especially based on artificial intelligence. Regardless of how the data is evaluated, the data may include geometric data, i.e., data relating to the geometric surface characteristics of the body part, specifically the hand or foot, in addition to temperature data.

[0009] At this point, it should be noted that the device according to the present invention is particularly suitable for the detection of rheumatoid arthritis, but is not limited to this use. It is also conceivable that the data obtained from the sensing device, specifically temperature data and / or geometric data, could be used to detect other changes or diseases.

[0010] Furthermore, the body parts may specifically be hands and / or feet. The receptacle and the sensing device are expected and advantageous to be designed to enable the determination of the temperature of the hand (including the wrist) or foot (including the ankle). In addition, the cooling device is advantageous to be designed so that the cooling of the hand (including the wrist) or foot (including the ankle) is enabled by the coolant.

[0011] The receptacle may, advantageously, have at least one opening. This makes it possible to leave at least partially uncovered the side of the contained body part facing the receptacle, specifically the surface of the hand. This allows the coolant to come into direct contact with a larger surface area of ​​the body part, and in addition, a larger area of ​​the body part becomes available for measurement. The receptacle may specifically be a support for the body part, for example, a particularly ergonomically shaped hand rest.

[0012] More advantageously, the receptacle may have at least one fixing element that holds the body part in a defined position. Such a design has the advantage that movement of the body part, which represents disturbance variables in the acquired temperature data, is prevented or at least reduced, particularly during temperature measurement. For example, brackets or loops may be used as fixing elements.

[0013] The coolant may, particularly advantageously, have a temperature in the range of -10°C to 20°C. This allows the body part to be cooled to the required target temperature in a relatively short time. The coolant may, particularly advantageously, have a temperature in the range of 0°C to 10°C so that relatively rapid cooling is possible on the one hand, and on the other hand, so that the coolant is not perceived as painful by the subject. Regardless of temperature, the coolant may be, for example, water or some other liquid. Alternatively or additionally, a gaseous medium may be used as a coolant.

[0014] According to one advantageous embodiment, the cooling device may have a tank for containing the coolant. Such an embodiment is particularly suitable when a liquid coolant is used. The tank is envisioned to be provided separately, for example, as a Dewar flask, and / or to have at least one active cooling element, such as a Peltier element. According to a further advantageous embodiment, a device for monitoring the temperature of the coolant may be provided to ensure that the coolant is always maintained at a desired temperature. Alternatively or additionally, the tank may have an inlet and an outlet for the coolant.

[0015] More advantageously, the cooling device may have at least one outlet nozzle for directing the coolant to the receptacle and / or the body part. The use of an outlet nozzle is particularly advantageous when a gas is used as the coolant.

[0016] The cooling device may, particularly advantageously, have a housing element for the body part, within which a space, such as a channel, for the coolant is formed. Specifically, the housing element is envisioned to be designed as a glove having a double-wall design, for example, so that the coolant is contained in a closed space. This space may have a multi-part design, for example, a two-part design, so that the glove is divided into an upper and lower section, and the coolant can flow independently through both.

[0017] Furthermore, it is conceivable and advantageous for the cooling device or the tank to be positioned between a neutral position where the coolant has little or no effect on the receptacle and / or the body part, and a cooling position where the receptacle and / or the body part is affected by the coolant. This eliminates the need to move the body part, thus avoiding disturbance variables that occur during temperature measurement.

[0018] According to one advantageous embodiment, the sensing device may have multiple temperature sensors. This makes it possible to perform temperature measurements on the receptacle and / or the body part at various angles. Temperature data obtained in such a configuration is particularly well suited for creating a temperature profile of the body part being examined. Regardless of the number of temperature sensors, it is assumed that the temperature sensors can be positioned at different locations, for example at appropriate points, so as to be displaceable or fixed by shape fitting and / or pressure fitting.

[0019] Advantageously, at least two temperature sensors may be arranged so that temperature measurement can be achieved from the side of the body part away from the receptacle, for example, the back of the hand, and from the side of the body part facing the receptacle, for example, the surface of the hand. Based on the data or temperature data recorded from the back of the hand and the surface of the hand, a more reliable diagnosis can be made because abnormal heating, for example, related to disease, can be detected in an improved manner. A further advantage is that errors in data recording or image recording are avoided because the sensing device and the body part do not move during data acquisition.

[0020] More advantageously, the sensing device may be rotatable around the receptacle. This allows temperature measurements to be taken from various areas of the body.

[0021] In a more advantageous embodiment, the temperature sensor may be a thermal imaging camera. Images recorded by the thermal imaging camera are particularly well suited for evaluating the presence of a disease, specifically rheumatoid arthritis. The temperature sensor may also be a pyroelectric sensor. This has the advantage that the temperature can be measured accurately. Alternatively or additionally, the sensing device may have at least one camera, specifically an RGB camera.

[0022] Advantageously, the sensing device is assumed to have at least one surface detection sensor, such as a lidar sensor. Such a design means has the advantage that the surface shape of the body part can be detected so that, for example, the intensity of finger swelling can be identified.

[0023] The sensing device may, advantageously, have a sensing unit comprising at least one thermal imaging camera and an associated camera. Placing a "conventional camera," such as an RGB camera, immediately next to the thermal imaging camera has the advantage that the labeling function of the thermographic data can be automated or optimized. Specifically, so-called automatic finger knuckle annotation of the temperature data can be performed. Automatic finger knuckle annotation is possible because the camera or the RGB camera enables the identification of "drapes" of skin folds above the knuckles in the case of a dorsal view (view of the back of the hand), for example, and the identification of "wrinkles" below the knuckles in the case of a ventral view (view of the palm). Certain folds cannot be represented by data collected by the thermal imaging camera. It is also conceivable that the thermal imaging camera and the associated camera form a structural unit, i.e., have an integrated or composite design.

[0024] Furthermore, it is envisioned that a computing device, such as a computer, be provided for processing the measurements acquired by the sensing device. The computing device may be used to control or operate the individual components of the device (such as the movement of the sensing device and / or cooling device). The evaluation of the measurements may be performed directly within the computing device. It is also envisioned that the computing device transfers at least a portion of the recorded data, specifically temperature data and / or geometric data, or pre-processed data, to another computing device, such as the cloud, where all or part of the evaluation of the data, specifically temperature data and / or geometric data, is performed. The computing device may be designed to evaluate the recorded data, specifically temperature data and / or geometric data, using statistical methods. According to one advantageous embodiment, it is envisioned that the computing device is designed to evaluate the recorded data, specifically temperature data and / or geometric data, using artificial intelligence for pattern recognition.

[0025] In addition, the computing device can also be designed to supply the recorded data, specifically temperature data and / or geometric data, and use it to evaluate the data for the diagnosis refinement of pattern recognition that is learned and further developed. A customized algorithm that claims to evaluate a data set collected from a subject and improve accuracy and character boundaries through self-learning may be verified. A conceptual model based on actual training data may be developed using a common model. Together with the data of specific measurements of the body part collected by the sensing device, the geometric data set can be interpreted and systematically evaluated in two dimensions and context, and can further be comprehensively interpreted and evaluated across the entire data set.

[0026] More preferably, a removal device for removing a protective element, such as a glove, may be provided on and / or positioned on the receptacle from the body part. The protective element is used to prevent the body part of the inspection target from getting wet with the coolant after cooling because it may interfere with temperature measurement, for example, to prevent it from getting wet.

[0027] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the sensing device may comprise at least one further sensor for determining physiological parameters selected from skin electrical conductivity, blood oxygen saturation, pulse and heart rhythm, and the concentrations of red blood cells, white blood cells, lymphocytes, and hemoglobin (Hb).

[0028] More preferably, an analysis device may be provided, through which a measurement piece for analyzing the applied blood droplet can be at least partially inserted. In this way, not only can further information regarding the patient's health condition be collected by determining disease-related inflammatory proteins, antibodies, uric acid, pathogens, or further blood values, but also the presence of rheumatoid arthritis can be determined. In particular, in addition to typical antibodies against typical inflammatory values, namely antibodies against C-reactive protein (CRP), cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP), and rheumatoid factor (RF), typical organic values such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and creatinine (crea) can also be determined in this way.

[0029] There are various options for advantageously developing and improving the teachings of the present invention. In this regard, reference is made on the one hand to the claims dependent on claim 1 and on the other hand to the following description of the preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention based on the drawings. In connection with the description of the preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention based on the drawings, the overall preferred embodiments and improvements of the teachings are also described.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0030] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the present invention. [Figure 2a] [[ID=,15]]FIG. 2a is a further schematic view showing the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1. [Figure 2b] FIG. 2b is a further schematic view showing the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1. [Figure 3a] FIG. 3a is a further schematic view showing the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1. [Figure 3b] FIG. 3b is a further schematic view showing the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1. [Figure 3c] FIG. 3c is a further schematic view showing the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1. [Figure 4a]Figure 4a is a further schematic diagram showing an exemplary embodiment according to Figure 1. [Figure 4b] Figure 4b is a further schematic diagram showing an exemplary embodiment according to Figure 1. [Figure 5a] Figure 5a is a further schematic diagram showing an exemplary embodiment according to Figure 1. [Figure 5b] Figure 5b is a further schematic diagram showing an exemplary embodiment according to Figure 1. [Figure 6a] Figure 6a is a further schematic diagram showing an exemplary embodiment according to Figure 1. [Figure 6b] Figure 6b is a further schematic diagram showing an exemplary embodiment according to Figure 1. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a magnified detail view showing a portion of the device shown in Figure 1. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is another enlarged detail view showing a portion of the device shown in Figure 1, which is shown in Figure 7. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the receptacle and sensing device of the device according to the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0031] For the sake of clarity, please note that not all components in each figure are necessarily assigned their corresponding reference numerals.

[0032] Figures 1 to 8 show an exemplary embodiment of a device according to the present invention for measuring the temperature of a part of a human body 1. In the exemplary embodiment shown herein, the part of the body 1 is a hand.

[0033] The device comprises a receptacle 2 for a body part 1 and a sensing device 3 having two temperature sensors 4. More than two temperature sensors 4, or just one temperature sensor 4, may be provided. In particular, in Figures 7 and 8, it is clear that the receptacle 2 has a large opening 5, thereby ensuring that the placed body part 1, as observed in the ventral view (palm view), is not covered as much as possible. The temperature sensors 4 may be, for example, thermal imaging cameras. In addition, the receptacle 2 is provided with fixing elements 6 to hold the body part 1 in the desired position and prevent movement as much as possible during use.

[0034] Furthermore, a cooling device 7 is provided, and through this cooling device, the body part 1 can be subjected to the action of a coolant 8 to cool the body part 1 to a predetermined temperature or surface temperature. For this purpose, the cooling device 7 includes a tank 12 for containing the coolant 8.

[0035] In addition, Figure 1 shows only a computing device 9 used for processing or evaluating data obtained from the temperature sensor and any other sensors or cameras, specifically temperature data and / or geometric data, and optionally for controlling individual elements of the device.

[0036] The temperature measurement process is evident from Figures 1 to 6b. Therefore, first, body part 1 is positioned on or above the receptacle 2. The body part is surrounded by a protective element 10, in this case a glove (see Figure 1). While this is advantageous, it should be noted that the protective element 10 is not always necessary. Next, the receptacle 2 can be introduced into the device (see Figures 2a and 2b). It is also conceivable that the receptacle 2 is stationary. For example, the receptacle can be fixed in the position shown in Figure 2b.

[0037] Figures 1 to 8 also show a removal device 11 used to remove the protective element 10, although the device does not necessarily have to be a removal device 10 (see Figure 2b).

[0038] According to Figures 3a and 3b, in order to cool the body part 1 to a desired temperature, the tank portion 12 of the cooling device 7 is moved from a neutral position to a cooling position where the coolant 8 comes into contact with the body part. The tank portion 12 does not necessarily have to be a movable design, and other designs are also possible. For example, the tank portion 12 can be fixed in the cooling position shown in Figure 3b, and can have an inlet and an outlet so that the coolant 8 can fill the tank portion 12 to the point of overflowing and be discharged from there.

[0039] Figure 3c shows that after body part 1 has been cooled, the cooling device 7 is returned to its neutral position. Figures 4a and 4b clearly show how the protective element 10 is removed from the body part by the removal device 11. As mentioned above, the protective element 10, and therefore the removal device 11, are not absolutely necessary.

[0040] Figure 5a shows the process by which the temperature of at least one area of ​​body part 1 is detected by the temperature sensor 4 during physiological warming of the body part 1. In other words, the surface temperature of body part 1 is sensed over a period of time so as to detect warming of joints and corresponding surrounding tissues. The data thus obtained can be evaluated directly by the computing device 9 or transferred to a further computing device for evaluation. This evaluation is preferably performed using an artificial intelligence-based method. After the measurement is complete, body part 1 is removed from the receptacle 2 (Figure 5b). In this way, body part 1 can be precisely cooled to a predetermined temperature by using the described device to record the temperature profile during warming. It is important that body part 1 is not moved so that a description of the presence of a disease, specifically rheumatoid arthritis, can be made based on the determined temperature profile in a particularly reliable manner.

[0041] Figures 7 and 8 show enlarged detail views of the receptacle 2 and the removal device 11. The receptacle 2 is ergonomically fitted to the surface of the hand, and it is very clear that the opening 5 ensures that only the small portion of the body part 1, i.e., the hand, is covered by the receptacle 2. This has the further advantage that the temperature of the receptacle has only a minor effect on the warming of the body part 1. It is also shown that the removal device 11 has five removal elements 13, each of which engages with the distal end of the corresponding finger to remove the protective element 10, i.e., the glove, from the body part 1.

[0042] Figure 9 shows an example of one possible arrangement of the sensing device 3 with respect to the receptacle 2. Such an arrangement may be provided by the devices shown in Figures 1 to 8. In this way, a portion of the present disclosure is explicitly represented by combining the above descriptions relating to Figures 1 to 8 and Figure 9.

[0043] As shown in Figure 9, each temperature sensor 4, such as a thermal imaging camera, is provided in combination with a "conventional" camera 14, such as an RGB camera. This combination of temperature sensors 4 and cameras 14 is positioned relative to the receptacle 2 so that the three temperature sensors 4 shown at the top of Figure 9 can measure the temperature of the side of the body part 1 that is away from the receptacle 2, for example, the back of the hand. The side of the body part 1 that faces the receptacle 2, for example, the surface of the hand, can have its temperature measured by the temperature sensor 14 shown at the bottom of Figure 9. In addition, while the temperature sensors 4, such as thermal imaging cameras, are arranged in accordance with Figure 9, it is also conceivable that the cameras 14 may not be provided, or that in some cases not all temperature sensors 4 are arranged in combination with cameras 14. Furthermore, one or more cameras 14 can be positioned around the receptacle 2 independently of the temperature sensors 4.

[0044] For further advantageous embodiments of the device according to the present invention, refer to the entirety of this specification and the appended claims to avoid repetition.

[0045] Finally, it is explicitly stated that the embodiments of the device according to the present invention described above serve only to illustrate the claimed teachings and are not limited to the exemplary embodiments. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0046] 1 body part 2 Receptacles 3 Sensing device 4. Temperature Sensor 5 Openings 6 Fixed elements 7 Cooling devices 8 Coolant 9. Computing Devices 10 Protective Elements 11 Removal Devices 12 Tank section 13 Removable elements 14 Cameras

Claims

1. A device for measuring the temperature of a human body part (1), specifically the hands and / or feet, comprising: a receptacle (2) for the body part (1); a sensing device (3) equipped with at least one temperature sensor (4) for determining the temperature of at least one area of ​​the body part (1) positioned on the receptacle (2), specifically the surface temperature; and a cooling device (7) for cooling the receptacle (2) and / or the body part (1) positioned on the receptacle (2) using a coolant (8).

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the receptacle (2) has at least one opening (5), and at least partially the side of the contained body portion (1) facing the receptacle (2) is not covered by the receptacle (2).

3. The device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the receptacle (2) has at least one fixing element (6) that holds the body part (1) at a predetermined position.

4. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the temperature of the coolant (8) is in the range of -10°C to 30°C, preferably in the range of 0°C to 20°C.

5. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cooling device (7) has a tank (12) for containing the coolant (8), and / or the cooling device (7) has at least one outlet nozzle for directing the coolant (8) to the receptacle (2) and / or the body part (1), and / or the cooling device (7) has a housing element, such as a glove, having a space, such as a channel, for the coolant (8).

6. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the cooling device (7) may be placed between a neutral position in which there is little or no effect of the coolant (8) on the receptacle (2) and / or the body part (1) and a cooling position in which the receptacle (2) and / or the body part (1) are affected by the coolant (8).

7. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the sensing device (3) has a plurality of temperature sensors (4), and temperature measurement can be performed on the receptacle (2) and / or the body part (1) at various angles.

8. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least two temperature sensors (4) are arranged such that temperature measurement can be achieved from the side of the body part (1) away from the receptacle (2) and from the side of the body part (1) facing the receptacle (2).

9. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the sensing device (3) is rotatable around the receptacle (2).

10. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the temperature sensor (4) has a thermal detection camera and / or a pyroelectric sensor, and / or the sensing device (3) has at least one camera (14), specifically an RGB camera, and / or the sensing device (3) has at least one surface detection sensor, for example, a lidar sensor.

11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the sensing device (3) has at least one sensing unit comprising a thermal sensing camera and an associated camera (14).

12. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that a computing device (9) for processing the measurement values ​​acquired by the sensing device (3) is provided.

13. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that a protective element (10), such as a removal device (11) for removing gloves, is provided on and / or from the body part (1) positioned on the receptacle (2).

Images