Personal prevention system against heat stress

Abstract

The present invention relates to a personal prevention system against heat stress comprising a personal device worn by the user, a personal device application, a computer program on the cloud, IoT sensors and a meteorological information system or systems. The computer program on the cloud is connected to the personal device application, to the IoT sensors and to the meteorological information systems. The personal device is arranged to send alerts regarding the results obtained by the computer program to warn of heat stress situations, said personal device comprising an emergency button and / or voice-activated alert device in response to these perceived situations.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] PERSONAL PREVENTION SYSTEM AGAINST THERMAL STRESS

[0003] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The purpose of this invention application is to register a system that protects people in relation to possible episodes of thermal stress, whether from heat or cold, taking into account individual factors (of the person in question) and circumstantial factors, such as those relating to the geographical positioning of said person and the environmental conditions corresponding to that positioning or location.

[0005] The invention is therefore situated in the sector of prevention or safety systems for people, more specifically occupational, health, personal and portable, transportable or wearable prevention systems.

[0006] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0007] In general terms, and for illustrative purposes only, heat stress in humans can be defined as a state of discomfort experienced by the body due to temperature imbalances, whether from excessive heat accumulation or loss. This imbalance is influenced by various factors linked, on the one hand, to individual characteristics of each person (health status, physical fitness, clothing, physical activity at the time, hydration, body temperature, etc.) and, on the other hand, to the environment in which the individual finds themselves (ambient temperature, humidity, ventilation, altitude, and similar factors).

[0008] This loss or accumulation of heat can be gradual or sudden, and in both cases, it may not be perceived or correctly interpreted by the individual experiencing it until a point where the consequences for their health become significant, even irreversible. If the heat exchange is gradual, this slow immersion in a stressful environment may allow the person to become accustomed to the situation without feeling an extreme urgency. However, the truth is that a point of no return can be reached, potentially leading to an alteration or impairment of the body's regulatory and protective mechanisms. In the case of a sudden temperature change, it can be so drastic that the individual is simply unable to react to seek shelter or alert family members, coworkers, or emergency services.

[0009] In this regard, the dreaded heatstroke is widely known, for example, and can cause death in less than 24 hours if not treated properly. As for cooling or physiological hypothermia, this can have consequences such as prolonged reaction time, negatively affecting mental clarity in problem-solving, impaired manual dexterity and precision movements, reduced mobility, and, in extreme cases, can lead to unconsciousness, in addition to other strictly organic effects such as respiratory problems and increased blood pressure.

[0010] Therefore, there is a clear need for a system that helps prevent the aforementioned circumstances and that takes into account objective risk assessment factors, while also considering the user's personal characteristics and location at any given time. This would eliminate the need for the user to activate the system or security protocols involving third parties every time they anticipate facing such a situation. Furthermore, it would be advisable for the system to comply with current regulations, particularly those applicable to work environments.

[0011] DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] With the above objectives in mind, a personal thermal stress prevention system has been developed to avoid the disorders and illnesses resulting from such stress. The system comprises a personal device worn by the user; that is, this device will always be in the same geographical location as the user or in their immediate vicinity, preferably on or near their body. The system also includes software that will handle all the necessary processing of data obtained from various IoT sensors and from one or more meteorological information systems.In the case of data obtained from IoT sensors, these sensors can communicate this data either through the user's personal device or directly to the control software. The user's device is therefore also connected to the control software for data transmission. Through this processing, the software will obtain results regarding the user's level of heat stress (if any). The IoT sensors and the meteorological information system(s) will provide data on the user's current location (geolocation), data on various physiological variables, the user's position and / or movement, and data on the environmental conditions of the user's current location.The software program is designed to connect to more than one weather information system as a redundant measure against potential connection or operational errors, or to extract data in the form of averaged values, for example. While cloud-based weather information systems are preferred, this is not a requirement. The personal device has an application installed that accesses the results generated by the cloud-based software and sent to the device.

[0013] According to a feature of the invention, the computer program that deals with the control and processing of the data of the personal prevention system may be installed in the cloud or on physical servers, in which case said physical servers may be located on the client's premises or outside of them, or may be servers owned by the client or rented from external entities.

[0014] According to another feature of the invention, the personal device has the means to emit or generate alerts that can be heard, seen, or perceived as vibrations by the user. These alerts are generated based on the results obtained by the cloud-based software regarding the user's thermal stress level. They may include, for example, pop-up messages on mobile phones or other personal devices, continuous or flashing lights, sounds loud enough to attract the user's attention (or at least with a user-selectable level of loudness), vibrations of the personal device, and similar alerts. The alerts can indicate different levels of severity or emergency, ranging from mild thermal stress to a possible heat stroke or severe cold exposure.

[0015] According to another feature of the invention, the IoT sensors can be worn by the user, for example, in the form of wearable devices such as bracelets, wristbands, smart clothing, body electrodes, etc., or incorporated into the personal device itself, for example, in the case of smartwatches. Alternatively, or in combination with the previous option, the IoT sensors can also be installed in the area where the user is currently located to collect data such as humidity, ambient temperature, altitude, pressure, wind, etc. The area can be enclosed or open, and in the latter case, the sensors could be installed on posts, lampposts, fences, furniture within the area, etc.The area may also be partially enclosed / open, for example, with covered areas delimited by walls and other open areas, such as terraces, patios, and the like. In this regard, it should be noted that environmental IoT sensors will not always be available to gather information for assessing heat stress, for example, during work, sports, or other activities where the user is in open public areas; in such cases, the data will come from the user's personal IoT sensors (if they are wearing them) and from the meteorological information system(s).

[0016] Preferably, IoT sensors include one or more ambient temperature sensors (of the aforementioned enclosure where the user is located), ambient humidity sensors (of the enclosure), body temperature sensors, user skin moisture sensors, their blood pressure sensors, their heart rate sensors, accelerometers, pressure / altitude sensors, user oxygen saturation sensors, oximeters, user vital signs sensors, user movement sensors, wind or air movement sensors.

[0017] Preferably, the cloud-based software program includes a SaaS (Software as a Service) type program or software.

[0018] Personal devices that can be used to host the aforementioned personal device application include mobile phones, laptops, notebook computers, tablets, and wearable devices such as smartwatches, smart bracelets, clothing with built-in communication and / or processing devices, and similar items. In general, any device that can connect to the cloud-based software, on which the personal device application can be installed, and that can be carried by the user in the same area where the heat stress is to be assessed will be suitable.

[0019] Finally, according to another feature of the invention, the system includes a button or switch to alert a control center, family members, acquaintances, emergency services, colleagues, supervisors, etc., about an emergency situation, for example, related to perceived symptoms of possible severe heat stress that could lead to heatstroke or impaired decision-making and / or motor skills due to either cold or heat. The button or switch can be a physical element or an element displayed on a touchscreen. An option not specified in the claims also considers voice activation of this emergency alert.In combination with the aforementioned button or switch, a system can also be included that, in the occupational safety sector, is known as a dead man system, a downed man system, or a lone worker system, which would be very useful in case, for example, the user fell unconscious or became unable to move and press the emergency button / switch.

[0020] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Figure 1 is a schematic (block and illustrative) view of the thermal stress prevention system of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 shows, for illustrative purposes, a screenshot of the personal device application of the system of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 3 shows, for illustrative purposes, a screenshot of the cloud-based software program of the present invention.

[0024] DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0025] The following will describe in detail, and in a non-limiting manner, ways of carrying out the invention illustrated in the figures listed above.

[0026] Figure 1 shows a block diagram of the thermal stress prevention system described in this document. User 60 and the IoT sensors 50 are shown figuratively to facilitate interpretation of the figure. It depicts a user 60 whose various variables (both personal and external) are to be monitored to assess and prevent potential thermal stress situations. This user 60 carries a personal device 10, which could be a mobile phone or any other device that allows it to be transported to the monitoring location (e.g., smartwatches, laptops, tablets, or any wearable device). Within the personal device 10, a block representing the personal device application 20 is shown.This personal device application 20 (a screenshot of which is shown in Figure 2) is designed to connect, using the capabilities of the personal device 10, to a software program 30 in the cloud. In the figures, corresponding to the preferred embodiment, all IoT devices 50 are depicted as having the ability to connect to both the personal device 10 and the software program 30. However, in other embodiments, some of these IoT devices 50 will have this dual connection capability, while others will only be able to connect to either the personal device 10 or the software program 30. Furthermore, in this preferred embodiment, the software program 30 is depicted as being in the cloud, but in other embodiments, it may be installed on one or more servers, which may be physical or virtual.

[0027] The cloud-based software program 30 can be accessed, for example, via a web page and includes, in its interface (one of whose possible screens is shown in Figure 3), the forms and configuration elements for connecting to and interacting with the personal device 10 (and, therefore, with the application 20) in order to send the latter relevant processing results, which will be explained below. For calculating these processing results, the software program 30 receives inputs from IoT sensors 50 and from one or more meteorological information systems 40. Preferably, though not exclusively, the software program 30 is of the SaaS type.

[0028] The IoT sensors 50 capture personal and environmental data relating to the user 60. Figure 1 shows, for illustrative purposes only, a personal IoT sensor 50 on the user's wrist 60 and two environmental IoT sensors 50 installed on the ceiling of an enclosure 70. As can be inferred from the claims, the number of sensors 50 may differ from that shown; their installation location and type or class may also differ. For example, instead of wearing a single IoT sensor 50 on the wrist (such as a wristband, bracelet, or watch) to measure variables such as heart rate, skin moisture, or temperature, the user 60 may also wear, alternatively or additionally, IoT sensors 50 on other limbs or incorporated into clothing, or even adhesive or similar body electrodes.Likewise, the IoT sensors 50 installed on the ceiling of the enclosure 70 could be mounted on the walls of the same or on any furniture or structural element of said enclosure 70, such as columns, fences, walls, posts, lampposts, etc., as deemed appropriate by the responsible technicians, in order to optimally obtain the parameters with which a better assessment of the thermal stress situation for the user 60 can be obtained. This enclosure 70 could be a completely enclosed installation (such as offices, a premises, a warehouse, a gym, etc.) or an open space, at least partially, such as a park, an outdoor sports facility, an outdoor workplace (in the service sector or for operators, installers or maintenance personnel), etc.The data that feeds the cloud-based software program 30 is therefore that which comes from on-site IoT sensors 50 (either personal or environmental) and also that provided by the meteorological information system or systems 40 in relation to the user's location 60. One of the meteorological information systems 40 usable in the present invention could be, for example, the one provided by AEMET, as an example only. The system of the invention is applicable in professional environments, to assess and prevent risk situations for the personnel involved, and also in leisure, healthcare, or private environments, used by private individuals.

[0029] Continuing with the description of the system of the present invention, the computer program 30 is designed, after receiving the aforementioned inputs, to process them, obtain results that define whether user 60 is experiencing thermal stress and, if so, the level thereof, and communicate this assessment to the personal device application 20. In this regard, the personal device 10 has the means to issue alerts that materialize this assessment so that it can be perceived by user 60, and can also communicate it via alerts, messages, or calls to someone responsible for user 60's protection, thus preventing unnecessary risk situations, oversights, or negligence.If the personal device 10 were, for example, a mobile or smartphone, it could emit audible signals, visual signals on its screen, or vibrations (e.g., alerts, messages, or calls). These signals could vary in intensity and type depending on the severity of the detected heat stress. For instance, a pop-up screen could appear, alerting the user 60 that they have exceeded the threshold for entering a heat stress situation (combined or not with audible and / or vibratory signals, depending on the selected settings). This screen could include advice for such situations (hydration, moving to a different location, calling emergency services, etc.) or even provide protocols to follow based on different locations, activities, or tasks, for example, in cases of varying severity, such as the detection of a possible imminent heat stroke.

[0030] In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the assessment of the thermal stress situation is based on the WBGT (Wet Bulb Globe Temperature) index. In other embodiments, the assessment is based on one or more of the following studies / regulations, combined or not with the aforementioned WBGT:

[0031] ISO 7730, ISO 7243, ISO 7726, ISO 8996, ISO 7933 and UNE EN 27243 or equivalents NTP 322, NTP 922, NTP 923 and NTP 344

[0032] American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH). 2010 TLVs® and BEIs®.

[0033] American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists Threshold limits values ​​and Biological exposure indices of 1992-93. Cincinnati. ACGIH 1992

[0034] AMERICAN CONFERENCE OF GOVERNMENTAL INDUSTRIAL HYGIENISTS Threshold Limit Values ​​(TLVs) and Biological Exposure Indices (BEIs).

[0035] Cincinnati, OH 45211-4438. USA.

[0036] J. MALCHAIRE, A. PIETTE, B. KAMPMANN, P. MEHNERT, H. GEBHARDTÚ, HAVENITH, E. DEN HARTOG, I. HOLMER, K. PARSONS, G. ALFANO AND B. GRIEFAHN. Development and Validation of the Predicted Heat Strain Model. Ann. occup. Hyg., Vol. 45, No. 2, pp. 123-135, 2001. British Occupational Hygiene Society

[0037] HSE 2002. The development of a practical heat stress assessment methodology for use in UK industry. Research Report 008.

[0038] Furthermore, the system can be configured to send up to 10 audible, visual, and / or vibratory reminders to the personal device, such as reminders to stay hydrated, take safety breaks during activities or work, and follow protocols for perceived and / or reported situations of heat stress, among others. These reminders and safety breaks can be pre-programmed at regular intervals or at individually selected times, or automatically by the software program 30 when the data entered into the program indicates it is necessary, according to the instructions of the programmer or the artificial intelligence software controlling it.

[0039] Preferably, the system also includes an emergency button or trigger on the personal device 10, to be activated by the user 60 when they perceive a serious situation in which they are about to lose consciousness or experience a decline in their physical or mental faculties. This emergency alert could also be configured to activate automatically when any of the IoT sensors 50 detects, for example, a fall by the user 60 or an unusually prolonged period of inactivity or immobility. In either of the above cases, the alert could be issued along with the user 60's geolocation information.Although reactive detection mechanisms for heat stress exist through body temperature monitoring, there is no record of any preventive device, process, or mechanism that identifies, alerts, and provides assistance from the risk of heat stress on an individual basis, according to different risk levels, in advance, standardized to current regulations, and taking into account the large and diverse number of triggering factors (personal and environmental, collected by both sensors and existing meteorological systems). To address this, a system has been designed that, leveraging existing regulations and research, and utilizing various portable / transportable and / or permanently installed components, allows for alerting and guiding a personal device (10) through audible alerts and other messages to prevent the risk of heat stress in individuals during their activities.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A personal heat stress prevention system comprising a personal device (10) worn by a user (60), a personal device application (20) installed on said personal device (10), a computer program (30), at least one meteorological information system (40), and at least one IoT sensor (50), wherein the computer program (30) is arranged and connected to receive and process data from the meteorological information system(s) (40), the at least one IoT sensor (50), and the personal device (10), the at least one IoT sensor (50) is arranged and connected to communicate and receive data to / from the personal device (10) and / or to / from the computer program (30), and the personal device (10) is arranged and connected to receive, from the computer program (30), results of the processing of said data.

2. Personal prevention system against heat stress according to claim 1, wherein the software program (30) is installed in the cloud and / or on at least one physical and / or virtual server.

3. Personal prevention system against thermal stress according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the personal device (10) is arranged to emit audible and / or visual and / or vibratory warnings based on the results of the processing carried out by the computer program (30) that indicate thermal stress in the user's position (60).

4. Personal prevention system against thermal stress according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the loT sensor or sensors (50) are carried by the user (60) and / or are installed in the enclosure (70), partially or totally open or closed, in which the user (60) is located.

5. Personal prevention system against heat stress according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the loT sensor or sensors (50) comprise at least one from the group consisting of: ambient temperature sensors, ambient humidity sensors, body temperature sensors, skin moisture sensors, blood pressure sensors, heart rate sensors, accelerometers, pressure / altitude sensors, oxygen saturation sensors, oximeters, vital signs sensors, motion sensors, wind or air movement sensors.

6. Personal prevention system against heat stress according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cloud-based software program (30) comprises SaaS type software.

7. Personal prevention system against heat stress according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the personal device (10) comprises at least one of the following: a mobile phone, a smartphone, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a tablet, and a wearable device.

8. Personal prevention system against thermal stress according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the personal device (10) comprises an emergency button or push button and / or a dead man system.

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