Activity Support Device Predictive Adjustment for Strain Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems fail to accurately and sustainably support users in achieving their target physical activity levels, often resulting in either insufficient or excessive physical activity, which can lead to strain and difficulty in maintaining activity due to mismatched demands.

Innovation Solution

An activity support device and method that predicts and adjusts physical activity amounts by comparing target and expended activity levels, recommending appropriate activities from available options to match the target, considering factors like location, route, and environmental conditions, to ensure a balanced and sustainable physical activity experience.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If physical activity amount is increased to meet target levels, then health benefits are improved, but physical strain increases making it difficult to sustain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveachievement of target physical activity amountVSAvoidphysical strain on user

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary calculation of predictive physical activity amount based on scheduled activities before the user executes them. This allows the system to anticipate total expenditure and adjust recommendations in advance, preventing excessive strain while ensuring target achievement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors actual physical activity amount and compares it with target and predictive values. Based on this feedback, it dynamically adjusts activity recommendations to maintain balance between achieving targets and preventing excessive strain.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If physical activity recommendations are based only on historical data, then system complexity is reduced, but accuracy of predicting future expenditure deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecalculation system complexityVSAvoidprediction accuracy of physical activity amount

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system calculates predictive physical activity amount in advance by combining historical data with scheduled future activities. This preliminary calculation approach improves prediction accuracy without requiring complex real-time analysis, as the computation is performed before the activity period begins.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adapts the prediction model by incorporating both static historical data and dynamic scheduled activities. This allows the prediction accuracy to improve over time while maintaining manageable system complexity through a modular architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If target physical activity amount is set high to ensure health benefits, then health outcome is improved, but user adherence deteriorates due to excessive demand

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehealth benefit achievementVSAvoiduser ability to sustain activity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system calculates the predictive physical activity amount and compares it with the target to identify any deficit. It then recommends only the necessary additional activities to bridge this gap, avoiding excessive recommendations that would undermine user adherence while ensuring the target is met.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system adjusts activity recommendations based on changing parameters including current actual expenditure, predictive future expenditure, and user feedback. This dynamic parameter adjustment ensures recommendations remain appropriate and sustainable while achieving health targets.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20250104838A1Activity support device, activity support method, and recording medium

Publication Date: 2025.03.27 NEC CORP

AI summary

In an activity support device, a plan acquisition means acquires a target physical activity amount of a user in a predetermined period and a predictive physical activity amount representing an expected expenditure of a physical activity amount. An expended physical activity amount acquisition means acquires an expended physical activity amount of the user up to a current time in the predetermined period. A total expended physical activity amount acquisition means derives a total expended physical activity amount of the user in the predetermined period, based on the predictive physical activity amount and the expended physical amount. An activity determination means determines a physical activity to the user from among physical activity options by comparing the target physical amount and the total expended physical amount. Accordingly, it is possible for the activity support device to support a user in making a decision regarding the physical activity.