Portable Balance Board for Objective Clinical Balance Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for evaluating clinically relevant changes in balance, such as the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS), are subjective and prone to human error, lacking objectivity and reliability, especially in assessing sports-related concussions, and are limited by the high cost and lack of portability of force plate technology.
Innovation Solution
A portable balance board with sensors in each foot and a processor-enabled device that calculates the center of pressure (COP) over time, allowing for objective evaluation of balance changes by comparing measured path lengths to baseline or normative values, eliminating the need for expensive equipment and controlled environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If force plate testing is used to measure balance ability, then measurement precision and objectivity are improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the force plate functionality using a balance board with pressure sensors at four corners. Instead of replicating the full scientific-grade force plate system, it captures the essential balance measurement capability through a reduced sensor configuration that calculates center of pressure coordinates, achieving adequate measurement precision for field use while dramatically reducing complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, sophisticated force plate equipment with a low-cost balance board that can be easily manufactured and deployed. The simplified sensor system and portable design make it an affordable alternative that sacrifices some measurement sophistication but provides sufficient accuracy for clinical field assessments.
2Measurement precision
If force plate testing is used to measure balance ability, then measurement precision is improved, but portability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a portable copy of force plate functionality by placing pressure sensors on a lightweight balance board that can be easily transported to field locations. The simplified sensor arrangement at four corners captures sufficient balance data while making the equipment mobile and accessible for on-site athletic assessments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential measurement capability from the force plate system - the center of pressure calculation - and implements it on a portable balance board. By removing unnecessary complexity and focusing on the core function, the system achieves portability while maintaining adequate measurement precision for detecting balance changes.
3Ease of operation
If clinical observation based balance tests are used, then portability and cost effectiveness are improved, but measurement precision and objectivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the human observer's mechanical visual assessment with an automated electronic sensor system. Pressure sensors at the four corners of the balance board objectively measure center of pressure coordinates, eliminating subjectivity and improving measurement precision while maintaining the portability and ease of operation of clinical field tests.
Solution Approach 2:
The balance board system performs self-measurement by automatically capturing pressure sensor data and calculating balance metrics without requiring a trained clinician to visually assess and score balance errors. This automated approach improves objectivity and precision while reducing the skill level required for administration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides accurate, objective, and cost-effective detection of clinically relevant balance changes, improving the reliability and validity of balance assessments, and enabling objective determination of concussions and other neuromuscular conditions.
Implementation Method 1
sensors in each of four feet and a circuit board and wired or wireless communication capability. A subject stands on the balance board and each sensor sends a signal to the circuit board
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods facilitating objective evaluations of subjects to facilitate detecting clinically relevant changes in balance are provided. The system includes a portable balance board with a sensor in each of four feet for detecting downward force. Each sensor is communicatively coupled to a circuit board with a wired or wireless communication capability. A subject stands on the balance board and each sensor sends a signal to the circuit board, which communicates the four signals to a companion device that uses the signals to calculate the center of pressure (“COP”) of the subject over time. The subject can perform the BESS test and the resulting COP data is used to calculate a field path length for the subject. The field path length is compared to a previously determined baseline path length for the subject to detect any clinically relevant change in balance of the subject.