Automated Breathlessness Assessment via Speech Pause Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for monitoring chronic conditions in patients are subjective and cumbersome, relying on self-reported data from questionnaires that can be inaccurate and lack detailed objective information, making it difficult to assess whether a patient's condition is improving or deteriorating.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a voice recording apparatus, speech recognition unit, and processor to objectively assess breathlessness by analyzing pauses and their duration in a patient's speech, combined with other mechanisms like position, activity, and weight measurement devices to provide a breathlessness score and alerts if it exceeds a certain level.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If self-reported data from questionnaires is used for symptom monitoring, then the monitoring cost is reduced, but the accuracy and objectivity of the data deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of manual self-reporting with an automated voice-based assessment system. The voice recording apparatus captures patient responses, and speech recognition algorithms automatically analyze speech pauses and patterns to generate objective breathlessness scores, eliminating the need for manual data entry while improving measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables patients to conduct their own breathlessness assessments using voice recordings without requiring medical professional intervention for each measurement. The automated speech recognition and analysis processes allow patients to independently generate reliable objective data, reducing both cost and improving consistency.
2Measurement precision
If detailed objective information is collected through multiple measurements, then the assessment accuracy improves, but the device complexity and ease of operation worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The voice recording apparatus serves multiple functions: it captures speech for breathlessness assessment, records audio for later analysis, and integrates with the speech recognition unit to generate automated scores. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate devices for each measurement type, managing system complexity while maintaining assessment accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the voice recording, speech recognition, and breathlessness scoring functions into an integrated system. The speech recognition unit directly processes audio recordings to identify speech pauses and calculate breathlessness scores, merging data collection and analysis functions that would otherwise require separate devices and manual processing.
3Measurement precision
If multiple speech parameters are analyzed to determine breathlessness score, then the measurement precision improves, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex manual speech analysis with automated speech recognition algorithms. The system automatically detects speech pauses, measures their duration and frequency, and calculates breathlessness scores without requiring manual interpretation, thereby maintaining high measurement precision while reducing the practical difficulty of detection and measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The speech recognition unit acts as an intermediary between the voice recording apparatus and the breathlessness scoring system. It automatically processes raw audio data, identifies relevant speech parameters such as pauses and their characteristics, and transforms them into meaningful breathlessness scores, simplifying the overall detection and measurement process.
Data Source
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AI summary
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a set of instructions executable by a processor. The set of instructions is operable to receive a set of data relating to a current symptom of a patient; determine one of a current level of breathlessness and a current level of edema for the patient based on the received data; and provide an alert to one of the patient and a medical professional, if the determined one of the current level of breathlessness and the current level of edema is greater than an acceptable level.