Hearing Device Inertial Sensor Activity State Quality Index
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hearing devices lack the ability to accurately determine cardiorespiratory quality indices based on user activity states, which can affect the reliability and efficiency of cardiorespiratory property measurements, such as blood pressure or heart rate variability.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an inertial sensor into a hearing device to detect motion and orientation, allowing the system to determine activity states and calculate a cardiorespiratory quality index, which can adjust sensor configurations and operations for improved measurement accuracy and resource management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If motion detection is added to the hearing device, then measurement reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inertial sensor is integrated into the hearing device to enable multiple functions: detecting head position, detecting motion, and providing data for activity state determination. This allows a single component to serve multiple purposes, improving measurement reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The inertial sensor acts as an intermediary component that indirectly improves cardiorespiratory measurement reliability by detecting motion and orientation data, which then informs activity state determination and measurement quality assessment, rather than directly measuring cardiorespiratory parameters.
2Measurement precision
If continuous monitoring is performed, then measurement accuracy is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs periodic activity state determinations based on inertial sensor data, rather than continuous monitoring. The processor evaluates motion and orientation data at intervals to determine activity states, which then trigger cardiorespiratory measurements only when appropriate, reducing energy consumption while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The inertial sensor continuously monitors motion and orientation to preliminarily determine activity states before initiating cardiorespiratory measurements. This preliminary assessment allows the system to prepare for measurements in advance and avoid unnecessary continuous monitoring, optimizing energy usage.
3Productivity
If activity state determination is implemented, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The activity state determination process is segmented into distinct evaluation criteria: motion detection from inertial sensors, orientation detection from inertial sensors, and integration of these data to determine activity state. This segmentation allows the processor to systematically evaluate different aspects independently, improving measurement efficiency while managing complexity through structured processing.
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
The system enhances measurement reliability and efficiency by differentiating between measurement quality fluctuations due to activity states or health conditions, optimizing resource usage and sensor operations.
Implementation Method 1
an inertial sensor included in a hearing device configured to be worn by a user
Data Source
AI summary
An illustrative hearing system may be configured to receive, from an inertial sensor included in a hearing device configured to be worn by a user, inertial sensor data representative of at least one of motion of the hearing device or orientation of the hearing device. The hearing system may further be configured to determine, based on the inertial sensor data, an activity state of the user and to determine, based on the activity state, a cardiorespiratory quality index representative of a quality level of a measurement of a cardiorespiratory property of the user.