Neckband Sensor System for Fall Detection and Vital Sign Monitoring
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing audio playback devices, particularly those designed for assisted living and wearability, are often inconvenient, obtrusive, and lack functionality for daily use, failing to provide effective monitoring and assistance for users with disabilities or the elderly.
Innovation Solution
A neckband equipped with sensors and a processor that acquires and analyzes data to determine the user's state, performing actions such as notification, assistance, and environmental control, while being designed for all-day wearability and ease of use, with features like fall detection, vital sign monitoring, and customizable audio experiences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If audio playback devices are designed for assisted living and wearability, then they should be convenient and non-obtrusive, but they become obtrusive and inconvenient for daily use
Solution Approach 1:
The neckband integrates multiple functions including audio playback, fall detection, vital sign monitoring, and emergency notification into a single wearable device. The processor executes multiple applications simultaneously - media player for audio, sensor data processor for health monitoring, and communication module for emergency contacts, making the device universally applicable for both entertainment and safety monitoring needs
2Reliability
If the neckband includes sensors and processing capabilities for state determination, then it can provide effective monitoring and assistance, but it becomes more complex and potentially obtrusive
Solution Approach 1:
The neckband divides functionality into distinct modular components: acceleration sensor for fall detection, additional sensors for vital signs, processor for data analysis, and communication module for notifications. Each component performs a specific function, and the processor segments the analysis by determining different states (fall state, vital sign anomalies) separately before executing appropriate actions
Solution Approach 2:
The neckband autonomously monitors the user's state continuously without requiring manual intervention. The processor automatically analyzes sensor data, determines user states, and triggers actions such as sending notifications to emergency contacts or playing audio cues, making the system self-serve the monitoring and assistance functions
3Ease of operation
If the neckband is designed for all-day wearability, then it should be lightweight and comfortable, but it may lack the functionality needed for effective monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The neckband employs a flexible, thin wearable structure that conforms to the user's neck anatomy, ensuring comfort for all-day wear. Despite the compact form factor, it integrates multiple sensors including acceleration sensors and additional sensors for vital sign monitoring, maintaining reliable monitoring capability within the constraints of wearability
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The disclosure pertains to a neckband to be worn on a shoulder of a user, wherein the neckband includes a sensor that is configured to acquire sensor data; and a processor that is configured to determine, based on the sensor data, a state of a user who is wearing the neckband on his shoulder; and perform an action according to the determined state.