Optical Flow Synchronicity Analysis for Motor Function Assessment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for assessing motor impairments after neurological insults, such as stroke, are not suitable for home use and require complex video processing, making them costly and impractical for unsupervised environments.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using computer vision technology to analyze the synchronicity of optical flow between the left and right body halves through video recording, allowing for unsupervised home assessment of motor functions without the need for segmentation or additional sensors, providing feedback on exercise performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If complex video processing with body segmentation is used to assess motor functions, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information needed for assessment - the optical flow patterns and synchronicity metrics - while discarding the complex body segmentation and identification processes. This allows accurate motor function assessment without the computational burden of full video processing
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of segmenting the body and tracking individual parts, the patent inverts the approach by analyzing the overall optical flow field and computing synchronicity directly from the video data, bypassing the need for complex object identification and segmentation
2Measurement precision
If professional assessment systems are used in home environment, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to lack of professional supervision
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically provides feedback by comparing the user's movement synchronicity against reference patterns, enabling unsupervised operation while maintaining professional-level assessment accuracy. The automated feedback loop replaces the need for professional supervision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the system to perform self-assessment by automatically analyzing video data, computing synchronicity metrics, and providing evaluation without human intervention. This allows professional-grade assessment in home settings without requiring trained operators
3Productivity
If automated assessment system is implemented for home use, then productivity is improved by enabling unsupervised rehabilitation, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical and computational systems with a simplified optical flow analysis approach. By substituting traditional body tracking algorithms with optical flow-based synchronicity computation, the system achieves automated assessment with reduced complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a single video camera to perform multiple functions - capturing movement data, analyzing synchronicity, and providing assessment - eliminating the need for multiple sensors and complex processing systems, thereby enabling home use while maintaining productivity
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a system and method of analyzing the movement of a user. More particularly the present invention relates to a new technique for assessing a user's motor functions. It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, robust, and low-cost technique for analyzing the movement of a user, which can be used in an unsupervised home environment. This object is achieved according to the invention by a method of analyzing the movement of a user, the method comprising the steps of causing the user to perform a coordinated movement in accordance with an instruction, generating video image data in form of a sequence of images by video recording the user, determining in the sequence of images a degree of synchronicity of optical flow on the left and right body half using a computer system comprising computer vision technology, and assessing the user's motor functions based on the degree of synchronicity.