Seat Pressure Laterality Assessment for Driver Disease Detection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing disease assessment systems require special equipment for health condition measurement and do not effectively assess the condition of a specific disease independently of general health indicators.

Innovation Solution

A disease-condition assessment system that utilizes seat pressure distribution data to calculate a center position, degree of laterality, and assess disease condition without specialized equipment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If special equipment such as breath gas component measuring devices is used to measure health condition, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehealth condition measurementVSAvoidequipment requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses seat pressure distribution data as a substitute (copy) for direct health measurements. Instead of using complex medical equipment to measure health parameters directly, the system captures indirect information through seat pressure patterns, which reflect the driver's health state including disease conditions. This approach achieves health assessment without requiring specialized medical devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex mechanical/medical measurement systems with a simpler pressure sensing system. The seat pressure distribution measurement system substitutes for traditional health assessment equipment, using readily available pressure data from the seat to infer health conditions, thereby eliminating the need for complex breath analysis devices or other specialized medical equipment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of operation

If general health indicators are used to assess driving risk, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassessment simplicityVSAvoiddisease condition assessment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from general health indicators to specific localized measurements. By analyzing the spatial distribution pattern of seat pressure (local quality information) rather than overall health metrics, the system can detect specific disease conditions. The degree of laterality calculated from pressure distribution reveals asymmetric patterns associated with particular diseases, providing precise disease-specific assessment while maintaining operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a spatial dimension to health assessment by using pressure distribution across the seat surface rather than single-point measurements. This dimensional transformation from scalar health indicators to spatial pressure patterns enables detection of disease-specific patterns, improving measurement precision while keeping the system easy to operate through automated image processing of pressure data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If simple seat pressure distribution data is used for assessment, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveequipment simplicityVSAvoiddisease condition detection

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent leverages asymmetric patterns in seat pressure distribution to detect disease conditions. By calculating the degree of laterality (asymmetry metric) from the pressure image, the system identifies deviations from normal symmetric pressure patterns that indicate specific diseases. This approach extracts precise diagnostic information from simple pressure data through asymmetric pattern recognition.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary processing of seat pressure data by calculating the center position and degree of laterality before disease assessment. These pre-calculated parameters transform raw pressure distribution into meaningful diagnostic indicators, enabling accurate disease detection from simple pressure measurements. The preliminary extraction of spatial characteristics prepares the data for precise disease condition evaluation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12496015B2Disease-condition assessment device, disease-condition assessment method, program for disease-condition assessment device, and disease-condition assessment system

Publication Date: 2025.12.16 SUBARU CORP

AI summary

Provided are a disease-condition assessment device for assessing a disease condition of a subject, a disease-condition assessment method, a program for disease-condition assessment device, and a disease-condition assessment system. The disease condition assessment device acquires a data of a seat pressure distribution on a seating surface where a subject operating a vehicle is seated, calculates a center position depending on the seat pressure distribution, calculates a degree of laterality in the seat pressure distribution based on the center position, and assesses a disease condition of the subject depending on the degree of laterality.