Sensor Placement Error Detection and Correction for Human Motion Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for tracking human motion require accurate sensor placement, which is often misunderstood by users, leading to incorrect attachment, misplacement, and errors in motion tracking due to cumbersome matching and lack of clear instructions, resulting in corrupted tracking procedures and battery issues.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for detecting and correcting sensor placement errors through a hierarchical ranking of potential reasons for incorrect placement, providing user feedback, and adaptive guidance to ensure correct attachment and placement, using a sensor unit, sensor holder, analyzing module, presenting module, and selection module to streamline the correction process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the system requires accurate sensor placement on anatomical landmarks, then the motion tracking precision is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to complex matching requirements and unclear user instructions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotion tracking precisionVSAvoidease of sensor placement
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically detects sensor placement correctness by analyzing motion data characteristics and provides feedback to the user. The analyzing module evaluates whether sensors are correctly placed on anatomical landmarks by detecting specific motion patterns, and the presenting module communicates the placement status to the user, enabling automatic verification without manual checking

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-verification of sensor placement by automatically analyzing motion data to determine if sensors are correctly positioned. The analyzing module independently evaluates placement correctness without requiring user intervention or manual inspection, allowing the system to self-diagnose and communicate placement status

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If the system provides detailed instructions for sensor placement, then the reliability of sensor attachment is improved, but the device complexity increases due to multiple matching requirements and calibration procedures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesensor attachment reliabilityVSAvoidcomplexity of sensor placement procedure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and analyzes specific characteristics from motion data to determine sensor placement correctness. The analyzing module isolates key motion patterns and anatomical landmark indicators from the complex motion data, evaluating only the relevant features needed to verify placement without processing entire data sets

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the evaluation parameters from manual placement verification to automated motion data analysis. Instead of requiring users to follow complex placement procedures, the system uses motion characteristics and anatomical landmark detection as new evaluation parameters to automatically determine placement correctness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If the system automatically detects sensor placement errors, then the ease of operation is improved, but the measurement precision may deteriorate due to potential detection errors or false positives

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of error detectionVSAvoidaccuracy of placement detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary analysis of motion data characteristics before final placement verification. The analyzing module conducts initial evaluations of motion patterns and anatomical landmark positions to identify potential placement errors, allowing for early detection and correction while maintaining high accuracy through systematic analysis

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3899909B1Method and apparatus for performing sensor placement error detection and correction
Publication Date: 2024.10.02 SWORD HEALTH SA
  • EP3899909B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3899909B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3899909B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method of performing sensor placement error detection and correction for a system (10) for tracking human motion comprising -at least one sensor unit (12,14), -at least one sensor holder (16,18), wherein the method comprises at least the following steps forming a method routine: -Analyzing, whether there is at least one unmet condition, indicating an incorrect sensor unit placement; -In case of detecting such at least one unmet condition preparing a list of potential reasons for the incorrect sensor unit placement; -Remove the possible reasons for incorrect sensor unit placement already presented to the user; -Select the one of the reasons and present it to a user. Furthermore, the above-mentioned invention relates to a system (10) for tracking human motion.