Unweighting System Gait Data Collection via Load Cell Calibration
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional treadmills and exercise equipment lack privacy and security features required for medical use, especially in handling protected health information, and existing unweighting systems have limitations in data collection and maintenance, particularly for differential air pressure (DAP) systems used in medical and fitness settings.
Innovation Solution
A method for calibrating and controlling unweighting systems using load cells to generate user-specific calibration curves for differential air pressure systems, allowing for precise unweighting levels and gait data collection, while ensuring privacy and security through cloud-connected systems and improved data management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional treadmills use analog interfaces and basic data collection, then the system is simple and easy to operate, but the data lacks privacy and security features required for medical use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cloud-based data management system that acts as an intermediary between the treadmill and medical records systems. This cloud intermediary handles data encryption, secure transmission, and compliance with HIPAA/HITECH regulations, thereby providing medical-grade security without requiring complex local infrastructure at the treadmill itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical/analog data collection interfaces with digital sensors and electronic data transmission systems. Load cells, pressure sensors, and other electronic components collect gait and physiological data, which are then transmitted securely via cloud networks, substituting analog interfaces with digital systems that enable enhanced security and compliance features.
2Loss of information
If DAP systems use load cells only for calibration, then the system is simple to maintain, but the quality and variety of unweighting session data is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the load cells serve multiple functions: they are used both for initial system calibration and for continuous collection of gait analysis data during unweighting sessions. This multi-functionality enables comprehensive data collection without adding separate measurement systems, thereby improving data quality while maintaining relatively simple maintenance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically processes and stores gait data collected from load cells during sessions, eliminating the need for manual data extraction or complex post-processing procedures. The automated data capture and storage capabilities allow the system to serve itself in terms of data management, reducing maintenance burden while enhancing data quality.
3Reliability
If unweighting systems collect comprehensive gait data, then the therapeutic value is improved, but the data requires sophisticated management to meet medical privacy requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a cloud-based intermediary system that receives comprehensive gait data from the unweighting system, automatically applies encryption and security protocols, and manages data storage in compliance with medical privacy regulations. This intermediary handles the complexity of data management, allowing the therapeutic system to focus on data collection while the cloud infrastructure manages privacy and security requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements automated feedback mechanisms where collected gait data is immediately processed, analyzed, and stored with appropriate security markings. The feedback loop includes automatic validation of data quality, encryption status, and compliance verification, which reduces the manual oversight needed while maintaining high therapeutic value and privacy standards.
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
Enhances the quality and variety of unweighting session data, improves system maintenance, and meets medical record privacy requirements by providing accurate and secure data collection and analysis for user-specific unweighting sessions.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible bag that applies air pressure to the lower portion of the user's body
Implementation Method 2
Load cells are commonly placed under the treadmill to measure user weight for calibration, and to gauge footfalls during gait measurement
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are fields of exercise or therapy systems in particular exercise or therapy systems that controllably generate and maintain an unweighted environment using a mechanical system or a differential air pressure (DAP) envelope about a user so as to at least partially or completely unweight the user. This application also relates to improved control systems for pressure chambers for use in differential air pressure (DAP) systems including data collection and utilization for general fitness use, athletic use, or medical use treadmills and related software, control and analytics systems, especially as related to obtaining gait data from load cells provided in the system.