VERSATILE SENSORS WITH DATA FUSION FUNCTIONALITY
Apparatuses and methods are disclosed for identifying with a single, small, intelligent activity monitor a particular type of activity from among a plurality of different activities. The monitor may include a multi-axis accelerometer and microcontroller configured to combine and process accelerometer data so as to generate features representative of an activity. The features may be processed to identify a particular activity (e.g., running, biking, swimming) from among a plurality of different activities that may include activities not performed by a human subject. An intelligent activity monitor may be configured to operate as a versatile sensor, or to operate in combination with a versatile sensor, to further receive and process physiological data and compute a fitness metric for a subject.
1 . A fitness sensing system configured to be supported by a subject, the fitness sensing system comprising:
an intelligent activity monitor comprising an accelerometer;
a heart-rate sensor; and
a processor in communication with the accelerometer and heart-rate sensor, wherein the processor is configured to process data received from the accelerometer and heart-rate sensor to compute a fitness metric F m value that comprises a ratio of a pace P of an activity performed by the subject and a heart-rate H of the subject performing the activity.
2 . The fitness sensing system of claim 1 , further comprising a blood oxygenation sensor, wherein F m further comprises a blood oxygenation level O of the subject performing the activity.
3 . The fitness sensing system of claim 1 , further comprising a respiratory sensor, wherein F m further comprises a respiratory rate R of the subject performing the activity.
4 . The fitness sensing system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a respiratory sensor; and
a blood oxygenation sensor, wherein F m is equivalent to the following expression:
β
P
R
×
O
×
H
where R represents a respiratory rate of the subject performing the activity, O represents a blood oxygenation level of the subject performing the activity, and β is a proportionality constant.
5 . The fitness sensing system of claim 4 , wherein the blood oxygenation sensor comprises at least one light emitter.
6 . The fitness sensing system of claim 4 , wherein the respiratory sensor comprises at least one acoustic sensor.
7 . The fitness sensing system of claim 1 , further comprising a blood pressure sensor, wherein F m further comprises a blood pressure of the subject performing the activity.
8 . The fitness sensing system of claim 1 , wherein F m further comprises a body mass index.
9 . The fitness sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to calculate a metabolic rate or caloric burn rate of the subject performing the activity and F m further comprises the metabolic rate and/or caloric burn rate.
10 . The fitness sensing system of claim 1 , wherein P represents an equivalent pace calculated from a different activity using metabolic equivalents.
11 . The fitness sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the fitness metric is representative of a VO 2 max value.
12 . The fitness sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the fitness metric is representative of a standardized health index value.
13 . The fitness sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the fitness sensing system is disposed in a single wearable band.
14 . The fitness sensing system of claim 1 , further comprising a display configured to indicate a progress toward activity goals.
15 . The fitness sensing system of claim 14 , wherein the display comprises a plurality of light emitters arranged in a circle.
16 . A method of operating a fitness sensing system configured to be supported by a subject, the method comprising:
receiving, by a processor, acceleration data from an accelerometer of the fitness sensing system;
receiving, by the processor, heart-rate data from a heart-rate sensor of the fitness sensing system;
computing a fitness metric F m value that comprises a ratio of a pace P of an activity performed by the subject and a heart-rate H of the subject performing the activity.
17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising receiving, by the processor, blood oxygenation data from a blood oxygenation sensor, wherein F m further comprises a blood oxygenation level O of the subject performing the activity.
18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising receiving, by the processor, respiratory data from a respiratory sensor, wherein F m further comprises a respiratory rate R of the subject performing the activity.
19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
receiving, by the processor, respiratory data from a respiratory sensor; and
receiving, by the processor, blood oxygenation data from a blood oxygenation sensor, wherein F m is equivalent to the following expression:
β
P
R
×
O
×
H
where R represents a respiratory rate of the subject performing the activity, O represents a blood oxygenation level of the subject performing the activity, and β is a proportionality constant.
20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising receiving, by the processor, blood pressure data from a blood pressure sensor, wherein F m further comprises a blood pressure of the subject performing the activity.
21 . The method of claim 16 , wherein computing F m is further based on a body mass index for the subject.
22 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
calculating a metabolic rate or caloric burn rate of the subject performing the activity; and
computing F m is further based on the metabolic rate and/or caloric burn rate.
23 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising computing an equivalent pace for P from a different activity using metabolic equivalents.
24 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising computing the fitness metric to be representative of a VO 2 max value.
25 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising computing the fitness metric to be representative of a standardized health index value.
26 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising indicating a stage of a disease based upon the fitness metric.
27 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising indicating a progress towards a vigorous activity goal recommended by the Center for Disease Control.