Systems and methods for use in detecting falls utilizing thermal sensing
Systems and methods designed to detect a human being falling as opposed to an inanimate object. Generally, the systems and methods will utilize a depth camera, which will often image in the NIR spectrum to detect a falling object. The portion detected as a falling object will often be detected as separating from a point cloud indicative of one object in contact with another. Should such a separation be detected, the systems and methods will utilize a thermal sensor, often a camera imaging in the LWIR spectrum, to determine if the falling portion has a heat signature indicative of a human being.
1. A method of determining if a human being has fallen, the method comprising:
providing a monitor including a depth camera and a thermal sensor operatively coupled to a processor for interpreting the output of both said depth camera and said thermal sensor; said depth camera imaging a first point cloud;
said depth camera imaging a second point cloud comprising a separated portion of said first point cloud;
said processor determining from said imaging of said second point cloud that said second point cloud's motion pattern is indicative of said separated portion falling;
said thermal sensor imaging heat emitted by said second point cloud; and
said processor determining that a human being has fallen only if said second point cloud includes greater heat emitted than said first point cloud.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said depth camera is a near-infrared (NIR) camera.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said monitor also includes an NIR light source.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said thermal sensor is a long-wave infrared (LWIR) camera.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said thermal sensor is a long-wave infrared (LWIR) camera.