Apparatus and method for recognition of patient activities

1. A medication administration apparatus confirmation apparatus, comprising:

a display associated with a local device for presenting one or more interactive instruction sequences of steps indicative of proper use of a medication administration apparatus for instructing a user to properly use a medication administration apparatus, at least one of the presented instructions instructing the user to follow one or more of the sequence of interactive instruction steps to properly position the medication administration apparatus relative to a user of the medication administration apparatus;

an audio-video capture device associated with the local device for capturing one or more audio-video sequences of a user using the medication administration apparatus following the displayed one or more audio-video instructions encouraging adherence to the sequence of interactive instruction steps encouraging properly positioning of the medication administration apparatus relative to the user of the medication administration apparatus;

a memory for storing the captured one or more audio-video sequences; and

a processor operable to perform operations on the local device for providing a user feedback during use of the medication administration apparatus that may be received by the user to provide real time feedback on a current use of the medication administration apparatus on how to properly use the medication administration apparatus and how to properly position the medication administration apparatus as the user positions the medication administration apparatus before the audio-video capture device, wherein the operations comprise:

outputting to the display one or more audio-video instructions for instructing a user to properly use the medication administration apparatus in accordance with the sequence of interactive instruction steps employing the medication administration apparatus,

receiving, from the audio-video capture device, one or more audio-video sequences of the user using the medication administration apparatus following the displayed one or more audio-video instructions in accordance with the sequence of interactive instruction steps, and

in response to receiving the one or more audio-video sequences, in real time automatically analyzing use of the medication administration apparatus within at least one of the received video sequences to confirm whether the user has properly used the medication administration apparatus in accordance with the sequence of interactive instruction steps using the medication administration apparatus;

determining, from the analysis, that the user has not followed one or more of the steps of the sequence of interactive instruction steps, and that the medication administration apparatus has not been properly used, and

responsive to determining that the medication administration apparatus has not been properly used, outputting to the display while the user is using the medication administration apparatus an additional one or more of the audio-video instructions to the user to encourage following of the one or more steps of the sequence of interactive instruction steps to confirm proper use of the medication administration apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the user is prompted to perform a particular sequence of actions to be stored as the one or more audio-video sequences.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the particular sequence of actions is designed to assist in determining proper use of the medication administration apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a data transmission system for transmitting one or more of the at least one stored audio-video sequences to a remote location for analysis.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising a data reception system operable to receive further information indicative of whether the user has properly used the medication administration apparatus following the displayed audio-video instructions from the remote location.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein analyzing at least one of the received audio-video sequences comprises confirming proper positioning of an inhalable medication administration apparatus following the displayed audio-video instructions on the display of the local device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein analyzing at least one of the received audio-video sequences comprises confirming proper positioning of an injectable medication administration apparatus in real time following the displayed audio-video instructions.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor is operable to receive recorded audio of the user using the medication administration apparatus following the displayed audio-video instructions.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is operable to analyze the recorded audio to aid in determining proper use of the medication administration apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the audio-video instructions are part of a training sequence.

11. A medication administration apparatus confirmation method, comprising:

presenting on a display associated with a local device one or more interactive instruction sequences of steps indicative of proper use of a medication administration apparatus for instructing a user to properly use a medication administration apparatus, at least one of the presented instructions instructing the user to follow one or more of the sequence of interactive instruction steps to properly position the medication administration apparatus relative to a user of the medication administration apparatus;

capturing one or more audio-video sequences by an audio-video capture device associated with the local device of a user using the medication administration apparatus following the displayed one or more audio-video instructions encouraging adherence to the sequence of interactive instruction steps encouraging properly positioning of the medication administration apparatus relative to the user of the medication administration apparatus;

storing the captured one or more audio-video sequences; and

providing a user feedback during use of the medication administration apparatus received by the user to provide real time feedback on a current use of the medication administration apparatus on how to properly use the medication administration apparatus and how to properly position the medication administration apparatus as the user positions the medication administration apparatus before the audio-video capture device, wherein the operations comprise:

outputting to the display one or more audio-video instructions for instructing a user to properly use the medication administration apparatus in accordance with the sequence of interactive instruction steps employing the medication administration apparatus,

receiving, from the audio-video capture device, one or more audio-video sequences of the user using the medication administration apparatus following the displayed one or more audio-video instructions in accordance with the sequence of interactive instruction steps, and

in response to receiving the one or more audio-video sequences, in real time automatically analyzing use of the medication administration apparatus within at least one of the received video sequences to confirm whether the user has properly used the medication administration apparatus in accordance with the sequence of interactive instruction steps using the medication administration apparatus;

determining, from the analysis, that the user has not followed one or more of the steps of the sequence of interactive instruction steps, and that the medication administration apparatus has not been properly used, and

responsive to determining that the medication administration apparatus has not been properly used, outputting to the display while the user is using the medication administration apparatus an additional one or more of the audio-video instructions to the user to encourage following of the one or more steps of the sequence of interactive instruction steps to confirm proper use of the medication administration apparatus.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of outputting to the display a prompt to the user to perform a particular sequence of actions in real time in response to the displayed audio video instructions to be stored as the one or more audio-video sequences.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the particular sequence of actions is designed to assist in determining proper use of the medication administration apparatus.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the particular sequence of actions further comprises:

displaying the medication administration apparatus; and

positioning the medication administration apparatus.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of transmitting one or more of the at least one stored audio-video sequences to a remote location for analysis.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of receiving further information indicative of whether the user has properly used the medication administration apparatus following the displayed audio-video instructions from the remote location.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the medication administration apparatus allows for the administration of inhalable medication.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the analysis determines whether the inhalable medication administration apparatus is properly positioned and oriented.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the medication administration apparatus allows for the administration of injectable medication.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the analysis determines whether the injectable medication administration apparatus is properly positioned and oriented.

21. The method of claim 11 , wherein the user is prompted where and how to position the medication administration apparatus during performance of the one or more audio-video sequences.

22. The method of claim 11 , further comprising transmitting at least one of the stored video sequences to a remote location for further analysis.

23. The method of claim 11 , further comprising notifying an administrator and the user if it is determined that the user has not properly used the medication administration apparatus.