IP Library Granted Patent US 10,773,123
Granted Patent B1
US 10,773,123 · App. 16/558,019 · Granted Sep 15, 2020

Systems and methods for wearable devices that determine balance indices

Inventors: John Douglas (Potomac, MD); Frank Fornari (Naples, FL)
Assignee: BioMech Sensor LLC
A63B24/0006A63B24/0021A63B24/0075A63B2024/0071A63B2220/34A63B2220/836
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,773,123
App. No.
16/558,019
Granted
Sep 15, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

A wearable device for determining balance of a user is provided, comprising a gyroscope, an inertial measurement device, a memory storing instructions, and a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform operations, comprising receiving angular velocity measurements over a period of time from the gyroscope, receiving deviations from the second axis over the period of time from the inertial measurement device, weighting the deviations from the second axis based on directions associated with the deviations, receiving deviations from the third axis over the period of time from the inertial measurement device, weighting the deviations from the third axis based on directions associated with the deviations, and based on the angular velocity measurements, the weighted deviations from the second axis, and the weighted deviations from the third axis, determining an index associated with a left side of the user and an index associated with a right side of the user.

Claims (39)

1. A wearable device for determining balance of a user, comprising:

at least one gyroscope configured to measure angular velocity about a first axis;

at least one inertial measurement device configured to measure deviation along a second axis and a third axis;

at least one memory storing instructions; and

at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to perform operations, comprising:

receiving angular velocity measurements over a period of time from the at least one gyroscope;

receiving deviations from the second axis over the period of time from the at least one inertial measurement device;

weighting the deviations from the second axis based on directions associated with the deviations;

receiving deviations from the third axis over the period of time from the at least one inertial measurement device;

weighting the deviations from the third axis based on directions associated with the deviations; and

based on the angular velocity measurements, the weighted deviations from the second axis, and the weighted deviations from the third axis, determining an index associated with a left side of the user and an index associated with a right side of the user.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

normalizing the angular velocity measurements over the period of time; and

normalizing the deviations from the second axis and the deviations from the third axis over the period of time before weighting.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the weight for the second axis is greater for a first direction than a second, opposite direction.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein a deviation from the second axis in the first direction is squared, and a deviation in the second direction along the second axis has a power of four.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the weight for the second axis is the same for a first direction and for a second, opposite direction.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein a deviation in the first direction and the second direction along the second axis is cubed.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the weight for the third axis is greater for a first direction than a second, opposite direction.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the weight for the third axis is the same for a first direction and for a second, opposite direction.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

weighting the angular velocity measurements based on a standard deviation from plumb over the period of time.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

outputting at least one of the index associated with the left side of the user or the index associated with the right side of the user to an external device associated with the user.

11. The device of claim 10 , wherein outputting at least one of the index associated with the left side of the user or the index associated with the right side of the user comprises transmitting at least one of the index associated with the left side of the user or the index associated with the right side of the user over at least one wireless network.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

outputting a graphical depiction of the deviations from the second axis and the deviations from the third axis over the period of time to an external device associated with the user.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein outputting the graphical depiction of the deviations comprises transmitting the deviations over at least one wireless network.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

outputting the deviations from the second axis normalized over the period of time and the deviations from the third axis normalized over the period of time to an external device associated with the user.

15. The device of claim 14 , wherein outputting the graphical depiction of the deviations comprises transmitting the deviations over at least one wireless network.

16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a placement of the wearable device; and

selecting weights based on the placement.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the placement comprises at least one of placement on a head, placement on a hip, or placement on a neck.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein one or more weights associated with at least one of the second axis or the third axis are greater for the placement on the head or the placement on the neck than the placement on the hip.

19. The device of claim 1 , wherein the index associated with the left side is associated with a first half-space bounded by an axis of a body of the user, and the index associated with the right side is associated with a second half-space bounded by the axis.

20. The device of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:

generating a composite balance index based on the angular velocity measurements, the weighted deviations from the second axis, and the weighted deviations from the third axis.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 1, 2024
From: BIOMECH SENSOR LLC
To: BIOMECH HEALTH, LLC
Reel/Frame 069105/0370 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE'S STATE OF INCORPORATION/ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053045 FRAME 0695. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 18, 2022
From: DOUGLAS, JOHN; FORNARI, FRANK
To: BIOMECH SENSOR, LLC
Reel/Frame 060104/0896 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 7, 2021
From: BIOMECH SENSOR, LLC; BIOMECH GOLF, LLC
To: FORNARI, FRANK; BAUER, GWEN
Reel/Frame 056771/0355 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 26, 2020
From: DOUGLAS, JOHN; FORNARI, FRANK
To: BIOMECH SENSOR LLC
Reel/Frame 053045/0695 →