Methods and systems for sensing equilibrium

Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring equilibrium of a user are presented. A stability monitoring device in a shoe insole area utilizes pressure sensors to measure pressure information in real-time. The pressure information is transmitted over an RF network to a device for analyzing the pressure information and calculating postural state information including the current postural state, next postural state, and / or a range of postural stability. The person or a third party may be notified if the postural state information indicates an unstable state. Additionally, the postural state information may be analyzed to determine activity level of the user, diagnostic information, or performance information. Metrics may be displayed by the system for assisting physical therapy or training regimens.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is related to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 990,817 (Attorney Docket No. MIT-007PR), filed Nov. 28, 2007, hereby expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates, in general, to sensing equilibrium in a person, and more particularly, to using sensors in footwear to sense and display equilibrium information.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]While some people have excellent posture, many people have poor posture. Poor posture can lead to postural instability as a person ages and / or when the person is injured. Other causes for postural instability include the return of a person from a zero gravity environment, a lack of exercise, and / or an injury. While a person's postural stability may be measured in a lab environment currently, the high cost, limited availability, and inability to gather data throughout daily activities limits access to such...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]Some embodiments of the present invention describe systems comprising an article of footwear including pressure sensors, a first communications module coupled with the pressure sensors, a second communications module coupled with the first communications module, a stability processing module, a postural analysis module, and a display device. The first communications module reads the pressure sensors and transmits the pressure information to the second communications module. The second communications module receives the pressure information and relays the information to the stability processing module. The stability processing module determines postural stability metrics and may display the postural stability metrics on the display device.

[0006]In one embodiment, a method for determining equilibrium in a user may include using pressure sensors to sense pressure at different locations under a persons feet. The method may further include transmitt

Problems solved by technology

While some people have excellent posture, many people have poor posture.

Poor posture can lead to postural instability as a person ages and / or when the person is injured.

Other causes for postural instability include the return of a person from a zero gravity environment, a lack of exercise, and / or an injury.

While a person's postural stability may be measured in a lab environment currently, the high cost, limited availability, and inability to gather data throughout daily activities limits access to such devices for posture measurement for a majority of the population.

As such, analysis for many segments of the population that would otherwise benefit from detection and correction of postural stability is not obtained.

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