AU2014200437A1 - Systems and Methods for Musculoskeletal Health Care Using Wearable Sensors - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract The invention relates to a system, including: a wearable sensor configured to sense movement data of a wearer; a data acquisition unit connected to the wearable sensor and configured to collect and wirelessly transfer the movement data; and a data storage and processing unit wirelessly connectable to the data acquisition unit and configured to initiate transfer of the movement data from the data acquisition unit to the data storage and processing unit automatically upon connection therebetween.

Description

1 Systems And Methods For Musculoskeletal Health Care Using Wearable Sensors Field [0001] The present invention relates to systems and methods for musculoskeletal health care using wearable sensors. Background [0002] The collection and analysis of human movement (or kinematic) data in everyday and clinical settings is useful for both personal and professional preventative, curative and palliative musculoskeletal and orthopaedic health care, and also sports biomechanics and performance analysis. Wearable sensors, such as e-textile and smart fabric sensors, have previously been proposed to capture human movement data unobtrusively. [0003] Major barriers to unlocking the potential of human movement data are missing integration of data and data sources in current health information system architectures, a lack of intelligent algorithms to interpret data, and missing standardisation in representation of data and information, and of decision logic. [0004] A need therefore exists for solutions that address or alleviate at least some of the problems described above. Summary [0005] According to the present invention, this system is a wearable sensing device utilizing prior art known as eTextiles or Smart Fabrics that monitors and records real-time information on musculoskeletal movement and integrates it with an analytic and modeling software system. [0006] The invention generates highly accurate and real-time data to diagnose and guide physiotherapy and rehabilitation of persons experiencing musculoskeletal dysfunction or injuries including preventative musculoskeletal healthcare for sports people. This invention enables and augments online, offline or retrospective monitoring and diagnostic analysis of the wearer's musculoskeletal information by healthcare professionals and may provide real-time auditory, visual or haptic feedback to the wearer. [0007] This present invention includes: 2 a wearable sensor configured to sense movement data of a wearer; a data acquisition unit connected to the wearable sensor and configured to collect and wirelessly transfer the movement data; and a data storage and processing unit wirelessly connectable to the data acquisition unit and configured to initiate transfer of the movement data from the data acquisition unit to the data storage and processing unit automatically upon connection therebetween. [0008] The data storage and processing unit may be further configured to transform or interface the movement data into musculoskeletal health care information relating to the wearer. [0009] The transforming or interfacing of the movement data into the musculoskeletal health care information may include comparing the movement data with musculoskeletal reference data. [0010] The data acquisition unit may be further configured to provide feedback to the wearer, and the data storage and processing unit may be further configured to control the data acquisition unit to provide the feedback based on the musculoskeletal health care information. [0011] The feedback may be visual, aural, haptic, or other sensory stimulation to the wearer. [0012] The data storage and processing unit may be further configured to transform or interface the movement data or the musculoskeletal health care information into a health information system or record selected from a hospital information system, a radiology information system, a clinical information system, a clinical report, an electronic medical record, an electronic health record, a personal health record, and combinations thereof. [0013] The wearable sensor may be an e-textile or smart fabric sensor. The data acquisition unit may be removably connectable to the e-textile or smart fabric sensor. [0014] The data storage and processing unit may be further configured to provide a user interface to enable the wearer or a health care professional to view, manipulate and interact with one or more of the movement data, the musculoskeletal reference data, and the musculoskeletal health care information. [0015] The data storage and processing unit may be a computer device selected from a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, and combinations thereof.

3 [0016] The data acquisition unit and/or the data storage and processing unit may be further configured to be context-aware or location-aware based on whether the wearer is an everyday setting or a clinical setting. [0017] The system may further include at least one further data storage and processing unit wirelessly connectable to the data acquisition unit. [0018] The system may further include a database configured to store one or more of the movement data, the musculoskeletal reference data, and the musculoskeletal health care information. [0019] The present invention further provides a method, including: sensing movement data of a wearer of a wearable sensor; collecting the movement data using a data acquisition unit connected to the wearable sensor; automatically initiating transfer of the movement data from the data acquisition unit to a data storage and processing unit upon wireless connection therebetween. [0020] The method may further include transforming or interfacing the movement data into musculoskeletal health care information relating to the wearer. [0021] The transforming or interfacing of the movement data into the musculoskeletal health care information may include comparing the movement data with musculoskeletal reference data. [0022] The method may further include providing feedback to the wearer via the data acquisition unit. [0023] The method may further include controlling the data acquisition unit by the data storage and processing unit to provide the feedback based on the musculoskeletal health care information. [0024] The method may further include transforming or interfacing the movement data or the musculoskeletal health care information into a health information system or record selected from a hospital information system, a radiology information system, a clinical information system, a clinical report, an electronic medical record, an electronic health record, a personal health record, and combinations thereof.

4 [0025] The method may further include providing, by the data storage and processing unit, a user interface to enable the wearer or a health care professional to view, manipulate and interact with one or more of the movement data, the musculoskeletal reference data, and the musculoskeletal health care information. Statement of Differentiation [0026] At the time of lodgment of the provisional patent application, a search had revealed 4 existing patents whose technology infrastructure is similar to the architecture of the hardware, hardware integration and platform of this invention. Two of these prior art were filed internationally in 2006, and the other two in Australia in 2012. All the prior art utilize wearable and mobile monitoring units that sense, record and process data on various aspects of the wearer's physiological condition. Points of similarity and difference between this invention and the prior art are summarized in the Table 1 and references to prior art are provided. [0027] The major points of differentiation between this invention and the four existing prior art are found in its function and context of use. The four prior art function primarily to record real time data on vital life systems such as heart rate, temperature, blood oxygen, skin surface impedance, respiratory conditions, or whether the body is active or sedentary or the direction of the body's motion. As such, the prior art requires sensors or electrodes that make direct contact with the skin's surface or respond to changes in life systems impacted by external stressors or emotions. The function of this invention is highly specialized to service both preventative and post-operative or post-injury musculoskeletal healthcare. As such, the sensing units in this invention are attached to wearable fabrics designed to capture musculoskeletal movements with or without direct skin contact to provide accurate information to healthcare professionals and/or in some cases immediate feedback to the wearer. The application context of the prior art is predominantly oriented towards remote monitoring of the wearer in stressor environments, while this invention is focused predominantly on recovery of movement or prevention of injury in daily activities or sports settings. Brief Description of Drawings [0028] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 5 Figure 1 shows architecture of smart fabrics platform, highlighting the technology "infrastructure" and its "functions", discussed above in the context of differentiating this invention from prior art. Figure 2 is a block diagram of a system for musculoskeletal health care using wearable sensors according to an embodiment of the invention; and Figure 3 is a photograph of an example wearable sensor of the system. Detailed Description [0029] Figure 1 illustrates architecture of smart fabrics platform. The present invention primarily serves the activities and environment of the musculoskeletal rehabilitation and preventative health sector ("context"). This drives the design of the technology "infrastructure" and its "functions" and, as discussed above, differentiates it from prior art. [0030] Figure 2 illustrates a system 10 for musculoskeletal health care according to an embodiment of the invention. The system 10 includes a wearable sensor 12 configured to unobtrusively sense movement data of a wearer 13 in everyday and clinical settings. The wearable sensor 12 is, for example, an e-textile or smart fabric sensor that includes one or more motion sensors, such as accelerometers, provided in or on a textile or fabric substrate that is conformable, and removably attachable, to a body part of the wearer 13. A data acquisition unit (DAC) 14 is removably connected to the wearable sensor 12 and configured to collect and wirelessly transfer the movement data. The DAC 14 includes a processor, storage, a wireless data interface, and a power supply. Figure 3 illustrates an example wearable sensor 12 having a textile or fabric substrate with press-fit connections for a DAC 14. The system 10 further includes a data storage and processing unit (DSPU) 16 and an auxiliary data storage and processing unit (A-DSPU) 18 that are wirelessly connectable to the DAC 14 by, for example, Bluetooth or a Wi-Fi network. The DSPU 16 and A-DSPU 18 are computer devices, such as smartphones, tablets, laptop computers, desktop computers, and combinations thereof. The system 10 is scalable to include additional wearable sensors 12, DACs 14, DSPUs 16 and A DSPUs 18 in a wireless body area network (WBAN). [0031] The DAC 14 is configured by software or firmware to continuously sample and collect the movement data sensed by the wearable sensor 12. The collected movement data is stored on board the DAC 14 for a predetermined period, for example, 48 hours. Old movement data beyond 48 hours old is discarded by the DAC 14 as new movement data is sampled and collected from the wearable sensor 12.

6 [0032] The DSPU 16 and A-DSPU 18 are configured by software to perform a number of functions relating to the DAC 12 and the movement data. For example, the DSPU 16 and A DSPU 18 are each configured to initiate transfer of the movement data from the DAC 12 automatically upon a wireless connection being established with the DAC 12. All movement data stored on the DAC 12 is streamed to either the DSPU 16 or A-DSPU 18 automatically once a wireless data link, such as a Bluetooth connection, is established between the DAC 12 and either the DSPU 16 or A-DSPU 18. This enables movement data for a preceding 48 hour period to be automatically downloaded to and stored on either the DSPU 16 or A-DSPU 18. In addition, during a connection, real-time movement data sensed by the wearable sensor 12 is sampled by the DAC 12 at a high rate and streamed in real-time to either the DSPU 16 or A DSPU 18. Once the wireless connection is broken, the DAC 12 reverts to sampling the movement data at a relatively lower rate. The DSPU 16 and A-DSPU 18 are optionally further configured to be context-aware or location-aware based on whether the DAC 12, and hence the wearer 13, is an everyday setting or a clinical setting. [0033] The DSPU 16 and A-DSPU 18 are further configured by software to transform or interface the movement data into musculoskeletal health care information relating to the wearer 13. The transforming or interfacing of the movement data into the musculoskeletal health care information includes, for example, comparing the movement data with musculoskeletal reference data, such as minimum and maximum thresholds of ranges and/or rates of human movement, treatment or rehabilitation decision logic, protocols or guidelines, and biomechanical, kinematic or musculoskeletal models or simulations. The system 10 further includes a central database (not shown), such as an SQL database, accessible by the DSPU 16 and A-DSPU 18 to store the movement data, the musculoskeletal reference data, and the musculoskeletal health care information. [0034] The DAC 12 is further configured to provide feedback to the wearer 13, such as visual, aural, haptic, or other sensory stimulation. The DSPU 16 and A-DSPU 18 are further configured by software to control the DAC 12 to provide the feedback to the wearer 13 based on the musculoskeletal health care information. For example, the DSPU 16 and A-DSPU 18 are configured by a health care professional 20 to activate the DAC 12 to provide visual or aural feedback to the wearer 13 when threshold ranges and/or rates of human movement, for example knee movement, are approached and/or exceeded. [0035] The DSPU 16 and A-DSPU 18 are further configured by software to transform or interface the movement data or the musculoskeletal health care information into a health information system or record selected from a hospital information system, a radiology 7 information system, a clinical information system, a clinical report, an electronic medical record, an electronic health record, a personal health record, and combinations thereof. The system 10, and the DSPU 16 and A-DSPU 18, are configured to be compliant with the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standard and DICOM Structured Report data. [0036] The DSPU 16 and A-DSPU 18 are further configured by software to provide user interfaces to enable the wearer 13 or a health care professional 20 to view, manipulate and interact with one or more of real-time or historical movement data, the musculoskeletal reference data, and the musculoskeletal health care information. For example, user interfaces are provided to enable a health care professional 20 to set the threshold ranges and/or rates of human movement for triggering feedback to the wearer 13. Further user interfaces are also provided to allow the wearer 13 and/or their health care professional 20 to view analytical reports and/or graphical representations of the movement data, the musculoskeletal reference data, the musculoskeletal health care information, and combinations thereof. Additional user interfaces are provided to enable one or more health care professionals 20 to view a health information record of the wearer 13 that incorporates one or more of the movement data, the musculoskeletal reference data, and the musculoskeletal health care information. [0037] Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods that use wearable sensing devices such as e-textiles or smart fabrics to monitor and record real-time information on musculoskeletal movement and integrate it with an analytic and modelling software system. Embodiments of the invention generate highly accurate and real-time data to diagnose and guide physiotherapy and rehabilitation of persons experiencing musculoskeletal dysfunction or injuries including preventative musculoskeletal health care for sports people. Embodiments of the invention enable and augment online, offline or retrospective monitoring and diagnostic analysis of the wearer's musculoskeletal health care information by health care professionals, and also provide real-time auditory, visual or haptic feedback to the wearer. The functionality of embodiments of the invention is useful to service both preventative and post-operative or post injury musculoskeletal health care. In some embodiments of the invention, the sensing units are attached to wearable fabrics designed to capture musculoskeletal movements with or without direct skin contact to provide accurate information to healthcare professionals and/or in some cases immediate feedback to the wearer. Embodiments of the invention are suitable for use as diagnostic or therapeutic tools to assist recovery of movement or prevent injury in daily activities or sports settings. [0038] The above embodiments have been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the claims that follow.

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Claims (21)

1. A system, including: a wearable sensor configured to sense movement data of a wearer; a data acquisition unit connected to the wearable sensor and configured to collect and wirelessly transfer the movement data; and a data storage and processing unit wirelessly connectable to the data acquisition unit and configured to initiate transfer of the movement data from the data acquisition unit to the data storage and processing unit automatically upon connection therebetween.

2. A system according to claim 1 that extends prior art into a new functional and healthcare context and is therefore differentiated from these prior arts. Furthermore, the software system integrated with the sensing unit(s), provides an original platform for healthcare professionals to diagnose and model musculoskeletal movement data not currently available. Rather than base their diagnosis purely on observation of patients in a clinical setting and limited to short duration visits, the healthcare professional will have access to a larger, possibly real-time, data on wearer's musculoskeletal movements in their usual daily or sports environments.

3. A system according to claim 1 and 2, wherein the data storage and processing unit is further configured to transform or interface the movement data into musculoskeletal health care information relating to the wearer.

4. A system according to claim 2 and 3, wherein the transforming or interfacing of the movement data into the musculoskeletal health care information includes comparing the movement data with musculoskeletal reference data.

5. A system according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the data acquisition unit is further configured to provide feedback to the wearer, and the data storage and processing unit may be further configured to control the data acquisition unit to provide the feedback based on the musculoskeletal health care information.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the feedback is visual, aural, haptic, or other sensory stimulation to the wearer. 2

7. A system according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the data storage and processing unit is further configured to transform or interface the movement data or the musculoskeletal health care information into a health information system or record selected from a hospital information system, a radiology information system, a clinical information system, a clinical report, an electronic medical record, an electronic health record, a personal health record, and combinations thereof.

8. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the wearable sensor is an e-textile or smart fabric sensor.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the data acquisition unit is removably connectable to the e-textile or smart fabric sensor.

10. A system according to any one of claims 4 to 9, wherein the data storage and processing unit is further configured to provide a user interface to enable the wearer or a health care professional to view, manipulate and interact with one or more of the movement data, the musculoskeletal reference data, and the musculoskeletal health care information.

11. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the data storage and processing unit is a computer device selected from a smartphone, a tablet, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, and combinations thereof.

12. A system according to any preceding claim, wherein the data acquisition unit and/or the data storage and processing unit are further configured to be context aware or location-aware based on whether the wearer is an everyday setting or a clinical setting.

13. A system according to any preceding claim, further including at least one further data storage and processing unit wirelessly connectable to the data acquisition unit.

14. A system according to any one of claims 4 to 13, further including a database configured to store one or more of the movement data, the musculoskeletal reference data, and the musculoskeletal health care information.

15. A method, including: 3 sensing movement data of a wearer of a wearable sensor; collecting the movement data using a data acquisition unit connected to the wearable sensor; automatically initiating transfer of the movement data from the data acquisition unit to a data storage and processing unit upon wireless connection therebetween.

16. A method according to claim 15, further including transforming or interfacing the movement data into musculoskeletal health care information relating to the wearer.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the transforming or interfacing of the movement data into the musculoskeletal health care information includes comparing the movement data with musculoskeletal reference data.

18. A method according to any one of claims 15 to 17, further including providing feedback to the wearer via the data acquisition unit.

19. A method according to claim 18, further including controlling the data acquisition unit by the data storage and processing unit to provide the feedback based on the musculoskeletal health care information.

20. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 19, further including transforming or interfacing the movement data or the musculoskeletal health care information into a health information system or record selected from a hospital information system, a radiology information system, a clinical information system, a clinical report, an electronic medical record, an electronic health record, a personal health record, and combinations thereof.

21. A method according to any one of claims 17 to 20, further including providing, by the data storage and processing unit, a user interface to enable the wearer or a health care professional to view, manipulate and interact with one or more of the movement data, the musculoskeletal reference data, and the musculoskeletal health care information.