CN111601541A - Systems and methods for measuring, quantifying, displaying, and/or otherwise processing/reporting health data and/or risks via self-guided health checks, information, and processing information about related professional recommendations - Google Patents

Abstract

Self-guided health check systems and methods for detecting, quantifying, preventing, and managing health risks and discoverable health conditions utilizing user navigation and device integration, health analysis algorithms, and/or self-learning techniques. Implementations herein may include components or related aspects associated with information collection, information processing, display/provision/presentation of professional advice, and/or processing of various associated data and information via a network. Implementations herein provide innovatively configured, easily upgradeable, efficient, portable, scalable, easy-to-use, encouraging use, and/or efficient implementations for checking, predicting inflection points of pending health issues, preventing and/or managing a user's health. The techniques provided by the various embodiments have many advantages over other known techniques. By providing different combinations over a period of time and iterating over and over to produce maximum usage and user traffic, the checks, health information, and user-selectable choices can be optimized for each unit to best serve a user population and sponsored advertisers for a particular health need.

Description

Systems and methods for measuring, quantifying, displaying, and/or otherwise processing/reporting health data and/or risks via self-guided health checks, information, and processing information about related professional recommendations

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims benefit/priority to provisional patent application No.62/571,728 filed on 12.10.2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

SUMMARY

Self-guided health check systems and methods utilize unique user navigation and device integration, health analysis algorithms, and self-learning techniques to detect, quantify, prevent, and manage health risks. One or more implementations herein may include, but are not limited to, the use of optical components, mechanical components, electrical components, computing components, and software components, and/or may relate to aspects associated with information collection, information processing, display/provision/presentation of professional advice, and/or processing various associated data and information via one or more networks. The systems and methods herein provide an innovatively configured, efficient, portable, scalable, easy-to-use, usage-encouraging, and/or effective (including cost-effective) implementation for examining, predicting, preventing, and/or managing a user's health, with the technologies provided via the various and numerous embodiments having further advantages over all of the other available technologies.

Background

The large number of patients requiring care, the increasing shortage of healthcare professionals and facilities, and the rising cost of providing treatment have strained healthcare systems around the world. Putting pressure on healthcare systems is the general lack of health knowledge expressed by individuals regarding their current health status and preventive and therapeutic measures to the health status that can be found. Individuals generally do not know when an action should be taken with respect to a particular health condition or disease and what impact on their health would be if no action were taken.

Among the many health conditions that users may encounter, some are highlighted by changing life, thereby reducing quality and longevity of life.

Loss of vision&Injury of the skin

Technological advances in computers, smart phones, tablets, digital readers, and countless digital entertainment systems are constantly increasing the visual burden inside and outside the workplace. We, including children at school, need to see clearly to work properly and note that eye health is one of the best precautions to maintain vision throughout life. About 6000 million americans currently have impaired vision (all with respect to vision) due to outdated vision correction. In the united states, the cost of treatment for eye disease and vision loss is about $ 1,390 billion (prevention of blindness). Worldwide, there are approximately 42 billion visually impaired people worldwide (the world health organization).

Diabetes mellitus

The world population is experiencing a rapid increase in the number of diabetic cases. In the united states, about 2910 thousands of people suffer from diabetes, with an alarming number of new cases in adults and children. About 890 million americans are not diagnosed with diabetes and about 8600 million americans have pre-diabetic conditions, where many people are neither aware of the disease nor aware of the health effects if the condition worsens. In the united states, the cost of treatment for diabetes diagnosis is $ 2450 billion (the american diabetes association). Diabetic retinopathy is a major cause of blindness in adults, but if a diabetic is aware of his or her condition and seeks medical assistance in a timely manner, the condition can be cured. However, 40% of diabetic patients never received a comprehensive mydriatic examination by eye care professionals. Sixty percent of diabetics are at risk of losing vision and they do not remember to have a doctor describe to them the link between diabetes and vision loss (Johns Hopkins Research, JAMA Ophthalmology).

Body Mass index, BMI

BMI is a major indicator of many serious health conditions including diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and even cancer. Approximately 7860 million Americans suffer from obesity (JAMA), and the annual medical cost of obesity treatment is 1470 billion dollars (CDC). A significant proportion of people with high body mass indices are unaware of the health conditions that may accompany the disease.

Hearing loss

Hearing loss is spreading at a startling rate among adults and children due to aging, noise pollution, and the increasing use of wearable earphones, which often exceed healthy noise levels. The impact of hearing loss on quality of life equals or exceeds that of visual loss on quality of life because individuals may suffer from social isolation and concomitant depression due to deafness. According to the CDC, approximately 12.5% of children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 have permanent damage to their hearing due to excessive noise exposure. Over 4000 million adults suffer from some form of hearing impairment (johns hopkins) in which over 80% do not seek medical assistance or treatment (NIH).

In response to these trends, people are beginning to pay more attention to their health and seek more preventive measures. To address many health conditions and diseases, many solutions are being created, some of which are more effective than others, including wearable digital health devices, health-related kiosks, health clinics in retail stores, and more company-sponsored health programs, just to name a few.

More specifically, newly released self-guided health check kiosks such as Higi and Solo-health (now Pursuant) are attempting to address some major health concerns of people. In practice, however, these machines are only updated blood pressure devices that provide some other health measurement. These units are commonly found in retail pharmacy locations and some companies. These devices have the following disadvantages, including: (1) requiring the user to sit down and thus check only one user at a time; (2) the use of users over 18 years old is limited due to FDA requirements; (3) those with limited movement and dexterity are excluded and the wheelchair is not readily accessible; (4) limited opportunities for their placement due to their size, weight, and cost; (5) a fixed number of inspections is provided due to the inability to easily add new technology and user inspections, and (6) extensive testing, field calibration, and maintenance are required, which can result in incorrect inspection responses. These devices also have a major drawback in that: medical institutions such as mayo medical Clinic, etc. do not suggest making health decisions based on information received from retail blood compressors due to improper cuff size, inaccurate readings due to user manipulation errors and calibration issues. These and other drawbacks of existing self-inspection machines result in the need for a fast, easy to use, lightweight, and accurate self-guided inspection device that provides meaningful user health inspection and data, professional health resources, preventive measures, predictive results, based on user action or non-action, and that can be easily upgraded to take advantage of health knowledge and advances in new technology.

It is an object of the present invention to provide these improvements in an integrated digital health check experience that incorporates the user's check data and data from other sources into the current health baseline state. The present invention then suggests actions to prevent or manage a particular health condition or disease and suggests nearby healthcare professionals and resources to visit when further assessment or treatment is indicated.

Unlike other self-inspection devices, the present invention has a small form factor, allowing back-to-back units for inspection by multiple users, and is lightweight to allow it to be transported and placed in many locations, even around the world. The present invention has few moving and mechanical parts, does not require field calibration, and provides a platform for easily installing additional health checks to keep up with medical knowledge and the development of sensor and data acquisition technologies. Current health checks include: a unique and highly accurate visual acuity test and health assessment of the anterior and posterior eye; a BMI review and interactive prediction tool that shows how this important health parameter changes with various levels of weight loss; diabetes risk assessment and disease management-including effects on vision, hearing, oral health, skin and foot disease; assessing blood pressure, pulse, heart rate, electrocardiogram, galvanic skin response; and hearing assessment. The present invention also provides an interactive tool that recommends a type of hearing solution that includes a device provided by a particular vendor of hearing impaired products that addresses the parameters of a user's unique hearing impairment. The present invention provides for the examination and analysis of hands and skin for the detection of possible skin diseases including skin cancer, joint problems, liver problems, osteoarthritis, thyroid and hypothyroidism, anemia, lung diseases and impaired oxygen levels.

Data processing and analysis from the information obtained by the present invention allows for long-term and diverse longitudinal health studies that are both current and predictable in nature. The invention also includes means for accepting credit and membership cards that allow a user to purchase products and services.

A unique feature of the present invention is to encourage users to take positive measures to improve their health. To this end, a library of video segments of possible user outcomes are stored in memory and threaded together at playback to provide the user with their specific and unique health check results, mimicking a natural sounding conversation, such as with a healthcare provider.

Another unique feature of the present invention is to encourage users to swipe their loyalty or credit card to enter identification information that is available to the user when making a purchase at the payment center. The present invention is then able to provide user health and demographic parameters for each product in a user's shopping cart at checkout while protecting the user's specific identity.

The present invention also provides software that allows a company or advertiser to create and distribute specific content to devices in a particular geographic location. Publishing different content to different locations allows the present invention to perform AB testing and analyze results. The user and marketing information obtained from these locations helps advertisers improve their messaging content to optimize user experience and advertiser sales.

By collecting and aggregating multiple user data, the present invention is able to determine and provide the user with the possibility of improved or degraded health due to specific actions taken or not taken by the user.

The following is a detailed description consistent with various aspects of the innovations.

Summary of some aspects of the innovations herein

Self-administered health check

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a self-managed health check for determining the baseline condition of many important health parameters and, when indicated, to recommend professional intervention using Artificial Intelligence (AI), to predict future health patterns and future user action measures from the baseline data, and to provide preventative measures as appropriate to mitigate or avoid the particular health condition.

Enabling future hardware and software

It is another object of the invention to anticipate growth in health knowledge and technology by enabling the invention to easily add future inspection hardware and software components. The multiple prepared compartments in the present invention provide power, processing and communication capabilities for current and future arrays of sensors and devices and accompanying software.

For inspection of various conditions

The present invention consists of electrical, mechanical, computational, optical and software components including artificial intelligence to collect and process information for inspection by a user including but not limited to: visual acuity, including distance, near, central, contrast sensitivity, and color blindness; eye health, which includes analysis of the anterior and posterior eye associated with the presence of diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, retina and other vision disorders; dry eye and ocular allergies; eye symptoms related to computer usage, smart phones and other visually dependent electronic entertainment devices, computing devices or communication devices; blood pressure; body Mass Index (BMI), risk of various health conditions including, but not limited to, diabetes, heart disease, murmur, and cardiovascular system, skin disease; joint problems; liver problems, osteoarthritis; thyroid and hypothyroidism; anemia; pulmonary disease and impaired oxygen levels.

Providing information to a user

It is another object of the present invention to provide information to the user regarding the above-mentioned health conditions and suggest action measures, including but not limited to appointments for healthcare professionals, based on whether the user's risk for these conditions is mild, moderate, severe or uncertain.

Network connection

The present invention will be deployed as a network with internet connectivity at many locations such as pharmacies, retail stores, companies, hospitals, clinics, schools, government agencies, shopping centers and other high traffic venues. The network and data collection of user health and lifestyle parameters provide the basis for a multitude of longitudinal studies quantifying and analyzing the interdependencies of the predicted outcomes of user health and development and treatment and non-treatment options.

The problem may affect the health of the individual

The present invention will address a number of problems that may affect human health including, but not limited to, diet, exercise and lifestyle habits such as smoking, drinking, and abuse of drugs and interpersonal relationships.

Improving the efficiency of national medical systems

It is another object of the present invention to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of a national medical system by providing examination results to medical professionals prior to consultation and/or treatment. The present invention will also include a telemedicine platform that will allow a healthcare professional to discuss the user's examination results prior to a planned office visit or to monitor the user's health and recommend treatment prior to making an office visit.

Audio and/or video description library

It is another object of the present invention, among others, to create a library of audio and/or video descriptions of possible exam results, health information, and suggested actions, and to algorithmically thread parts of the library together to form a unique dialog in response to a user's specific health conditions and needs.

Method for encouraging users to actively participate in their health

It is another object of the present invention to encourage users to play a positive role in their health by providing resources such as products and services, including the services of healthcare professionals and clinics, including clinics in retail stores or corporate premises. Coupons, discounts, special offers, or other incentives would be available to incentivize users to respond to suggested suggestions and action guidelines.

Fast automatic inspection of large range of users

It is another object of the present invention to enable users in the large "age" and "height" ranges to complete the examination automatically as quickly as possible. To this end, the present invention would require the user to indicate their eye level on a user-facing touch monitor. After this input, the system will move the fitted sensor and optical path terminal enclosed in the movable housing assembly to the eye level of the user for vision and eye health checks. User navigation, information input and response to examination questions will also be adjusted on the user-facing monitor to suit the user's height. Speech recognition will also be available for user input as well as touch input on a user-oriented monitor. The movable housing assembly may be adjusted to other heights to record data of other user facial or upper torso characteristics. The system may also automatically record the user's height via a camera and a sensor, such as a distance sensor, and adjust the movable housing assembly accordingly to the eye level or other user feature level to be checked without user input.

Audio and video for input and output

It is another object of the present invention to include microphones and speakers at one or more locations, including but not limited to those designated for sensors and device arrays. The speaker will provide audio or video related audio to the system to request user input, instructions to use the invention, present and interpret the results of the inspection, and other uses including, but not limited to, advertisements for products and services. The microphone will provide the user with user voice input, answers to system questions, and responses associated with various health checks selected by the user for user recognition.

Examination of the hands

It is another object of the present invention to examine and evaluate a user's hand and wrist, including but not limited to nails, skin, veins, finger joints, fingertips and finger length, swelling of fingers and hands, reflex reactions, moles, rashes, spots, color, pulse, blood flow, tremors, and blood pressure. The touchable area may be sterilized by various means, including but not limited to Ultraviolet (UV) light, before each user's hand is inspected. The sensor and device arrays for hand examination may include, but are not limited to, pressure sensors, microphones, cameras, infrared cameras, color cameras, video cameras, lasers, O2 sensors, and temperature sensors. Real-time video or photographs of a user's hand placed in the hand examination region may be displayed on a "user-facing monitor" to help guide the user in positioning the hand over the sensors and devices.

Exemplary implementation scheme

The following includes exemplary implementations of the invention that should not be considered limiting, as the invention is defined by the appended claims.

One embodiment of the invention

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a vision self-assessment system that allows a user to be in a standing or seated position, comprising: (a) one or more output devices, such as a computer monitor for displaying symbols and graphics used in various visual acuity and eye health checks, (b) an optical path made up of an array of mirrors, wherein at least one end mirror is movable to adjust to the eye level of the user, (c) a housing assembly comprising the computer monitor on (a) and the end mirror of the optical path moved in a vertical direction such that the length of the optical path from the displayed visual letters or graphics to the user's eyes remains constant regardless of the user's height, (d) a microprocessor for: (1) changing the orientation of the displayed symbols and graphics, such as orienting the displayed symbols and graphics in an upward, downward, leftward, or rightward direction on a computer monitor and via an optical path viewed by a user, and (2) changing the size of the displayed symbols or graphics to provide checks of various acuity, such as 20/10, 20/20, 20/30, 20/40, etc., (e) one or more monitor displays, such as a user-facing monitor, preferably a high-definition, 4k, 5k, or higher definition monitor, for providing near vision, center vision, contrast sensitivity, color-blind, peripheral vision, and other vision checks to convey information and accept user input; (f) other input devices and sensors including cameras and lenses for assessing the health of the back of the eye of a user and various other user biometric parameters, (g) a microphone for accepting user commands through speech recognition and performing "speech" analysis, (h) one or more sensors for determining the height and eye level of a user, (i) a microprocessor for analyzing and processing inputs and generating output information, (j) a memory for data storage and means allowing access to the internet for data transfer purposes, (k) an algorithm for processing data and providing results to the user, including current health, current action items, predicted future health, and suggested prevention strategies.

Implementation including memory

Another embodiment of the present invention includes the above system wherein the system includes memory within the system of the present invention or other memory accessed through a LAN or internet connection.

Embodiments in which the movable housing assembly adjusts to eye level

In another embodiment of the invention, the movable housing assembly including the fixed optical path terminal is adjusted to the eye level (line of sight) of the user by means of a vertically operated fluidic, pneumatic or electromechanical lifting device. The movable housing assembly may be moved to varying vertical positions under system control for user identification and health check purposes to obtain additional biometric information of the user.

Embodiments including a moveable cover

Another embodiment includes movable covers, such as but not limited to drum-like roll-up covers, attached to the top and bottom sides of the movable housing assembly, allowing the movable housing assembly to move in a vertical direction while providing a light elimination cover for the underlying light path.

Embodiments including means for accepting various inputs

Another embodiment includes means for accepting input from various sources, analyzing, displaying and/or outputting this information on mobile devices, computers and printers for the user or other parties, which may be located in, but not limited to, pharmacy medical clinics and off-site locations such as doctor's offices, corporate medical personnel and medical and insurance companies.

Various alternative embodiments

Additional embodiments include wall units, seating units, and wall units placed within a larger enclosed space for locations such as shopping malls, airports, and other high traffic facilities.

Accessibility to wheelchair

Additional embodiments allow for a combination of user input devices including, but not limited to, voice recognition devices and wheelchair accessibility to assist these users as well as other users with disabilities or persons with limited mobility or dexterity.

Establishing an account

In one embodiment, a user may establish an account that stores data from previous examinations, organizes the data in a useful and easy to read display, shows data and health trends, and predicts inflection points for pending health issues. The return account member may also go directly to check if the health status has not changed since the last health status entry.

Other problems with using AI based on inspection results

Another embodiment utilizes algorithms and AI to present additional questions based on the inspection results and user input; suggesting additional checks based on this information; and advises when the check should be repeated. This information may be displayed when the user receives the results of his examination, or may be communicated to the user via a smart phone, email, or recorded telephone message.

Two fixed distance light paths

One embodiment of the invention includes two fixed distance optical paths. One optical path provides a remote visual acuity check and the other optical path allows a health assessment of the back of the eye. Both light paths are presented to the user through the movable housing assembly at their respective eye levels. The preferred distance vision optical path is in the range of 3 to 4 meters, while near, center and other vision exams are presented on the monitor facing the user at the preferred viewing distance of 14 to 18 inches.

Eyesight test

In another embodiment, the present invention proposes an algorithm that randomly generates alphanumeric symbols or graphics in specific directions, such as up, down, left, and right, having specific sizes associated with various acuity levels, such as 20/10, 20/20, 20/30, and the like. The user enters their response to the orientation of the displayed symbols or to the perception of the displayed graphics into the system through a touch screen, voice recognition, or body gestures (e.g., hand, eye, or head movements). Another algorithm based on the number of correct user responses determines whether the user can view with a specified degree of acuity or, in the case of central, contrast sensitivity, color blindness and other visual tests, is experiencing visual problems related to their eye health and eye function.

Blood pressure measurement

Another embodiment of the invention comprises the following means: such as a blood pressure cuff, or an array of sensors and devices for measuring the blood pressure of the user to indicate the likelihood of a condition known as hypertension. Blood pressure readings are obtained by an algorithmic functional process to determine the likely onset and relevance of hypertension based on various measured biometric parameters, according to the user's vision, eye health, heart disease, diabetes condition or risk, or other health condition. The user may also manually enter their blood pressure to achieve the same result. The presence of hypertension can also be known by a posterior ocular assessment (posterior ocular assessment) of the system.

Body mass index assessment

Another embodiment of the present invention evaluates the Body Mass Index (BMI) of a user by manually using inputs for the user's weight and height, or by manually inputting the weight, and (1) using an algorithm that determines the user's height based on inputs for their eye level. Considering their age, gender and race, or (2) determining their height by determining the top of the user's head using sensors and devices such as acoustic and infrared sensors. By another algorithm, the system provides the user with a possible association of his BMI with the current heart health, vision and ocular systems, diabetes or diabetes risk, and the possibility of future impact on any one or more of these health conditions.

Supplement

The system of the selection of tests, health information and user selectable options displayed on a unit navigation screen is optimized for each unit location by providing different combinations of test selections, health information and selectable user selections over a period of time and iteratively to produce maximum usage and user traffic, thereby best meeting the specific health needs of the user population and sponsored advertisers.

The highest scoring array of exams, health information, and user selectable options appearing on the unit navigation screen may be used as the initial home navigation screen when a new unit is placed in a location of similar demographic and other relevant parameters.

Another aspect of the invention is to provide the user with a percentage of previous users who have found the advice generated by the system, such as "go to eye care professional, schedule laboratory tests" to be useful. To obtain this information, the entity will send a survey to the user by email or allow a reply to the user to enter the suggestions of the invention or some similar means of obtaining user feedback.

Another aspect of the invention is to provide various wellness applications that can be purchased by a user at the unit through one or more payment options, such as credit card, PayPal, smartphone payment applications, and the like. The user may receive the health application at a discounted price or the user may receive the health application for free as a member of the network of the present invention. The loading of the health application onto the user's phone may be accomplished using means such as "touch" technology or similar means of transferring from the present invention directly to the user's smart device such as a smart phone, or by the user downloading from a corporate website or another organization's website.

Other embodiments of the invention may include and/or involve features that allow a user's insurance company, employer, or other organization to request a particular health check, information survey, or additional questions to be completed by the user at the unit site. The added questions may be prompted by the user's previous answers to the questions provided on the cell. Various aspects of the present invention will provide a means for billing these requests and payment by the requesting entity.

In other embodiments of the invention, an advertiser, sponsor or agency may be configured to insert additional questions into the series of questions to be answered by the user based on previous user responses. In such embodiments, the invention provides means to fulfill these requests as well as monetization or other added value, such as requesting advertisers or sponsors to bill and pay.

Detailed description of illustrative implementations

Although certain illustrative embodiments and examples are disclosed below, the inventive subject matter extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses and modifications and equivalents thereof. Thus, the scope of the present disclosure is not limited by any of the specific embodiments described below. For example, in any system, method, or process disclosed herein, the portions, acts, or operations of the system, method, or process may be performed in any suitable arrangement and/or order and are not necessarily limited to any particular disclosed embodiment. Various operations may be described as multiple discrete operations in turn, in a manner that is helpful in understanding certain embodiments. However, the order of description should not be construed as to imply that these operations are order dependent. In addition, the structures, systems, and/or devices described herein may be embodied as integrated components or as stand-alone components. For purposes of comparing various embodiments, certain aspects and advantages of these embodiments are described. Not all of these aspects or advantages may be achieved by any particular implementation. Thus, for example, various embodiments may be performed in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other aspects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

Fig. 1 shows a front view of an optical chamber assembly a1, which optical chamber assembly a1 includes a back plate 1 and outer sides 2, 3, 4 and 5 and inner sides 6, 7, 8 and 9. 2 is vertically attached to the left outer side of the backboard 1. And 3 is vertically attached to the bottom outer side of the backboard 1.4 is vertically attached to the right outer side of the backboard 1. And 5 is vertically attached to the top outer side of the back panel 1. And 6 is vertically attached to the left inner side of the backboard 1. And 7 is vertically attached to the bottom inner side of the back panel 1. And 8 is vertically attached to the right inner side of the back panel 1. 9 is attached vertically to the top inner side of the back panel 1. Within the boundaries of the inner sides 6, 7, 8 and 9, there is formed a space for electronic components such as, but not limited to, a power management device E-1, a digital signal processor E-2, and the latest communication system providing access to the Internet E-3. FIG. 2 illustrates a right side view of the optical chamber assembly A-1 having the components described above.

FIG. 3 illustrates the placement of mirrors 10, 11, 12, and 13 in the upper left, lower right, and upper right corners, respectively, of the optical chamber assembly A-1. 10 is the upper left mirror. And 11 is the lower left mirror. 12 is the lower right mirror. And 13 is the upper right mirror. In a preferred embodiment, the mirrors will be placed at a 45 degree angle with respect to the respective angled sides of the mirrors. Fig. 4 depicts a right side view of fig. 3 and shows the back plate 1 with the above-described components installed.

Fig. 5 shows the addition of a user facing mirror 14 and a downward facing monitor E-4 placed between the outer and inner sides 2, 6 of the optical chamber assembly a-1. In some such embodiments, the user facing mirror 14 may be positioned to face forward at a 45 degree angle relative to the horizontal as viewed in fig. 6. The downward facing monitor E-4 is positioned parallel to the horizontal plane as viewed in fig. 5 and 6.

Fig. 7 and 8 illustrate the light path comprising a between the downward facing monitor E-4 and the mirror 11, b between the mirror 11 and the mirror 12, c between the mirror 12 and the mirror 13, d between the mirror 13 and the mirror 10, E between the mirror 10 and the user facing mirror 14 and the distance f between the user facing mirror 14 and the eye of the person gazing at the user facing mirror 14. In a preferred embodiment, the optical paths a through f are about 9 to 11 feet in length to prevent parking. Discomfort to the user's eye can occur when the optical portion of the eye is adjusted so that the object focuses on the retina as the distance from the eye changes. In this preferred embodiment, the optical path will automatically focus the user's eye for distance viewing for distance acuity assessment. The optical paths a to f are arranged such that an image displayed on the downward facing monitor E-4 will be reflected in each mirror 11, 12, 13, 10 and the user facing mirror 14 and will be visible to a person facing the user facing mirror 14. In many possible images displayed on the downward facing monitor E-4, there is the letter "C", which is commonly referred to as "Landoit C" for use in vision studies and assessments. "Landolt C" is randomly rotated such that the opening of "C" faces to the right, left, up or down. The person's distance vision can be determined using an algorithm based on the number of times he/she is on the downward facing monitor E-4 and reflects the correct orientation of "Landolt C" displayed on the mirror identification and display on the mirrors 11, 12, 13, 10 and the user facing mirror 14.

Some features created by the present invention are to conveniently provide health and vision tests for people of different heights representing different age groups. For distance acuity assessment, the user facing mirror 14 should be positioned at the user's eye level while maintaining constant light paths a, b, c, d, E and f, so that the image displayed on the downward facing monitor E-4 is maintained at a constant and unchanging size as the user looks on the user facing mirror 14. This is achieved by: the user facing mirror 14 is positioned directly above the downward facing monitor E-4 and both the user facing mirror 14 and the downward facing monitor E-4 are enclosed in a movable housing assembly a-2. When the movable housing component a-2 is moved in the vertical direction, the optical paths a and e will shorten or lengthen by the same amount, thereby maintaining constant optical paths a, b, c, d, e, and f.

An alternative embodiment of a mirror arrangement such as shown in fig. 3-8 (i.e. a mirror arrangement with mirrors arranged along the X-axis-given conventional X-Y-Z axis orientation), i.e. an alternative embodiment involving a different and innovative placement of mirrors in the Z-axis, is described further below in connection with fig. 61A-64.

Fig. 9, 10, 11 and 12 illustrate the housing components of the movable housing assembly a-2. Cut-outs 21 are formed in the side 19 (top) of the housing, cut-outs 22 are formed in the side 20 (bottom) of the housing, and cut-outs 23 are formed in the side 16 (front) of the housing. Rectangles are shown as preferred shapes for cut-outs 21, 22 and 23, among many other possible shapes.

Fig. 13, 14, 15 and 16 illustrate the placement of the user facing mirror 14 in the housing component of the movable housing assembly a-2. The cut-out 21 allows an image reflected from the mirror 10 along the optical path e to be reflected on the mirror 14 facing the user and to pass through the cut-out 23 along the optical path f and thus be seen by the user.

Fig. 17, 18, 19 and 20 show the placement of the monitor E-4 facing downward in the housing component of the movable housing assembly a-2 and, together with the user facing mirror 14, form the movable housing assembly a-2. Cut-out 22 allows the image displayed on monitor E-4 facing downward to be reflected on mirror 11 along optical path a and to reflect this same image to mirrors 12, 13, 10 and user facing mirror 14, thereby completing optical paths a, b, c, d, E and f.

"C" is shown following light paths a, b, C, d and e and is shown on the user facing mirror 14 by cut-out 23 in movable housing assembly A-2 in FIG. 22. Fig. 21 illustrates a top view, fig. 23 illustrates a right side view, and fig. 24 illustrates a bottom side portion of the movable housing assembly a-2. Cut-out 21 is located on the top surface of a-2. The mirror facing the user is positioned at 45 ° directly below the cut-out 21. As shown in fig. 23, the image is allowed to be displayed on the monitor E-4 facing downward so as to be seen by the user through the cut-out portion 22. The "C" displayed on the monitor 22 facing downward is displayed by the cut-out 22. Fig. 26 illustrates the light path segment f reflected from the user-facing mirror 14 to the user. Fig. 25 and 26 provide views of image "C" reflected from mirror 14 facing the user and following a light path emanating from monitor E-4 facing downward and completing at the user's eye along light path f.

Certain models of the present invention, particularly the initial models designated by the enterprise sector designed for marketing, will also have techniques to scan the eyes of the user and artificial intelligence AI to interpret the scan. The acquisition of the image behind the eye will be done by devices of the visible and invisible spectrum that can be used simultaneously, such as cameras, video cameras, lenses and other optoelectronic devices. To provide space for these devices and optics, a movable housing assembly II is depicted in fig. 27, 28, 29 and 30. The image displayed on monitor E-4 facing downwards enters the movable housing assembly ii (MHAII) through a cut-out 30 on the top side 28 of the MHAII in fig. 27, 28, 29 and 30. The cut-out 30 may be placed in various locations on the top side 28. Cut-out 31 and cut-out 32 provide visual access to a downward facing monitor E-4 and a movable user facing mirror 34, respectively (see fig. 31, 32, 33 and 34).

Fig. 31, 32, 33 and 34 illustrate the user facing mirror 34 in the distance vision assessment mode.

Fig. 38 illustrates the bottom side of the movable housing assembly II, a-3. Fig. 35, 36 and 37 illustrate the other three sides of the movable housing assembly II, a-3. Fig. 35 and 37 show top and right side views of the movable housing assembly II, a-3 illustrating the actuator E-5, the actuator E-5 being capable of changing the position of the movable user-facing mirror 34 from a "distant-view" vision inspection mode to a "back-of-the-eye" evaluation mode. The symbols on the graphic displayed on the surface of the downward facing monitor E-4 travel through the optical paths a, b, c, d and E' and enter the movable housing assembly II, a-3 through the cut-out 30 and reflect off the mirror 33 and the movable user facing mirror 34 where the symbols are visible to the user. The "C" displayed on the monitor E-4 facing downward is displayed by the cut-out 31. "C" is shown following light paths a, b, C, d, e 'and f' (fig. 39 and 40) and is shown on the user facing mirror 34 (in distance vision assessment mode) through the cut-out 32 in the movable housing assembly II, a-3 in fig. 36.

Fig. 39 shows the mirror 10 (mirror 10 ') moving to the right to allow the light path segment e' to enter the movable housing assembly II through the cut-out 30 and reflect off the mirror 33. Fig. 40 provides a side view of image "C" reflected from mirror 34 facing the user and completed at the user's eye along optical path g', which image "C" follows the optical path.

Fig. 41, 42, 43 and 44 illustrate the movable user facing mirror 34 positioned in the eye assessment mode and facing the camera and sensor E-6 and the movable housing assembly II, a-3 of the optical lens E-7. The movable user-facing mirror 34 is moved from the distance vision test to the eye evaluation mode by actuator E-5.

FIGS. 45, 46, 47 and 48 illustrate the movable user facing mirror 34 within the movable housing assembly II, A-3 positioned in the eye evaluation mode and facing the camera and sensor E-6 and optical lens E-7. The user facing mirror 34 is moved from distance vision examination to eye evaluation mode by actuator E-5, creating light paths h and i. The camera and sensor E-6 and the optical lens E-7 may be fixed or movable to acquire images of the back of the eye of the user through the optical paths h and i. Actuator E-5 may move movable user-facing mirror 24 from the distance vision assessment mode to the eye assessment mode and back to the distance vision assessment mode between changes in orientation of image "C" used in the distance vision assessment mode.

Fig. 49 and 50 depict the lifting device E-8 and guide rail assembly E-9 between the inner side 6 and the outer side 2 of the optical housing assembly a-1. The lifting device E-8 is attached to the movable housing assembly a-2 or a-3 and provides vertical movement to the movable housing assembly a-2 and a-3, allowing positioning at the eye level of the user. The lifting device E-8 may also provide translational movement in the horizontal direction within the confines of the sides 2 and 6 to assist in aligning the movable housing components A-2 and A-3 with the user's eyes for distance vision examination or posterior eye assessment.

The following description of fig. 61A-64, with respect to the alternative embodiment of fig. 61A-64, further sets forth additional details regarding the mirrors 10, 11, 12, and 13, the lift device E-4, and the optics chamber assembly a-1 of the innovation.

Fig. 51 and 52 illustrate the placement of the optical chamber assembly a-1 within the outer chamber assembly a-4, with the surrounding side panels 35, 36, 37 and 38 mounted on the back panel 39.

Fig. 53 and 54 illustrate the placement of the upper movable light-blocking cover 40 and the lower movable light-blocking cover 41 between the optical chamber assembly a-1 and the outer chamber assembly a-4. Cover 40 is attached to the top of the MHA or MHAII at edge x and cover 41 is attached to the bottom of the MHA or MHAII at edge y. When the movable housing assembly is lowered in the vertical direction, the cover 40 covers a larger area above the optical path e, and the cover 41 covers a smaller area above the optical path a. When the movable housing assembly is raised in the vertical direction, the cover 40 covers a small area above the optical path e, and the cover 41 covers a large area above the optical path a. The preferred embodiment of the covers 40 and 41 is a tambour or tambour-like roll-up door arrangement, however, other methods may include blinds, curtains, and glass articles that change transparency when an electric current is applied, as well as bellows.

FIGS. 55 and 56 illustrate the placement of sensor and equipment panels E-10, E-ll, E-12 and E-13 between the outer chamber assembly 36 and the optical chamber assembly 35. The positioning of the large sensor and equipment panel E-14 and the user facing touch screen monitor E-15 are also shown. These sensor panels may include additional cameras, speakers, microphones, optical and acoustic sensors, spectral analysis sensors (e.g., breath analysis), and other mechanical systems connected to the sensors to allow for enhanced and additional recording of the user's health and environmental data.

FIGS. 57 and 58 illustrate one of many designs of a housing assembly A-5 placed over the optics chamber assembly 35 and the outer chamber assembly 36. The cut-out 44 provides visual access to the roll-up light shields 42 and 43 and the movable housing assemblies A-2 and A-3. Cut-out 45 provides for placement of touch screen monitor E-15 facing the user. Cut-out 46 provides manual access to the sensor and device panel E-ll by the user. Cut-outs 47, 48, 49 and 50 provide openings for large sensor and equipment panels E-14 and sensor and equipment panels E-13, E-10 and E-12, respectively. Covers similar in design to the movable light-blocking covers 40 and 41 may be placed on the large sensor and equipment panel E-14 to obtain a symmetrical appearance, as shown in fig. 59. In a preferred embodiment, housing assembly A-5, optics chamber assembly 35 and outer chamber assembly 36 are made of a lightweight rigid material, such as aluminum, resin or plastic. The transparent protective cover of the cover assembly may be made of glass, plastic or other synthetic resin.

Fig. 59 and 60 illustrate examples of illustrative units consistent with one implementation of a complete device.

Fig. 61A-61B illustrate two views of an alternative embodiment in accordance with aspects consistent with the subject matter hereof, as noted after the description of fig. 8 above. Such alternative embodiments, for example for the designs depicted in fig. 3 to 8, may separate the subject/invention device into two structures: in this context, for example, the "structure 1" may comprise components for evaluating the user's distance vision, including an optical cell assembly a-1a, mirrors 10a, 11a, 12a, 13a and 14, a movable housing assembly MHA, wherein the movable housing assembly MHA comprises a user facing mirror 14, a downward facing monitor E-4, light-blocking covers 40 and 41, such as but not limited to bellows, drum-like covers or curtains, and a lifting device E-8, the lifting device E-8 comprising a linear actuator, a motor and controller, a lead screw, a pneumatic actuator or similar lifting device for providing vertical linear motion to the movable housing assembly MHA. The structure 1 is referred to as a vision tower assembly VTA. Further, "structure 2" may include the remainder of the device, including but not limited to the user facing touch screen monitor E-15, the power management device E-1, the digital signal processor E-2, the communication system E-3, and other components described above. The two structures that are connected when manufactured, transported and handled as a unit can be separated on site for quick exchange replacement in the event of a component failure in either of the structures.

In some embodiments, the vision tower assembly VTA includes an optics cell assembly a-1A that includes six sides A, B, C, D, E and F sets, as shown in fig. 61A-61B, to which mirrors 10a, 11A, 12a, and 13a are attached.

As shown in fig. 62A-62B, a component stem BB1 comprising wood, metal, plastic, or other material is inserted through the right and left sides D, B of the vision tower assembly VTA and terminates in a flush manner at the outer edges of the right and left sides D, B. The trunk portion BB1 provides an attachment surface to which the lifting mechanism E-8 is linked, which provides vertical movement to a movable housing assembly MHA containing the user facing mirror 14 and the downward facing monitor E-4, as shown in fig. 62A and 62B. Alternative systems and methods for attaching the stem BB1 to the right and left sides D, B of the vision tower assembly may include, but are not limited to, bolts, brackets and welds and/or other adhesive attachment devices, methods or solutions.

Fig. 63 depicts a mechanical assembly MA comprising an arrangement of components that allows the movable housing assembly MHA to be adjusted to the height of the user. The mechanical assembly MA comprises the components, upper plate P1 and lower plate P2, with upper and lower light shields 40 and 41 attached to the upper and lower plates P1 and P2, respectively. The light blocking cover is depicted in fig. 63 as a bellows, one of many light blocking options discussed above.

Further, in some aspects, a movable housing assembly MHA may be attached between the upper and lower light-blocking covers 40 and 41, the movable housing assembly MHA including a user-facing mirror 14 and a downward-facing monitor E-4. The lifting mechanism E-4 is attached to the movable housing assembly MHA and the trunk BB1, thereby providing vertical movement for the movable housing assembly MHA.

Fig. 64 shows a mechanical assembly MA placed within the vision tower assembly VTA and secured to the trunk BB1 by bolts, screws, or other attachment devices AD1.. AD 4. Also shown in the glass housing of housing assembly a-5. Fig. 64 further shows the user facing mirror 14 and the light paths a, b, c, d, E and f that enable the user to see the graphical symbols generated on the downward facing monitor E-4 and reflected on the mirrors 11a, 12a, 13a, 10 a.

Additional example implementation details and implementations

The various processes, methods, and algorithms described in the preceding sections may be embodied in, or operated in whole or in part automatically by, code modules executed by one or more computer systems or computer processors comprising computer hardware. The code modules (or "engines") may be stored on any type of non-transitory computer-readable medium or computer storage device, such as a hard disk drive, solid state memory, optical disk, and the like. The processes and algorithms may be implemented in part or in whole in application specific circuitry. The results of the disclosed processes and process steps may be stored permanently or otherwise in any type of non-transitory computer memory, such as, for example, volatile or non-volatile memory.

Generally, any use of the terms "engine" and "module" herein refers to logic embodied in hardware and/or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions, possibly written in a programming language such as, for example, Java, Lua, C, or C + +. Software modules may be compiled and linked into executable programs, installed in dynamically linked libraries, or written in an interpreted programming language. It will be appreciated that software modules may be accessible from other modules or from themselves, and/or may be invoked in response to a detected event or interrupt. A software module configured to execute on a computing device may be provided on a computer readable medium such as a memory, a compact disc, a digital video disc, a flash drive, or any other tangible medium. Such software code may be stored, partially or wholly, on a storage device executing a computing device for execution by the computing device. The software instructions may be embedded in firmware, such as an EPROM. It will also be understood that a hardware module may comprise connected logic units such as gates and flip-flops, and/or may comprise a programmable unit such as a programmable gate array or a processor. The modules described herein are preferably implemented as software modules, but may be represented in hardware or firmware. Generally, the modules described herein refer to logical modules that may be combined with other modules or divided into sub-modules, regardless of their physical organization or storage. The electronic data sources may include databases, volatile/non-volatile memory, and any memory system or subsystem that retains information.

The various features and processes described above may be used independently of one another or may be combined in various ways. All possible combinations and sub-combinations are intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, in some embodiments, certain method or process blocks may be omitted. The methods and processes described herein are also not limited to any particular order, and the blocks or states associated with a particular order may be performed in other orders as appropriate. For example, the blocks or states described may be performed in an order different than that specifically disclosed, or multiple blocks or states may be combined in a single block or state. Example blocks or states may be performed in series, in parallel, or in some other manner. Example blocks or states may be added to or removed from the disclosed example embodiments. The example systems and components described herein may be configured differently than described. For example, elements may be added, removed, or rearranged compared to the disclosed example embodiments.

As used herein, unless specifically stated otherwise, conditional language such as "may", "result", "may", "might", "may", "for example" and the like, are generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include particular features, elements and/or steps not included by other embodiments. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include instructions for determining, with or without author input or prompting, whether such features, elements and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and the like, are synonymous and are included in an open-ended fashion, and do not exclude additional elements, features, acts, operations, or the like. Also, the term "or" is used in its inclusive sense (and not in its exclusive sense), so that when used to connect a list of elements, for example, the term "or" means one element, some elements, or all elements in the list. Unless specifically stated otherwise, conjunctions such as the phrase "X, Y and at least one of Z" should be understood in conjunction with the context that is typically used to convey that an item, term, etc. may be X, Y or Z. Thus, such conjunctions are generally not intended to imply that certain embodiments require the respective presence of at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z.

The terms "a" and "an" as used herein should be given an inclusive rather than an exclusive interpretation. For example, the terms "a" and "an" should not be construed to mean "exactly one" or "one and only one" unless specifically indicated otherwise. Rather, the terms "a" and "an" as used in either the claims or elsewhere in the specification mean "one or more" or "at least one" regardless of the use of quantitative terms such as "at least one", "one or more", "a plurality" in the claims or specification.

The term "comprising" as used herein is to be given an inclusive rather than an exclusive interpretation. For example, a general purpose computer including one or more processors should not be construed to exclude other computer components and may include components such as memory, input/output devices, and/or network interfaces.

While certain example embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. Thus, nothing in the above description means that any particular element, feature, characteristic, step, module or block is essential or necessary. Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the form of the methods and systems described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventions disclosed herein. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the inventions disclosed herein.

Any process descriptions, elements, or blocks in flow diagrams described herein and/or depicted in the drawings should be understood as potentially representing modules, segments, or portions of code which include one or more executable instructions for implementing specific logical functions or steps in the process. It will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that alternative implementations are included within the scope of the embodiments described herein, in which elements or functions may be deleted from that shown or discussed depending on the functions involved, and not performed in the order shown or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order.

It should be emphasized that many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments, and the elements of such variations and modifications are to be understood as being other acceptable examples. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure. The foregoing description details certain embodiments of the invention. It should be understood, however, that no matter how detailed the foregoing appears in text, the invention can be practiced in many ways. As noted above, it should be noted that the use of particular terminology when describing certain features or aspects of the invention is not intended to be a redefinition in this document to limit the inclusion of any particular characteristics of the features or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated.

Claims (38)

1. An autonomous ambulatory health and information device, comprising:

a housing, internal mechanical and electrical components, one of which is a linear lift system;

one or more computer-readable media, computing devices and/or data storage devices including AI and/or algorithms;

one or more mirrors located in a defined optical path;

one or more monitors or displays, at least one of which is a touch screen display;

at least one speaker and/or microphone; and

at least two or more of a card reader, a camera, an ultraviolet light source, an ultraviolet camera, a laser and oxygen sensor, a temperature sensor, an electrical sensor providing a galvanic skin response, and/or a light blocking component allowing the terminal end of the defined light path to be adjusted to suit the height of the user.

2. The device of claim 1 or any claim herein, wherein the housing has the following dimensions: the housing is sized and shaped to enable the device to be placed on a wall, shelf, or table.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 or any claim herein, wherein the dimensions are preferably but not limited to: a width of 18 inches to 36 inches, a height of 30 inches to 48 inches, and a depth of 8 inches to 18 inches.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2 or 3 or any claim herein, wherein the ratio of the height to the width of the dimension is in the range between about 1.2 to 1.4 and about 1.6 to 1.7, preferably in the range between about 1.3 to about 1.6, preferably in the range between about 1.33 to about 1.67, and/or preferably in the range between about 1.333 to 1.667.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein wherein the units can be positioned back-to-back, allowing multiple users to use at the same time, and allowing easy access to wheelchair users and users with limited movement or flexibility.

6. The device of claim 1 or any claim herein, wherein the housing and the mechanical components are made of a material such as, but not limited to, plastic or aluminum, such that the device is lightweight and easy to move or move, preferably in the weight range of (but not limited to) about 15 pounds to about 50 pounds.

7. The device of claim 1 or any claim herein wherein the mechanical and/or electrical components of the device comprise a lift mechanism shaped and positioned/arranged to move a movable housing assembly consisting of a user facing mirror and a downward facing monitor in a vertical direction.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 or any one of the herein claims, wherein one or more of the mechanical, electrical, optical and/or lens components are connected to a servo or similar motor that provides rotation to a user facing mirror, allowing visual acuity and posterior eye examination to be performed simultaneously or sequentially.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein wherein the one or more mirrors are arranged such that an optical path for precise distance vision examination is provided, the optical path distance preferably but not limited to being in the range from five feet to eleven feet to prevent near point adjustment during distance vision examination.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein, wherein one or more of the computing device, the data storage device, the speaker and/or microphone components/devices allow for: device navigation and operation, user input, data analysis, system algorithms, telemedicine features; and/or the one or more present to the user: examination results, health information, other resources available to medical professionals and users, and/or advertising content.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein wherein video and audio libraries for each health check, or response or comment, on user input and possible or determinable results for some, some or all of the system algorithms are threaded together to resemble a natural conversation.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein wherein the typed on-screen response can also accompany video or audio results and responses, and can also be used independently of video or audio.

13. The device of claim 1 or any claim herein wherein the device is maintained at a constant distance from a displayed "distance" vision symbol housed in a user facing movable housing while adjusting a user facing mirror displaying the symbol to each user's eye level.

14. A device according to claim 13 or any one of the claims herein, wherein one preferred adjustment range to accommodate a range of user heights is between about 16 inches to 32 inches, or between about 20 inches to 28 inches, or between about 22 inches to 26 inches, or about 24 inches, although shorter or longer ranges can be used as the corresponding size or form factor of the device increases or decreases.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein wherein the downward facing monitor is positioned below the final user facing mirror such that: the distance between the downward-facing monitor and the user-facing mirror remains constant as the movable housing assembly including the downward-facing monitor and the user-facing mirror moves in a vertical direction to adjust to the eye level of the user.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein further comprising and/or further utilizing an expandable or movable light blocking member located above and below a movable housing assembly comprising the downward facing monitor and the user facing mirror.

17. The device of claim 16 or any claim herein wherein the shielding means may comprise or consist of but is not limited to a bellows, drum or shield to prevent light from entering the light path above and below the movable assembly housing.

18. The device of claim 1 or any claim herein, wherein the device can be endowed with convenience and/or time saving innovations, the user's hand being arranged to rest on a board comprising one or more of: a camera with a color camera located in or above the board, an ultraviolet light source, an ultraviolet camera, a laser, an O2 sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, an electrical sensor, each capable of simultaneously inspecting and evaluating two or more of: galvanic skin response, hand swelling, nail condition, veins, knuckles and fingertips, finger length, reflex response, examination of various skin conditions such as moles, rashes, and blotches.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein further comprising and/or further relating to providing an assessment of the health of a user via a hand examination, wherein possible discoverable health conditions include, but are not limited to: skin diseases including skin cancer, joint problems, liver problems, osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism and hypothyroidism, anemia, lung diseases, pulse and heart rate, and impaired oxygen levels.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, claim 19 or any claim herein wherein the additional discoverable health condition can include or include, but is not limited to: skin diseases including skin cancer, joint problems, liver problems, osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism and hypothyroidism, anemia, lung diseases, pulse, electrocardiogram, heart rate, blood flow and pressure, tremors and impaired oxygen levels.

21. The device of claim 1 or any claim herein wherein the structure and shape of the device allows for rapid field replacement of components of the housing, such as via a design that houses mirrors, mechanical lifting components, rotary motors, optical and other sensors, one or more monitors, and light blocking components, respectively, and the housing is attached to another housing component that includes a user facing mirror, a computer, a network component, a data storage and other inspection sensors.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein, wherein the apparatus enables taking a picture of the back of the user's eye, the apparatus comprising one or more of:

a camera, an infrared camera and/or sensor, a lens, and a mirror (e.g., rotating in a horizontal manner, etc.), which are also movable in a vertical direction by the lift mechanism; and/or

Wherein modifications of some or all of the above components can also be included in a device held to the eye of a user and electrically connected to the device of claim 1.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein, comprising: utilizing AI to correlate user input and one or more inspection results to better understand user health descriptions, health conditions, and more effective recommendations for healthcare products, medical treatments; and/or

Inviting users via messages, email, or other communication methods to feedback on system-generated recommendations and product availability with respect to a network of devices distributed across geographic locations allows for continued improvements in recommended products, services, and actions that may be taken in order to improve or maintain the health of the user.

24. The device of claim 1 or any claim herein wherein the structural design of the device provides a housing that is prepared on a space or compartment for easy addition of new field-installable health checks with added sensors, cameras and other biometric sensing devices.

25. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein further comprising means, structures and/or devices to provide user input through voice recognition or touch screen monitors to select examinations, display health information and advertised product content, email or message examination results or information content, activate telemedicine calls with doctors or healthcare providers, and schedule doctor or laboratory appointments, wherein, for example/optionally, examination selections, user inputs and results and other information content are presented at the eye level of the user and at a level easily accessible to wheelchair users given the user's height.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein, further comprising providing a check on the user's visual acuity including, but not limited to, distance vision, near vision, central vision, color vision, computer vision, contrast sensitivity, and peripheral vision.

27. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein, further comprising: the assessment of the user's eyes and overall health is provided by examining the back of the user's eyes or back of the eyes and using AI to interpret results regarding various deteriorating eye conditions that are present, or other diseases or health conditions that are present, where, for example, possible discoverable conditions include, but are not limited to: macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, glaucoma, ocular sun (UV) damage, ocular allergies, ocular symptoms related to computer use, smart phones and other vision dependent electronics, hypertension, cholesterol levels, diabetes and heart disease, which also examine the anterior or anterior segment of the eye using cameras, reflective sensing devices and algorithms for data interpretation and analysis for conditions such as dry eye, conjunctivitis, tears, redness and irritation of the eye and other anterior ocular conditions.

28. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein wherein the interactive on-screen application is provided via user input, or system measurements of one or both of the user's height and weight, the user's BMI calculated by the system, to enable the user to input a desired change in weight and hence BMI.

29. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein wherein the system provides a risk of the presence of diabetes or pre-diabetic conditions via an on-screen questionnaire and one or more of the above checks.

30. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein, wherein the apparatus and/or associated system assists a user with a diabetic condition in managing the following symptoms: the symptoms include, but are not limited to, vision, hearing and oral health, skin and foot conditions.

31. The device of claim 1 or any claim herein wherein the evaluation of the user's hearing loss allows the system to determine the parameters of the hearing device that will best address the user's unique hearing profile.

32. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein, further comprising data collection and analysis across the network of apparatuses to provide long-term and diverse longitudinal health studies, geographically significant health conditions and trends, and assessments that may require additional medical resources.

33. An apparatus according to claim 1 or any claim herein, wherein the apparatus and/or associated system allows a user to become a member and create a member account accessible from an arbitrarily located apparatus, smartphone or computer.

34. An apparatus according to claim 1 or any claim herein, the apparatus having and/or involving a computing component, and/or the apparatus being configured to enable a user to download a health application to a user's smartphone, wearable health apparatus or computer; and/or wherein data derived from these applications is automatically fed back into the user health account and is accessible by the network of devices to be associated with other devices that collect the data.

35. The device of claim 1 or any claim herein, wherein the device is configured such that advertising and branding information content is displayed on one or more device monitors in the form of audio, video, messaging, or graphical methods; and/or

Wherein advertisements and product suggestions can be selected as a result of user input or review; and/or wherein advertising content can also be displayed and sent to the user's mobile device and computer along with the results of the examination, health information, or other information requested by the user.

36. The apparatus of claim 1 or any claim herein further configured to allow a user to identify himself by phone number, code, swipe card relative to a store where the apparatus is located, and at the time of user checkout, items purchased in the user's shopping cart are identified and anonymously associated with the user's demographics, providing research data for evaluating products consumed, topically applied, or providing any other interaction with the user and the user's health and health trends.

37. A method of providing the health-related benefits described herein via the apparatus of any of the above claims and/or other portions of the present disclosure.

38. One or more computer-readable media containing computer-executable instructions that are executable via at least one processing component to provide the health-related benefits described herein via the apparatus of any of the above claims and/or as described elsewhere in this disclosure.

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