GB2609918A - Ultrasound-based indoor positioning system - Google Patents
Ultrasound-based indoor positioning system Download PDFInfo
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- GB2609918A GB2609918A GB2111694.2A GB202111694A GB2609918A GB 2609918 A GB2609918 A GB 2609918A GB 202111694 A GB202111694 A GB 202111694A GB 2609918 A GB2609918 A GB 2609918A
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- sensor
- patient
- gait
- mobility
- ultrasound
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- 238000002604 ultrasonography Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 11
- 230000005021 gait Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 27
- 208000036119 Frailty Diseases 0.000 claims abstract description 8
- 206010003549 asthenia Diseases 0.000 claims abstract description 8
- 230000037230 mobility Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 7
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000006866 deterioration Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 238000012806 monitoring device Methods 0.000 claims 1
- 230000036642 wellbeing Effects 0.000 claims 1
- 238000004458 analytical method Methods 0.000 abstract description 12
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 abstract description 10
- 238000012544 monitoring process Methods 0.000 abstract description 7
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 abstract description 4
- 230000036541 health Effects 0.000 abstract description 2
- 238000005259 measurement Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000011282 treatment Methods 0.000 description 3
- 230000005802 health problem Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 2
- 208000018737 Parkinson disease Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 208000006011 Stroke Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 230000005856 abnormality Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000013459 approach Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002146 bilateral effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004364 calculation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007850 degeneration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000013461 design Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000001514 detection method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000003745 diagnosis Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000399 orthopedic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000007170 pathology Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011160 research Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000001953 sensory effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000009897 systematic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B8/00—Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
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- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01V—GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS
- G01V1/00—Seismology; Seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting
- G01V1/001—Acoustic presence detection
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/103—Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
- A61B5/103—Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes
- A61B5/11—Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb
- A61B5/112—Gait analysis
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N29/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves; Visualisation of the interior of objects by transmitting ultrasonic or sonic waves through the object
- G01N29/34—Generating the ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves, e.g. electronic circuits specially adapted therefor
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G01S11/00—Systems for determining distance or velocity not using reflection or reradiation
- G01S11/14—Systems for determining distance or velocity not using reflection or reradiation using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G01S15/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. sonar systems
- G01S15/02—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. sonar systems using reflection of acoustic waves
- G01S15/06—Systems determining the position data of a target
- G01S15/08—Systems for measuring distance only
- G01S15/10—Systems for measuring distance only using transmission of interrupted, pulse-modulated waves
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G01S15/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. sonar systems
- G01S15/02—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. sonar systems using reflection of acoustic waves
- G01S15/50—Systems of measurement, based on relative movement of the target
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G01S15/00—Systems using the reflection or reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. sonar systems
- G01S15/88—Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01S—RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES
- G01S7/00—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00
- G01S7/52—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00 of systems according to group G01S15/00
- G01S7/539—Details of systems according to groups G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00 of systems according to group G01S15/00 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
Abstract
A gait analysis system that uses ultra-sound for health monitoring and intervention in frailty by using indoor positioning technologies. The system comprises an ultrasound sensor that that record, analyse and classify gait patterns of a patient. The ultrasonic sensor emits ultrasonic sound energy into a monitored area and identifies changes to the reflected energy pattern. The system preferably uses a technique that is based on a frequency shift in reflected energy to detect a movement or change in position (motion). In use, when a patient moves with a scanned area the sensor is activated and assesses mobility. The sensor transmits the collected data wirelessly to a secure cloud server and the recorded data may be viewed in real time.
Description
Ultrasound-based Indoor Positioning System This invention relates to an ultrasound-based device for health monitoring and intervention in frailty by applying indoor positioning technologies.
Figure 1 illustrates the complete frailty and gait monitoring ultrasound-based system. Figure 2 illustrates how the ultrasound sensor collects data as patient walks towards it.
Gait can be defined as a manner or style of walking. There are studies asserting that every individual has a unique gait pattern, which has led gait to be considered as a new biometric feature.
Gait analysis is the systematic study of human walking for recognizing of gait pattern abnormalities, postulating its causes, and proposing suitable treatments. Gait analysis is commonly used in clinical applications for recognition of a health problem or monitoring patient's C\I recovery status. The traditional clinical gait analysis is performed by clinicians who observe the a) patients' gait characteristics while he/she is walking. However, this method is subjective and CD depends on the experience and judgment of the clinician. As a result, it can lead to a confusion Cn and has a negative effect on the diagnosis and treatment decision making of pathologies.
The process of clinical gait analysis can be facilitated with new technologies, which allow an objective measurement and reduces the confusion and error margin of the subjective methods. There has been extensive research in the recent past to develop a methodology using different techniques for gait analysis. Previously, methods based on silhouettes, like Gait Energy Image (GEO, were employed to solve the gait analysis problem. Although these methods have shown some advancement in the process of gait analysis, there is the unavailability of a proper gait analysis mechanism for the patients where problematic constraints such as the view angle, walking speed, clothing, surface, carrying status, shoe and elapsed time are considered and minimalized in an efficacious way.
To address these needs, this invention as a tool, proposes an automatic system for frailty analysis which analyzes and classifies gait patterns using an ultrasonic sensor as the only required [2] equipment and provides a tool for constant and ubiquitous gait monitoring of patients, including elderly people whilst living in their own homes, or any suitable domestic dwelling, clinical environment, or any such designated environment.
Such a tool can be additionally used on patients with orthopedic problems, Parkinson's disease as well as post stroke patients to evaluate their gait and allow medical professionals to offer personalized treatment to individuals suffering from varying degrees of gait degeneration.
Ultrasonic sensors are ideal candidates for use in patient mobility due to its safety, low cost and high accuracy and resolution for low range measurements. The ultrasonic sensor emits ultrasonic sound energy into an area of interest (monitored area), and this further reacts to a change in the reflected energy pattern. The system uses a technique that is based on a frequency shift in reflected energy to detect a movement or change in position (motion). This type of sensor has fast response time, is very sensitive and no physical contact is required by the patient. In this way, the system allows patients to be monitored in an unconstrained environment.
C\I The objective is to capture changes in patient mobility over time in a completely unobtrusive and a) privacy-centric manner. The pattern can help the clinicians to identify weakness and thus improve CD the patient condition.
CO Once the patient moves around within the designated environment, the ultrasonic sensor is activated and assesses his/her mobility. The sensory board transmits wirelessly the data continuously to a secure cloud server and the recorded data can be viewed in real-time.
This approach to gait analysis aims to offer a lightweight and unobtrusive solution that liberates the user from wearing any kind of gadgets.
Such a system can be easily deployed in a designated environment such as the patient's domestic dwelling and can provide the necessary information to monitor the gait speed, which could possibly indicate more serious health problems that require immediate assistance. As the gathered information is uploaded to the cloud, clinicians can monitor patient evolution and actions can be taken when the condition of a patient rapidly deteriorates.
For the system design, a miniature long-range ultrasonic time-of-flight sensor is chosen for its lightweight, ultra-low power and low-cost characteristics. [3]
The sensor produces pulses of ultrasound that reflect off targets in the sensor's field of view (FoV). The reflections are received by the sensor after a short time delay, amplified by sensitive electronics, digitized, and further processed to produce the range to the primary target.
The time it takes the ultrasound pulse to propagate from the sensor to the target and back is called the time-of-flight (Tor). The distance to the target is found by multiplying the ToF by the speed of sound and dividing by two, to account for the round-trip. Knowing the time and the speed, we can estimate the distance between two points. By using the propagation delay of ultrasound when transmitted in the air, this system is able to record the position of the patient's feet.
This kind of technology helps us in step length measurement and gait phase detection to analyze bilateral gait symmetry and coordination.
Description Figure 1:
* Home: change in distance calculation over time derives walking speed.
* Ultrasonic frailty monitor: small unobtrusive device (8x6cm) that detects distance to person (millimetre accuracy, updates up to millisecond time resolution).
* Frailty monitoring hub and cloud server: enable highest level of security and data protection.
* Website dashboard: optimised for mobile, provides remote monitoring options.
Description Figure 2:
* Illustration of an individual walking towards the ultrasonic sensor device. [4]
Claims (3)
- Claims 1 Changes in patient mobility over time: the device is constantly classifying movement and generates a mobility assessment (gait speed and instability) when people walk towards or away from the sensor. The collected data is stored on a secure cloud instance and in this way a waveform is built that highlights mobility deterioration in a patient much in advance of when they might seek medical attention.
- 2. Unobtrusive: the sensor is designed to be truly ready from an "out of the box" perspective without any sensor calibration or wearable items needed.
- 3 Privacy-centric: privacy is the number one consideration. The ultrasound-based indoor frailty monitoring device is able to hone in on exactly the most critical aspect that must be monitored in frailty assessment (gait speed) whilst at the same time not needing to monitor any other C\I aspect of the patient's activity, personal status, wellbeing, etc. This way, patient acceptance a) and conformance has a higher chance of compliance providing more successful outcomes and results.CO 4 Cost-effective: ultrasonic sensor technology and low processing overheads will help to ensure that costs are suitable for large scale deployment.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB2111694.2A GB2609918A (en) | 2021-08-15 | 2021-08-15 | Ultrasound-based indoor positioning system |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB2111694.2A GB2609918A (en) | 2021-08-15 | 2021-08-15 | Ultrasound-based indoor positioning system |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB202111694D0 GB202111694D0 (en) | 2021-09-29 |
| GB2609918A true GB2609918A (en) | 2023-02-22 |
Family
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Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB2111694.2A Withdrawn GB2609918A (en) | 2021-08-15 | 2021-08-15 | Ultrasound-based indoor positioning system |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2609918A (en) |
Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5831937A (en) * | 1997-04-09 | 1998-11-03 | Northwestern University | Portable ranging system for analyzing gait |
| WO2004092744A2 (en) * | 2003-04-03 | 2004-10-28 | University Of Virginia Patent Foundation | Method and system for the derivation of human gait characteristics and detecting falls passively from floor vibrations |
| CN111643098A (en) * | 2020-06-09 | 2020-09-11 | 深圳大学 | Gait recognition and emotion perception method and system based on intelligent acoustic equipment |
-
2021
- 2021-08-15 GB GB2111694.2A patent/GB2609918A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5831937A (en) * | 1997-04-09 | 1998-11-03 | Northwestern University | Portable ranging system for analyzing gait |
| WO2004092744A2 (en) * | 2003-04-03 | 2004-10-28 | University Of Virginia Patent Foundation | Method and system for the derivation of human gait characteristics and detecting falls passively from floor vibrations |
| CN111643098A (en) * | 2020-06-09 | 2020-09-11 | 深圳大学 | Gait recognition and emotion perception method and system based on intelligent acoustic equipment |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB202111694D0 (en) | 2021-09-29 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |