Systems and methods for monitoring orientation and biometric data using acceleration data

Inventors

Larson, Barrett J. • Weckwerth, Mark • HAMMOND, Charles Matthew Peterson • Shen, Daniel Z.

Assignees

Leaf Healthcare Inc

Abstract

A system for monitoring medical conditions including pressure ulcers, pressure-induced ischemia and related medical conditions comprises at least one sensor adapted to detect one or more patient characteristic including at least position, orientation, temperature, acceleration, moisture, resistance, stress, heart rate, respiration rate, and blood oxygenation, a host for processing the data received from the sensors together with historical patient data to develop an assessment of patient condition and suggested course of treatment, including either suspending or adjusting turn schedule based on various types of patient movement. Compliance with Head-of-Bed protocols can also be performed based on actual patient position instead of being inferred from bed elevation angle. The sensor can include bi-axial or tri-axial accelerometers, as well as resistive, inductive, capacitive, magnetic and other sensing devices, depending on whether the sensor is located on the patient or the support surface, and for what purpose.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to an accelerometer-based patient monitoring system that uses a wearable sensor device including at least one accelerometer to generate sensor device acceleration data indicating accelerations in at least one direction. A processor processes the sensor device acceleration data to monitor an orientation of the person and to monitor acceleration-based biometric data of the person related to at least one of the person's heart or breathing.

A defined turn protocol is used as a basis for care actions, where the turn protocol includes pressurization thresholds for orientations of the person and turn notification parameters. The monitored orientation, or an identified orientation or orientation change, is compared to the defined turn protocol to identify a needed orientation change, and in response the processor generates a turn notification for output by an output device to indicate the needed orientation change.

The invention further links abnormal biometric data to orientation decisioning within the turn protocol by analyzing the monitored acceleration-based biometric data to detect abnormal biometric data or an abnormal physiological condition. After detecting abnormality, the processor determines an orientation or an orientation change corresponding with the detected abnormal physiological condition, generates a biometric data-related alert notification, and modifies the turn protocol for the person based on the determined orientation or orientation change.

Claims Coverage

The independent claims cover three core inventive feature areas: accelerometer-based sensor data used for both orientation monitoring and acceleration-based biometric monitoring, protocol-based turn notification generation based on monitored orientation and turn protocol comparison, and abnormal biometric detection that drives alerting and modification of the turn protocol via corresponding orientation or orientation change decisions.

Across the independent claims, the coverage centers on accelerometer-based monitoring where the same sensor data is processed to monitor orientation and acceleration-based biometric data, the monitored orientation is compared to a defined turn protocol to produce turn notifications, and abnormal biometric data or abnormal physiological conditions produce an alert and a protocol modification through a corresponding determined orientation or orientation change.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications

No documented applications found