3d monocular visual tracking therapy system for the rehabilitation of human upper limbs

Abstract

It is described a 3D monocular tracking system, being robust, having low cost, easy to install and use, useful for the upper limbs rehabilitation in a patient in need thereof, as well as a home self-directed therapy method for patients having upper limbs' movement disability. The system comprising a) a handle or gripper; b) a computational vision system comprising a video camera; c) software comprising a set of games; d) a processor; and, e) a display apparatus.

1 . A 3D monocular tracking system for the rehabilitation of a patient's upper limbs, characterized by comprising:
 a) a handle or gripper comprising a cylindrical gripper and two colored spheres, one at each end of the gripper ( FIG. 1 );   b) a computational vision system comprising a video camera to determine, through the tracking of the handle balls, the position and 3D movement of the patient's arm and/or, as well as its rotation around 3 orthogonal axis,   c) a Gesture Therapy software comprising a program for 3D tracking of the two colored spheres in the handle, and a set of games oriented to daily life activities, which include different difficulty levels to evaluate the patient's progress at every game;   d) a processor configured for:
 selecting between the set of games, an appropriate game to the patient; 
 calling the game; 
 providing the required algorithms to determine the position and 3D movement of the patient's hand; 
 recognizing the position and 3D movement of the patient's arm and/or hand; 
 controlling the game, based on the position and 3D movement of the patient's arm and/or hand; 
 adapting to the patient according to his (her) condition in the therapy progress; automatically alternating, for example, the working space for the limb's movement; 
 detecting the pressure when the patient tights/loses the joystick by a pressure sensor incorporated therein, thereby promoting the rehabilitation of the hand's movements. 
   e) a display apparatus configured to show 3D virtual environments that the patient can interact.   
     
     
         2 . A system, according to  claim 1 , further characterized in that the handle or gripper comprises one or more pressure or strength sensors allowing to determine when the patient tightens the handle and the force with which is performed. 
     
     
         3 . A system, according to  claim 1 , further characterized in that the video camera is selected from a web camera, a processor integrated camera (computer), an infrared camera. 
     
     
         4 . A system, according to  claim 3 , further characterized in that the video camera is a web camera. 
     
     
         5 . A system, according to  claim 1 , further characterized in that the display apparatus is selected from a computer screen, a television monitor, a digital personal assistant screen (PDA, by its English initials), a cellular phone screen. 
     
     
         6 . A system, according to  claim 5 , further characterized in that the display apparatus is a computer screen. 
     
     
         7 . A system, according to  claim 1 , further characterized in that the patient has suffered from stroke. 
     
     
         8 . A home self-directed therapy method for patients having upper limbs' movement disability, preferably one having suffered from stroke, characterized by comprising:
 offering a patient a monocular 3D tracking system for the rehabilitation of a patient's upper limbs;   selecting, from the set of games, an appropriate game for the rehabilitation of the patient;   calling the game;   recognizing the position and 3D movement of the patient's arm and/or hand;   showing 3D virtual environments, visible for the patient, wherein the 3D virtual environments respond to the 3D movement of said patient's arm and/or hand;   adapting to the patient according to his (her) condition and therapy progress; automatically alternating, for example, the working space for the limb's movement;   repeating the above steps during the necessary period of time.   
     
     
         9 . A method, according to  claim 8 , further characterized in that the system comprises:
 a) a handle or gripper comprising a cylindrical gripper and two colored spheres, one at each end of the gripper ( FIG. 3 );   b) a computational vision system comprising a video camera to determine, through the tracking of the handle balls, the position and 3D movement of the patient's arm and/or hand, as well as its rotation around 3 orthogonal axis ( FIG. 1  and  FIG. 4 );   c) a Gesture Therapy software comprising a set of games oriented to daily life activities, which include different difficulty levels to evaluate the patient's progress at every game;   d) a processor configured for:
 selecting, from the set of games, an appropriate game to the patient; 
 calling the game; 
 providing the required algorithms to determine the position and 3D movement of the patient's hand; 
 recognizing the position and 3D movement of the patient's arm and/or hand; 
 controlling the game, based on the position and 3D movement of the patient's arm and/or hand; 
   e) a display apparatus configured to show 3D virtual environments that the patient can interact.   
     
     
         10 . A method, according to  claim 9 , further characterized in that the handle or gripper comprises one or more pressure or strength sensors allowing to determine when the patient tightens the handle and the force with which is performed. 
     
     
         11 . A method, according to  claim 9 , further characterized in that the video camera is selected from a web camera, a processor integrated camera (computer), an infrared camera. 
     
     
         12 . A method, according to  claim 11 , further characterized in that the video camera is a web camera. 
     
     
         13 . A method, according to  claim 9 , further characterized in that the display apparatus is selected from a computer screen, television monitor, digital personal assistant screen (PDA, by its English initials), cellular phone screen. 
     
     
         14 . A method, according to  claim 13 , further characterized in that the display apparatus is a computer screen. 
     
     
         15 . A method, according to  claim 8 , further characterized in that the patient has suffered from stroke.