Diagnosis System and Method

Abstract

A system and method for measuring and analyzing locomotion is provided. The system may include a gait analysis apparatus that is configured to provide multi-dimensional measurements of the gait of an individual as the individual traverses the apparatus. The multiple dimensions may include force, space, time, and frequency. The gait analysis apparatus may be configured to provide a gait measurement processing device with the multi-dimensional measurements. Based on the multi-dimensional measurements, the gait measurement processing device may, for example, diagnose the test subject with a particular NM disease and/or injury, monitor progression of the particular NM disease and/or injury over time, and determine which measurements may be used as biomarkers to identify the particular NM disease and/or injury.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A method for diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) disease in a subject comprising the steps of:
 traversing by the subject a load measurement apparatus configured to measure a vertical load and a for-aft load associated with locomotion of the test subject;   determining a first mean value of a braking portion of the for-aft load, a maximum value of the for-aft load, a time of a maximum value of the for-aft load divided by a stance time, a first Fourier transform of the vertical load summed over 50 Hz, a second mean value of the vertical load, a second Fourier transform of the for-aft load summed over 50 Hz, and a number of samples in which the for-aft load is propelling; and   diagnosing whether the test subject suffers from ALS disease based on determinations made in said determining step.   
     
     
         29 . A method for diagnosis of Parkinson's disease in a subject comprising the steps of:
 traversing by the subject a load measurement apparatus configured to measure a lateral load and a for-aft load associated with locomotion of the test subject;   determining a minimum value of the for-aft load, a first number of samples in which the for-aft load is propelling, a first maximum value of the lateral load, a first mean value of the for-aft load, a symmetry variable of a second mean value of a propelling portion of the for-aft load, a second maximum value of the for-aft load, and a second number of samples in which the for-aft load is braking; and   diagnosing whether the test subject suffers from Parkinson's disease based on determinations made in the determining step.   
     
     
         30 . A method for diagnosis of Neuromuscular (NM) injury in a subject comprising the steps of:
 traversing by the subject a load measurement apparatus configured to measure a vertical load and a for-aft load associated with locomotion of the test subject;   determining a Fourier transform of the vertical load summed over 50 Hz, a first mean value of the for-aft load, a minimum value of the vertical load, a first number of samples in which the for-aft load is braking, a second mean value of the vertical load, and a second number of samples in which the for-aft load is propelling; and   diagnosing whether the test subject suffers from NM injury based on determinations made in the determining step.   
     
     
         31 . A gait measurement processing device comprising:
 one or more processors programmed to implement instructions to:
 receive at least two types of first load measurements associated with a first type of locomotion of a first test subject; 
 generate a first plurality of locomotion parameters (LPs) based on the at least two types of first load measurements; 
 generate a probability model based on the first plurality of LPs; 
 upon generating the probability model, receive at least two types of second load measurements associated with a second type of locomotion of a second test subject; 
 generate a second plurality of LPs based on the at least two types of second load measurements corresponding to the first plurality of LPs; 
 compare each one of the first plurality of LPs with each one of the corresponding second plurality of LPs based on the probability model; and 
 using the comparison to predict a type of locomotion of a third test subject, wherein the type of locomotion is associated with one of lameness, locomotory impairment, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease, and neuromuscular injury. 
   
     
     
         32 . The gait measurement processing device of  claim 31 , wherein the at least two types of first load measurements are selected from the group consisting of a vertical load measurement that measures a vertical load imposed by the first test subject, a lateral load measurement that measures a lateral load imposed by the first test subject, and a for-aft load measurement that measures a for-aft load imposed by the first test subject. 
     
     
         33 . The gait measurement processing device of  claim 31 , wherein the one or more processors are further programmed to implement instructions to:
 transform each one of the first plurality of LPs and each one of the corresponding second plurality of LPs.   
     
     
         34 . The gait measurement processing device of claim  21 , wherein said transform is a spline transformation. 
     
     
         35 . The gait measurement processing device of claim  21 , wherein said transform is a Fourier transformation.