Method, apparatus and system for determining a health risk based on a kinetic signal and a body signal

Abstract

In some embodiments, a method, apparatus, and a system for sensing a force are provided. The apparatus may comprise a plurality of sensors configured to detect an impact force. The plurality of sensors may be arranged into a housing, such as a sports helmet. The apparatus also includes a controller operatively coupled to the plurality of sensors. The controller is adapted to: receive a signal from at least one of the plurality of sensors; determine whether a value of the signal exceeds a threshold; perform a responsive action in response to a determination that the value of signal exceeds the threshold. The responsive action comprises providing a warning, performing a logging function, and/or performing a counteraction.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method, comprising:
 providing, by a first sensor, a kinetic signal;   providing, by a second sensor, a body signal;   determining whether an event indicative of a health risk has occurred based on said kinetic signal and said body signal; and   performing a responsive action in response to determining that said event indicative of a health risk has occurred, wherein said responsive action is at least one of: transmitting a signal indicative of said health risk; providing a warning, or logging data associated with said impact force.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising determining a kinetic index based upon said kinetic signal, said kinetic index comprising a component relating to at least one of: a direction of said kinetic signal; a location of a force associated with said kinetic signal; or a time period of a kinetic event associated with said kinetic signal; wherein said determining whether said event indicative of a health risk has occurred is based on said kinetic index and said body signal. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein determining whether said event indicative of a health risk has occurred comprises determining whether said kinetic index is indicative of an impact force that is above a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein:
 said providing, by said first sensor, a kinetic signal comprises providing said kinetic signal by at least one of: an accelerometer; an inclinometer, or a gyroscope meter; and wherein   said detecting, by said second sensor a body signal comprises providing said body signal by at least one of: a neurological indication sensor; a cardiac indication sensor; a respiratory indication sensor; a body fluid indication sensor; or a metabolic indication sensor.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein providing said body signal comprises at least one of providing at least one of:
 neurological data; cardiac data; respiratory data; body fluid data; endocrine data; or metabolic data.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein:
 providing said neurological data comprises receiving data relating to at least one of:
 a neuronal electrical activity; a neurotransmitter concentration; a rate of release of a neurotransmitter concentration; a rate of uptake of a neurotransmitter concentration, an amount of Kreb's cycle compound, an amount of electrolyte, a tissue stress marker, a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure, a brain tissue pressure, a body temperature, a kinematic activity indication, or a kinetic activity indication; 
   providing said cardiac data comprises receiving data relating to at least one of:
 a heart rate, a heart rate variability, a bradycardia indication, or a tachycardia indication; 
   providing said respiratory data comprises receiving data relating to at least one of:
 a respiratory rate, a respiratory pattern, a tidal volume, a degree of activity of principal respiratory muscle; a degree of activity accessory respiratory muscles; a ratio of abdominal wall motion to thoracic wall motion; or an end tidal CO 2  indication; and 
   providing said body fluid data comprises receiving data relating to at least one of:
 body fluid pressure; body fluid flow velocity; body fluid degree of laminarity; body fluid temperature, body fluid pH level, chemical makeup of an electrolyte, a chemical makeup of an enzyme, a tissue stress markers, an anti-oxidant level, or a gas level; 
   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein determining whether an event indicative of a health risk has occurred comprises determining whether said event indicative of a risk of concussion, dizziness, brain injury, internal hemorrhaging, neck injury, vertebrae injury, or back injury, has occurred. 
     
     
         30 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a first sensor capable of providing a kinetic signal;   a second sensor capable of providing a body signal; and   a controller operatively coupled to said first and second sensors, said controller capable of determining whether an event indicative of a health risk has occurred based on said kinetic signal and said body signal.   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein said controller is further capable of performing a responsive action in response to determining that said event indicative of a health risk has occurred, wherein said responsive action is at least one of transmitting a signal indicative of said health risk; providing a warning, logging data associated with said impact force, or performing a counteraction. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein:
 said counteraction comprises at least one of:
 providing a therapeutic electrical signal to a portion of a person's body; 
 activating a mechanical unit for counteracting said impact force; or deploying an air sac to counteract said impact force; 
   and   said warning comprises at least one of:
 providing an auditory warning; 
 providing a visual warning; 
 providing a mechanical warning; or providing an electronic warning. 
   
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein:
 said first sensor is a least one of: an accelerometer; an inclinometer, or a gyroscope meter; and   said second sensor is at least one of: a neurological indication sensor; a cardiac indication sensor; a respiratory indication sensor; a body fluid indication sensor; or a metabolic indication sensor.   
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein:
 said first sensor is arranged in a first wearable housing such that said kinetic signal resulting from a kinetic event experienced by a person wearing said first wearable housing, is provided by the first sensor: and   said second sensor is arranged in a second wearable housing such that said body signal of said person wearing said second wearable housing, is provided by the second sensor.   
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 34 , wherein:
 said first wearable housing is at least one of a football helmet, a baseball helmet, a race-car helmet, a bicycle helmet, ski-helmet, a skate-helmet, a fire-fighter helmet, work-place helmet, a military helmet, a sports apparel, a police uniform, a fire-fighter uniform, a military uniform, a spacesuit, a shoulder pad, a shoulder brace, a knee pad, a knee brace, an elbow pad, an elbow brace, or a wrist brace; and   said second wearable housing is at least one of said football helmet, said baseball helmet, said race-car helmet, said bicycle helmet, ski-helmet, said skate-helmet, said fire-fighter helmet, work-place helmet, said military helmet, said sports apparel, said police uniform, said fire-fighter uniform, said military uniform, said spacesuit, said shoulder pad, said shoulder brace, said knee pad, said knee brace, said elbow pad, said elbow brace, said wrist brace, or a clothing apparel.   
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , further comprising a transmitter capable of transmitting said kinetic signal and said body signal in a wireless manner. 
     
     
         37 . A system comprising:
 a first set of sensors and a second set of sensors capable of providing a kinetic signal based on a kinetic event, said first and second set of sensors arranged in a 3-dimensional configuration into a housing;   a body sensor capable of providing a body signal;   a controller capable of: determining whether a health risk has occurred based on said kinetic signal and said body signal; and causing a responsive action to occur in response to determining said health risk has occurred, said responsive action comprising at least one of providing a warning, or logging data associated with said health risk.   
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein:
 said controller is outside said housing and is wirelessly coupled to said housing, wherein said controller is at least one of a: mobile phone, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, or a desktop computer; and wherein   said kinetic event is at least one of an impact, an acceleration, a deceleration, a fall, a force, or a concussion.   
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein:
 said first and second set of sensors comprises at least one of an accelerometer, an inclinometer, or a gyroscope meter; and   said body sensor is at least one of a neurological indication sensor; a cardiac indication sensor; a respiratory indication sensor; a body fluid indication sensor; a metabolic indication sensor, an electrical, a chemical sensor, an optical sensor, a biophotonic sensor, an acoustic sensor, a thermal sensor, a pressure sensor, a bioassays sensor, an image sensor, or a motion sensor.   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 37 , further comprising a transmitter arranged into said housing, said transmitter capable of transmitting said kinetic signal and said body signal to said controller. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein said housing is at least one of a football helmet, a baseball helmet, a race-car helmet, a bicycle helmet, ski-helmet, a skate-helmet, a fire-fighter helmet, work-place helmet, a military helmet, a sports apparel, a police uniform, a fire-fighter uniform, a military uniform, a spacesuit, a shoulder pad, a shoulder brace, a knee pad, a knee brace, an elbow pad, an elbow brace, or a wrist brace. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein said health risk is at least one of a risk of concussion, dizziness, brain injury, internal hemorrhaging, neck injury, vertebrae injury, unsafe body temperature, unsafe oxygen saturation, or back injury.