Clinical assessment of balance on a platform with controlled stability

Abstract

Systems and methods for clinical assessment of balance may include a tilting balance platform further including: an upper platform, a lower platform, and an array of force transducers sandwiched between the upper platform and the lower platform. The systems may also include: a toroidal bladder supporting the lower platform; an air pressure sensor and a control valve connected to the toroidal bladder; an inclinometer that measures tilt information of the balance platform; and a computer that receives a control signal to activate one of: the array of force transducers and the inclinometer. If the array of force transducers is activated, then a clinical test is performed to measure changes to a subject's Center of Pressure on a stabilized balance platform, and if the inclinometer is activated, then another clinical test is performed to measure the tilt information caused by a subject's movements on a de-stabilized balance platform.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for clinical assessment of balance of a subject on a platform with controlled stability, comprising:
 the platform supported under its center by a ball joint, the ball joint disposed atop a vertical support that is disposed on a base, the platform comprising: an upper platform, a lower platform, and an array of force transducers sandwiched between the upper platform and the lower platform that measure a subject's Center of Pressure (CoP) on the platform;   a toroidal bladder supporting the lower platform under its periphery, encircling the vertical support and being disposed on the base;   a control valve connected to the toroidal bladder and the atmosphere;   an air pressure sensor connected to the toroidal bladder;   an inclinometer disposed on an underside of the platform to measure a direction of tilt of the platform in a horizontal x-y plane and a degree of tilt of the platform relative to a vertical z-axis in response to a subject's real time movements on the platform; and   a computer:
 upon selection of a clinical test, receiving a control signal to activate one of: the array of force transducers and the inclinometer, 
 if the array of force transducers is activated, then performing a clinical test to measure changes to the subject's CoP on the platform, which is stabilized by inflating the toroidal bladder to a maximum pressure, and displaying the changes to the subject's CoP on a monitor, and 
 if the inclinometer is activated, then performing another clinical test to measure tilt information caused by a subject's movements on the platform, which is de-stabilized by deflating the toroidal bladder to less than a maximum pressure and displaying the tilt information caused by the subject's movements on the monitor. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising: a high-pressure reservoir maintaining a range of high air pressures, in which a lowest value of a range of high air pressures exceeds that of a maximum target air pressure for the toroidal bladder. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , the array of force transducers comprising a quadrilateral array of force transducers sandwiched between the upper platform and the lower platform. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , the air pressure sensor communicating wirelessly, in real time, an air pressure of the toroidal bladder to the computer. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , the computer wirelessly communicating, in real time, a first control signal and a second control signal, to inflate and to deflate, respectively, the toroidal bladder to a target air pressure. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , the array of force transducers communicating, in real time, changes to the subject's Center of Pressure (CoP) on a stabilized platform to the computer. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , the inclinometer communicating wirelessly, in real time, tilt information of a de-stabilized platform including a direction of tilt in a horizontal x-y plane, a degree of tilt along a vertical z-axis, and a calculated rate of change of a degree of tilt along the vertical z-axis to the computer. 
     
     
         8 . A system for clinical assessment of balance of a subject on a platform with controlled stability, comprising:
 the platform supported under its center by a ball joint, the ball joint disposed atop a vertical support that is disposed on a base, the platform comprising: an upper platform, a lower platform, and an array of force transducers sandwiched between the upper platform and the lower platform that measure a subject's Center of Pressure (CoP) on the platform;   a toroidal bladder supporting the lower platform under its periphery, encircling the vertical support, and being disposed on the base;   a high-pressure reservoir maintaining a range of high air pressures, in which a lowest value of a range of high air pressures exceeds that of a maximum target air pressure for the toroidal bladder;   a control valve connected to the high-pressure reservoir, the toroidal bladder, and the atmosphere;   an air pressure sensor connected to the toroidal bladder;   an inclinometer disposed on an underside of the platform to measure a direction of tilt of the platform in a horizontal x-y plane and a degree of tilt of the platform relative to a vertical z-axis in response to a subject's real time movements on the platform; and   a computer:
 upon selection of a clinical test, receiving a control signal to activate one of: the array of force transducers and the inclinometer,
 if the array of force transducers is activated, then performing a clinical test to measure changes to the subject's Center of Pressure (CoP) on the platform, which is stabilized by inflating the toroidal bladder to a maximum pressure, and 
 if the inclinometer is activated, then performing another clinical test to measure tilt information caused by a subject's movements on the platform, which is de-stabilized by deflating the toroidal bladder to less than the maximum pressure. 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , the array of force transducers comprising an array of at least three force transducers sandwiched between the upper platform and the lower platform. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , the air pressure sensor communicating wirelessly, in real time, an air pressure of the toroidal bladder to the computer. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , the computer wirelessly communicating, in real time, a first control signal and a second control signal, to inflate and to deflate, respectively, the toroidal bladder to a target air pressure. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , the array of force transducers communicating, in real time, changes to the subject's Center of Pressure (CoP) on a stabilized platform to the computer. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , the inclinometer communicating wirelessly, in real time, tilt information of a de-stabilized platform including a direction of tilt in a horizontal x-y plane, a degree of tilt along a vertical z-axis, and a calculated rate of change of the degree of tilt along a vertical z-axis to the computer. 
     
     
         14 . The computer of the system of  claim 8  displaying one of: changes to the subject's CoP on the platform and tilt information caused by a subject's movements on the platform, on a monitor. 
     
     
         15 . A system for clinical assessment of balance of a subject on a platform with controlled stability, comprising:
 the platform supported under its center by a ball joint, the ball joint disposed atop a vertical support that is disposed on a base, the platform comprising: an upper platform, a lower platform, and a quadrilateral array of force transducers sandwiched between the upper platform and the lower platform that measure a subject's Center of Pressure (CoP) on the platform;   a toroidal bladder supporting the lower platform under its periphery, encircling the vertical support, and being disposed on the base;   a control valve connected to the toroidal bladder and the atmosphere;   an air pressure sensor connected to the toroidal bladder;   an inclinometer disposed on an underside of the platform to measure a direction of tilt of the platform in a horizontal x-y plane and a degree of tilt of the platform relative to a vertical z-axis in response to a subject's real time movements on the platform; and   a computer:
 upon selection of a clinical test, receiving a control signal to activate one of: the quadrilateral array of force transducers and the inclinometer,
 if the quadrilateral array of force transducers is activated, then performing a clinical test to measure changes to the subject's Center of Pressure (CoP) on the platform, which is stabilized by inflating the toroidal bladder to a maximum pressure, and 
 if the inclinometer is activated, then performing another clinical test to measure tilt information caused by a subject's movements on the platform, which is de-stabilized by deflating the toroidal bladder to less than the maximum pressure. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , the air pressure sensor communicating wirelessly, in real time, an air pressure of the toroidal bladder to the computer. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , the computer wirelessly communicating, in real time, a first control signal and a second control signal, to inflate and to deflate, respectively, the toroidal bladder to a target air pressure. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , the quadrilateral array of force transducers communicating, in real time, changes to the subject's Center of Pressure (CoP) on a stabilized platform to the computer. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , the inclinometer communicating wirelessly, in real time, tilt information of a de-stabilized platform including a direction of tilt in a horizontal x-y plane, a degree of tilt along a vertical z-axis, and a calculated rate of change of the degree of tilt along a vertical z-axis to the computer. 
     
     
         20 . The computer of the system of  claim 15  displaying one of: changes to the subject's CoP on the platform and tilt information caused by the subject's movements on the platform, on a monitor.