Systems, apparatus and methods for non-invasive motion tracking to augment patient administered physical rehabilitation

Abstract

A system, apparatus and method are thereby provided for the non-invasive motion tracking to augment patient administered physical therapy via a motion tracking apparatus, a display, and a computing platform coupled to the motion tracking apparatus and the display. The computing platform serves to provide a menu driven interface to the patient, an instruction to the patient, a determination of the patient's motion or action in response to the instruction, a comparison between the instruction to the patient and the determination of the patient's motion or action, and to provide a feedback display to the patient. In certain embodiments, the system, apparatus and methods further includes a social networking link. In yet other embodiments, a live telemedicine link is provided, and optionally triggered based upon detection of an alert or alarm condition. In yet other embodiments, rehab tools are utilized.

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising, via at least one processor of at least one computing platform operably coupled to at least one storage device and a display device:
 receiving a first set of user body movements of a user performing a movement routine captured via at least one motion tracking apparatus;   storing the first set of user body movements on the at least one storage device as a personalized-movement routine; and   presenting an avatar to the user via the display device, the avatar configured to provide instructions for the user to perform body movements based on previously-recorded body movements of the user, the previously-recorded body movements of the user generated based on the personalized-movement routine.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 receiving a second set of user body movements; and   determining an accuracy of the second set of patient body movements matching the instructions presented by the avatar.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , comprising presenting visual feedback indicating the accuracy on the display device, the visual feedback comprising superimposing the second set of user body movements over the instructional body movements of the avatar. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , comprising determining a change in a level of difficulty based on the accuracy. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , comprising determining a change in a movement routine based on the accuracy. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , the avatar presented to provide the instructional body movements in mirror image to the patient. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , comprising storing user body movements captured via the at least one motion tracking apparatus in the at least one storage device as benchmark information for the user. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , comprising benchmarking performance of a movement routine by the user based on the benchmark information. 
     
     
         9 . A computer-implemented method, comprising, via at least one processor of at least one computing platform operably coupled to a display device:
 presenting an avatar on the display device configured to perform instructional body movements indicating instructions for performing a movement routine;   detecting at least one tool; and   presenting an image of the at least one tool on the display device.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , the at least one tool comprising at least one coded rehabilitation tool. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , the at least one tool comprising at least one of a resistance band or a weight. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , the computing platform operably coupled to at least one of a wireless communication device or an optical coding device operative to detect the at least one tool. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , comprising determining at least one characteristic of the at least one tool. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , the at least one characteristic comprising one of a weight or a resistance. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , comprising controlling at least one property of the at least one tool via the computing platform. 
     
     
         16 . A computing device, comprising:
 at least one display device;   at least one memory storing instructions, and   at least one processor operably coupled to the at least one memory, the at least one processor, responsive to execution of the instructions, operative to:
 present an avatar on the display device configured to perform instructional body movements indicating instructions for performing a movement routine, 
 detect at least one tool via at least one tool identification device operably coupled to the computing device; and 
 present an image of the at least one tool on the display device. 
   
     
     
         17 . The computing device of  claim 16 , the at least one tool comprising at least one of a resistance band or a weight. 
     
     
         18 . The computing device of  claim 16 , the at least one tool identification device comprising at least one of a wireless communication device or an optical coding device operative to detect the at least one tool. 
     
     
         19 . The computing device of  claim 16 , the at least one processor, responsive to execution of the instructions, operative to determine at least one characteristic of the at least one tool. 
     
     
         20 . The computing device of  claim 16 , the at least one processor, responsive to execution of the instructions, operative to control at least one property of the at least one tool.