Apparatus and methods for detecting stroke in a patient

Abstract

A stroke detection apparatus comprises a data processing device comprising a processor and at least one wearable sensor configured to generate movement data of at least a portion of the user's body. The data processing device is configured to process first movement data for a first movement and second movement data for a second movement received from the at least one wearable sensor. Wherein the data processing device is configured to determine asymmetry of user's movement based on the first and second movement data and generate a stroke detection signal in dependence on the determined asymmetry.

1 . A stroke detection apparatus comprising:
 at least one wearable sensor configured to generate movement data of at least a portion of a user's body; and   a data processing device including a processor, data processing device configured to
 process first movement data for a first movement and second movement data for a second movement received from the at least one wearable sensor, 
 determine asymmetry of the user's movement based on the first movement data and the second movement data, and 
 generate a stroke detection signal based on the determined asymmetry. 
   
     
     
         2 . The stroke detection apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the data processing device is configured to determine the asymmetry of the user's movement based on the first movement data and second movement data, which is based on the user performing at least one body gesture. 
     
     
         3 . The stroke detection apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the data processing device is configured to prompt the user to perform the at least one body gesture. 
     
     
         4 . The stroke detection apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the data processing device is configured to generate the stroke detection signal in response to determining that the asymmetry of the user's movement exceeds a threshold. 
     
     
         5 . The stroke detection apparatus according  claim 4 , wherein the data processing device is configured to determine the threshold based on historical movement data for the user's body. 
     
     
         6 . The stroke detection apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the threshold is based on one or more pre-sets relating to user characteristics. 
     
     
         7 . The stroke detection apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the data processing device is configured to generate an automated emergency services request in response to the stroke detection signal. 
     
     
         8 . The stroke detection apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wearable sensor is configured to be worn on at least one of an arm or a leg of the user. 
     
     
         9 . The stroke detection apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the at least one wearable sensor includes a first wearable sensor and a second wearable sensor,   first wearable sensor is configured to be worn on one of the user's wrists, and   the second wearable sensor is configured to be worn on the other of the user's wrists.   
     
     
         10 . The stroke detection apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wearable sensor comprises:
 a first sensor configured to measure movement on a first side of a plane of symmetry the user's body; and   a second wearable sensor configured to measure movement on a second side of the plane of symmetry of the user's body.   
     
     
         11 . A stroke detection apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the plane of symmetry of the user's body is one or more of a sagittal plane, a frontal plane or a transverse plane. 
     
     
         12 . The stroke detection apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wearable sensor is configured to measure the first movement data and the second movement data at the same time. 
     
     
         13 . The stroke detection apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wearable sensor is configured to measure the first movement data and the second movement data at different times. 
     
     
         14 . The stroke detection apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one wearable sensor is configured to transmit the first movement data and the second movement data to the data processing device. 
     
     
         15 . The stroke detection apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the data processing device is configured to prompt the user to perform additional body gestures in response to determining the asymmetry of the user's movement based on the first movement data and the second movement data. 
     
     
         16 . A method of generating a stroke detection signal, the method comprising:
 generating first movement data and second movement data with at least one wearable sensor, the first movement data being for first movement of a first portion of the user's body and the second movement data being for a second movement of a second portion of the user's body;   processing the first movement data and the second movement data;   determining asymmetry of the user's movement based on the first movement data and the second movement data; and   generating a stroke detection signal based on the determined asymmetry.   
     
     
         17 . A stroke detection apparatus comprising:
 at least one wearable sensor configured to generate movement data based on movement of a portion of a user's body; and   a data processing device including a processor, the data processing device configured to
 detect first asymmetry of the user's movement based on first movement data and second movement data from the at least one wearable sensor, the first movement data being for a first movement of a first portion of the user's body and the second movement data being for a second movement of a second portion of the user's body, 
 prompt the user to perform at least one body gesture in response to detecting the first asymmetry of the user's movement; 
 determine whether second asymmetry of the user's movement is present based on third movement data and fourth movement data from the at least one wearable sensor when performing the at least one body gesture, the third movement data being for a third movement of the first portion of the user's body and the fourth movement data being for a fourth movement of the second portion of the user's body; and 
 generate a stroke detection signal in response to determining that the second asymmetry of the user's movement is present. 
   
     
     
         18 . The stroke detection apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the data processing device is configured to detect the first asymmetry of the user's movement based on whether asymmetry between the first movement and the second movement exceeds an asymmetry threshold. 
     
     
         19 . The stroke detection apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the data processing device is configured to determine whether the second asymmetry is present based on whether asymmetry between the third movement and the fourth movement exceeds the asymmetry threshold. 
     
     
         20 . The stroke detection apparatus according  claim 19 , wherein the data processing device is configured to determine the asymmetry threshold based on at least one of historical movement data for the user's body or one or more pre-sets relating to characteristics of the user.