Device for correlating a biometric variation with an external stimulus and related methods and systems

Abstract

Systems and methods for correlating inputs found external to a user to inputs measured from the user are disclosed, using wearables, various types of non-wearable sensors, and other external data sources and mobile device technology. Pattern matching and rules can be used to provide useful suggestions or control external machines based on the correlated inputs.

1 . A method for correlating biometrics of a user with a stimulus external to the user, the method comprising:
 entering one or more external stimuli of a user into a computing device by one or more of: a first sensor communicating with the computing device, the user entering data into the computing device, and/or downloading data from the internet to the computing device;   detecting, by a second sensor associated with a wearable device, a first set of heart rate signals of the user prior to an event related to exposure to the one or more external stimuli;   detecting, by a second sensor associated with a wearable device, a second set of heart rate signals of the user after or during the event;   the wearable device communicating the first and second heart rate signals to the computing device;   determining, by the computing device, an influence on the user that alters a heart rate signal of the user;   computing, by the computing device, a baseline value from the first heart rate signal and the influence;   the computing device detecting a pattern between the one or more external stimuli and a difference between the baseline value and the second heart rate signal; and   the computing device providing information to the user concerning the pattern.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the computing device adjusting the computing for an activity through a transition period by one or more of: the first heart rate data is collected but not used by the computing of the baseline value, or the computing device adjusting values of the first set of heart rate signals to erase the influence of the activity by statistical analysis and/or multivariate regression. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the transition period is from 10 to 60 seconds long. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable device is one of: wristband, armband, leg band, watch, ring, necklace, glasses, goggles, headgear, headband, belt, belt buckle, vest, jacket, pants, adhesive pad, subdermal implant, tattoo, glove, pouch, pocket, shoe, or a fitness tracker. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the computing device evaluating a series of exposures for their effect on heart rate with a post-event baseline from one exposure being used as a pre-event baseline for a following exposure. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the computing device determining cross-reactions based on the one or more external stimuli and providing the user with the cross-reactions. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more external stimuli includes food or beverage being consumed by the user. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further identifying what component of the food is causing a reaction including retrieving data from a database of ingredients and chemical/allergen content of foods. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising identifying the food by computer vision. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detecting the pattern includes taking a sum of a difference between a baseline level and a peak level (or average of a portion of the peak section of the heart rate curve) and a difference between the baseline level and a new baseline level. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detecting the pattern includes averaging a pre-event baseline and a post-event baseline to form a new baseline or only calculating a new baseline by averaging the pre-event baseline and the post-event baseline to form the new baseline if the post-event baseline is lower than the pre-event baseline. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more external stimuli is one or more of: a substance inhaled by the user or a substance the user has come in contact with. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein there is a choice given to the user between accuracy and speed when beginning the measurements and the choice affects pre-event and post-event measurement durations. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heart rate signals are computed as an average or arithmetic mean over several values over an interval of time. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein extreme values are excluded from the average or arithmetic mean. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heart rate signals are computed using at least one of: area under a curve of a plot of measurements, slope of increase at the start of measurements, slope of a decrease at an end of measurements, maximum slope of increase or decrease of measurements, differential computation, taking a maximum value, and machine learning modelling. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the providing information to the user includes instructions of one or more of: changes to diet; changes to exercise; directions to seek professional medical advice; avoidance of an object, location, substance, or class of such; and suggested shopping list. 
     
     
         18 . A system for correlating biometrics of a user with a stimulus external to the user, the system comprising:
 a computing device;   a first sensor configured for detecting one or more external stimuli of a user and entering them into a computing device, the user entering data into the computing device, and/or downloading data from the internet to the computing device;   a wearable device comprising a processor configured to communicate heart rate data with the computing device;   a second sensor associated with a wearable device configured to detect heart rate signals of user and communicating the heart rate signals to the wearable device;   the computing device configured to detect a pattern between the one or more external stimuli and the heart rate data; and   an interface of the computing device configured to provide information to the user concerning the pattern.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein wearable device is one of: a wrist worn fitness tracker, wristband, armband, leg band, watch, ring, necklace, glasses, goggles, headgear, headband, belt, belt buckle, vest, jacket, pants, adhesive pad, subdermal implant, tattoo, glove, pouch, pocket or shoe. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the second sensor is configured to use photoplethysmography.