System and method for stabilizing unintentional muscle movements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10368669-B2
Application number	US-201113250000-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2011
Priority date	Sep 30, 2011
Publication date	Aug 6, 2019
Grant date	Aug 6, 2019

Abstract

A system and method for stabilizing a position of an object are disclosed. The system comprises a housing that includes a subsystem. The system also includes an attachment arm coupled to the housing. At least one first sensor is placed along the attachment arm, wherein the attachment arm is configured to receive the object thereto. In response to an unintentional muscle movement by a user that adversely affects the motion of the object, the subsystem stabilizes the position of the object. The method comprises providing a subsystem within a housing and coupling an attachment arm to the housing. The method also includes placing at least one first sensor along the attachment arm, wherein the attachment arm is configured to receive the object thereto. In response to an unintentional muscle movement by a user that adversely affects the motion of the object, the subsystem stabilizes the position of the object.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a housing having an exterior shape adapted to be held by a user's hand and having an interior volume, the interior volume having an open end;
a subsystem positioned in the interior volume, the subsystem including a motion-generating mechanism, a controller coupled to the motion-generating mechanism, a control system coupled to the controller, and at least one relative-motion sensor coupled to the control system; and
an attachment arm having a first end coupled to the motion-generating mechanism and a second end that extends through the open end of the housing and is configured to receive a user assistive device, wherein the attachment arm is movable relative to the housing, wherein the relative-motion sensor measures the position of the attachment arm relative to the housing, and wherein at least one absolute-motion sensor is placed along the attachment arm;
wherein the control system uses outputs from the absolute-motion sensor and the relative-motion sensor to stabilize the position of the user-assistive device by directing the motion-generating mechanism to move the attachment arm relative to the housing to compensate for the user's tremors.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the subsystem further comprises a power source coupled to the motion-generating mechanism.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the user-assistive device is kept at a center position relative to the housing.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the control system receives a first signal from the at least one absolute-motion sensor and a second signal from the at least one relative-motion sensor, generates voltage commands based upon the first and the second signals and using the control algorithm, and transmits the generated voltage commands to the motion-generating mechanism to stabilize the attachment arm.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the generated voltage commands are transmitted by the control system and to the motion-generating mechanism via a controller that is coupled to the control system.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the user-assistive device comprises any of a manufacturing tool, a surgical tool, a kitchen utensil, a grooming utensil, and a tooth appliance.

7. The system of claim 3 , wherein the user-assistive device is coupled to the attachment arm using a friction mechanism or a snap mechanism.

8. The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one absolute-motion sensor is at least one inertial sensor with an input that is not limited to angular motion about an axis and the at least one relative-motion sensor is at least one contactless position sensor.

9. The system of claim 2 , wherein the motion-generating mechanism comprises at least one motor and at least one gear-reduction system coupled to the at least one motor.

10. The system of claim 2 , wherein the control system is a closed-loop control system.

11. The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one relative-motion sensor relies on a changing magnetic field that is dependent on an actuation angle to provide angular feedback for the control system.

12. A method for stabilizing a position of an object, the method comprising:
providing an apparatus comprising:
a housing having an exterior shape adapted to be held by a user's hand and having an interior volume, the interior volume having an open end, wherein the housing includes a subsystem,
a subsystem positioned in the interior volume, the subsystem including a motion-generating mechanism, a controller coupled to the motion-generating mechanism, a control system coupled to the controller, and at least one relative-motion sensor coupled to the control system, and

an attachment arm having a first end coupled to the motion-generating mechanism and a second end that extends through the open end of the housing and is configured to receive a user assistive device, wherein the attachment arm is movable relative to the housing, wherein the relative-motion sensor measures the position of the attachment arm relative to the housing, and wherein at least one absolute-motion sensor is placed along the attachment arm;
measuring the absolute motion of the user-assistive device and the motion of the attachment arm relative to the housing; and
directing the motion-generating mechanism to stabilize the position of the user-assistive device by compensating for the user's tremors by moving the attachment arm relative to the housing based upon the absolute motion measurement and the relative motion measurement.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
comparing at least one signal representative of at least one of the absolute motion measurement and the relative motion measurement to at least one set-point; and
stabilizing the position of the user-assistive device based on the comparison of the at least one signal to the at least one set-point.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the subsystem comprises a power source.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein stabilizing the position of the user-assistive device comprises sending voltage commands from the control system to the motion-generating mechanism through the controller.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein sending voltage commands comprises processing the at least one signal by the control system using a control algorithm.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one absolute-motion sensor is at least one inertial sensor and the at least one relative-motion sensor is at least one contactless position sensor.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the motion-generating mechanism comprises at least one motor and at least one gear-reduction system coupled to the at least one motor.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one relative-motion sensor relies on a changing magnetic field that is dependent on an actuation angle to provide angular feedback for the control system.

Assignees

• Pathak Anupam
• Verily Life Sciences Llc

Inventors

• Pathak Anupam

Classifications

• A47G2200/046

  of holding or grasping · CPC title

• A47G21/02

  Forks; Forks with ejectors; Combined forks and spoons; Salad servers · CPC title

• A61B5/6887

  mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices · CPC title

• A47G21/08 Primary

  Serving devices for one-handed persons · CPC title

• A61F2/08

  Muscles; Tendons; Ligaments · CPC title