Assessment of nutrition intake using a handheld tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016372004-A1
Application number	US-201514746688-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 22, 2015
Priority date	Jun 22, 2015
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments regard nutrition assessment using a handheld device. An embodiment of an apparatus includes a handle with a controller within the handle, an attachment arm extending from the handle, and a user-assistive device coupled with an end of the attachment arm, wherein the apparatus is to determine a mass held by the user-assistive device, the determination being made during a task by a user of the handheld tool including manipulation of the handheld tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A handheld tool, comprising:
a handle; a controller within the handle; an attachment arm extending from the handle; and a user-assistive device coupled with an end of the attachment arm; wherein the handheld tool is to determine a mass held by the user-assistive device, the determination being made during a task by a user of the handheld tool, the task including manipulation of the handheld tool.

2 . The handheld tool of claim 1 , wherein the handheld tool is determine the mass based at least in part on an operational value for the handheld tool required to maintain the user-assistive device in a certain orientation.

3 . The handheld tool of claim 2 , wherein the operational value is one of a force value, a current value, or a power value.

4 . The handheld tool of claim 2 , further comprising a vertical actuator, the vertical actuator to provide for vertical motion of the user-assistive device;
wherein the handheld tool is determine the mass based at least in part on an additional operational value required for the vertical actuator to maintain the user-assistive device in the certain orientation when holding the mass in comparison with an operation value required for the vertical actuator to maintain the user-assistive device in the certain orientation without the mass.

5 . The handheld tool of claim 4 , wherein a determination of the additional operational value is based at least in part on an additional amount of current required by the vertical actuator.

6 . The handheld tool of claim 2 , wherein the determination of the mass is further based on a geometry of the user-assistive device.

7 . The handheld tool of claim 1 , further comprising a memory unit for storage of data regarding determined mass that is consumed.

8 . The handheld tool of claim 7 , wherein the handheld tool to store data regarding a consumed mass in the memory unit upon identifying an end of the task.

9 . The handheld tool of claim 8 , wherein the handheld tool is to identify the end of the task based at least in part on a motion of the handheld tool and a loss of mass from the user-assistive device.

10 . The handheld tool of claim 8 , further comprising a communication interface, the handheld tool to communicate the data stored in the memory unit via the communication interface.

11 . The handheld tool of claim 1 , wherein the mass is a mass of food, the task is an eating task, and the activity is the eating of a meal by the user.

12 . A method comprising:
monitoring motions of a handheld tool during an activity; detecting the beginning of a task, the task including manipulation of the handheld tool; and determining by the handheld tool a mass held by a user-assistive device coupled with the handheld tool; wherein the determination of the mass is made during the task.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising detecting an end of the task based at least in part on motion of the handheld tool and a loss of mass from the user assistive device.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising, upon detecting the end of the task, recording data regarding an amount of mass consumed in the task.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising detecting an end of the activity.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising communicating the recorded data.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein determining the mass is based at least in part on an operational value for the handheld tool required to maintain the user-assistive device in a certain position.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the operational value is one of a force value, a current value, or a power value.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the handheld tool includes a vertical actuator, the vertical actuator to provide for vertical motion of the user-assistive device;
wherein determining the mass is based at least in part on an additional amount of force required by the vertical actuator to maintain the user-assistive device in the certain position when holding the mass in comparison with a force required by the vertical actuator to maintain the user-assistive device in the neutral position without the mass.

20 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the mass is a mass of food.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the task is an eating task, and wherein the activity is the eating of a meal by the user.

22 . A method for nutrition assessment comprising:
monitoring motions of a handheld tool during a meal for a user; detecting the beginning of an eating task, the task including manipulation of the handheld tool; determining by the handheld tool an estimate of a mass of food held by a user-assistive device coupled with the handheld tool; and upon detecting an end of the eating task, automatically recording data regarding an amount of food consumed in the eating task.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the end of the eating task is identified based at least in part on motion of the handheld tool and a loss of mass from the user assistive device, the amount of mass lost being the amount of food consumed in the eating task

24 . The method of claim 22 , upon detecting the handheld tool in a resting position without detecting the end of the eating task, determining that the eating task is ended without consuming the mass of food.

25 . The method of claim 24 , further comprising detecting an end of the meal activity.

26 . The method of claim 22 , wherein determining the estimate of the mass is based at least in part on an operational value required to maintain the user-assistive device in a neutral orientation.

Assignees

• Verily Life Sciences Llc

Inventors

• Pathak Anupam
• Prachar Timothy J

Classifications

• A47G2200/046

  of holding or grasping · CPC title

• A47G2200/226

  sensor · CPC title

• A61B5/6887

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

• G01G19/56

  combined with handles of tools or household implements · CPC title

• A47G2200/205

  Vibrating parts · CPC title