Adaptive gesture-based method, system and computer program product for preventing and rehabilitating an injury

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9268405-B2
Application number	US-201213523934-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 15, 2012
Priority date	Jun 15, 2012
Publication date	Feb 23, 2016
Grant date	Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

In an approach to allowing a user to operate a computing device while preventing and/or rehabilitating an injury, three-dimensional gestures of a user are translated into corresponding movement of a cursor on a display device. Different gestures can indicate the same motion of the cursor. As the user gestures to move the cursor, the software determines, based on a history of use specific to the user, whether the user can continue without feeling pain or fatigue. If it is determined that continued use will cause or is likely to cause pain or fatigue, the software can request the user to take a break, or can switch the gesture or motion required by the user to move the cursor in a similar manner.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising the steps of:
creating, by a computer, a plurality of movement profiles, each movement profile being in a manner which a cursor moves in response to one or more gestures performed by a user and wherein each movement profile includes one or more different gestures corresponding to a same movement of the cursor, such that a user can perform either at least a first gesture or a second gesture and achieve the same movement of the cursor;
tracking, via one or more sensor devices connected to the said computer, the one or more gestures performed by a user, wherein a gesture is a detectable movement of a body or a part of the body;
in response to the tracking of the one or more gestures performed by a user, moving a cursor on a display device of the said computer in a manner which corresponds to both the one or more gestures and at least one movement profile of the plurality of movement profiles indicating a predefined set of one or more gestures that move the cursor;
receiving, based at least on one of data gathered from the gestures performed and a direct notification from the user, an indication that the user is experiencing fatigue or pain;
in response to the received indication that the user is experiencing fatigue or pain, determining, by the said computer, a threshold level for potential injury for the one or more gestures; and
using the threshold level to determine if subsequent repeated gestures similar to any of the one or more gestures are nearing a point of potential injury;
in response to receiving no indication that the user is experiencing fatigue or pain, and based at least in part on the at least one movement profile and an analysis of the one or more gestures, determining whether a subsequent performance of one or more of the one or more gestures are potentially injurious;
in response to determining the subsequent gestures would cause the user potential injury, taking, by the said computer, a preventative action, wherein taking the preventative action comprises changing, by the said computer, the at least one movement profile such that subsequent gestures must differ from the one or more potentially injurious gestures to accomplish a similar movement of the cursor.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of taking the preventative action further comprises recommending to the user a pause in making gestures to control the cursor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether the subsequent performance of one or more of the one or more gestures are potentially injurious comprises determining, based on a history of the user performing similar gestures to any of the one or more gestures, whether a speed of any of the one or more gestures has reached a threshold level of potential injury.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether the subsequent performance of one or more of the one or more gestures are potentially injurious comprises determining, based on a history of the user performing similar gestures to any of the one or more gestures, whether an accuracy of any of the one or more gestures has reached a threshold level of potential injury.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether the subsequent performance of one or more of the one or more gestures are potentially injurious comprises determining, based on a history of the user performing similar gestures to any of the one or more gestures, whether the user is experiencing tremors beyond a predefined level of potential injury.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether the subsequent performance of one or more of the one or more gestures are potentially injurious comprises determining, based on a history of the user performing similar gestures to any of the one or more gestures, whether a number of the one or more gestures has reached a threshold number of gestures that can be performed before the user experiences pain or fatigue.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining whether the subsequent performance of one or more of the one or more gestures are potentially injurious comprises determining, based on a history of the user performing similar gestures to any of the one or more gestures, whether the one or more gestures are performed for a duration of time within a period of usage threshold level that the one or more gestures can be performed before the user experiences pain or fatigue.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of receiving the indication that the user is experiencing fatigue or pain comprises receiving a notification from the user that the user is experiencing fatigue or pain.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of receiving the indication that the user is experiencing fatigue or pain comprises determining one or more of:
whether any of the one or more gestures is below a predetermined speed;
whether any of the one or more gestures is below a predefined level of accuracy; and
whether the tracking of the one or more gestures indicates that the user is experiencing tremors beyond a predefined level.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of movement profiles are ranked by a difficulty level.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of movement profiles are ranked by one or more of: ease of use, length of safe use, and user preference.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of at least two different movement profiles enables rehabilitation of an injury to the user.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of changing the at least one movement profile comprises selecting a movement profile that has a lower difficulty level ranking than a current manner movement profile.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of: determining that a rate of accuracy for the one or more gestures is increased by a predefined level; and in response to the increased rate of accuracy for the one or more gestures, increasing the threshold level for potential injury.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of: determining that a rate of speed for the one or more gestures is increased by a predefined level; and in response to the increased rate of speed for the one or more gestures, increasing the threshold level for potential injury.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of: determining that a rate of accuracy or speed for the one or more gestures is increased; and wherein the step of changing the at least one movement profile comprises selecting a movement profile that has a higher difficulty level ranking than a current movement profile.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of: determining that the one or more gestures are performed for a specified duration without having received an indication of pain or fatigue; and wherein the step of changing the at least one movement profile comprises selecting a movement profile that has a higher difficulty level ranking than a current movement profile.

18. A computer program product comprising:
one or more non-transitory computer-readable tangible storage devices and program instructions stored on the one or more non-transitory computer-readable tangible storage devices, when executed by one or more computer processors performing the steps of:
creating a plurality of movement profiles, each movement profile being in a manner which a cursor moves in response to one or more gestures performed by a user and wherein each movement profile includes one or more different gestures corresponding to a same mo

Assignees

• Bailey Gemma M
• Chen Leon
• Hook James K
• Hopper Melanie S
• Lindsay Susannah Marie
• IBM

Inventors

• Bailey Gemma M
• Chen Leon
• Hook James K
• Hopper Melanie S
• Lindsay Susannah Marie

Classifications

• A61B5/1121

  Determining geometric values, e.g. centre of rotation or angular range of movement · CPC title

• A61B5/11

  Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor or mobility of a limb {(A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721)} · CPC title

• G06F3/0484

  for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range · CPC title

• G06F3/017 Primary

  Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883) · CPC title

• A61B5/1116

  Determining posture transitions · CPC title