Abstract: One or more sensors and/or sensing techniques are used individually or in combination to detect and/or measure heart rate and/or heart rate variability. The sensors may be wearable and/or portable and may operate on different principles and may include different power profiles. The sensors and/or sensing techniques may be used at the same time or at different times that may overlap partially or completely, or may be mutually exclusive. A controller may select one or more sensors and/or sensing techniques based on operating conditions and/or based on conservation of power.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dry skin conductance electrode for contacting the skin of a user. In order to provide a dry skin conductance electrode for long-term measurements which does not cause problems to the user while still providing a good signal level, the electrode comprises a material made of a noble metal doped with at least one dopant selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium and beryllium. The present invention also relates to a skin conductance sensor, a wristband and an emotional event detection system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wearable device (10) wearable by a user for measuring skin conductance of the user (1), the wearable device comprising at least two skin conductance electrodes (12) for contacting skin (2) of the user, and an elastic material portion (14) which surrounds the skin conductance electrodes (12) and forms a material surface (16). The elastic material of the elastic material portion (14) is non-permeable for gaseous and liquid substances. The present invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such a wearable device (10).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device (10) for detecting a circadian phase shift of a user (48). The device comprises: an interface for obtaining a skin conductance signal of the user (48) and sleep cycle information of the user (48); a processing unit (14) for determining an internal clock wake-up time based on the obtained skin conductance signal (20) and an external clock wake-up time based on the obtained sleep cycle information; and an evaluation unit (16) for evaluating a circadian phase shift of the user (48) based on the internal clock wake-up time and the external clock wake-up time. The present invention further relates to a corresponding method as well as to a wearable system (22) for monitoring a circadian phase shift of a user (48).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a processor for processing skin conductance data of a living being, comprising an input unit (12) for receiving a skin conductance data signal (13) comprising a plurality of data peaks, a calculating unit (14) for computing a skin conductance peak data signal over a long-term period by deriving a feature related to said data peaks from said skin conductance data signal (13) and forming a summation of said feature per time unit and an analyzing unit (16) for analyzing an average and/or an absolute value of said skin conductance peak data signal over at least a portion of said period to get information on at least one stage of burnout and/or chronic fatigue syndrome of said living being.

Abstract: A visit duration control system comprises a sensor (10) for sensing one or more physiological parameters of a person over time allowing the quantification of stress load of said person, a visit detector (20) for indicating the start of a third party's visit to said person, a processor (30) for determining said person's stress load from said one or more physiological parameters during said third party's visit and a signaling unit (40) for issuing a warning signal if said stress load exceeds a predetermined level.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stress-measuring system for determining a level of stress of a user, in particular for monitoring an upcoming burnout, the system (10) comprising: an alarm clock (12) for initiating an alarm at an arbitrary preset time, wherein the system (10) comprises an interface (14) for switching off the alarm; a vital sign sensor (16) for measuring a first vital sign of the user while the user operates the interface (14); and a processing unit (18) for determining the level of stress of the user based on the sensed first vital sign.

Abstract: A system for playing board games includes a game board and at least one pawn. The game board includes a display configured to display on a board surface a game board layout. The display is further configured to display a pawn input image on the board surface. The pawn includes a contact surface for supporting the pawn on the board surface, and an image input part cooperating with the board surface to receive the pawn input image. The pawn also includes an image surface to display a pawn output image, and a device for relaying the pawn input image from the image input part to the image surface.

Abstract: The physiological condition of a person is determined in physiological condition determining system by using a sensor for sampling a plurality of heart beats of the person, and using a control unit to perform the acts of: extracting a series of cardiac R-R intervals from the heart beat samples, providing a two-dimensional representation of subsequent R-R intervals, wherein two subsequent R-R interval forms an entry in the two-dimensional representation resulting in a plurality of entries, determining a centroid, an average radius and an average rotation frequency for the plurality of entries in the two-dimensional representation, determining a plurality of distances between the radius and each of the entries in the two-dimensional representation, and determining the physiological condition of the person using the radius in combination with the plurality of distances.

Abstract: A sensor device and method for tightening and positioning the sensor device with a wristband or strap (62) for a range of wrist sizes and shapes or other body portions, such that the optimal sensor position is obtained and maintained during ambulatory use, which provides two-sided fastening of the strap (62). The strap (62) has a marker (67) that is positioned by the wearer at a predetermined measuring position, e.g., on the middle of the volar side of the wrist. The wrist is then put on the table to fix its position, and the strap (62) is tightened on both sides of the wrist. This ensures a precision of at least 5 mm of the position of the sensors (66) in the strap.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a mental balance or imbalance estimation system (100) and method for estimating a level of mental balance or imbalance of a user (1). The system comprises a skin conductance sensor (20) for sensing the skin conductance of the user (1), the skin conductance over time forming a skin conductance trace (22). The system further comprises a processing unit (10) for receiving and processing the skin conductance trace (22), the processing unit configured to determine at least one stimulus response (24) in the skin conductance trace (22), to determine an estimated cortisol level trace (28) of the user (1) based on the determined at least one stimulus response (24), and to determine the estimated level of mental balance or imbalance of the user (1) based on the estimated cortisol level trace (28).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wearable device (10) wearable by a user for measuring skin conductance of the user (1), the wearable device comprising at least two skin conductance electrodes (12) for contacting skin (2) of the user, and an elastic material portion (14) which surrounds the skin conductance electrodes (12) and forms a material surface (16). The elastic material of the elastic material portion (14) is non-permeable for gaseous and liquid substances. The present invention further relates to a method of manufacturing such a wearable device (10).

Abstract: There is provided a fall detector for detecting a potential fall by a user, the fall detector comprising a sensor for measuring the skin conductivity of the user; and a processor for analyzing the skin conductivity measurements to determine whether the user has had a potential fall, wherein the processor is configured to analyze the skin conductivity measurements by matching the skin conductivity measurements to a predetermined skin conductivity response corresponding to a stressful event.

Abstract: A device (1) for determining a stress related condition of a person and providing feedback about this condition comprises body sensors (20) for detecting stress related body parameters, a stress assessing element (40), and a feedback device, wherein the stress assessing element (40) is designed for processing input provided by the body sensors (20) and for determining control parameters for controlling the feedback device, on the basis of the input provided by the body sensors (20). The body sensors (20) are integrated in a textile structure, so that the tested person does not sense the sensors (20), as a result of which there is no chance that the test results get influenced by an interaction between the device (1) and the person.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stress-measuring device (10) and method for determining a level (15) of stress of a user (1), in particular long-term stress. The stress-measuring device (10) comprises an input interface (12) for receiving a skin conductance signal (11) indicating the skin conductance of the user (1), the skin conductance signal (11) over time forming skin conductance trace data (13). The stress-measuring device (10) further comprises a processing unit (14) for processing the skin conductance trace data (13), the processing unit (14) adapted to determine, over at least a portion of the skin conductance trace data (13), values of a rise time (tr) between at least two different points of the skin conductance trace data (13), to determine a frequency distribution of the rise time (tr) values, and to determine the level (15) of stress of the user (1) based on the determined frequency distribution.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a dry skin conductance electrode (12, 13) for contacting the skin (10) of a user. In order to provide a dry skin conductance electrode for long-term measurements which does not cause problems to the user while still providing a good signal level, the electrode (12, 13) comprises a material made of a noble metal doped with at least one dopant selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium and beryllium. The present invention also relates to a skin conductance sensor (20), a wristband (30) and an emotional event detection system.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing a heart rate parameter of multiple users includes generating a pacing signal at a specific frequency, measuring a physiological parameter of each of the multiple users, presenting to each user an output based upon the measured physiological parameter of the respective user, and presenting to each user an output based upon the generated pacing signal. The measured physiological parameter could include heart rate variability. In one embodiment, the step of presenting to each user an output based upon the generated pacing signal, include presenting a first user with a first output, and presenting a second user with a second output, where the second output is out of phase with the first output.

Abstract: A wireless die (2) comprises an orientation detector (4) for determining an orientation of the die (2) and a transmitter (5) connected to the orientation detector (4) for transmitting die (2) orientation data to the receiver (3). The orientation detector (4) comprises at least two electromechanical detectors (6), the electromechanical detectors (6) being arranged for generating electrical power for the orientation detector (4) and transmitter (5), and for supplying gravity based orientation data.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing a heart rate parameter of multiple users comprises generating a pacing signal (16) at a specific frequency, measuring a physiological parameter of each of the multiple users, presenting to each user (12) an output (20) based upon the measured physiological parameter of the respective user, and presenting to each user an output based upon the generated pacing signal. The measured physiological parameter could comprise heart rate variability. In one embodiment, the step of presenting to each user an output based upon the generated pacing signal, comprises presenting a first user with a first output, and presenting a second user with a second output, the second output out of phase with the first output.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining a physiological condition of a person, comprising sampling a plurality of heart beats of the person, extracting a series of cardiac R-R intervals from the heart beat samples, and providing a two-dimensional representation of subsequent R-R intervals, wherein two subsequent R-R interval forms an entry in the two-dimensional representation, wherein the method further comprises the steps of determining a centroid, an average radius and an average rotation frequency for the plurality of entries in the two-dimensional representation, determining a plurality of distances between the radius and each of the entries in the two-dimensional representation, and determining the physiological condition of the person using the radius in combination with the plurality of distances.