Abstract: Presented are concepts for monitoring a physical or mental capability of a person. One such concept employs the step of detecting a value of a property of the person or an object manipulated by the person. A trend in a physical or mental capability of the person may then be determined based on the detected value and historical data relating to one or more previously detected values of the property.

Abstract: In a personal emergency response system (PERS), a personal help button (PHB) (10) includes a call button (12), a motion sensor (22), and a transmitter or transceiver (24) for transmitting a wireless call signal responsive to pressing the call button. An electronic processor (28) performs a compliance monitoring process (42) at successive compliance check times, each including: acquiring motion sensor data over a compliance data acquisition time interval; determining whether the PHB has moved since the last compliance check time; and assessing compliance based at least in part on the determination of whether the PHB has moved. The determining may include determining an orientation change of the PHB since the last check time. Alternatively, compliance may be monitored by detecting and logging wake-up interrupt events that cause the motion sensor to switch from a low-power mode to an operational mode.

Abstract: A device is configured to perform a method that detects a trigger marker for an action corresponding to a segment of a multimedia signal. A fingerprint is generated based on the segment of the multimedia signal at a trigger time point. The generated fingerprint is stored in a database and communicated to the device. During playback of the multimedia signal, fingerprints of segments of the multimedia signal are generated and matched against fingerprints in the database. When a match is found, one or more associated actions for the segment are retrieved by the device. The trigger time point may be determined as a time point near or at the segment of the multimedia signal with the matched fingerprint. In this way, trigger markers for actions may be enabled without modifying the multimedia signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to goggles (10) for providing feedback, in particular to a user, comprising at least one transparent portion (14) forming at least a portion of at least one glass (14) of the goggles (10), display means (18) for displaying light signals, wherein the display means (18) are integrated in the transparent portion (14), cover a surface of the transparent portion (14) at least partially and/or cover a surface of a frame (12) of the goggles (10) around the glass (14) at least partially, drive means (20) coupled to the display means (18) for providing signals to the display means (18) corresponding to the light signals to be displayed.

Abstract: In a personal emergency response system (PERS), a subscriber wears a personal help button (PHB) (10) with a call button (12). A speakerphone console (30) detects a signal transmitted by the PHB when the call button is pressed and establishes a telephone call with a PERS center (8). The PHB, speakerphone console, or combination thereof also performs a check-in process including: detecting (50) a check-in time and outputting (52) a request to perform a check-in action and detecting (54) whether the check-in action is performed. The check-in action is logged (56) if it is detected. A remedial action (60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72) is performed if the check-in action is not detected. The check-in action may be a designated motion of the PHB detected by gesture recognition algorithm performed by the PHB that analyzes sensor data generated by a motion sensor (22) of the PHB.

Abstract: A methods is provided for reliable and accurate detection of opening or closing of doors or drawers using output signals generated by a sensor, the output signals directly or indirectly representative of the acceleration of the sensor over time. Areas under a curve for acceleration, or representations thereof, are determined and occurrence of movement events identified through comparison of calculated areas with certain thresholds. Areas are considered which span between zero crossing points of the acceleration curve, such that all elements of the corresponding sum are of the same sign, and consequent area signals have maximal amplitude. Pairs of substantially equal and opposite area signals may be sought, occurring within a given time separation, these characteristic of an opening or closing motion, consisting of a first acceleration in a first direction followed by a second in an opposing direction. Apparatus for the reliable detection of opening or closing events is also provided.

Abstract: Presented are concepts for monitoring the liquid or food consumption of a person. Once such concept employs the step of detecting a change in weight of the person resultant from usage of a toilet. A value representative of at least one of liquid consumption and food consumption of the person may then be determined based on the detected change in weight of the person.

Abstract: A system for accessing a database of a plurality of image data sets includes an acquisition unit which acquires a query for searching the database for an image data set or an image data subset comprised in an image data set. The query includes at least one medically relevant term which defines a search criteria. A determining unit determines the image data set or the image data subset included in the image data set based on the strength of semantic matches between the at least one medically relevant term and (a) corresponding medical annotation(s) describing the image data set. A retrieving unit retrieves the determined image data set or image data subset from the database.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods to monitor changes in user weight. The apparatus includes at least one sensor configured to capture superquotidien measurements of the user's weight and an accelerometer to measure movements of the user, and estimates cumulative weight of the user based on the superquotidien measurements, wherein only sudden changes in the user's weight are used in the estimation. The sensor(s) can be located, e.g., within a shoe insole, within a chair, within a floor, etc.

Abstract: Presented is a system and method for monitoring activities of daily living, ADLs, of a person within an environment. The system comprises an ADL inference unit adapted to receive a sensor output signal representative of a detected value of a property of at least one of: the person; and the environment, and to generate an inferred ADL output signal representative of the inferred ADL of the person. A monitor unit is adapted to generate a monitor signal dependent on at least one of: the received sensor output signal; and the inferred ADL output signal.

Abstract: There is provided a method of determining an estimate of the velocity of a device in a horizontal or vertical direction, the method comprising obtaining measurements of the acceleration acting on the device in three dimensions; using a first filter and the obtained measurements to estimate acceleration due to gravity; estimating the acceleration acting in a horizontal or vertical direction due to motion of the device using the estimated acceleration due to gravity; integrating the estimate of the acceleration acting in said direction due to motion of the device to give an estimate of velocity in said direction; and using a second filter to remove offset and/or drift from the velocity to give a filtered velocity; wherein at least one of the first filter and second filter is a non-linear filter. An apparatus configured to operate according to the above method is also provided.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for providing critical care using a wearable device monitors one or more health parameters related to a critical care condition of a user of a wearable device via one or more sensors in the wearable device and identifies one or more locations of assets relevant to the critical care condition. The method generates a risk assessment based on values of the health parameters and a number of the assets located within a predetermined radius from a current location of the wearable device and generates alert information to the user of the wearable device based on the risk assessment.

Abstract: A methods is provided for reliable and accurate detection of opening or closing of doors or drawers using output signals generated by a sensor, the output signals directly or indirectly representative of the acceleration of the sensor over time. Areas under a curve for acceleration, or representations thereof, are determined and occurrence of movement events identified through comparison of calculated areas with certain thresholds. Areas are considered which span between zero crossing points of the acceleration curve, such that all elements of the corresponding sum are of the same sign, and consequent area signals have maximal amplitude. Pairs of substantially equal and opposite area signals may be sought, occurring within a given time separation, these characteristic of an opening or closing motion, consisting of a first acceleration in a first direction followed by a second in an opposing direction. Apparatus for the reliable detection of opening or closing events is also provided.

Abstract: A device is configured to perform a method that detects a trigger marker for an action corresponding to a segment of a multimedia signal. A fingerprint is generated based on the segment of the multimedia signal at a trigger time point. The generated fingerprint is stored in a database and communicated to the device. During playback of the multimedia signal, fingerprints of segments of the multimedia signal are generated and matched against fingerprints in the database. When a match is found, one or more associated actions for the segment are retrieved by the device. The trigger time point may be determined as a time point near or at the segment of the multimedia signal with the matched fingerprint. In this way, trigger markers for actions may be enabled without modifying the multimedia signal.

Abstract: There is provided a fall detection system comprising a user device configured to be worn or carried by a user, the user device comprising a proximity sensor for measuring the proximity of the user device to the ground or a floor; and a movement sensor for measuring the movements of the user; the fall detection system further comprising a processing unit configured to process the measurements from the movement sensor to detect a potential fall; activate the proximity sensor if a potential fall is detected; and process the measurements from the proximity sensor to determine if the user has fallen.

Abstract: An alarm (35) provided by a fall detection system (2) may be caused by an accidental drop of the system. Therefore prior to issuing the alarm the fall detection system a confirmation is needed that a potential fall originates from a fall detection system that is worn by a user (4). A fall of a fall detection system that is not attached to a user is characterized by the occurrence of one or more full rotations of the system. Said rotations are identified by analyzing the output signal of a magnetometer, and by detecting a periodicity in said output signal. The fall detection system (2) provides the alarm in dependence of an identified absence of at least one full rotation.

Abstract: A device is configured to perform a method that detects a trigger marker for an action corresponding to a segment of a multimedia signal. A fingerprint is generated based on the segment of the multimedia signal at a trigger time point. The generated fingerprint is stored in a database and communicated to the device. During playback of the multimedia signal, fingerprints of segments of the multimedia signal are generated and matched against fingerprints in the database. When a match is found, one or more associated actions for the segment are retrieved by the device. The trigger time point may be determined as a time point near or at the segment of the multimedia signal with the matched fingerprint. In this way, trigger markers for actions may be enabled without modifying the multimedia signal.

Abstract: There is provided a method of monitoring a change in height of a device, the device comprising a sensor for measuring the air pressure at the device, the method comprising determining a pressure change threshold from a predetermined height change and an estimate or measurement of air pressure; obtaining a plurality of measurements of the air pressure at the device; determining a change in the air pressure from two or more of the measurements; and determining if the height of the device has changed by more than the predetermined height change using the determined change in the air pressure and the determined pressure change threshold.

Abstract: An ADL monitoring system uses a set of sensors each adapted to respond to an activity and to generate a sensor output signal representative of the detected activity level or type. An activity density map is formed. The activity level or type is compared with a range of activity levels or types represented in a map which characterized a reference spread of activity levels over the same time period as the activity density map. A probability analysis is then used to identify initial anomaly points. For these the initial anomaly points, a test of activity permutations is carried out to find timeslots in the activity density map which may be reordered to remove the initial anomaly points. In this way, anomalies at the level of individual timeslots can be identified, and the permutation approach makes the system robust to changes in the order in which activities are carried out by a subject.

Abstract: A sensor unit (2) comprising a pressure sensor (9) is worn by a person. A fall of the person causes a height change as well an orientation change of the pressure sensor. To enlarge the detectability of the fall the air pressure is positioned such that in a pre-fall condition the contribution of an error to the sensor's measurement is maximal. This error is caused by gravity acting on the membrane of the sensor.