The Group of Engineering in Telematics Systems of the University of Alcalá in collaboration with researchers from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and the Autonomous University of Madrid, present a device to monitor the activity of people with objects of daily use, to detect difficulties in the manipulation that can indicate the existence of a disease with cognitive deterioration or, in the case of children, some deviation in its development.
The group seeks to reach licensing agreements, collaboration agreements or commercial agreements with technical assistance, with companies from the toy sector, health sector and medical diagnosis, and education sector.
The present invention defines a data capture and data analysis system that parameterizes the way of using objects of daily use (cups, spoons or toys) in order to detect possible cognitive or psychomotor difficulties in people, after analyzing the data monitored.
It consists of one or several probes where some sensors and a collector are coupled.
The probe consists of a microcontroller, a wireless communication device, a motion sensor and connectors able to integrate sensors (light, force). The probe will have small dimensions in order to be integrated into small objects and will be fed with a battery.
The collector receives information from the sensors integrated in the probes, managing the start and end of activities, and sends it to a storage system (database), through a network, for later analysis.
The analysis system retrieves the information from the storage system to analyze it by applying techniques of data analysis and artificial intelligence, obtaining a diagnosis about the activity of the person analyzed.
Communication among the different parts (probes, collector, storage system and analysis system) is performed using appropriate security mechanisms to ensure the privacy, authenticity and integrity of the data.
Here are some examples of applicability:
- Integration of the probe into a cup to know the movement patterns when using it, with the aim of detecting possible neurodegenerative diseases. For example, to measure the increase of tremors in people with Parkinson's disease or other diseases that have cognitive impairment.
- Integration of the probe inside a ball to analyze the form and intensity that is hit or thrown by a person, through parameters such as maximum acceleration, maximum speed or turns.
- Set of beakers in which a probe is inserted in each one of them that measures the time that a person takes to make a tower of them and the way he/she moves them.
- For children under 1-year-old, a probe can be integrated into the rattle to measure movement patterns and the force with which it is gripped.
INNOVATIVE ASPECTS
So far, this kind of monitoring and diagnostics analysis were carried out by professionals that applied child development scales for the evaluation of possible difficulties in children, using a stopwatch, a form and optionally a video camera. And in the case of the diagnosis of other cognitive or degenerative diseases, the use of videos and their subsequent analysis.
The present invention goes a further step towards the monitoring and parametrization of the activity of the persons under study.
Besides:
- The probe incorporates emitters of light and sound so that they can make indications on aspects of its operation.
- It performs exact measurements besides the capture of variables of greater use.
- The activities can be managed from a user interface that runs on a smartphone, tablet or computer that communicates wirelessly (wifi, Bluetooth, NFC ...) with the collector.
- The person who manages the activity may add additional information to the interface, such as the identifier of the person performing the activity and the visual observations he or she considers appropriate.
-The information is analyzed using techniques of data analysis and artificial intelligence
COMPETITIVES ADVANTAGES
- The system can be calibrated so that it can be applied both to the detection of patterns of fine and gross psychomotor movements.
- The control system is accurate and performs exact measurements to obtain a more rigorous and fast diagnosis than those used in current professional toys.
- The databases generated by the storage system allow to compare different tests between them and to study the possible changes or evolutions.
Current development status
Finished technologies
Laboratory prototypes
Intellectual property status
Patent already applied for
Patent application number : The patent reference is P201600597
Where : The patent has been applied to the Spanish Patent and Trademark Office
Desired business relationship
Technology selling
Patent licensing
Technology development
Other : The group seeks to reach licensing agreements, collaboration agreements or commercial agreements with technical assistance, with companies from the toy sector, health sector and medical diagnosis, and education sector.
The Technology Transfer Office at Alcalá University serves as a liaison between the University and its socioeconomic environment in terms of research and innovation. It encorages collaboration between research groups from universities and companies/institutions, with the objective to promote and commercialize research results and scientific capabilities.
Some of the services offered by this office are specified in the following list:
- Promotion of R & D and improvement of the relationships with companies.
- Promote the participation in R & D projects applicants to public calls (regional, national and European).
- Advising, processing and monitoring of patents and other forms of industrial protection.
- Support in the negotiation of contracts and agreements for R&D&i
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