Monitoring physiological conditions

Abstract

A method for monitoring physiological conditions of an individual including capturing images according to predefined capture criteria of one or more body regions of the individual on an ongoing basis; transforming the captured images in response to capture conditions present during image capture to provide a normalized image; calculating wellness parameters based on the normalized image; storing system data, including the normalized image, capture parameters, normalization transforms, or wellness parameters, or combinations thereof, monitoring and analyzing the wellness parameters in view of both current and prior semantic data to identify potential changes in physiological conditions; and providing alerts indicative of changes in said physiological conditions of at least one image.

1 . A method for monitoring physiological conditions of an individual comprising;
 capturing images according to predefined capture criteria of one or more body regions of the individual on an ongoing basis;   transforming the captured images in response to capture conditions present during image capture to provide a normalized image;   calculating wellness parameters based on the normalized image;   storing system data, including the normalized image, capture parameters, normalization transforms, or wellness parameters, or combinations thereof;   monitoring and analyzing the wellness parameters in view of both current and prior semantic data to identify potential changes in physiological conditions; and   providing alerts indicative of changes in said physiological conditions of at least one image.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the predefined capture criteria for an individual are determined by associated privacy settings, semantic data, the well-being parameters, and the capture parameters, either individually or in combination. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the predefined capture criteria include lighting conditions, or the pose, or orientation of an individual. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the semantic data includes personal data concerning physical characteristics, physiological conditions data of the individual or family, personal behavior, or activity records. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of analyzing the wellness parameters includes testing for false positives. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein semantic data concerning the individuals is utilized in the test for false positives. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1  further including capturing a current image and normalizing such image and further comparing the current normalized image with a previous image to identify potential changes in the individuals physiological condition. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the wellness parameters relate specifically to the individual. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein an individual who is being monitored provides at least a portion of the wellness parameters. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the method is applied to more than one individual and one of the individuals is a lead user who has system control and access privileges. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10  where the step of capturing images includes the detection and identification of the individual. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11  wherein the step of capturing images of the individual continues automatically after the individual is identified as a known subject. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11  further including tracking of an individual. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of analyzing the wellness parameters includes applying algorithms to look for trend-lines or changes in the wellness parameters, or in the normalized images, or both. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of analyzing the wellness parameters includes assessing the wellness parameters relative to available health data. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of analyzing the wellness parameters includes analyzing the normalized image data. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of transforming the images to provide normalized images includes color corrections, size corrections, pose corrections, either individually, or in combination. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of monitoring and analyzing wellness parameters further includes amending the wellness parameters to include changes or additions. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein the step of providing alerts includes visual or audio alerts. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 1 , which further includes providing assessments concerning the well-being of the individual. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20  wherein the assessment comprises a visual journal, which uses animation to assist communication of the well-being assessment. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the assessment includes, but is not limited to, a printed report, an e-mailed report, a report provided on an electronic display, a report provided by audio means, or advertising for a product or service that can benefit the user. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 1  wherein a reference image of one or more body regions of the individual provides at least a portion of the predefined capture criteria. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23  wherein one or more reference images for the individual are acquired during an auto set-up process. 
     
     
         25 . A method for unobtrusive screening the well-being of a person using a plurality of sensing devices, comprising:
 detecting the presence of a person;   identifying and tracking the person;   using sensing devices, which includes at least one camera, to unobtrusively sense one or more body parameters of the person;   calculating and storing wellness parameters, which are derived from the sensed body parameter data; and   automatically evaluating the well-being of the person based on current and prior semantic data including comparing the wellness parameters to previously determined wellness parameters for that person.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25  including using predefined sensing criteria for a person to determine whether values for the sensed body parameters are within acceptable ranges. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 26  wherein the predefined sensing criteria are determined by user privacy settings, user semantics data, the well-being parameters, and the capture parameters, either individually or in combination. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 25  wherein the semantic data includes personal data concerning physical characteristics, physiological conditions information of the person or the person's family, personal behavior, or activity records. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 25  including automatically capturing an image of the person on an ongoing basis, without need for intervention or preparation by the person. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 25  including automatically capturing an image of a person by the camera on an ongoing basis, when initiated by the person, such that no further intervention or preparation is required of the person after initiation of the image capture. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 25  wherein the sensing step includes providing a sensing device for producing body parameter data that is normalized prior to the calculation of wellness parameters. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the sensing step includes providing a sensing device that is in physical contact with the person. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 25  wherein a sensing device is a microphone, which is used to detect voice and other audio data from the person. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein sensing of one or more body parameters includes sensing biophysical markers, biochemical markers or emotional markers. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 34  wherein sensing biophysical markers includes sensing skin color, skin texture, moisture of skin, face, eyes, hair, neck, shoulders, mouth, hands, posture, or eye movement. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 34 , wherein sensing emotional markers includes sensing expression or energy level. 
     
     
         37 . An image-based system for monitoring physiological conditions of an individual on an ongoing basis, comprising;
 an image capture device, which can capture image data of at least one individual during a capture event;   a user identification means which uses captured image data to recognize an individual as a subject being monitored for the capture event;   a well-being image capture structure which quantifies the capture conditions present during the capture event and which screens the captured image data relative to predetermined image capture condition criteria;   an image normalization structure which corrects the captured image data to compensate for variations in the image capture conditions, to provide normalized image data;   a well-being assessment structure which analyzes the normalized image data relative to physiological conditions of the individual, or changes thereof, based upon the capture conditions and semantic knowledge of the individual; and   output means for providing image data or well-being assessments of the individual.   
     
     
         38 . The system according to  claim 37 , including an inference engine for deriving wellness information. 
     
     
         39 . The system according to  claim 38  wherein the inference engine employs additional analysis components, such as analytical algorithms, which are remotely supplied to the local physiological monitoring system 
     
     
         40 . The system as in  claim 38  including a second inference engine that is located remotely to the physiological assessment system local to an individual. 
     
     
         41 . The system as in  claim 40  wherein the second inference engine initiates the local physiological assessment system to monitor the well-being of an individual relative to a new physiological condition or parameter. 
     
     
         42 . The system according to  claim 37  including means for remotely providing additional wellness parameter data or physiological condition data to the physiological assessment system. 
     
     
         43 . The system according to  claim 37  includes means for remotely storing wellness parameter data or physiological conditions data, for an individual, from the physiological assessment system. 
     
     
         44 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the image capture device includes; a digital still camera, a video camera, or a camera with zoom features. 
     
     
         45 . The system according to  claim 37  wherein the image capture device captures images in the visible portion of the optical spectrum, the ultraviolet portion of the optical spectrum or the infrared portion of the optical spectrum, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         46 . The system according to  claim 37 , which further comprises means for providing illumination of the individual, the illumination being structured, polarized, or from the non-visible portions of the spectrum. 
     
     
         47 . The system according to  claim 37 , further including one or more additional sensors for measuring physiological data of the individual. 
     
     
         48 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the output means provides an alert signal including a visual alert or an audio alert. 
     
     
         49 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the system utilizes one or more reference images of an individual. 
     
     
         50 . The system according to  claim 37 , wherein the system utilizes a network, which supports system communications.