Wearable mental state monitor computer apparatus, systems, and related methods

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of assessing the metal state of an individual by: (1) providing the individual with a wearable device (e.g., eyewear) that includes one or more sensors for assessing the mental state of the individual, (2) using information from one or more of the sensors to assess the mental state of the individual; and (3) informing the individual or a third party of the individual's mental state. In various embodiments, the method further involves using the wearable device to determine one or more environmental factors that are related to the individual's mental state. For example, the method may involve determining (e.g., from one or more images taken using the wearable device) that the individual is frequently in a stressed emotional state when a particular person is present, when the individual is engaged in a particular activity, and/or when the wearer experiences a certain internal or external context.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method of assessing the mental state of a wearer of eyewear comprising one or more sensors coupled to the eyewear, the one or more sensors being adapted to detect one or more characteristics of the wearer of the eyewear, wherein the one or more characteristics are associated with the wearer's mental state, the method comprising:
 a. receiving, by a processor, one or more signals from the one or more sensors, wherein each of the one or more signals relates to at least one characteristic associated with the wearer, the at least one characteristic being selected from a group consisting of:
 i. pupil size, 
 ii. heart rate, 
 iii. perspiration rate, 
 iv. respiration rate, 
 v. physical movement, and 
 vi. brainwave activity; 
   b. analyzing, by a processor, the one or more received signals to determine the at least one characteristic;   c. facilitating, by a processor, determination of a mental state of the wearer based, at least in part, on the at least one characteristic; and   d. associating, by a processor, the mental state of the wearer with at least one of one or more stimuli selected from a group consisting of: (1) an object; (2) an activity; (3) an internal context associated with the wearer; and (4) an external context associated with the wearer.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of, providing a wireless transmitter coupled to the one or more sensors, the wireless transmitter being configured to transmit the one or more signals to a handheld computing device, wherein the step of receiving one or more signals from the one or more sensors further comprises, receiving the one or more signals from the handheld computing device via the Internet. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors comprises at least one sensor selected from a group consisting of:
 a. an eye facing camera;   b. a forward facing camera;   c. an electrocardiogram sensor;   d. a heart rate monitor;   e. a microphone;   f. a skin conductance response sensor;   g. an accelerometer; and   h. a gyroscope.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein the eyewear comprises an eye facing camera, a forward facing camera, and a heart rate monitor. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , further comprising the step of:
 a. determining, by a processor, that the wearer of the eyewear is under emotional stress;   b. in response to determining that the wearer of the eyewear is under emotional stress, capturing, by a processor, an image by the forward facing camera;   c. receiving, by a processor, the image;   d. identifying an object from within the received image; and   e. facilitating notification of the wearer of the association of the wearer's emotionally stressed state and the object in the image.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the object is a particular individual. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of identifying the particular individual comprises using one or more face recognition techniques to determine that a human is present within the image. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein the step of identifying the particular individual comprises using one or more face recognition techniques to determine the identity of the particular individual. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of determining that the wearer of the eyewear is under emotional stress further comprises:
 a. receiving, by a processor, an image of the wearer's pupil from the eye facing camera;   b. determining, by a processor, from the received image the size of the wearer's pupil;   c. comparing, by a processor, the size of the wearer's pupil to a predefined measurement of the wearer's pupil; and   d. at least partially in response to determining that the wearer's pupil size exceeds the predefined measurement of the wearer's pupil determining, by a processor, that the wearer is in a state of emotional stress.   
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the step of determining that the wearer of the eyewear is under emotional stress further comprises:
 a. determining, by a processor, the respiration rate of the wearer from the received one or more signals;   b. comparing the determined respiration rate to a predefined respiration rate level; and   c. in response to determining that the respiration rate exceeds the predefined respiration rate level, determining, by a processor, that the wearer is under emotional stress.   
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , further comprising the step of:
 a. receiving, by a processor, an image captured by the eyewear;   b. after receiving the image, identifying, by a processor, an object in the received image; and   c. notifying, by a processor, the wearer of the association of the wearer's mental state and the object in the received image.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the object is a person. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , further comprising the steps of:
 a. notifying, by a processor, the wearer of the eyewear of their mental state; and   b. providing, by a processor, to the wearer one or more suggested actions to address their current mental state.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 13 , wherein:
 a. the wearer's mental state is one of emotional stress; and   b. the one or more suggested actions comprise one or more techniques for reducing stress.   
     
     
         15 . A computer-implemented method of assessing the mental state of a wearer of eyewear comprising one or more sensors coupled to the eyewear, the one or more sensors being adapted to detect one or more characteristics of the wearer of the eyewear, wherein the one or more characteristics are associated with the wearer's mental state, the method comprising:
 a. receiving, by a processor, one or more first images from the eye facing camera, wherein at least one of the one or more first images relates to at least one characteristic associated with the wearer;   b. analyzing, by a processor, the at least one or more first images to determine the at least one characteristic; and   c. facilitating, by a processor, determination of a mental state of the wearer based on the at least one characteristic.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 15 , further comprising the steps of:
 a. receiving, by a processor, one or more second images from the front facing camera;   b. determining, by a processor, the mental state of wearer based at least in part on one or more wearer characteristics selected from a group consisting of:
 i. the wearer's pupil size, 
 ii. the wearer's respiration rate, 
 iii. the wearer's perspiration rate, 
 iv. the paleness of the wearer's skin, and 
 v. the wearer's brain activity level; 
   c. associating, by a processor, the mental state of the wearer with a factor selected from a group consisting of:
 i. an object in close proximity to the wearer; and 
 ii. an activity in which the wearer is participating in. 
   
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of associating the mental state of the wearer with the factor further comprises the steps of:
 a. detecting, by a processor, the object in the one or more second images; and   b. storing, in memory, the association of the wearer's mental state with the object.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of associating the mental state of the wearer with the factor further comprises the steps of:
 a. using the one or more second images to determine an activity that the wearer was engaged in when the one or more images were taken; and   b. storing, in memory, the association of the wearer's mental state with the activity.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein the eyewear further comprises a near-field communication sensor that is configured to detect the presence of the at least one of the factor, the method further comprising the steps of:
 a. receiving, by a processor, a signal from the near-field communication sensor;   b. determining, by a processor, the identity of the factor from the received signal; and   c. storing, by a processor, the identity of the factor and the mental state of the wearer in memory.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein the step of determining the mental state of the wearer further comprises:
 a. measuring, by a processor, a pupil size of the wearer;   b. measuring, by a processor, a respiration rate level of the wearer;   c. comparing, by a processor,
 i. the pupil size of the wearer to a predefined pupil size; and 
 ii. comparing the respiration rate of the wearer to a predefined respiration rate; and 
   d. determining, by a processor, that the wearer is in a stressful state in response to determining that the measured pupil size exceeds the predefined pupil size and the measured respiration rate exceeds the predefined respiration rate.   
     
     
         21 . A system for assessing the mental state of a wearer of a wearable device comprising:
 a. at least one processor; and   b. memory operatively coupled to the at least one processor,   wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
 i. receive one or more signals from a device selected from a group consisting of: a helmet and eyewear, the device having one or more sensors embedded therein, wherein each of the one or more signals relates to at least one characteristic associated with the wearer, the at least one characteristic selected from a group consisting of:
 1. pupil size, 
 2. heart rate, 
 3. perspiration rate, 
 4. respiration rate, 
 5. movement, and 
 6. brainwave activity; 
 
 ii. analyze the one or more received signals to determine the at least one characteristic; 
 iii. determine a mental state of the wearer based at least in part on the at least one characteristic; 
 iv. associate the mental state of the wearer with one or more stimuli selected from a group consisting of: (1) an object; (2) an activity; (3) an internal context of the wearer; and (4) an external context of the wearer. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to monitor at least one of the wearer's pupil size and brainwave activity over time to determine whether the wearer has sustained a concussion.