Apparatus for detecting human physiological and contextual information

Abstract

The invention comprises an apparatus for determining the contextual or physiological status of the individual wearing the apparatus. The apparatus is designed to be consumable or disposable. In most embodiments the invention comprises an adhesive housing. In some embodiments, two different sensors are secured to the housing. The apparatus is in electronic communication with a processing unit that can derive analytical status data by using the data received from the two sensors. In some embodiments, the processing unit is programmed to control other devices, or is programmed to trigger an event. In still other embodiments, the apparatus is in electronic communication with a separate computing device, which may contain the processing unit.

1 . An apparatus for monitoring an individual's physiological or contextual status, said apparatus comprising:
 an adhesive housing, said housing being selectively removable attachable to said individual's body;   a first sensor mounted within said housing, said first sensor capable of generating heart-related data of said individual;   a second sensor mounted within said housing, said second sensor capable of generating data related to said individual's movement; and   a processing unit, mounted within said housing, in electronic communication with said first and second sensors, said processing unit programmed with at least one algorithm to use both of said heart-related data from said first sensor and said data related to said individual's movement from said second sensor to derive analytical status data concerning the individual, the processing unit also being programmed to control an interactive electronic media device based on said analytical status data.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said housing is comprised of a flexible material. 
     
     
         3 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said first sensor is a sensor selected from the group consisting of an optical sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a sphygmomanometer, and at least two electrodes. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said heart-related data of said individual is at least one of: heart rate data, pulse rate data, beat-to-beat variability data, EKG data, respiration rate data, blood pressure data, and oxygen consumption data. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said second sensor is a sensor selected from the group consisting of a strain gauge, a piezoelectric sensor, an accelerometer, and a mercury switch array. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said data related to said individual's movement is at least one of heart rate data, pulse rate data, beat to beat variability data, EKG data, respiration rate data, skin temperature data, core temperature data, heat flow data, galvanic skin response data, EMG data, EEG data, blood pressure data, oxygen consumption, body position data, and muscle pressure data. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said data related to said individual's movement is activity data. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a computing device in electronic communication with said processing unit. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising an input device enabling a user to input additional information related to said individual, said input device selected from the group consisting of a wireless input, a wired input, a cellular phone, a pager, a personal digital assistant, a sensor, a keyboard and a computer. 
     
     
         14 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said processing unit is programmed to control a separate apparatus based on said analytical status data. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said processing unit is programmed to trigger an event based on said analytical status data. 
     
     
         18 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said analytical status data comprises an indicator of sleep. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said analytical status data comprises an indicator of activity level. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said analytical status data comprises an indicator of stress. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured to be worn on an arm. 
     
     
         25 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the programming unit further receives data from a third sensor, the data relating to at least one of respiration rate, skin temperature, galvanic skin response, EMG, EEG, EOG and oxygen consumption, and uses the data to derive an indicator of sleep. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the programming unit further receives data from a third sensor, the data relating to at least one of respiration rate, activity and oxygen consumption, and uses the data to derive an indicator of an activity level. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the programming unit further receives data from a third sensor, the data relating to at least one of respiration rate, skin temperature, heat flow, galvanic skin response, EMG, EEG, activity and oxygen consumption, and uses the data to derive an indicator of stress. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the programming unit further receives data from a third sensor, the data relating to at least one of respiration rate, skin temperature, heat flow, galvanic skin response, EMG, EEG, activity and oxygen consumption, and uses the data to derive an indicator of relaxation or mind centering. 
     
     
         34 - 43 . (canceled)