Patent ID: 8083693
Filing Date: 2011-12-27
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A system for monitoring an individual's posture, the system comprising: a garment having a first armpit region, a first shoulder region, a second armpit region, a second shoulder region, and an upper back region, the garment being configured to be worn on an individual's upper body such that, when the garment is worn by an individual, the first armpit region of the garment is located proximately to a first armpit of the individual on a first side of the individual, the first shoulder region of the garment is located proximately to a first shoulder of the individual on the first side of the individual, the second armpit region is located proximately to a second armpit of the individual on a second side of the individual that is opposite from the first side of the individual, the second shoulder region is located proximately to a second shoulder of the individual on the second side of the individual, and the upper back region of the garment is located proximately to an upper portion of the individual's back; a channel that is incorporated within the garment such that the channel traverses across the upper back region of the garment from the first armpit region of the garment to the second shoulder region of the garment, over the second shoulder region of the garment from the upper back region of the garment to the second armpit region of the garment, under the second armpit region of the garment from the second shoulder region of the garment to the upper back region of the garment, across the upper back region of the garment from the second armpit region of the garment to the first shoulder region of the garment, and over the first shoulder region of the garment from the upper back region of the garment to the first armpit region of the garment; a cable that is threaded through the channel such that, when the garment is worn by an individual, the cable traverses across the upper portion of the individual's back from the first armpit of the individual to the second shoulder of the individual, over the second shoulder of the individual from the upper portion of the individual's back to the second armpit of the individual, under the second armpit of the individual from the second shoulder of the individual to the upper portion of the individual's back, across the upper portion of the individual's back from the second armpit of the individual to the first shoulder of the individual, and over the first shoulder of the individual from the upper portion of the individual's back to the first armpit of the individual; and a sensor detachably coupled to the cable that is configured to: enable a user to specify a threshold level for the sensor from a range of tension settings for the cable, the tension settings measuring the relative distance between a first shoulder region and a second shoulder region; and monitor tension in the cable and to generate an alert when the tension in the cable exceeds the threshold level.