Abstract:
The present invention introduces an interactive sitting system that measures and analyzes the forces exerted on a human body during contact with other objects such as a seat to provide a feedback for the user to assess the risk of such forces on the spine and the skin to avoid complications of abnormal or prolonged sitting.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), back pain is the second most common neurological ailment in the United States. Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on low back pain and its complications. It is the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to missed work. Prolonged sitting is a significant cause of skin breakdown, decubitus ulcers and spine deformities in wheelchair bound patients. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention introduces a sensitive pad that can be placed on any seat to measure the dynamic forces exerted on different parts of the back and buttocks during sitting to generate a user&#39;s personal report describing his/her habits during prolonged sitting that might create spine or skin problems. The sensitive pad is a portable device that can also be used when driving a car, sitting at work/home, or using a wheelchair giving an immediate feedback that helps the user to improve his/her sitting habits. 
     The sensitive pad can be programmed to suit everyone&#39;s circumstances such as age, medical condition, or the activity that is performed during sitting. It also helps the user to evaluate the seat s/he is using and its compatibility with his/her back. Generally, the sensitive pad is an important device for computer users, young students, car drivers, and designers. It is an important tool for spine physicians, pain management doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists to help diagnose and treat their back pain patients. 
     The sensitive pad is of particular importance for disabled people such as paraplegic, elderly, and wheelchair users who lack skin sensation or mental alertness to help them avoid skin breakdown and ulcers. Another important use of the sensitive pad is to detect insurance fraud in back pain malingering. Moreover, the sensitive pad can accurately record in great details the sequence of forces exerted on the user&#39;s back during motor vehicle accidents which enable physicians to better diagnose and treat spine injuries. 
     In summary, the sensitive pad is a powerful technology that assists physicians diagnose and treat low back pain. It helps individual users avoid complications due to prolonged sitting and maintain healthy back and skin. It enables the chairs industry to create healthy parameters and standards for chair design and manufacturing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a flowchart illustrating the main components of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an example of the detection unit of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an example of the interior components of the detection unit. 
         FIG. 4  is an example of the input unit of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is another example of the input unit of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is an example of the output unit of the present invention in the form of a digital report. 
         FIG. 7  is a number of sensors positioned on a sensitive pad. 
         FIG. 8  is another example of the output unit of the present invention in the form of a 3D simulation. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention introduces an interactive sitting system that measures and analyzes the forces exerted on a body during its contact with other object to provide a certain feedback for the user. As illustrated in  FIG. 1  said interactive sitting system is comprised of; a detection unit, an input unit, a processing unit, and output unit. 
     The detection unit senses, collects, and generates initial signals representing the amount, durations, and directions of said forces exerted on said body, where said detection unit can be placed between said body and said other object. 
     For example,  FIG. 2  illustrates a detection unit in the form of a sensitive pad  110  that looks like a seat cushion that can be placed on any seat to be located between the user and the seat. The sensitive pad is comprised of a plurality of sensors that are placed along the sensitive pad to detect the position, amount, duration, and direction of the compression forces and the shear forces that are exerted on the sensitive pad. Said exerted forces will be influenced by the user&#39;s body characters, the user activity during sitting, and the seat specifications. 
       FIG. 3  illustrated the interior components of the sensitive pad where as shown in the figure the sensitive pad is comprised of a top layer  120  of protective sheet, a bottom layer  130  of protective sheet, and a middle layer which is comprised of a first sheet of sensors  140  and a second sheet of sensors  150 . The first sheet of sensors is located on the seat area of the seat, while the second sheet of sensors is located on the back rest area of the seat. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an example of an input unit in the form of a selection menu that appears on the computer display comprising of three part, the first part  160  presents the user&#39;s characters, the second part presents the user activity, and the third part presents the seat specifications. The user&#39;s characters can include the user&#39;s age, weight, height, body mass index, medical condition, and the like. The user activity can include many alternatives such as using the computer, driving a car, performing office work, wheelchair bound, or the like. The chair specifications can include the chair cushion material, stiffness, height, inclination, arm chair height, or the like. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates another example of the input unit in the form of a selection mode where the user can select one of them. As shown in the figure the selection mode is comprised of a number of different modes  190  where each one of them has a unique name where a press button  200  is located beside each unique name to be pressed by the user&#39;s finger to activate the selected mode. Each mode represents a unique type of users that have different body characters. For example, mode “A” represents a category of body weight ranging from 40 to 80, mode “B” represents a category of body weight ranging from 81 to 120, mode “C” represents a category of body weight ranging from 121 to 180, mode “D” represents a category of body weight ranging from 181 to 220, and mode “A” represents a category of body weight ranging above 220. 
     The processing unit can be a microprocessor that can be located inside the sensitive pad of  FIG. 2 . The processing unit performs specific analysis based on an assessment program that can be provided by the manufacture of the present invention. Analyzing the data of the detection unit and the input unit enables providing the output unit with the result of this analysis. 
     The output unit can be an audio system that provides the user with a voice or sound representing certain information. It can be also a visual system that provides the user with visual signs representing certain information. It can be a sensory system that provides the user with vibratory responses or movement representing certain information. It can also provide an electrical signal that can be interpreted as a mechanical adjustment for power chairs. 
     The output unit can be a digital display that provides the user with digital information or graphical illustrations. For example,  FIG. 6  illustrates an example of a digital report comprised of; a zoning representation for the seat pad  220  divided into four zones A, B, C, and D, a zoning representation for the back pad  230  divided into six zones E, F, G, H, I, and J, a first table  240  indicating the amount and duration of the compression forces that are exerted on the different zones, a second table indicating the amount, duration, and direction of the shear force that are exerted on the different zones, and a third table indicating the risk analysis that may indicate numeral values, colors, or the like representing said risk analysis. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an example of an output unit in the form of a display presenting a graphical illustration such as a 3D simulation showing the movement of the user of the present invention  260  while sitting on the seat  270  where a first sensitive pad  280  is placed between the user&#39;s buttocks and the seat, and a second sensitive pad  290  is placed between the user&#39;s back and the back rest of the seat. The horizontal line  300  represents the floor that supports the seat. 
     The main advantages of the present invention is utilizing an existing hardware technology that is simple and straightforward which easily and inexpensively carries out the present invention of interactive sitting system as will be described subsequently. 
     For example, the sensitive pad is comprised of a plurality of sensors that detect the force exerted from the user on the seat. Said sensors can be force sensors that are commercially available in the market such as the flexible sensors or the digital sensors. The capacitive sensors can be used instead of the force sensors to detect the compression force and its duration and positions on the sensitive pad. Also the photocromic sensors that change due to the pressure or the user&#39;s temperature can be used instead of the force sensors. The pressure sensors can be a plurality of chambers that are attached to each other and filled with gas or liquid to sense the pressure in each chamber. 
     It is important to note that the seat area and the back area of the sensitive pad are divided into a number of zones as shown in  FIG. 6 . Each one of these number of zones includes a plurality of sensors that collect the data of the force exerted on this specific zone. The zones of  FIG. 6  are just example of a variety of different zones that can divide the sensitive pad according to the application need.  FIG. 7  illustrates an example of positioning a number of sensors along the sensitive pad. 
     The input unit can be a detailed selection menu  FIG. 4  or just a limited preset selection mode program as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . However, the selection menu can include other information related to the user characters, user activity, and seat specifications, in addition to, other fields such as ambient temperature, floor leveling, or the like. 
     The microprocessor can be a computer system that is connected to the present invention by a wired or wireless connection. The present invention can also utilize the computer system of a mobile phone to receive, display, and/or send information from and to the sensitive pad. Sending information to the sensitive pad enables modifying the assessment program wirelessly in case of there are specific changes such as the medical condition of the user. 
     The system program can provide the user with useful information or instructions related to his/her sitting. That can happen if the user exceeded a certain duration or force on the sensors of a specific zone, or the total area of the sensitive pad. Also if the zones of the back area remain without acting forces for a specific period of time that means the user is not supporting his/her back on the back rest of the seat. 
     The output unit can be audible information in the form of voice or sound. It can be a visual output in the form of light, colors, or the like. It can also be sensory output such as vibrations, pressures, or the like. It can be electrical signals that can be interpreted into a mechanical movement for power chairs. It can be a digital display that presents digital information, graphs, pictures, 3D models, animation, or the like.