Body state classification

A method for determining a body state indicator for a biological subject, the method including:

• a) providing a number of measuring systems, each measuring system being capable of performing impedance measurements on a user and having:
• i) a measuring device including:
• (1) at least one signal generator electrically connected to drive electrodes to apply a drive signal to a user;
• (2) at least one sensor electrically connected to sense electrodes to measure a response signal in the user;
• (3) a measuring device processor that at least in part:
• (a) controls the at least one signal generator;
• (b) receives an indication of a measured response signal from the at least one sensor;
• and,
• (c) generates measurement data indicative of at least one measured impedance value;
• and,
• (4) a client device in communication with the measuring device, wherein the client device:
• (a) receives the measurement data;
• (b) generates user data indicative of the measurement data and a user identifier associated with the user;
• and,
• (c) communicates the user data via a communication network;
• b) using one or more one processing devices to:
• i) generate reference signatures by:
• (1) obtaining user data for a plurality of reference individuals from one or more of the number of measuring systems, via the communications network;
• (2) determining for each reference individual, at least in part using respective user data, reference data including:
• (a) at least one reference impedance indicator obtained from user data by performing at least one impedance measurement on the reference individual;
• (b) a reference body state indication indicative of any body states associated with the reference individual;
• and,
• (c) reference characteristic data indicative of one or more physical characteristics of the reference individual;
• and,
• (3) analysing the reference data by mining aggregated data for the plurality of reference individuals to establish a plurality of reference signatures, each reference signature associated with a respective body state for respective physical characteristics and including a plurality of reference ranges, the plurality of reference ranges being based on distributions of different respective reference impedance indicators associated with reference individuals having the respective body state and the respective physical characteristics and the reference impedance indicators including at least one of:
• (a) impedance values measured for different body segments of the reference individual;
• (b) impedance parameter values derived from impedance values measured for different body segments of the reference individual;
• (c) different impedance parameter values derived from impedance values measured for at least one body segment of the reference individual;
• (d) fluid level indicators indicative of fluid levels in different body segments of the reference individual;
• or,
• (e) fluid level indicators indicative of different fluid levels in at least one body segment of the reference individual;
• ii) analyse impedance measurements for a subject by:
• (1) obtaining user data for the subject from one of the number of measuring systems, via the communications network;
• (2) determining, at least in part using the user data for the subject:
• (a) subject characteristic data indicative of one or more physical characteristics of the subject;
• and,
• (b) at least one subject impedance indicator derived from at least one measured impedance value for the subject;
• and,
• (3) analysing the at least one subject impedance indicator at least in part using the reference signatures and the subject characteristic data;
• and,
• iii) generate at least one body state indicator in accordance with the analysis.

A system for determining reference signatures for use in assisting identification of a body state in a biological subject, the system including at least one processing device that:

• a) obtains reference data for each of a plurality of reference individuals, the reference data including:
• i) at least one reference impedance indicator obtained by performing at least one impedance measurement on the reference individual;
• ii) a body state indication indicative of any body states associated with the reference individual;
• and,
• iii) characteristic data indicative of one or more physical characteristics of the reference individual;
• and,
• b) analyses the reference data by mining aggregated data for the plurality of reference individuals to establish a plurality of reference signatures, each reference signature being associated with a respective body state for respective physical characteristics and including a plurality of reference ranges, the plurality of reference ranges being based on distributions of different respective reference impedance indicators associated with reference individuals having the respective body state and the respective physical characteristics and the reference impedance indicators including at least one of:
• i) impedance values measured for different body segments of the reference individual;
• ii) impedance parameter values derived from impedance values measured for different body segments of the reference individual;
• iii) different impedance parameter values derived from impedance values measured for at least one body segment of the reference individual;
• iv) fluid level indicators indicative of fluid levels in different body segments of the reference individual;
• or,
• v) fluid level indicators indicative of different fluid levels in at least one body segment of the reference individual.

A system for use in assisting identification of a body state in a biological subject, wherein the system includes in at least one processing device:

• a) determining subject data for the biological subject, the subject data including:
• i) at least one subject impedance indicator obtained by performing at least one impedance measurement on the subject;
• and,
• ii) subject characteristic data indicative of one or more physical characteristics of the subject;
• and,
• b) using the subject data and reference signatures to generate a body state indicator, each reference signature being associated with a respective body state for respective physical characteristics, and being derived by mining aggregated data of the plurality of reference individuals, wherein each reference signature includes a plurality of reference ranges, the plurality of reference ranges being based on distributions of different respective reference impedance indicators associated with reference individuals having the respective body state and the respective physical characteristics and the reference impedance indicators including at least one of:
• i) impedance values measured for different body segments of the reference individual;
• ii) impedance parameter values derived from impedance values measured for different body segments of the reference individual;
• iii) different impedance parameter values derived from impedance values measured for at least one body segment of the reference individual;
• iv) fluid level indicators indicative of fluid levels in different body segments of the reference individual;
• or,
• v) fluid level indicators indicative of different fluid levels in at least one body segment of the reference individual.