Biometrics-enabled dental operatory

A method for monitoring anxiety of an individual seated in a chair, the chair having at least a seat and a back, the method comprising:

• continuously obtaining, by a pulse rate sensor arranged in an armrest of the chair, a pulse rate, the pulse rate sensor including an optical sensor and accompanying light source housed within the armrest such that the pulse rate is obtained by passing light from the light source through an opening in the armrest for reflection by a finger of the individual covering the opening and detecting the reflected light by the optical sensor;
• continuously obtaining, by a first sensor in the form of a piezoelectric film strip and disposed in at least one of the seat or the back of the chair, and without being in direct contact with the individual, data related to a first physical characteristic from the individual seated in the chair, the first physical characteristic being respiration rate;
• receiving in real-time, by a controller operatively connected to the first sensor, the data related to the first physical characteristic from the first sensor;
• compiling, by the controller, a first metric from the received data related to the first physical characteristic, the first metric being configured to visually represent a change in the first physical characteristic;
• outputting, by the controller, the first metric to a display in real-time;
• receiving in real-time, by the controller operative connected to the pulse rate sensor, the pulse rate from the pulse rate sensor;
• compiling, by the controller, a pulse rate metric from the received pulse rate, the pulse rate metric being configured to visually represent a change in the pulse rate;
• outputting, by the controller, the pulse rate metric to the display in real-time;
• calculating, by the controller from the data related to the first physical characteristic, a first standard deviation;
• calculating, by the controller from the data related to the pulse rate, a pulse rate deviation;
• determining, by the controller, an anxiety level of the individual based on the data related to the first physical characteristic and the pulse rate, the determination of the anxiety level including a relative weighting of the data related to the first physical characteristic and the pulse rate based at least on the calculated first standard deviation and the calculated pulse rate deviation,
• analyzing, by the controller, the determined anxiety level with respect to a threshold level, and
• based on finding that the determined anxiety level exceeds the threshold level, (1) outputting an alert to the display indicating a heightened anxiety level of the individual and recommending one or more courses of action to reduce the heightened anxiety level of the individual, or (2) automatically initiating a remedial action performed using the chair to reduce the heightened anxiety level of the individual.

A dental operatory equipped for monitoring anxiety of a patient, the operatory comprising:

• a dental chair having at least a seat and a back;
• a base supporting the chair;
• a sensor for measuring pulse rate arranged in an armrest of the chair, the pulse rate sensor including an optical sensor and accompanying light source housed within the armrest such that light from the light source is passed through an opening in the armrest for reflection by a finger of the individual covering the opening and detection by the optical sensor;
• a dental light equipped with a light head configured to emit light toward an oral cavity of the patient seated in the dental chair;
• a first sensor in the form of a radar or lidar sensor and disposed in the light head of the dental light, the first sensor being configured to, without being in direct contact with the patient, continuously obtain data related to a first physical characteristic from the patient seated in the dental chair, the first physical characteristic being respiration rate;
• a display;
• and
• a controller operatively connected to the first sensor, the pulse rate sensor, and the display, the controller being configured to:
• receive, in real-time, the data related to the first physical characteristic from the first sensor,
• compile a first metric from the received data related to the first physical characteristic, the first metric being configured to visually represent a change in the first physical characteristic,
• output the first metric to the display in real-time,
• receive, in real-time, the pulse rate from the pulse rate sensor,
• compile a pulse rate metric from the received pulse rate, the pulse rate metric being configured to visually represent a change in the pulse rate,
• output the pulse rate metric to the display in real-time,
• calculate, from the data related to the first physical characteristic, a first standard deviation,
• calculate, from the data related to the pulse rate, a pulse rate deviation,
• determine an anxiety level of the patient based on the data related to the first physical characteristic and the pulse rate, the determination of the anxiety level including a relative weighting of the data related to the first physical characteristic and the pulse rate based at least on the calculated first standard deviation and the calculated pulse rate deviation,
• analyze the determined anxiety level with respect to a threshold level, and
• based on finding that the determined anxiety level exceeds the threshold level, (1) output an alert to the display indicating a heightened anxiety level of the individual and recommending one or more courses of action to reduce the heightened anxiety level of the patient, or (2) automatically initiate a remedial action performed using the chair to reduce the heightened anxiety level of the patient.