US 9,538,947 B2 · Method, system and device for assisting diagnosis of autism

Abstract

Method, system and device for assisting diagnosis of autism which enable assistance of early detection and early definite diagnosis of autism (especially in infants) based on objective evaluation, using a conventionally suggested “eye-gaze detection technique”. The method for assisting diagnosis of autism of a subject uses an eye-gaze detecting unit, the unit having at least an imaging camera portion. The method includes displaying, at the position in front of the subject along the direction of the eye gaze of the subject, an illusionary image contained in a plane of an illusion-causing image on a displaying device. The eye-gaze position information of the subject looking at the plane is detected, and the eye-gaze position information of the subject is input into an eye-gaze position information storage portion The eye-gaze positions of the subject can be evaluated using a algorithm for assisting diagnosis of autism.

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Drawings

Claims6

Dependent claims

A method for assisting diagnosis of autism of a subject using an eye-gaze detecting unit, said unit having at least an imaging camera portion,

said method comprising:
displaying on a first display, at a position in front of said subject along a direction of an eye gaze of said subject, (a) a particular illusionary image which is an image causing optic illusion that said image is seemingly moving when the eyes are pulled slightly away and (b) a non-illusionary image causing no optic illusion, the particular illusionary image and the non-illusionary image being arranged in parallel in a plane of an illusion-causing image, in order to avoid intended leading of moving of the eye gaze of said subject or let said subject voluntarily look at images displayed,
detecting, using the imaging camera portion, eye-gaze position information of said subject looking at said plane,
calculating an evaluation value of eye-gaze positions of said subject based on the detected eye-gaze position information, and
displaying the calculated evaluation value on a second display with comparison to an evaluation value of eye-gaze positions of typically developing individuals,
wherein the eye-gaze positions given in said eye-gaze position information are detected in the following areas (i) and (ii) of said plane:
(i) an area in which said illusionary image is displayed, and
(ii) an area other than said area (i), and
wherein the step of calculating the evaluation value comprises calculating, as the evaluation value, a value representing one of the following (a) to (c):
(a) an accumulated total time or average time for each of said areas (i) and (ii) in which the eye-gaze positions are present in each area,
(b) a number of movements of the eye-gaze positions from said area (i) to said area (ii), or
(c) a longest time for each of said areas (i) and (ii) in which the eye-gaze position is continuously preset in each area.

9 more elements

A system for assisting diagnosis of autism, which comprises:

an eye-gaze detecting unit configured to detect, using an imaging camera portion, eye-gaze position information of a subject looking at a plane of an illusion-causing image displayed at a position in front of said subject along a direction of an eye gaze of said subject;
a first display for displaying said plane;
and
a second display;
a non-transitory memory;
and
a processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
display on the first display (a) a particular illusionary image which is an image causing optic illusion that said image is seemingly moving when the eyes are pulled slightly away and (b) a non-illusionary image causing no optic illusion, the particular illusionary image and the non-illusionary image being arranged in parallel in the plane of the illusion-causing image, in order to avoid intended leading of moving of the eye gaze of said subject or let said subject voluntarily look at images displayed,
receive the eye-gaze position information, which is detected by the eye-gaze detecting unit, of said subject when said plane is displayed on the first display,
calculate an evaluation value of eye-gaze positions of said subject based on the received eye-gaze position information, the evaluation value representing one of the following (a) to (c):
(a) an accumulated total time or average time for each of said areas (i) and (ii) in which the eye-gaze positions are present in each area,
(b) a number of movements of the eye-gaze positions from said area (i) to said area (ii), or
(c) a longest time for each of said area (i) and (ii) in which the eye-gaze position is continuously present in each area, and
display the calculated evaluation value on the second display, with comparison to an evaluation value of eye-gaze positions of typically developing individuals,
wherein the eye-gaze positions given in said eye-gaze position information are detected in the following areas (i) and (ii) of said plane:
(i) an area in which said illusionary image is displayed, and
(ii) an area other than said area (i).

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description15,150 words

Summary3,146 words

#The present invention relates to a method, system and device for assisting diagnosis of autism. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method, system and device for assisting diagnosis of autism using an eye-gaze detection technique, each assisting early definite diagnosis of patients of autism. Hereinafter, the term “autism” is used as a generic term including autism related diseases, such as Asperger syndrome and Asperger disorder (pervasive development disorder with abnormality in sociality, interest and communication), and the present invention can be applied also to these autism related diseases.

#Autism is one of development disorders with impairment in sociality (prevalence is supposedly 1%). If incorrect diagnosis or detection of autism of a child may result in serious trouble in daily life and school life of the child and, in the child, lowering of self-esteem and development of psychiatric symptoms (such as anxiety and dysphoria) are predicted.

#However, established effective medication of autism with has not yet been found. Therefore, the only way to achieve improve prognosis of autism is early diagnosis and early (from the age younger than 3 years old) educational intervention based on the diagnosis.

Brief description of the drawings26 figures

#FIG. 1 is a figure schematically showing the construction of the method and system of the present invention for assisting diagnosis of autism.

#FIG. 2 is a figure showing one example of the plane of an illusion-causing image with the left half indicating an illusionary image causing optic illusion and the right half indicating an image causing no optic illusion.

#FIG. 3 is a figure showing another example of the plane of an illusion-causing image.

Detailed description11,555 words

#Hereinbelow, the method, system and the like of the present invention for assisting diagnosis of autism are described in detail.

#The method of the present invention for assisting diagnosis of autism comprises:

#detecting eye-gaze position information of a subject looking at a plane of an illusion-causing image using an eye-gaze detecting unit,

Facts

Application

14/342,760Filed 4 Sep 2012

Priority

JP 2011-1923875 Sep 2011

Published

US 2014/0213930 A131 Jul 2014

Granted

10 Jan 2017

Term ends

17 Mar 2033

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 194 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification7 codes

A61B 5/163
Devices for psychotechnics ; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state: by tracking eye movement, gaze, or pupil change
A61B 5/16
Measuring for diagnostic purposes ; Identification of persons: devices for psychotechnics ; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the…
G06V 40/193
Eye characteristics, e.g. of the iris: preprocessing; Feature extraction
A61B 3/113
Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions: for determining or recording eye…

Timeline

5 Sep 2011Priority claimedJP 2011-192387
4 Sep 2012Application filedUS 14/342,760
4 Apr 2014Assigned to National University Corporation Hamamatsu University School of Medicineassignment of assignor's interest
31 Jul 2014PublishedUS 2014/0213930 A1
10 Jan 2017GrantedUS 9,538,947 B2
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
17 Mar 2033Term endsEstimated, includes 194 days of adjustment

Method, system and device for assisting diagnosis of autism

Life of this patent

Method, system and device for assisting diagnosis of autism

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims6

Description15,150 words

Drawings

Classification7 codes

Life of this patent

Description15,150 words