Patent Application
20230400475
The invention relates to a method for performing health tests and collecting health-related personal data by a computer network and resources connected in the computer network. The invention also relates to an associated mobile health test system.
EP 2 214 872 B1 describes a method for projecting an image onto the surface of an object, comprising the method steps of projecting an image onto the surface of an object, which is a living being, by means of a device for projecting an image, which is in particular integrated in a robot arm of a robot or fastened to the robot arm taking an image of the image projected on the surface of the living being by means of a camera fastened to the robot arm or integrated in the robot arm, wherein the projected image represents virtual input means, and analyzing a further image data set associated with the image taken by the camera for a gesture of a person in order to recognize an actuation of the virtual input means.
The object of the invention is to create a method for performing health tests and for collecting health-related personal data, as well as an associated mobile health test system, with which health tests can be performed as comprehensively as possible, at least to a large extent automatically, with little use of specialist personnel.
According to the invention, the object is solved by a method for performing health tests and for collecting health-related personal data, by means of a computer network and resources connected in this computer network via communication means, comprising
The invention thereby also comprises a concept for highly autonomous collection of infection data in the population by setting up decentralized mobile health test systems, in particular temporarily, where large numbers of individual citizens, i.e. persons, can sequentially each leave a sample, such as a throat swab or a nasal swab, for further analysis. The concept further provides for an Internet-based server system to arrange and organize the sample collection and to manage the procedures of the evaluation. Part of the concept is also the fastest possible provision of the test results for each individual person, but also for politics, public authorities, administration and the public health system, particularly in anonymized form. In this respect, the personal database can also be designed to store the data in anonymized form.
For example, the mobile health test systems may consist of a weatherproof enclosure that can be approached on one side by a car or van. On this side is a closable opening from which a robot can interact with the person or subject.
Inside the system there is the robot, a cleaning system, at least one camera, for example for recording the throat area of the test person, a storage area which can be loaded from the outside through a separate flap if necessary. For example, a refrigerator for the samples taken, which can be opened and closed by a simple mechanism, may also be present.
The inventive system prevents infection of other person and reduces the manpower required to collect the test results. In principle, any medical test methods can be used for the health tests. The specific medical test method to be used in each case depends on the current specific infection event or the type of infecting germs. By performing the test method automatically by means of at least one robot, infection of other persons by an infected person is prevented. The automated test method can also be performed anonymously, i.e. any person who wishes to be tested can do so without having to communicate or contact anyone else about it. The inventive system can be used around the clock, as 24 hours a day, in particular also seven days a week. Medically qualified personnel do not have to be called upon to perform health tests in this manner, which means that these capacities, for example in hospitals, can be maintained or even expanded there.
By collecting personal data, which comprise personal location information and which have been entered via the terminal devices of individuals, in the database of the health database by means of the database management system, the system determines in which regions of a country there is currently a particularly high demand for the performance of health tests. Mobile health test systems can then be made available on site as needed. The mobile health test systems can be dropped off at suitable locations, such as public places, parking lots or similar, for example, by means of trucks.
Each person can independently reserve, or agree upon and be assigned, a specific time at which the person should arrive at a specific mobile health test system. The collected data can be anonymized or personalized. In the case of personalized data, this may comprise, for example, the name, address and contact details, such as telephone number or e-mail address. In the case of anonymized data, the person concerned can arrange a time or an appointment without providing personalized data. The person can be assigned a code by means of a random algorithm. The code can be assigned, for example, in plain text as a combination of letters and/or numbers, or encoded, for example, in the form of a bar code or a QR code.
As a function of a spatial clustering of personal location information of a plurality of individuals who have entered their personal location information via the terminal devices, providing one of the plurality of mobile health test systems is performed in spatial proximity to the personal location information of the plurality of individuals.
The system automatically sends information about an individualized location appointment for the person to the person's individual terminal device. The automatic sending of information about an individualized location appointment for the person in question can take place simply by sending a confirmation to the person who has searched for and selected an individualized location appointment online from a set of available free location appointments.
In due course, configuring the provided mobile health test apparatus to perform the health-related test method on the individual to whom the individualized site visit is assigned occurs during the scheduled time period of the individualized site visit. Of course, the apparatus provided for mobile health test systems to perform the health-related test method on individuals can be configured in advance in time, even before one or more individuals are given individualized site visits. For example, it may be envisaged that mobile health test systems are made available and configured at an early stage at certain “hotspots”, as an accumulation of necessary health tests can be assumed there.
Performing a laboratory diagnostic method to collect individualized test results from the individual health-related test methods may already take place within the mobile health test system, if applicable. Alternatively or complementarily, performing a laboratory diagnostic method to collect individualized test results from the individual health-related test methods can be performed separately to the mobile health test systems, for example, in inpatient laboratories, hospitals, or health centers. This may depend on the type of laboratory diagnostic method required in each individual case of infectious disease. If necessary, rapid tests can thus already be performed within the mobile health test system and the result communicated to the respective tested person immediately on site.
Moreover, the individualized test results are then stored in the form of health-related personal data in the personal database of the health database by means of the database management system. The health-related personal data and the personal database can be anonymized or personalized. For example, there may be a first database that contains only anonymized health-related personal data and there may be a second database that contains only personalized health-related personal data. Personal data is generally understood to be all data that is obtained from an individual person, regardless of whether it is anonymized or personalized. For example, a substantial health-related personal record is the test result of the health test performed. For example, this particular person record can be only one of the two states “positive” or “negative” or “0” or “1”.
The mobile health test system can be designed to be independently mobile by means of a chassis and wheels, for example. Alternatively, the mobile health test system may be transportable by means of a separate vehicle, such as a truck, particularly a semitrailer or trailer of a truck. For example, the mobile health test system may be designed in the form of a transportable container.
A counter area of the mobile health test system may have a window opening that may be closable by means of a flap. In the open state of the flap, an input terminal and an output terminal are accessible to the person. For example, the person can drive up to the mobile health test system in their own vehicle and authorize themselves at the input terminal. Alternatively, the person may arrive at the mobile health test system on foot or, for example, by bicycle. Such authorization can be done, for example, by entering an individual access code on a keyboard of the input terminal. Alternatively, authorization can be performed in a non-contact manner, for example, using a camera to automatically identify the person, for example, by facial recognition or by recognizing an access code held in the camera's field of view, such as an individual bar code or QR code. The individual access code can be obtained by the person, as part of the registration and assignment of an individual site appointment, when the person registers for the individual test appointment, for example, online via their own mobile terminal device. For example, the person can hold an access code shown on the display of their mobile terminal device into the camera so that the access code can be captured automatically. Alternatively, the access code may be available as an email printout, for example, wherein the person can then hold the printout up to the camera.
For example, the output terminal may comprise a screen and/or a speaker to provide information and/or instructions to the person.
The test system controller may be designed and configured to automatically perform a personal authorization of the individual at the health test system based on data from the health database before the individual health-related test method is performed on that individual at the health test system. The individual health-related test method described below includes taking a nasal swab or throat swab from the person's oral cavity. However, the health-related test method according to the invention may also comprise additional tests, such as also a fever measurement, blood pressure measurement, pulse measurement, breath sound measurement, blood glucose measurement, and/or similar. To this end, the test facility may comprise, for example, a lockable or releasable chamber into which both the robotic arm has access and the person can insert a body part, such as a head, hand, or arm, so that the robotic arm can test the particular body part inserted into the chamber.
For example, the robot can be automatically controlled by the test system controller in such a manner that the robot first automatically removes a single-sample container from a container store and automatically inserts it into a holder. Subsequently, the robot can be automatically controlled by the test system controller in such a manner that the robot automatically removes a new, sterile sample carrier from a sample carrier storage and, while continuously monitoring, for example, the oral cavity of the person by means of the camera, automatically inserts the sample carrier into the oral cavity of the person, for example, by means of a force/torque-controlled robot, in order to remove the sample from the oral mucosa and/or the pharynx of the person. The robot can also be controlled to automatically insert the sample carrier into the person's nose, for example by means of a force/torque controlled robot, while continuously monitoring, for example, the person's nasal passages by means of the camera, to collect the sample from the person's nasal mucosa.
Alternatively, it can also be provided that the robot merely hands the sample carrier to the person automatically, such that the person independently takes a sample from their nose, from their oral mucosa and/or from their throat by means of their own hand, for example in accordance with instructions displayed visually and/or explained acoustically via the output terminal as to the manner in which the sample collection must be performed if the sample collection is performed manually. For example, the person can choose at the input terminal whether they agree to automated sample collection by means of the robot, or whether they would prefer to perform the sample collection manually themselves. When booking an appointment, the person can, if necessary, determine in advance whether they agree to automated sample collection by means of the robot, or whether they would prefer to perform the sample collection manually themselves. To do this, the person can be shown instructions on how each sample collection would be performed while booking the appointment, making the decision easier for the person.
In both cases, the sample carrier is subsequently inserted automatically by the robot into the individual sample container together with the removed sample, and the individual sample container is sterilely sealed. The robot then automatically removes the sealed individual sample container with the sample carrier and sample contained therein from the holder and stores it in a sample collector. For example, the sample collector may be automatically height-adjustably stored within the mobile health test system such that the sample collector can be automatically moved from its storage position to a pick-up position where the robot can automatically store the sealed single sample container with the sample carrier and sample contained therein in the sample collector.
The sample collector can be picked up from the mobile health test system by means of a transport unit, such as a vehicle, and brought, for example, in batches to the stationary laboratory, where a laboratory diagnostic method can be performed on the samples, also in an automated manner.
After an individual health test has been performed on the person, the robot can be disinfected by means of a disinfection device. For this purpose, the disinfection device can have a supply of disinfectant which can be automatically applied to the robot by means of spraying apparatus. The disinfection device can, for example, be automatically height-adjustably stored within the mobile health test system in such a manner that the disinfection device can be automatically moved from its storage position to a treatment position where the robot can be sprayed with disinfectant, particularly completely, but at least the relevant components.
The database management system may be configured to automatically notify the individual person of their individualized test results via one of the second means of communication and/or automatically send anonymized data from multiple test results from multiple persons to a statistical database connected to the database management system via third means of communication.
The individualized test results can be communicated to the respective person, for example, by e-mail, via an app of a smartphone, a smartwatch or also in writing by mail to a specified address, in particular sent automatically.
For example, the statistics database may only have reduced data sets that can no longer be individually assigned to specific persons. However, these may contain generalized information, such as data on the location of positively tested individuals or the ratio of positively tested individuals to negatively tested individuals. The statistical database may be configured to be accessible to policymakers, public officials, administrators, and the public health system.
The at least one automatically controlled robot may be controlled by the test facility controller such that the robot automatically performs the health-related test method.
The health-related test method may comprise a swab from a person's throat or oral cavity or a swab from the person's nose by means of a sterile sample carrier, wherein, in a particular embodiment, the sterile ample carrier is automatically guided by the robot of the mobile health test system under the control of the test system controller in a force/torque-controlled operation of the robot. In this context, the test system control can also be supported by AI-assisted image processing in order to identify the locations to be approached, where the sample collection by means of the sterile sample carrier should best take place, in the individual person.
In the health-related test method, a person's throat or oral cavity can be optically captured by a camera, for example. From the optically captured images or video sequences, those areas within the person's pharynx or oral cavity can be identified, particularly in real time, which are to be scanned by the head of the sample carrier. The robot can be assisted in its movements by artificial intelligence systems. If necessary, these can analyze the noses, nasal cavities, pharynxes, and oral cavities of a wide variety of individuals and determine the appropriate locations to palpate the sample carrier's head. If necessary, the robot can be controlled in a compliant manner in order to prevent any injuries.
The test system controller may be designed and configured to temporarily store a plurality of samples of tested individuals obtained during performed health-related test methods, individually assigned, in a sample magazine of the mobile health test system, for batch collection of the plurality of samples from the mobile health test system for transport of the plurality of samples to a stationary laboratory that performs a laboratory diagnostic method on each of the plurality of samples.
The test system controller may be designed and configured to automatically perform a health test and/or laboratory diagnostic method in the health test system by means of the robot.
The test system controller may be designed and configured to automatically perform a personal authorization of the individual at the health test system based on data from the health database before the individual health-related test method is performed on that individual at the health test system.
The object is also solved by a mobile health test system, comprising a counter area which is configured such that persons can contact apparatuses of the mobile health test system, wherein the apparatuses comprise at least one input terminal and at least one output terminal, further comprising at least one automatically controllable robot which is designed and configured to automatically perform at least a substep of a health-related test method on a person and a test system controller comprising a transmitting and receiving apparatus designed to connect the test system controller to a computer network via a first communication means in such a manner that, in a connected state, personal data can be retrieved from a personal database of the health database via the computer network to which a health database is connected and can be written to the personal database, wherein the test system controller is designed and configured to perform a health-related test method, taking into account the personal data, on a person located in the counter area of the mobile health test system, using the at least one substep automatically performed by the at least one robot during the performance of the health-related test method.
The mobile health test system may have a disinfection device designed and configured to disinfect the at least one robot of the mobile health test system.
The mobile health test system may have an audio and/or video communication interface designed and configured to enable communication between a person located in the counter area of the mobile health test system and a service person located remotely from the mobile health test system.
If a person is very unsure of how to use the mobile health test system, the person may request assistance from a human by means of a “help” input means. Support is preferably provided online, i.e. on a virtual, or telecommunicative basis. Thus, the supporting person is not available on site, but communicates with the requesting person remotely. In the case of medically relevant problems or questions, the service person may be, for example, a physician or a physician's assistant. Alternatively, in the event of technical problems or questions, for example, the service person may be a technician who is familiar with the operation of the mobile health test system.
Specific embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following descriptions with reference to the accompanying figures. Specific features of these embodiments, possibly considered individually or in further combinations, can represent general features of the invention, regardless of the specific context in which they are mentioned.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
In accordance with
In the case of the present embodiment, the resources 3 comprise a health database 3.1 with a database management system 3.2 and at least one personal database 3.3. The resources 3 further comprise a plurality of mobile health test systems 3.4 each comprising at least one automatically controllable robot 4 designed and configured to perform a health-related test method, and a test system controller 5 connected to the computer network 1 via a respective first communication means 2.1. The resources 3 also comprise a plurality of terminal devices 6, each of which is connected to the computer network 1 via second communication means 2.2. The terminal devices 6 can be any number and types of devices from the group of stationary computers 6.1, mobile computers 6.2, such as notebooks or ultrabooks, tablet computers 6.3, smartphones 6.4, and smartwatches 6.5.
As illustrated in
In a first step S1, a collection of personal data comprising personal location information entered via the terminal devices 6 of persons 7 is performed in the database 3.3 of the health database 3.1 by means of the database management system 3.2.
In a second step S2, one of the plurality of mobile health test systems 3.4 is provided in spatial proximity to the personal location information, in response to a spatial clustering of personal location information of a plurality of individuals 7 who have entered their personal location information via the terminal devices 6.
In a third step S3, information about an individualized location appointment for the person 7 in question is automatically sent to the individual terminal device 6 of the person 7.
In a fourth step S4, the provided mobile health test apparatuses 3.4 are configured to perform the health-related test method on the person 7 to whom the individualized site visit is assigned, in the scheduled time period of the individualized site visit.
In a fifth step S5, a laboratory diagnostic method is performed to collect individualized test results from the individual health-related test methods.
In a sixth step S6, the individualized test results are stored in the form of health-related personal data in the personal database 3.3 of the health database 3.1 by means of the database management system 3.2.
The database management system 3.2 may be configured to automatically notify the individual person 7 of their individualized test results via one of the second communication means 2.2 and/or to automatically send anonymized data from multiple test results of multiple persons 7 to a statistical database 3.4 connected to the database management system 3.2 via third communication means 2.3.
The second communication means 2.2 can be fixed network Internet connections or wireless communication connections, for example in a mobile network.
As illustrated in the schematic diagrams of
The exemplary mobile health test system 3.4 in accordance with
The mobile health test system 3.4 further comprises the test system controller 5, which comprises a transmitting and receiving device 11 designed to connect the test system controller 5 to the computer network 1 via the first communication means 2.1 in such a manner that, in a connected state, personal data can be retrieved from a personal database 3.3 of the health database 3.2 via the computer network 1 to which the health database 3.2 is connected and written to the personal database 3.3.
The test system controller 5 is designed and configured to perform a health-related test method taking into account personal data on a person 7 located in the counter area 8 of the mobile health test system 3.4, using the at least one sub-step automatically performed by the at least one robot 4 during the performance of the health-related test method.
The health-related test method may comprise, for example, a swab from the pharynx or oral cavity of a person 7 by means of a sterile sample carrier 12, wherein the sterile sample carrier 12 is automatically guided by the robot 4 of the mobile health test system 3.4, as illustrated, for example, in
In the case of the present embodiment, the test system controller 5 is designed and configured to individually allocate a plurality of samples 12a of the tested persons 7 obtained during performed health-related test methods, for example via individual sample containers 13 having information about the respective tested person 7, in a sample magazine 14 of the mobile health test system 3.4, for batchwise collection of the plurality of samples 12a from the mobile health test system 3.4 for transportation of the plurality of samples 12a to a stationary laboratory 15 (
In the case of the present embodiment, the test system controller 5 is designed and configured to automatically perform a health test in the health test system 3.4 by means of the robot 4. For example, such health tests can be performed as described below.
The mobile health test system 3.4 can be designed to be independently mobile, for example, by means of a chassis and wheels 16. Alternatively, the mobile health test system 3.4 can be transportable by means of a separate vehicle, such as a truck, particularly a trailer or semitrailer of a truck. For example, the mobile health test system 3.4 can be designed in the form of a transportable container.
The counter area 8 of the mobile health test system 3.4 may have a window opening, which may be closable by means of a flap 17. In the open state of the flap 17, the input terminal 9 and the output terminal 10 are accessible to the person 7. For example, the person 7 may drive up to the mobile health test system 3.4 in their own vehicle 18 and authorize themselves at the input terminal 9. Such authorization can be performed, for example, by entering an individual access code at a keyboard of the input terminal 9. Alternatively, authorization can be performed in a non-contact manner, for example, using a camera 19 to automatically identify the person 7, for example, by facial recognition or by recognizing an access code held in the camera's 19 field of view, such as an individual bar code or QR code. The individual access code can be obtained by the person, as part of the registration and assignment of an individual site appointment, when the person 7 registers for the individual test appointment, for example, online via their own mobile terminal device 6.2 to 6.5. For example, the person 7 can hold an access code shown on the display of their mobile terminal device 6.2 to 6.5 into the camera 19 so that the access code can be captured automatically. Alternatively, the access code may be available as an email printout, for example, wherein the person 7 can then hold the printout up to the camera 19.
For example, the output terminal 10 may comprise a screen and/or a speaker to provide information and/or instructions to the person 7.
The test system controller 5 may thus be designed and configured to automatically perform a personal authorization of the person 7 at the health test system 3.4 based on data from the database 3.3 of the health database 3.1, before the individual health-related test method is performed on this person 7 at the health test system 3.4. In the following, the taking of a throat swab from the oral cavity 20 of the person 7 is described as an individual health-related test method.
As illustrated in
In both cases, the sample carrier 12 together with the removed sample 12a is subsequently automatically inserted into the individual sample container 13 by the robot 4 and the individual sample container 13 is closed in a sterile manner, as indicated in
After an individual health test has been performed on the person 7, the robot 4 can be disinfected by means of a disinfection device 27. For this purpose, the disinfection device 27 can have a supply 28 of disinfectant, which can be automatically applied to the robot 4 by means of spraying apparatuses 29. The disinfection device 27 can, for example, be automatically height-adjustably mounted within the mobile health test system 3.4 in such a manner that the disinfection device 27 can be automatically moved from its storage position (
Accordingly, the mobile health test system 3.4 may have a disinfection device 27 designed and configured to disinfect the at least one robot 4 of the mobile health test system 3.4.
The output terminal 10 of the mobile health test system 3.4 may form, for example, through its screen and/or speaker, an audio and/or video communication interface 30 (
As illustrated in
While the present invention has been illustrated by a description of various embodiments, and while these embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such de-tail. The various features shown and described herein may be used alone or in any combination. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and method, and illustrative example shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit and scope of the general inventive concept.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2020 213 038.8 | Oct 2020 | DE | national |
This application is a national phase application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Patent Application No. PCT/EP2021/078470, filed Oct. 14, 2021 (pending), which claims the benefit of priority to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2020 213 038.8, filed Oct. 15, 2020, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2021/078470 | 10/14/2021 | WO |
