A METHOD AND ARRANGEMENT TO HELP A MOTHER WITH HER BABY TO FIND OPTIMAL LIFE AND CARE RHYTHM

Abstract

An intelligent baby caring method and arrangement helps to recognize and maintain emotional interaction between mother and her baby and to improve the baby's life rhythm and calm and soothe him/her automatically when needed and help him/her to fall asleep and to wake up at the most convenient time and way. The aim is to help the mother with her baby to find optimal life and care rhythm. The invention is focused on a platform (101) with many sensors, sensor sheet (120), a transducer to produce acoustic and mechanical vibrations (14) and an airflow blower (132). Sensors are also fixed to the mother (10) and in the care room (198). A sleep/activity graph of the baby and sleep/emotion graph of the mother are measured and tracked with multimodal sensors and an artificial intelligence unit (200) processes audio, motion and airflow actions given to the baby from the platform to help the baby to move from an improper to optimal sleep/activity level.

Claims

1. A baby care arrangement for helping a mother or another caregiver with her/his baby to find an optimal life, sleep and care rhythm, the arrangement comprising: one or more baby sensors comprising at least one of a motion sensor and a microphone, positioned and programmed to continuously measure data from the baby; one or more mother sensors comprising at least one of a motion sensor and a microphone, positioned and programmed to continuously measure data from the mother; two or more actuator comprising an electromechanical transducer and an airflow blower, positioned to give audio, motion and airflow actions to the baby; and an artificial intelligence unit, which has been coded to receive data from the one or more baby sensors and the one or more mother sensors, analyze and process the data received from the one or more baby sensors with algorithms saved in a baby behaviour database and a control unit in real-time to produce and save the baby's sleep/activity status graph, analyze and process the data received from the one or more mother sensors with saved algorithms in real-time to produce and save the mother's sleep/emotion status graph, and select from an audio/motion/airflow database a data file comprising an optimal combination of the audio, motion and airflow actions to control the two or more actuators to calm and soothe the baby, which selection is based on the history of previous selections saved in the baby behavior database and comprising an analysis how the different kind of selections changed the status of the baby and the mother in the two graphs during the similar statuses of the baby and the mother respectively.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the one or more baby sensors are any combination of sensors fixed on a platform under a mattress of a baby nest, comprising movement sensors, microphones, and temperature, humidity and chemical sensors, which are used to measure and track any combination of the baby's presence, motions, voice, heart rate, breathing rate, sounds from lung and respiratory track, temperature changes, baby's crying, joggling, talking, breathing, urinating, excreting, farting, burping and silence; sensors fixed on a sensor sheet under the baby laying on the baby care device, comprising ECG, EEG, EMG, SDA, temperature, humidity, infrared, NIRS, oxygen saturation, chemical and movement sensors and microphones, which are used to measure and track any combination of ECG, EEG, EMG, SDA, oxygen saturation, skin conductivity, skin temperature, humidity, urinating, excreting, farting, silence, and the one or more mother sensors are any combination of sensors, comprising heart sensors, microphones, movement sensors and bioelectric sensors, which are used to measure and track any combination of the following: the mother's or the other caregiver's body and arms movements, body temperature comprising fever and daily variations of the body temperature, heart activities comprising pulse and ECG, lung activities comprising breathing rate and airflow curve, pauses, blood circulation comprising oxygen saturation, flow volume, blocks, body temperature distribution, brain activities comprising EEG, oxygen saturation, muscle activities comprising EMG, skin activities comprising conductance, sweating, gastro/metabolic activities, speaking, humming, singing, breathing, sighing, environmental sounds coming from the home life, other children, kitchen machinery and outdoor traffic; wherein the minimum combination of the sensors are one movement sensor and one microphone on the platform and one movement sensor and one microphone on the mother or the other caregiver.

3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the sensor data for the artificial intelligence unit is also collected using room sensors, which are positioned and programmed to continuously measure environmental conditions in the baby caring room or place, and comprising any combination of microphones and sensors for light, temperature, humidity and other smart home parameters, which are used to measure and track any combination of the following: presence of anybody in the room, temperature, light, humidity, air pollution, distinct sound, noise and radiation.

4. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the artificial intelligence unit has been configured and coded to find interactivity and dependability between the two graphs presently and in their histories and define the best way to treat the baby according to the historic experiments of baby behaviour changes according to previously used combinations of audio, motion and airflow actions; to control the audio, motion and airflow actions in the selected optimal way, trying to help the baby to find an optimal sleep/activity level, which naturally belongs to the existing instance and existing conditions, comprising the phase of the baby's awake and sleep rhythm, the mother's or the other caregiver's emotional status and its few hour history, and in an advanced case also the environmental conditions in the care room, and their few hour history; and to store the data of used audio, motion and airflow actions combined with the data of the two graphs and environmental data and their few hour history into the baby behavior database so that all collected baby behavior data from a short term comprising minutes and even hours and a long term comprising days, months and even years tracking history are available, when the artificial intelligence system makes decisions for the next actions.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the audio, motion and airflow actions for a certain emotional status of the mother or the other caregiver are determined and realized by recording, in at least two emotional statuses comprising joyful and peaceful of the mother or the other caregiver, her/his intrauterine acoustical and physical vibrations and motions comprising vibrations originating from heart activities and blood flow, lung activities and air flow, intestine fluctuations and vocal cord activities; and formulating the audio, motion and airflow action files to produce similar sounds and movements from the platform surface, so that it simulates artificially the acoustical and physical environment of the baby when being in the uterine or the lap, and to produce such an airflow from an airflow pipe, that it simulates artificially breathing of the mother or the other caregiver when having the baby in her/his lap; and storing the formulated audio, motion and airflow action files with labelling data of the respective emotional status of the mother or the other caregiver into the audio/motion/airflow database.

6. The arrangement of claim 5, wherein the audio, motion and airflow actions are synchronized on the mother's or the other caregiver's real-time heart rate and breathing rate, which control pulsations of heart and breathing originated sounds and vibrations respectively.

7. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the audio, motion and airflow action files are determined and realized artificially from recordings of the mother or the other caregiver speaking, lulling, humming or singing in at least two different emotional statuses comprising joyful and peaceful and during different baby caring actions, such as bottle feeding, breast feeding, medication giving, dressing, undressing, nappy changing, caressing by touching, playing with the baby or other daily baby caring events, and by storing the audio, motion and airflow action files with the labelling data of the simultaneous emotional statuses of the mother or the other caregiver, and baby caring events.

8. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the baby's daily sleeping and eating rhythms are stored together with the labelling data of the used manual baby caring actions and used audio, motion and airflow actions in the baby behavior database to be used by the artificial intelligence unit in decision making of the actions to be used in the respective or similar phases of the baby's sleeping and eating rhythms.

9. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the baby's sleep/activity status is communicated back to the mother or the other caregiver also when far from the baby and/or execution of the care actions by the audio, motion and airflow files is done from far distance by using a mobile phone or a smart watch application.

10. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the arrangement comprises means to recognize and stop Sudden Infant Death Syndrome seizure by tracking breathing of the baby with a Sudden Infant Death Syndrome detection algorithm, which first detects pause in breathing for longer than a preset time period from 30 to 120 seconds and then starts a special audio, motion and airflow action with a preset loud, noisy sound and strong shaking contents and, if the baby does not start breathing again within next 30-60 seconds, it sends a preset Sudden Infant Death Syndrome alarm to the mother and/or the other caregiver.

11. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the arrangement comprises means to track the baby's temperature with the temperature sensors on the platform and/or sensor sheet; means to heat and cool the platform; and means to add heating and cooling actions to the audio, motion and airflow action files.

12. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the arrangement comprises means to enhance the effect of the audio, motion and airflow actions by simultaneous swing and/or tighten the baby nest around the baby to simulate the feeling of being in the arms of his/her mother or the other caregiver.

13. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the arrangement comprises means to recognize when the baby is sleeping too long due to becoming sick or having travelled and been awaken for a long period, even several hours, or for any other reason, which has confused the baby's sleeping rhythm; and means to wake the baby up, when sleeping too long, for feeding, nap-changing or playing with by the most convenient way by switching on a familiar song or recorded speaking or humming of the mother or the other caregiver from an electromechanical transducer.

14. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the vibrating platform comprises two parallel plates, which are formed by an upper plate and a lower plate, and the upper plate of the platform is made of a rigid material, which carries the vibrations on the surface to radiate to the baby smoothly from a relatively wide area.

15. The arrangement of claim 14, wherein the size of the platform is substantially the same as the size of the mattress for a baby and the thickness is 10-30 mm, while the thickness of the plates is less than 5 mm, and the material of the upper plate is plywood with density of 600-700 kg/m.sup.3 with thickness of 3-5 mm and the modulus of bending elasticity along the fibers of the surface layers is between 12 and 17 kN/mm.sup.2.

16. A baby care method for helping a mother or another caregiver with her/his baby to find optimal life, sleep and care rhythm, the method comprising: multi-modally measuring and tracking the baby's presence, motions, voice, heart rate, breathing rate, sounds from lung and respiratory track, and temperature changes, and baby's crying, joggling, talking, breathing, urinating, excreting, farting, burping and/or silence; and the baby's ECG, EEG, EMG, SDA, skin conductivity, skin temperature, humidity, and/or brain activity; and the mother's or the other caregiver's body and arms movements, body temperature, heart activities, lung activities, blood circulation, brain activities, muscle activities, skin activities and/or gastro/metabolic activities; and the mother's or the other caregiver's speaking, humming, singing, breathing, sighing, and/or environmental sounds coming from the home life, other children, kitchen machinery and/or outdoor traffic; and conditions in a care room comprising at least one of a presence of anybody in the room, temperature, light, humidity, air pollution, distinct sound, noise and radiation; or measuring and tracking any combination of the above listed measures, comprising at least baby's movements and voices and mother's or the other caregiver's movements and voices; wherein two graphs are processed from the measured and tracked signals, a sleep/activity status graph of the baby and a sleep/emotion status graph of the mother or the other caregiver, in an artificial intelligence system to find interactivity and dependability between the two graphs now and in their histories and to define the optimal way to treat the baby according to the historic experiments of baby behaviour changes according to used different audio, motion and airflow actions; to control audio, motion and airflow actions in the defined optimal way, trying to help the baby to find an optimal sleep or activity level, which naturally belongs to the existing instance and existing conditions, comprising the phase of the baby's awake or sleep rhythm, the mother's or the other caregiver's emotional status and their few hour histories, the environmental conditions in the care room, and their few hour history; and to store the data of used audio, motion and airflow actions combined with the data of the two graphs and environmental data and their few hour history into a baby behavior database so that all collected baby behavior data from a short term comprising minutes and even hours and a long term comprising days, months and even years tracking history are available, when the artificial intelligence system makes decisions for next actions.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein also a spouse is provided with similar sensors as the mother and his sleep or emotion graph is also tracked and utilized in optimizing baby care by alarming the spouse to care the baby, when the baby wakes up too early and it is not yet time to breast-feed the baby and the trials to change the audio or motion or airflow actions does not help to get the baby back in sleep; or when the sleep/emotion status graphs of the parents show that the spouse is sleeping lighter and has been sleeping longer than the mother; or when any other intelligent comparison shows that it is optimal for the whole family to alarm the spouse instead of the mother.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the manual baby care actions are automatically detected and tracked by the sensors so that room sensors track presence of the mother in the care room, platform acceleration sensors sense laying down of the baby on the platform, platform microphones sense sounds coming from the baby sucking a feeding bottle, mother acceleration sensors sense breast-feeding of the baby and mother microphones and arm movement sensors hear and distinct the burping action of the baby.

19. A computer program product comprising computer program code means adapted to perform the following program code steps when said program is executed on one or more processors of a data processing device for improving emotional interaction between a mother or another caregiver and a baby and the baby's life and sleep rhythm, the computer program product comprising: code means for recording and aggregating sensor data from sensors on the platform and sensors on the sensor sheet, and processing a sleep/activity status graph in a baby signal conditioning and data aggregation artificial intelligence system; and code means for recording and aggregating sensor data from sensors on the mother or the other caregiver and processing a sleep/emotion status graph in a mother signal conditioning and data aggregation artificial intelligence system; and code means for recording and aggregating sensor data from sensors in a care room; and processing the environmental status data in a smart home environmental signal conditioning and data aggregation artificial intelligence system; and code means for generating audio, motion and airflow action files by inputting recorded sensor data, using given artificial intelligence algorithms and storing the files in an audio/motion/airflow database; and code means for recording the baby behaviour files comprising the life and sleep rhythm data with specification data of the used manual and automatic care actions, and storing the files in a baby behaviour database; and code means for generating alarms and reports to a mobile alarm unit; and code means for realizing a gateway between a baby care arrangement and a smart home system; and code means for realizing a gateway between the baby care arrangement and any social media, wherein for optimization of the effect of the audio, motion and airflow actions, the computer program product further comprises: code means in the artificial intelligence unit for analysing the two graphs, their first and second time derivatives, found rhythms and similarities, and correlations between the two graphs, correlations between first and second derivatives of the two graphs, and tracked data from environmental room sensors and events in them, which are used as features in data mining for finding the best audio, motion, and airflow actions to help the baby to move from one sleep or activity level to another or to calm down to fall asleep; and code means for realizing the automatic tracking process to read the sleep/activity level data and analyse whether it has changed to a right way and to execute a decision making task to change the audio/motion/airflow data file to a better working one from the audio/motion/airflow database; and code means for alarming the mother or the other caregiver when the baby's sleep/activity status is in a panic level; and code means for following up whether the baby continues sleeping or is waking up; and code means, when the baby wakes up, for checking whether it is the right time to wake up, and if not, to return back to try to get the baby fall asleep again; or code means for softly waking the baby up when sleeping too long.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein, for optimization of selection and adjusting the audio, motion and airflow actions, the computer program product further comprises: code means for exchanging the audio/motion/airflow data files with other users in one or more social media communities; and code means for utilizing experiments of other users to find the best choice of the audio/motion/airflow action files and their further adjustments according to the sensor data from the sensors on the platform or the sensors on the sensor sheet.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] FIG. 1 shows interactions between a mother and a baby during pregnancy.

[0057] FIG. 2 shows interactions between a mother and a baby after birth by using an embodiment of the present invention. Also an Artificial Intelligence unit and part of the sensors are seen in FIG. 2.

[0058] FIG. 3 shows a cross section side view of a baby caring device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] FIG. 4 shows a cross section top view between the hard platform and soft mattress of a baby caring device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0060] FIG. 5 shows a cross section top view on the sensor sheet level of a baby caring device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] FIG. 6 shows an example of the daily rhythm of the baby explained by means of sleep/activity level graph in function of time.

[0062] FIG. 7 shows an example of changes in emotional status of the mother explained by means of sleep/emotion status graph in function of time.

[0063] FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of the electronic and information technique system of the present invention.

[0064] FIG. 9 shows an example of how measured baby's sleep/activity graph and mother's sleep/emotion graph are used to produce audio/motion/airflow actions in function of time during baby caring activities.

[0065] FIG. 10 shows a flowchart of a simplified example of the baby caring processes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0066] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will become obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. The description and representation herein are the common means used by those experienced or skilled in the art to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, and systems have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the present invention.

[0067] In FIG. 1 a mother 10 and her fetus 20 in the uterus are depicted. When the fetus 20 is in the uterus different kinds of interactions 13 between the mother 10 and fetus 20 are intimate and real-time. The fetus hears and senses mothers' heart and respiratory fluctuations in the uterus. Also the mother senses fetus movements. Biochemical and hormonal changes affects also in both directions. Therefore, physical, emotional and even psycho-somatic interactions could be said to be present when the fetus 20 is in the uterus of the mother 10.

[0068] FIG. 2 describes interactions between the mother 10 and her baby 21 after birth by using the baby caring device 100 according to the present invention. The mother's heart and respiratory sounds and motions are recorded by a heart sensor 16, microphones 17, body motion sensors 18 and other bioelectronics sensors 19 attached on her body, processed in the Artificial Intelligence unit 200 (AI unit) of the present invention. The sensors and microphones on upper plate 102 of the platform 101 and the sensor sheet 120 of the baby caring device 100 are used to measure the sleep/activity data of the baby. The baby data is further processed in the AI unit 200 to indicate status of the baby, which is further combined to the data from Mother's sensors and used to optimally adjust the audio/motion/airflow actions 14 and 15 to be emitted from the upper plate 102 and the airflow pipe 132 of the platform 101 to match soothing and calming of the baby in the best way and give the baby better emotional feelings.

[0069] More accurately, the mother sensors can be any combination of sensors, including heart sensors (16), microphones (17), movement sensors (18) and bioelectric sensors (19), which are used to measure and track any combination of the following: mother's or other caregiver's body and arms movements, body temperature comprising fever and daily variations of the body temperature, heart activities comprising pulse and ECG, lung activities comprising breathing rate and airflow curve, pauses, blood circulation comprising oxygen saturation, flow volume, blocks, body temperature distribution, brain activities comprising EEG, oxygen saturation, muscle activities comprising EMG, skin activities comprising conductance, sweating, gastro/metabolic activities, speaking, humming, singing, breathing, sighing, environmental sounds coming from the home life, other children, kitchen machinery and outdoor traffic.

[0070] In addition, in FIG. 2, there are a Room sensor unit 198 for measuring environmental conditions in the baby caring room or place including microphones 191 and sensors for light 192, temperature 193, humidity 194, etc. smart home variables, which are used to measure and track any combination of the following: presence of anybody in the room, temperature, light, humidity, air pollution, distinct sound, noise and radiation. In another embodiment of the present invention the room sensors 198 are integrated to the platform 101. This version is useful in houses where smart home technology is not available.

[0071] FIG. 3 shows a cross section side view of the baby caring device 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The baby 21 lays on the device 100, which comprises a mattress 104 with a baby nest, a platform 101, an upper plate 102, at least one electromechanical transducer 103 that is attached to the lower surface of the upper plate 102, a lower plate, a frame 105 attached between the upper plate and the lower plate, a power supply 106, an audio/motion player circuitry 107, AI unit 200 and the control unit 108. The ventilation blower 131 is inside the platform, including the cyclic blower and air heater, humidifier and odoring means. A flexible pipe 132 brings the cyclic airflow on the baby's faces.

[0072] The upper plate, lower plate and frame construct a substantially rigid and flat platform 101. The electromechanical transducer 103 is attached advantageously substantially on the center of the upper plate 102. In addition, on the upper plate 102 of the platform 101 there are one or more movement sensors 109 and microphones 111. The control unit 108 advantageously comes outside of the platform to bring user interface buttons easily handled. The control means 108 are advantageously connected either with wires or wirelessly to the audio/motion player circuitry 107 and other units inside the platform. The control unit 108 with user interface buttons can also be integrated into the platform frame 105. The mattress 104 is advantageously integrated within a comfortable baby nest with soft boundaries. The sensor sheet 120 is on the mattress 104 right under the baby.

[0073] FIG. 4 shows a cross section top view of the baby caring device 100 shown in FIG. 3.

[0074] The motion sensors 109 are attached to upper plate 102 to indicate and measure movements of the baby 21. Heart and breathing rates of the baby 21 are advantageously picked up from those signals. Also other sensors 112 for measuring temperature, humidity etc. may advantageously be part of the device 100. Some sensors are advantageously fixed on the upper surface of the upper plate 102 of the platform 101 to get closer contact to the baby.

[0075] The microphones 111 listening to the babbling, crying, joggling, talking, breathing, urinating, excreting, farting, burping and silence or other voices of the baby 21 are also advantageously attached to the upper plate 102 near the head of the baby 21.

[0076] The ventilation blower 131 with the flexible pipe 132 can also be seen right in FIG. 4.

[0077] In a simple but advantageous operating mode the baby 21 is laid on the mattress 104 and an appropriate audio/motion file with the desired volume is selected by using the user interface buttons of the control unit 108. After that the audio/motion player 107 is switched on to play the audio/motion file. Electronic signals based on the audio/motion file is amplified by the amplifier and fed to the electromechanical transducer 103, which stimulates bending waves on the upper plate 102 and further generates audible sounds and mechanical vibrational impulses to calm and soothe the baby. After the baby has fallen asleep, the audio/motion player 107 is advantageously switched off.

[0078] FIG. 5 shows a cross section top view on the sensor sheet 120 level of a baby caring device 100 according to the present invention. The sensor sheet 120 may advantageously comprise of a set of special sensors, which advantageously measure bio-signals such as ECG 121, EMG 122, EEG 123, SDA (skin dermal activity) 124, oxygen saturation, skin conductivity, skin temperature 125, humidity, moisture, urinating etc.

[0079] The sensor sheet 120 is put on the mattress 104 and the baby is laid without clothing or with minimum clothing on the sensor sheet to get skin conduction to the sensors. The sensors are connected to the audio/motion circuitry with wires or wirelessly. In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention a wireless communication module 127 is placed on a corner of the sheet, which can also be the place where the wires, if needed, are connected to. The wireless communication module 127 has the counterpart module in the platform 101 advantageously close to AI unit 200.

[0080] In another embodiment of the present invention the movement sensors 109 or microphones 111 or both are placed on the sensor sheet 120 to get better signals, when the acoustic and physical signals do not need to go through the mattress 104.

[0081] Concluding the baby sensors, the baby sensors fixed on the platform can be any combination of movement sensors (109), microphones (111), and temperature, humidity and chemical sensors (112), which are used to measure and track any combination of the baby's presence, motions, voice, heart rate, breathing rate, sounds from lung and respiratory track, temperature changes, baby's crying, joggling, talking, breathing, urinating, excreting, farting, burping and silence. The baby sensors on the sensor sheet (120) under the baby laying on the baby care device (100), can be any combination of sensors of ECG (121), EEG (123), EMG (122), SDA (124), temperature (125), humidity (126), infrared, NIRS, Oxygen saturation, chemical and movement sensors and microphones, which are used to measure and track any combination of ECG, EEG, EMG, SDA, oxygen saturation, skin conductivity, skin temperature, humidity, urinating, excreting, farting, silence.

[0082] FIG. 6 shows an example of the baby's sleep/activity graph in function of time 150 with five known sleep levels 151 and four activity levels 152. Its x-axis 153 indicates the border between awake and sleep statuses. The upper from the x-axis the more active the baby is and the lower from the x-axis the deeper in sleep the baby is. It is also possible to use to another order of the activity or sleep levels. The curve 154 tells the baby status in function of time. It reveals also a sleep/awake rhythm of the baby.

[0083] FIG. 7 shows an example of the mother's sleep/emotion status graph in function of time 160 with five known sleep levels 161 and four emotional statuses 162. The emotional statuses (called further also emotional levels) are, as described earlier, Peaceful, Joyful, Frustrated and Angry. There can be more emotional statuses, which can be arranged so that the upper from the x-axis 163 the status is the more negative and more aggressive the mother's emotional status is. The sleep levels are arranged similar to baby's sleep levels so that the lower from the x-axis the deeper in sleep the mother is. Also here it is possible to use another order of the emotion statuses or sleep levels. The curve 164 tells the mother's sleep/emotion status in function of time.

[0084] The baby's sleep/activity levels and the mother's sleep/emotion status can be selected in many different ways. The choices in FIGS. 6 and 7 are only examples of many different alternatives. The present invention comprehends on the method and system how this kind of measures can be utilized to optimize baby-mother emotional interaction after birth.

[0085] FIG. 8 shows a more detailed block diagram of the electronic and information technique system of the present invention.

[0086] From left the sensors are seen in four blocks: The movement sensors 109 (acceleration and gyro sensors), microphones 111 and other sensors 112 (for example temperature or humidity sensors) on the upper plate 102 of the platform 101; the ECG 121, EEG 123, EMG 122, SDA 124, temperature 125, humidity 126, and other sensors on the sensor sheet 120; the heart sensors 16 (heartrate, ECG and/or heart sound sensors), microphones 17, movement sensors 18 (acceleration and gyro sensors) and other sensors 19 (e.g. other bioelectric, infrared or NIRS sensors) attached to the mother; and the room sensor unit 198 with microphones 191 and sensors for light 192, temperature 193, humidity and other 194 smart home parameters.

[0087] The AI unit 200 consists of four modules: a Baby signal AI 170 (BAIS), a Mother signal AI 180 (MAIS), a Smart-home signal AI 190 (HAIS) and an Integrated signal AI 202 (IAIS).

[0088] The Baby signal conditioning and data aggregation AI system 170 (shortly BAIS) receives the sensor signals from first two sensor blocks, including sensors on the platform 101 and on the sensor sheet 120. BAIS amplifies, filters and converts them to digital data, aggregates and combines the sensor data to higher level variables such as, movement activity, crying volume, heart rate, breathing rate, body temperature, sweating level, etc. in function of time. By using, for example, artificial neural network processing or decision tree algorithms BAIS 170 combines the generated data to the baby sleep/activity level data 171, which respects the baby sleep/activity graph function 154. This processing can be simple data combining or, in an advantageous case, complex machine learning process in an artificial intelligence processor set.

[0089] A Mother signal conditioning and data aggregation AI system 180 (shortly MAIS) receives the sensor signals from the third sensor block, including the heart sensors 16, microphones 17, movement sensors 18, bioelectric sensors 19 and possible more sensors attached to the mother 10. MAIS 180 amplifies, filters and converts them to digital data, aggregates and combines the sensor data to higher level variables such as speech style, relaxation of voice, movement activity, heart rate, breathing rate, etc. in function of time. By using, for example, artificial neural network processing or decision tree algorithms MAIS 180 combines the generated data to the mother's sleep/emotion status data 181, which respects the mother's sleep/emotion graph function 164. This processing can be simple data combining or, in an advantageous case, complex machine learning process in an artificial intelligence processor set.

[0090] The Smart-home environmental signal conditioning and data aggregation AI system 190 (shortly HAIS) receives the sensor signals from the fourth sensor block 198 (the room sensors), including microphones 191, light sensor 192, temperature sensor 193, humidity sensor 194 and possible more sensors 195 of the smart home system. HAIS amplifies, filters and converts them to digital data, aggregates and combines the sensor data to higher level smart home data 199 such as room quietness, presence of other family members, distinct sounds, room temperature, luminosity, air quality and some more variables, which are used as extra parameters in further data processing phases.

[0091] The Integrated artificial intelligence system 202 (shortly IAIS) comprises processors, algorithms and memory parts to store and drive the software to handle data in a smart way, namely, the baby's sleep/activity data 171, mother's sleep/emotion status data 181 and smart home data 199; by using baby behavior data from Baby behavior database 206, audio/motion/airflow signal files and breathing signal files from Audio/motion/airflow database 203 and algorithms, commands and controls from the Control unit 108. IAIS 202 calculates (selects and modifies) the audio/motion/airflow data file, feeds it to Audio/motion signal generator 204, which controls its volume and periodicity according to the commands and controls from the Control unit 108, converts it to analog signal and feeds to the Amplifier 205, which amplifies it according to control from Control unit 108 and feeds to Electromechanical transducer 103. IAIS 202 generates also the data for the breathing airflow blower generator 131 to control temperature, humidity and odor of air and its streaming power and periodical properties from the blower through the pipe 132.

[0092] Alarming and monitoring unit 209 is used when IAIS results the need to call the mother or nurse. It is also used to follow up sleeping or activity level of the baby and to display predicted wake up time. Advantageously, Alarming and monitoring unit 209 applies conventional mobile phone or smart watch technology. In an advanced version of the present invention a separate wireless vibrating alarm actor is combined to the mother's sensor unit and so in direct touch to the mother's skin.

[0093] IAIS sends also data to control smart home appliances, dimming of lights, adjusting the room temperature, controlling the air quality, etc. using the Smart home gateway 135.

[0094] The power supply 106 gives electric power needed in the other parts of the circuitry.

[0095] The Audio/motion/airflow database 203 communicates with social media users 208 via an External data gateway 207. The audio/motion/airflow files can be delivered to other users of the similar baby caring devices; and the audio/motion/airflow files can be received from other users. In an advantageous form of the present invention also Baby behavior database 206 is connected to other users via the same or similar gateway.

[0096] The Baby behavior database 206 stores the user's baby's personal day and week rhythms, including at least sleeping behavior, eating times and playing periods. The behavior data is automatically collected during the use of the baby caring device 100 and the behavior patterns are continuously sharpened according to the collected and aggregated sensor data.

[0097] The Audio/motion/airflow database 203 stores versatile set of audio/motion/airflow files, which can be files recorded and formulated from the baby's, mother's and room sensors in different hours of day, different emotional statuses, and during different baby caring activities (feeding, massaging, washing, dressing etc.), and have been found effective to calm and soothe the baby. The stored audio/motion/airflow files can also be files, which have been received from other users of the similar devices applying the present invention, and have been recommended by other users. The stored audio/motion/airflow files can also be files, which have been generated artificially for the calming or relaxing use, relaxing music files, or any audio/motion/airflow files which have been found effective to relax, calm or improve babies' emotional condition.

[0098] An example, how the audio/motion/airflow file can be formulated from the sensor signals: During the breast-feeding the mother uses the sensors 16 and 17, which record her heart rate from simple ECG signal and heart sound (as stethoscope signal), breathing rate and breathing sound (by microphone). The recording is changed to the audio/motion/airflow file by filtering and balancing the sound frequencies. And the rhythm of the airflow from the breathing airflow generator 131 can be synchronized with the breathing sound. Or alternatively, a standard heart/breathing sound with the airflow cycle file is modified according to measured heart rate, heart rate variations and breathing rate.

[0099] An example, how the platform sensor signals can directly be used to select and adjust the right audio/motion/airflow file: The BAIS 170 calculates variable values from the motion sensors 109 signals. For example, motion signals (acceleration from head, feet, left and right sensors) can result an average acceleration level, which gives a sleep/awake variable. Acceleration signal from the feet sensor only gives a wincing variable, acceleration from the left and right sensors gives a spinning variable, acceleration from the head sensor gives a head twirling variable (trying to find a nipple). Microphone 111 signals give another sleep/awake variable, which is analyzed from breathing, babbling, crying and other voices of the baby. Different motion and voice patterns can be used to evaluate the baby's awareness level. They can directly be used by comparing their height to given threshold parameters used in selecting a suitable audio/motion/airflow file from the database. They can also be used to adjust its volume on a sufficient level to optimally match with the awareness level of that moment. Awareness level is only an example of the resulting variables. Other examples are sleep depth, activity level, cheerfulness or sadness.

[0100] In an advanced arrangements bio-signals (ECG 121, EEG 123, SDA 124, for example) can be used to formulate audio/motion/airflow actions by adjusting, for example, heart sound frequency and clearness (signal-to-noise-ratio) according to baby's heart rate or brain wave frequencies. The system can also be a learning system so that, when certain audio/motion/airflow actions are found to give good results in soothing or calming the baby and leading to respective sensor signal combinations, the same audio/motion/airflow files are used next time when similar sensor signal combinations exists. Also these good experiments can be stored and shared in social media between different babies. This can happen advantageously via social media groups of the users.

[0101] FIG. 9 shows an example how the baby's sleep/activity graph 154 (FIG. 6), generated by BAIS 170, and the mother's sleep/emotion status graph 164 (FIG. 7), generated by MAIS 180, join to manual actions 221 of the mother and the automatic actions 222 generated by IAIS 202.

[0102] In this example, mother's manual actions can be as follows: to be present/absent in the care room (marked as Present in the FIG. 9), to lay the baby down on the baby nest 104 (Lay down), to take baby up from the baby nest 104 (Take up), to change the baby's nappy (Nappy change), to touch and caress the baby (Touch&caress), to sing and croon to the baby (Sing&croon), feeding by a baby bottle, giving a pacifier, giving vitamins, breast feeding and burping by taking the baby in the mother's lap, etc. Speaking to the baby is also an action, which normally happens all the time when the baby is awake and active. Although it is not mentioned in the FIG. 9, the mother's microphones 17 are listening and tracking mother's voice all the time.

[0103] In this example, automatic sound, mechanic and airflow actions 222, generated by the IAIS 202 on and from the platform 101, can be as follows: to play music 225 (Music), to play crooning voice of the mother (or somebody else) 226 and 227 (Croon), to blow cyclic heated and odored air to simulate mother's breathing 228 (Breathing), to play mother's (or somebody else's) heart sound and/or other sounds and mechanical movements, what the baby has listened and sensed when being nine months in the uterus 229 (Heart sound).

[0104] In this example the event chain is as follows: At the time instance t1 the mother comes to the room (Present starts) and lays the baby down to the baby nest 104. The baby is awake and vital (see curve 154 at time instance t1) and the mother is joyful but calming to peaceful status (see curve 164 at time instance t1). She caresses the baby, and at t2 she starts to change the baby's nappy. The baby becomes morose (follow curve 154) and the platform starts to play calming music 225. Also heart sound 229 starts and grows little-by-little. Mother's emotional status jumps up (follow curve 164) to the frustrated level. At t3 the nappy change is ready but the baby cries in panic. Music 225 continues and heart sound 229 grows stronger. The mother starts again to caress the baby and sings or croons. At t4 the baby stops crying, the mother stops to croon and the platform stops the music 225 and starts crooning 226. Volume of heart sound 229 is now strong. The baby calms down and becomes drowsy and falls asleep at t5. Soon after that at t6 the platform stops to croon 226 and the mother goes peacefully out of the room. Simultaneously, the platform starts the breathing simulation 228. At t7 the baby wakes up, moves and cries a little, while the platform starts to croon 227 again. The baby falls back asleep and when reaching the NREM2 level the crooning 227 ends and at t8, when reaching the NREM3 level, the breathing 228 from the platform softly finishes. At t9 the baby is in deep sleep (NREM4) and the heart sound 229 from the platform also softly finishes.

[0105] In a simple version of the present invention algorithms in the IAIS make decisions, which are based on the real-time values and short-time changes in baby's sleep/activity level graph 154 and mother's sleep/emotion status graph 164. The decisions can be, for example, as follows: ‘When the baby turns to the Panic level and begins to cry, and the mother turns to the frustrated level, and there is nappy changing going, switch music on and select a piece number x, which is also mother's favorite piece’. The mother's emotional status is also important to take into account when the artificial intelligence makes the decisions of actions.

[0106] The more complex algorithms also utilize history of decisions and follow-up of their effects. Thus when finding from the two graphs 154 and 164 that the situation is proceeding in a way, which can be found from the history memory, the decision of IAIS is based on that history data. If there are several similar graph patterns, IAIS compares, which of the previously selected action combinations have led to the best results for the next minutes or hours in the baby sleep/active levels, and selects that one.

[0107] In an advanced version of the present invention the artificial intelligence of IAIS utilizes the both graphs 154 and 164, their changes (by using their first and second derivatives), historic data of their relational behavior, and combines smart home data 199 (both values and their changes) and its history data to make even smarter decisions, based on which combination of actions on the platform will lead to the best results for optimal rhythm and shape of the baby sleep/active graph. In an advantageous form of the invention also the mother's sleep/emotional status graph is targeted to optimize. The final goal is to improve both the baby's and the mother's wellbeing.

[0108] FIG. 10 depicts an example of the operating processes of baby caring with the device and method of the present invention. This process 30 as a diagrammatic view handles a situation where the mother comes with her baby to the caring room, lays her baby down to the cradle 100 and takes the device in use by manually selecting the first audio/motion/airflow (shortly as a/m/a) file. It also assumes that the mother sensors have already earlier been used to create the personal a/m/a files for different caring situations. In this case the objective is to get the baby fall asleep and if he/she awakes too early, try to get to fall asleep again.

[0109] FIG. 10 comprises steps where the sensing, monitoring, calming and sleep inducing functions are performed by the intelligent baby care operating process 30 according to the present invention. In the process 30 one or more buttons of the control unit 108 are utilized to initialize the process. The system selects one of the audio/motion/airflow files 301 from the Audio/motion/airflow database 203 and adjusts the volume and periodicity according to the Control unit 108 settings. In one advantageous embodiment of the invention selection and finetuning of the audio/motion/airflow file is based on real-time analysis of the sensor data from the mother's sensors 16, 17, 18 and 19 (e.g. heart rate and breathing rate in the a/m/a actions are adjusted in real time).

[0110] The system switches the audio/motion and airflow actions on 302 and starts to monitor the status of the baby and to provide sensor data as an input for the process in IAIS 202 to produce the audio/motion/airflow data to the Audio/motion/airflow generator 204. Simultaneously IAIS 202 calculates 303 the sleep/activity status of the baby and the emotional status of the mother based on the sensor data. Therefore, in step 303 the system reads the data from the platform 101 sensors 109, 111 and 112 and the sensor sheet 120 sensors 121-126 to BAIS 170 and calculates periodically the sleep/activity level 154 of the baby in real time. In step 303 the system also reads the data from the mother's sensors 16-19 to MAIS 180 and calculates her emotional status 164. In addition, the data from the room sensors 191-194 can be read in this phase 303 to HAIS 190 and utilized in the calculation of changes in step 310, if needed. This need is checked in step 304 by asking whether the sleep/active level 154 is going to the right direction (down) or not. When answer is not, also another checking is done in step 314, namely if the level 154 is Panic, an alarm is sent to the mother's mobile device 209 in step 315. This is done only when the mother is absent from the caring room, because being present she can see and hear the panic.

[0111] After finding a better a/m/a file in step 310, the system adjusts the settings 311 of the audio/motion/airflow generator 204 and thus the played audio/motion/airflow signal is based on intelligent analysis of emotional interaction between the mother and her baby. After using the system longer (days or weeks) the system can also in step 310 utilize historic data to optimize the changes of audio/motion/airflow actions according to adaptive and learning algorithms. A delay 312 is needed to adjust an optimal rate for periodic checking of the status of the baby. The sensors can collect data continuously with a higher rate for tracking the changes more accurately and for helping to filter erratic measurements caused, for example, from skin contact problems of the moving baby. As soon as in step 304 the baby sleep/activity level 154 is changing in the right direction (down), the system continues to loop with the same audio/motion/airflow actions through delay 313 and starts to check in step 305, when the level is going down to the REM level (the baby falls asleep).

[0112] After the baby 21 has fallen asleep 305, the audio/motion signal generator 204 is softly ceased off in step 306, but the system continues to monitor the status of the baby 21 in step 307. The loop between steps 307, 308 and 309 continuous so long that the answer in step 308 is “No”, and the process branches to step 320 where a wake-up time of the baby 21 is analyzed. The system calculates in step 320 whether it is time to wake up using Baby behavior database 206 based on the time of day, the duration of the sleep, the duration of the sleep during previous nights and the frequency of previous sleep inducing attempts. If it is not yet time to wake up in step 321, the system switches the audio/motion signal generator 204 on again by returning back to step 302. If the system deduces in step 321 that it is the right time for the baby to wake up, the system alarms the mother or nurse of the baby in step 322. Advantageously, the alarming is done by using a mobile phone or a smart watch. The process 30 ends at step 330.

[0113] In an advanced version also the spouse wears similar sensors as the mother and his sleep/emotion graph is also tracked and utilized in optimizing baby care. Thus, for example, when the baby wakes up too early and it is not yet time to breast-feed the baby and new trials to change the audio/motion/airflow actions does not help to get the baby back in sleep, the system decides to alarm the spouse to care the baby instead of the mother. Also the decision can be done on the basis of comparing the sleep graphs of the parents and wake-up the one, whose sleeping is lighter at present and/or whose sleeping phase has lasted longer before the present time. Many different kinds of intelligent algorithms can be developed and the system can learn the best way to react when the baby's sleep/activity level graph shows that the help of the parents is needed.

[0114] It is also advantageous to use one more algorithm within the process 30, which detects when the baby is sleeping too long due to different reasons: The baby is becoming sick or the baby has been travelling and been awaken for a long period or for some other reason the sleeping rhythm has been confused. In these kinds of situations it is better to wake the baby up for feeding, nap-changing and/or just playing with. Waking the baby up can be executed by the most convenient way by switching on a merry song or recorded speaking or humming of the mother from the platform electromechanical transducer (speaker) 103.

[0115] One more advantageous algorithm is needed for SIDS detection and alarming. In SIDS seizure the baby stops to breathe due to unknown reason and needs to be waken up by trembling. This can be sensed by breathing sensing algorithm and an extra SIDS-detection algorithm, which first detects stop of breathing for longer than preset time period (30 to 120 seconds) and then starts a special audio, motion and airflow action with a preset aloud, noisy and strong shaking contents and, if the baby doesn't start breathing again within next 30-60 seconds, sends a preset SIDS-alarm to the mother and possible other carers. A similar algorithm can be used also in sleep apnea problems.

[0116] Further another embodiment of the invention comprises an operating mode and means to transfer the emotions of the baby's mother and corresponding physical effects to the baby to calm and sooth the baby from distance, for example, when travelling. This means special audio/motion/airflow actions, which have been recorded for this use only. They might comprise mother's speaking, humming and singing and special smell coming from the airflow system. The mother of the baby can use for example her smart phone or other touch device to express her emotions, which can also be real-time actions and can be transferred via internet to the device 100 according to the present invention.

[0117] Although only the baby's mother has in this text been mentioned as a caregiver, the invention is not limited to mother-baby case. Also father, nurse, step-mother and any caregiver can be a user of the present invention. So the word “mother” in the text must be understood in a wider content meaning also the adoptive mother, step- or foster mother, spouse, biological father, the adoptive, step- or foster father, siblings, nurse or other caregiver.

[0118] While there have been shown and described different operating modes and functions of the intelligent baby care operating system by depicting various embodiments, the different operating modes may be combined and functions of them can be used at the same time in the system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0119] While there have been shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to advantageous embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the disclosed invention may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. In other words, the present invention may vary within the scope of the claims.