Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
used to play or generate sounds, are collectively called a sound set. Only one type of
sound set can be configured at a time. However, the bather can switch between various
sound sets using the remote controller. A sound set is designed as an expression of
the bathing state. Thus, it is possible to design sets for a variety of bathing spaces.
The sound controller is processed either inside the water heater unit or by an external
processor over a network. The generated sounds are played in the bathroom via an
audio speaker located in the bathroom or in remote environments via networks.
6.2.2.5
Bathonify Remote Controller
In addition to the displays for water temperature and settings, Bathonify requires
additional displays in the bathroom for sound on/off, sound setting changes, volume
adjustment, operation information, system state, vital signs, and sound set images.
6.2.3
Software Components
This section describes the software components and the sound design of Bathonify.
Figure
6.5
shows a schematic of the Max/MSP. The software operates as a sensing
processor for the extraction and processing of sound control information, A/D control
of water pressure output, and serial communication control from the ECG measure-
ment unit. Max/MSP configures each sound set as a sub-patch (subprogram), which
is then imported by the sound processor. If multiple sound sets are used, the sound
processing module can switch between them.
6.2.3.1
Sensing Module
Max/MSP samples the water pressure sensor output at 200 Hz and divides the
data into bathing movement information and breathing component extraction in-
formation for processing. There are three types of bathing movement information:
Entering/exiting state (Bathing: 1. Not bathing: 0.), amplitude value (level change
over fixed time), and excess amplitude trigger (above the amplitude threshold). Mov-
ing average processing is used to eliminate the noise from the output voltage of the
water pressure sensor. Sensor output characteristics are then translated into water
level in the bathtub. The water level value is used to judge whether the bathtub is
occupied. The bathing state is output as one of two variables (occupied or not oc-
cupied). To make this determination, the average water level when the bath is not
occupied is used as the standard water level and a certain value above this level is set
as the threshold. If the water level is continuously above the threshold over a fixed
period of time, the processor judges the bathing state as occupied. If, however, the
water level is below the threshold over a fixed period of time, the processor judges
the bathing state as not occupied. The threshold for this system is 20 mm above the
