Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,646,117) for “detecting activity by a wheelchair user.” It involves use of the Apple Watch for measuring the fitness and exercise activities of such users
In the patent data, Apple notes that various human activities, such as activities by a wheelchair user, involve repetitive motions of the arms. For example, pushing oneself in a wheelchair, rowing, push-ups and pull-ups, and assembly-line tasks may all involve repetition of a sequence of motions using the hands, arms, and wrists. Apple says that, with an Apple Watch worn, activity by a wheelchair user could be tracked “for health, safety, or productivity reasons.”
Here’s the summary of the invention: “The present disclosure relates to a system and method of detecting activity by a wheelchair user. In one aspect, a method comprises collecting motion data of a user device located on an appendage of the user; detecting, by a processor circuit, that one or more activities by the wheelchair user occurred based on the motion data; calculating, by a processor circuit, an energy expenditure by the user based the one or more activities by the wheelchair user occurred; and outputting, by a processor circuit, the energy expenditure estimation.”
