Systems, apparatuses, devices, and processes for synergistic neuro-physiological rehabilitation and/or functional development

• US 10,639,235 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2012
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nanyang Technological University
• Original Assignee: Nanyang Technological University
• Inventors: Banerji, Subhasis, Heng, Kok Hui John Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Grant, Michael C
• Application Number:
  US14/118,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20140200432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,906 Days
• Field of Search: 434258
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1107 Measuring contraction of parts of the body, e.g. organ, muscle apparatus for measuring work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1125 Grasping motions of hands
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/162 Testing reaction times
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/224 Measuring muscular strength
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/374 Detecting the frequency distribution of signals, e.g. detecting delta, theta, alpha, beta or gamma waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/375 using biofeedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7445 Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0094 for active rehabilitation, e.g. slow motion devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0096 using performance related parameters for controlling electronic or video games or avatars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0647 : Visualisation of executed movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0655 : Tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00181 : comprising additional means assisting the user to overcome part of the resisting force, i.e. assisted-active exercising
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4017 : to the upper limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4019 : to the hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 : for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4045 : Reciprocating movement along, in or on a guide weights moving along or in guiding means A63B21/06; for cardio-training A63B22/201
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2213/004 : with electrotherapy
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 : with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 : heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/08 : other bio-electrical signals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/10 : electroencephalographic signals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/207 : P-O2, i.e. partial O2 value
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/30 : blood pressure A63B2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/42 : rate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/60 : muscle strain, i.e. measured on the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1209 : Involving a bending of elbow and shoulder joints simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/14 : for wrist joints
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0059 : Exercising apparatus with reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 : Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 : Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/003 : Repetitive work cycles; Sequence of movements
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 : relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

A system for facilitating a subject'"'"'s functional development includes sensing devices configured for sensing mind state signals; sensing devices configured for sensing body state signals; and a set of processing resources configured for generating a mind state indicator/measure, a body state indicator/measure, and a mind-body synergy indicator/measure that corresponds to which each of the subject'"'"'s mind state and body state are synergistically aligned for facilitating the subject'"'"'s functional development. The system can be configured for concurrently presenting a set of activities involving a model body part; engaging in attempted imitation of the set of activities by way of attempted movement of a body part that is a mirror image of the model body part; presenting an indication of an extent to which each of the mind state and body state are cooperative with respect to performance of the set of activities; and presenting an indication of relaxation.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating rehabilitation of a body part of a subject, the system comprising:

a first set of sensing devices configured for sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s mind state;

a second set of sensing devices configured for sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s body state;

a subject interaction unit comprising a set of display devices configured for providing a visual interface to the subject, the visual interface comprising;

a biofeedback interface configured for presenting biofeedback to the subject while the first set of sensing devices senses signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s mind state and the second set of sensing devices senses signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s body state, the biofeedback comprising a visual representation of a measure of subject relaxed mental attention, and a visual representation of a measure of subject bodily tension, and

a functional development activity sequence interface configured for presenting a set of functional development activities to the subject while the biofeedback interface presents the biofeedback to the subject, wherein the set of functional development activities shows at least one target movement of a model body part that is a mirror image of the subject body part;

a set of processing resources, wherein the set of processing resources is configured for generating;

a mind state alignment measure indicating whether the subject'"'"'s mind state is conducive to learning,

a body state alignment measure indicating the subject'"'"'s body state is conducive to successfully perform the set of functional development activities, and

a mind-body synergy measure correlated with a voluntary muscle contraction measure that meets or exceeds a threshold muscle contraction condition, and which is temporally associated with each of the mind statement alignment measure satisfying a mind state alignment condition and the body state alignment measure satisfying a body state alignment condition;

at least one of a robotic orthosis configured for providing movement assistance to the subject and a functional electrical stimulation (FES) apparatus configured for delivering FES signals to the subject;

wherein the biofeedback interface is configured for providing a visual representation of the mind state alignment measure and a visual representation of the body state alignment measure; and

wherein the visual interface is configured for selectively presenting mind state training exercises to the subject following processing unit determination that a subject muscle contraction relevant to performing the set of functional development activities has occurred and the subject'"'"'s mind state is not conducive to learning, and body state training exercises to the subject following processing unit determination that the subject'"'"'s mind state is conducive to learning and the subject'"'"'s body state is not conducive to successfully perform the set of functional development activities.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the mind-body synergy measure includes a breakthrough index (BTI) which quantitatively measures a likelihood that the subject can experience an accelerated or burst type functional development result, wherein the BTI is calculated as a cumulative number of voluntary muscle contractions for the body part during a time period T that (i) meet or exceed the threshold muscle contraction condition for the body part, and which (ii) are each temporally associated with each of the mind state alignment measure satisfying a mind state alignment condition and the body state alignment measure satisfying a body state alignment condition, normalized to a cumulative number of voluntary muscle contractions for the body part during the time period T that meet or exceed the threshold muscle contraction condition.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the mind state alignment measure is determined based on a real time or near-real time basis.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the body state alignment measure is determined based on a real time or near-real time basis.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first set of sensing devices comprises a set of devices configured for detecting signals representative of intracranial neural activity.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second set of sensing devices comprises a set of devices configured for detecting signals corresponding to peripheral nervous system activity.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the mind state alignment measure corresponds to at least one of a level of stress, a level of anxiety, a level of mental relaxation, and a level of mental attention or focus.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the mind state alignment measure is correlated with a ratio between a mean relative alpha band power measure Pα

, and a delta-to-alpha measure DAR referenced to a particular time t, normalized to a baseline or at rest ratio between the mean relative alpha measure Pα

, and the delta-to-alpha measure DAR.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the body state alignment measure mathematically defines an extent to which subject agonist muscle contractions relevant to the set of functional development activities including a movement sequence under consideration at time t are dominant or subordinate with respect to subject antagonist muscle contraction counterproductive to the movement sequence under consideration at time t for the set of functional development activities.

10. A system for facilitating rehabilitation of a body part of a subject, the system comprising:

a first set of sensing devices configured for sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s mind state;

a second set of sensing devices configured for sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s body state;

a subject interaction unit comprising a set of display devices configured for providing a visual interface to the subject, the visual interface comprising

a biofeedback interface configured for presenting biofeedback to the subject while the first set of sensing devices senses signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s mind state and the second set of sensing devices senses signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s body state, the biofeedback comprising (i) a visual representation of a measure of subject relaxed mental attention, and (ii) a visual representation of a measure of subject bodily tension,

a functional development activity sequence interface configured for presenting a set of functional development activities to the subject while the biofeedback interface presents the biofeedback to the subject, wherein the set of functional development activities shows at least one target movement of a model body part that is a mirror image of the subject body part;

a set of processing resources, wherein the set of processing resources is configured for generating each of

a mind state alignment measure indicating whether the subject'"'"'s mind state is conducive to learning,

a body state alignment measure indicating whether the subject'"'"'s body state is conducive to successfully perform the set of functional development activities, and

a mind-body synergy measure correlated with a voluntary muscle contraction measure that (i) meets or exceeds a threshold muscle contraction condition, and which (ii) is temporally associated with each of the mind state alignment measure satisfying a mind state alignment condition and the body state alignment measure satisfying a body state alignment condition;

at least one of a robotic orthosis configured for providing movement assistance to the subject;

wherein the biofeedback interface is configured for providing a visual representation of the mind state alignment measure and a visual representation of the body state alignment measure;

wherein the visual interface is configured for selectively presenting

mind state training exercises to the subject following processing unit determination that a subject muscle contraction relevant to performing the set of functional development activities has occurred and the subject'"'"'s mind state is not conducive to learning, and

body state training exercises to the subject following processing unit determination that the subject'"'"'s mind state is conducive to learning and the subject'"'"'s body state is not conducive to successfully perform the set of functional development activities.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the mind-body synergy measure that includes a breakthrough index (BTI) which quantitatively measures a likelihood that the subject can experience an accelerated or burst type functional development result, wherein the BTI is calculated as a cumulative number of voluntary muscle contractions for the body part during a time period T that (i) meet or exceed a threshold muscle contraction condition for the body part, and which (ii) are each temporally associated with each of the mind state alignment measure satisfying a mind state alignment condition and the body state alignment measure satisfying a body state alignment condition, normalized to a cumulative number of voluntary muscle contractions for the body part during the time period T that meet or exceed the threshold muscle contraction condition.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the mind state alignment measure and the body state alignment measure are determined based on a real time or near-real time basis.

13. The system of claim 10 further comprises a functional electrical stimulation (FES) apparatus configured for delivering FES signals to the subject.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the first set of sensing devices comprises a set of devices configured for detecting signals representative of intracranial neural activity.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the second set of sensing devices comprises a set of devices configured for detecting signals corresponding to peripheral nervous system activity.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the mind state alignment measure corresponds to at least one of a level of stress, a level of anxiety, a level of mental relaxation, and a level of mental attention or focus.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the mind state alignment measure is correlated with a ratio between a mean relative alpha band power measure Pα

, and a delta-to-alpha measure DAR referenced to a particular time t, normalized to a baseline or at rest ratio between the mean relative alpha measure Pα

, and the delta-to-alpha measure DAR.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the body state alignment measure mathematically defines an extent to which subject agonist muscle contractions relevant to the set of functional development activities including a movement sequence under consideration at time t are dominant or subordinate with respect to subject antagonist muscle contraction counterproductive to the movement sequence under consideration at time t for the set of functional development activities.

19. A method for facilitating rehabilitation of a body part of a subject, the method comprising:

mounting a wearable robotic orthosis to a portion of a subject appendage;

providing assistive movement to the subject appendage by way of the wearable robotic orthosis during subject performance or attempted performance of a functional development activity sequence;

sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s mind state;

sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s body state;

providing a visual interface showing the subject biofeedback corresponding to the subject'"'"'s mind and/or body state through a biofeedback interface and a set of functional development activities through a functional development activity sequence interface, the biofeedback comprising a visual representation of a measure of subject relaxed mental attention and a visual representation of a measure of subject bodily tension, the set of functional development activities including showing at least one target movement of a model body part that is a mirror image of the subject body part;

generating a mind state alignment measure indicating whether the subject'"'"'s mind state is conducive to learning, a body state alignment measure indicating whether the subject'"'"'s mind state is conducive to successfully perform a set of functional development activities, and a mind-body synergy measure correlated with a voluntary muscle contraction measure that meets or exceeds a threshold muscle contraction condition, and which is temporally associated with each of the mind statement alignment measure satisfying a mind state alignment condition and each of the body state alignment measure satisfying a body state alignment condition;

presenting selectively mind state training exercise to the subject following processing unit determination that a subject muscle contraction relevant to performing the set of functional development activities has occurred and the subject'"'"'s mind state is not conducive to learning, and body state training exercises to the subject following processing unit determination that the subject'"'"'s mind state is conducive to learning and the subject'"'"'s body state is not conducive to successfully performing the set of functional development activities; and

performing the set of functional development activities for rehabilitation of the body part of the subject, wherein the biofeedback interface is configured for providing a visual representation of the mind state alignment measure and a visual representation of the body state alignment measure.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the robotic orthosis comprises:

a set of appendage motion modules configured for engaging with a portion of a subject appendage;

a set of mechanical power interface modules coupled to the set of appendage motion modules and configured for facilitating movement of appendage motion modules within the set of appendage motion modules; and

a set of flexible drive shafts couplable to the set of mechanical power interface modules and a set of motors external to the wearable robotic orthosis, wherein the set of appendage motion modules and the set of mechanical power interface modules are subject wearable.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the set of appendage motion modules includes multiple independently operable and selectively detachable appendage motion modules.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the mind-body synergy measure that includes a breakthrough index (BTI) which quantitatively measures a likelihood that the subject can experience an accelerated or burst type functional development result, wherein the BTI is calculated as a cumulative number of voluntary muscle contractions for the body part during a time period T that (i) meet or exceed a threshold muscle contraction condition for the body part, and which (ii) are each temporally associated with each of the mind state alignment measure satisfying a mind state alignment condition and the body state alignment measure satisfying a body state alignment condition, normalized to a cumulative number of voluntary muscle contractions for the body part during the time period T that meet or exceed the threshold muscle contraction condition.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the mind state alignment measure is determined based on a real time or near-real time basis.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the body state alignment measure is determined based on a real time or near-real time basis.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s mind state comprises detecting signals representative of intracranial neural activity.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s mind state comprises sensing EEG signals.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s body state comprises detecting signals corresponding to peripheral nervous system activity.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s body state comprises sensing EMG signals.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein the mind state alignment measure corresponds to at least one of a level of stress, a level of anxiety, a level of mental relaxation, and a level of mental attention or focus.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein the mind state alignment measure is correlated with a ratio between a mean relative alpha band power measure Pα

, and a delta-to-alpha measure DAR referenced to a particular time t, normalized to a baseline or at rest ratio between the mean relative alpha measure Pα

, and the delta-to-alpha measure DAR.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein the body state alignment measure mathematically defines an extent to which subject agonist muscle contractions relevant to the set of functional development activities including a movement sequence under consideration at time t are dominant or subordinate with respect to subject antagonist muscle contraction counterproductive to the movement sequence under consideration at time t for the set of functional development activities.

32. The method of claim 19 further comprises providing a functional electrical stimulation (FES) apparatus configured for delivering FES signals to the subject.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the robotic orthosis comprises:

a set of appendage motion modules configured for engaging with a portion of a subject appendage;

a set of mechanical power interface modules coupled to the set of appendage motion modules and configured for facilitating movement of appendage motion modules within the set of appendage motion modules; and

a set of flexible drive shafts couplable to the set of mechanical power interface modules and a set of motors external to the wearable robotic orthosis, wherein the set of appendage motion modules and the set of mechanical power interface modules are subject wearable.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the set of appendage motion modules includes multiple independently operable and selectively detachable appendage motion modules.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the mind-body synergy measure that includes a breakthrough index (BTI) which quantitatively measures a likelihood that the subject can experience an accelerated or burst type functional development result, wherein the BTI is calculated as a cumulative number of voluntary muscle contractions for the body part during a time period T that (i) meet or exceed a threshold muscle contraction condition for the body part, and which (ii) are each temporally associated with each of the mind state alignment measure satisfying a mind state alignment condition and the body state alignment measure satisfying a body state alignment condition, normalized to a cumulative number of voluntary muscle contractions for the body part during the time period T that meet or exceed the threshold muscle contraction condition.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the mind state alignment measure is determined based on a real time or near-real time basis.

37. The method of claim 32, wherein the body state alignment measure is determined based on a real time or near-real time basis.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein the sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s mind state comprises detecting signals representative of intracranial neural activity.

39. The method of claim 32, wherein the sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s mind state comprises sensing EEG signals.

40. The method of claim 32, wherein the sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s body state comprises detecting signals corresponding to peripheral nervous system activity.

41. The method of claim 32, wherein the sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s body state comprises sensing EMG signals.

42. The method of claim 32, wherein the mind state alignment measure corresponds to at least one of a level of stress, a level of anxiety, a level of mental relaxation, and a level of mental attention or focus.

43. The method of claim 32, wherein the mind state alignment measure is correlated with a ratio between a mean relative alpha band power measure Pα

, and a delta-to-alpha measure DAR referenced to a particular time t, normalized to a baseline or at rest ratio between the mean relative alpha measure Pα

, and the delta-to-alpha measure DAR.

44. The method of claim 32, wherein the body state alignment measure mathematically defines an extent to which subject agonist muscle contractions relevant to the set of functional development activities including a movement sequence under consideration at time t are dominant or subordinate with respect to subject antagonist muscle contraction counterproductive to the movement sequence under consideration at time t for the set of functional development activities.