Electrophysiological intuition indicator

• US 20050033189A1
• Filed: 08/06/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Quantum Intech, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Quantum Intech, Inc.
• Inventors: Atkinson, Michael A., McCraty, Rollin I., Childre, Doc L.
• Application Number:
  US10/912,838
• Publication Number:
  US 20050033189A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4035 Evaluating the autonomic nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems and methods for electrophysiological detection and measurement of intuition are disclosed. In one embodiment, one or more electrophysiological properties of one or more individuals are monitored and used as an indication of a future event. In one embodiment, the electrophysiological property may include heart rate variability, brain wave activity, respiration pattern, skin conductance level, etc. In another embodiment, a signal averaging technique is used to generate a waveform that may be used as an indicator of future events.

Claims

1. A method for detection and measurement of intuition comprising:

measuring an electrophysiological property of a subject at a first point in time;

measuring said electrophysiological property of said subject at a second point in time;

calculating a measure of change of said electrophysiological property between said first point in time and said second point in time; and

,

determining an event to occur at a third point in time based on said measure.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said measuring said electrophysiological property comprises measuring said electrophysiological property of the subject at the first point in time, and measuring the electrophysiological property at the second point in time, where said electrophysiological property is at least one of heart rate variability, brain wave activity, skin conductance level and respiration pattern.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said measuring said electrophysiological property comprises measuring said subject'"'"'s heart rate variability at a first point in time, and measuring said subject'"'"'s heart rate variability at a second point in time, said heart rate variability to be derived from an electrocardiogram or pulse signal and to be a measure of the beat-to-beat changes in the subject'"'"'s heart rate.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the difference between said first point in time and said second point in time is between 3 seconds and 10 seconds.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said calculating comprises calculating a measure of change of said electrophysiological property between said first point in time and said second point in time, said measure to be based on the percentage change of said electrophysiological property between said first and second points in time.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring said electrophysiological property for a period of time;

plotting changes in said electrophysiological property as a function of time;

interpreting said plotting to determine said event.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said measuring comprises measuring a collective electrophysiological property for a plurality of subjects at the first point in time, and measuring said collective electrophysiological property for said plurality of subjects at the second point in time, said collective electrophysiological property to be based on electrophysiological properties for each of said plurality of subjects.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said calculating the measure comprises calculating the measure of change of said collective electrophysiological property for said plurality of subjects between said first point in time and said second point in time.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising exposing said subject, prior to said measuring, to a stimulus associated with said event.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said exposing comprises exposing said subject, prior to said measuring, to a visual stimulus representative of said event.

11. A system for detection and measurement of intuition comprising:

a human subject;

a means for measuring an electrophysiological property of said human subject at a first point in time;

a means for measuring said electrophysiological property of said human subject at a second point in time;

a means for calculating a measure of change of said electrophysiological property between said first point in time and said second point in time; and

,

a means for predicting an event to occur at a third point in time based on said measure.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said electrophysiological property is at least one of heart rate variability, brain wave activity, skin conductance level and respiration pattern.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said electrophysiological property is said subject'"'"'s heart rate variability, said heart rate variability to be derived from an electrocardiogram or pulse signal and to be a measure of the beat-to-beat changes in the subject'"'"'s heart rate.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein said measure is based on the percentage change of said electrophysiological property between said first and second points in time.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein said means for measuring comprises means for measuring a collective electrophysiological property for a plurality of human subjects at the first point in time, and measuring said collective electrophysiological property for said plurality of human subjects at the second point in time, said collective electrophysiological property to be based on electrophysiological properties for each of said plurality of human subjects.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said means for calculating the measure comprises means for calculating the measure of change of said collective electrophysiological property for said plurality of human subjects between said first point in time and said second point in time.

17. The system of claim 11 further comprising means for exposing said human subject, prior to said measuring, to a stimulus associated with said event.

18. A method for detection and measurement of intuition comprising:

exposing a subject to a stimulus associated with one of a future event;

monitoring a electrophysiological property of said subject over a period of time, said period of time to precede said future event;

calculating a measure of change of said electrophysiological property over said period of time; and

,

determining an attribute of said future event based on said measure of change.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said monitoring the electrophysiological property comprises monitoring the electrophysiological property of said subject over said period of time, where said electrophysiological property is at least one of heart rate variability, brain wave activity, skin conductance level and respiration pattern.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said calculating comprises calculating the measure of change of said electrophysiological property over the period of time, said measure to be based on the percentage change of said electrophysiological property over said period of time.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein said monitoring comprises monitoring a collective electrophysiological property for a plurality of subjects over said period of time, said collective electrophysiological property to be based on electrophysiological properties for each of said plurality of subjects.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said calculating the measure of change comprises calculating the measure of change of said collective electrophysiological property for said plurality of subjects over said period of time.

23. A method comprising:

sampling a physiological characteristic of a subject;

determining a measure of said physiological characteristic; and

comparing said measure to a physiological coherency range to determine if said subject is in a state of physiological coherency, said state being characterized by a sine-wave-shaped heart rhythm pattern and an increased synchronization between two or more oscillatory systems of said subject.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said determining comprises determining the measure of said physiological characteristic where said physiological characteristic comprises heart rate variability, respiration patterns, blood pressure rhythms and ECG-R wave amplitudes.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein said determining comprises determining the measure of said physiological characteristic, said measure being expressed in one of a frequency domain, a time domain, a period analysis and a template match.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein said oscillatory systems are selected from the group consisting of heart rhythms, respiratory rhythms and blood pressure oscillations, ECG R-wave amplitude, pulse wave, impedance measures and vascular responses.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein said state of physiological coherency is further characterized by a state of entrainment between said subject'"'"'s heart rhythms and respiration rhythms.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein said state of physiological coherency is further characterized by increased positive emotions in said subject.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein said coherency range is expressed in the frequency range and is between 0.03125 Hertz 0.234 Hertz.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein said coherency range includes a resonance frequency of said physiological characteristic.

31. The method of claim 23 wherein said measure is a pattern usable to determine an emotional state of said subject.

32. The method of claim 23 wherein said state of physiological coherency comprises having one of a phase and frequency lock between said two or more oscillatory systems of said subject.

33. The method of claim 23 wherein, after said comparing the measure to the physiological coherency range, the method further comprises providing said subject with feedback based on said comparing.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said feedback causes said subject to enter said state of physiological coherency.

35. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

sampling the physiological characteristics from each of a plurality of subjects;

determining a group measure from said sampling of the physiological characteristic from each of said plurality of subjects; and

comparing said group measure to the physiological coherency range to determine if said plurality of subjects are in the state of physiological coherency.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein, after said comparing the group measure to the physiological coherency range, the method further comprises providing said plurality of subjects with feedback based on said comparing.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein said feedback causes said plurality of subjects to move closer to said state of physiological coherency.

38. A system comprising:

sampling means adapted to sample a physiological characteristic of a subject; and

,

a processor coupled to the sampling means, said processor to,

determine a measure of said physiological characteristic, and

compare said measure to a physiological coherency range to determine if said subject is in a state of physiological coherency, said state being characterized by a sine-wave-shaped heart rhythm pattern and an increased synchronization between two or more oscillatory systems of said subject.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein said physiological characteristic comprises heart rate variability, respiration patterns, blood pressure rhythms and ECG-R wave amplitudes.

40. The system of claim 38 wherein said measure is expressed in one of a frequency domain, a time domain, a period analysis and a template match.

41. The system of claim 38 wherein said oscillatory systems are selected from the group consisting of heart rhythms, respiratory rhythms and blood pressure oscillations, ECG R-wave amplitude—

pulse wave, impedance measures, vascular responses.

42. The system of claim 38 wherein said state of physiological coherency is further characterized by a state of entrainment between said subject'"'"'s heart rhythms and respiration rhythms.

43. The system of claim 38 wherein said state of physiological coherency is further characterized by increased positive emotions in said subject.

44. The system of claim 38 wherein said coherency range is expressed in the frequency range and is between 0.03125 Hertz 0.234 Hertz.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein said coherency range includes a resonance frequency of said physiological characteristic.

46. The system of claim 38 wherein said measure is a pattern usable to determine an emotional state of said subject.

47. The system of claim 38 wherein said state of physiological coherency comprises having one of a phase and frequency lock between said two or more oscillatory systems of said subject.

48. The system of claim 38 wherein the processor is further to provide said subject with feedback based on a result of comparing said measure to the physiological coherency range.

49. The system of claim 48 wherein said feedback causes said subject to enter said state of physiological coherency.

50. The system of claim 38 wherein the sampling means is further adapted to sample the physiological characteristic from each of a plurality of subjects, and wherein the processor is further to,

determine a group measure from said sampling of the physiological characteristic from each of said plurality of subjects, and

compare said group measure to the physiological coherency range to determine if said plurality of subjects are in the state of physiological coherency.

51. The system of claim 50 wherein, after said processor compares the group measure to the physiological coherency range, the processor is further to provide said plurality of subjects with feedback based on a result of comparing the group measure to the physiological coherency range.

52. The system of claim 51 wherein said feedback causes said plurality of subjects to move closer to said state of physiological coherency.