Methods and devices for analyzing and comparing physiological parameter measurements

• US 20070066874A1
• Filed: 09/13/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zyto Corp. (Global Unicorn Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Zyto Corp. (Global Unicorn Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cook, Vaughn
• Granted Patent: US 8,099,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0533 Measuring galvanic skin response

Abstract

Methods and devices that are capable of measuring physiological parameters of at least two contact points and determining whether the measured parameters reflect favorable or unfavorable physiological responses are disclosed herein. Specifically, the present invention encompasses a method that can non-invasively monitor physiological parameters of at least two contact points before and after a stimulus is applied to a subject and compare the measured parameters to determine whether the physiological state of the subject is favorable or unfavorable.

Claims

1. A method of evaluating stress response patterns in a living subject, comprising the steps of:

a) locating at least two contact points on an area of skin of the subject;

b) measuring physiological parameters of the at least two contact points to determine a baseline reading;

c) applying an external stimulus to the subject;

d) re-measuring the physiological parameters of the at least two contact points after the applied external stimulus to determine a stress response;

e) comparing the baseline reading and the stress response to determine either a symmetrical stress response pattern or an asymmetrical stress response pattern; and

f) assigning the symmetrical stress response pattern to a category that is a favorable stress response and the asymmetric stress response pattern to a category that is an unfavorable stress response.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two contact points are located on an area of skin on a hand of the subject.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the physiological parameters are selected from a group consisting of galvanic skin response (GSR), temperature, moisture content, and pressure parameters.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the baseline reading is a real-time dynamic baseline reading.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of measuring is accomplished by a hand cradle device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the favorable stress response is indicative of values that either converge toward each other or remain substantially unchanged.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the unfavorable stress response is indicative of values that diverge from each other.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the external stimulus is selected from a group consisting of electroshock, thermal, pressure, emotional, odor, subliminal, verbal and visual stimulus.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of assigning is accomplished by a computer source including an algorithm configured to determine the various responses and to assign the responses to a category.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of measuring and re-measuring is accomplished by a non-invasive measuring technique.

11. A sensor device for measuring physiological parameters of at least two contact points of skin of a living subject, comprising:

a measuring element configured to contact the at least two contact points and to measure a sequence of the physiological parameters of the subject;

a computing source having an algorithm for determining whether the measurements are a favorable stress response based on a positive sequence or an unfavorable stress response to a subject based on a negative sequence; and

at least one sensor coupled to the measuring element for conveying the physiological parameter measurements to the computing source.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the computing source includes a library which stores pre-designated signatures representing certain physiological parameter measurements and an algorithm that compares the measurements with the pre-designated signatures to determine whether the measurements are favorable responses or unfavorable responses.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor is an electrode configured to measure galvanic skin responses.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the sensor is further coupled to the computing source via direct wire or telemetry.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the telemetry is a wireless transmission of data utilizing the standard of IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.15, Bluetooth, Ultra Wide Band, Radio Frequency or other mesh networks.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the measuring element is a hand cradle device having multiple finger contact points.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the sensor detects changes in GSR, temperature, moisture content and pressure relating to the at least two contact points.

18. A method of analyzing stress measurements of a living subject, comprising:

taking at least two physiological measurements before and after an external stimulus is applied to the subject;

comparing the physiological measurements taken before and after the application of the stimulus; and

determining whether the physiological measurements diverge, converge or remain unchanged with respect to each other, thereby indicating whether the physiological measurements are favorable or unfavorable to the subject.

19. A method of determining the physiological state of a living subject, comprising the steps of:

measuring the physiological responses of at least two contact points on the subject before and after an external stimulus is applied to the subject; and

comparing the measured physiological responses to determine whether the physiological responses reflect a favorable or an unfavorable physiological state of the subject.