Detection of and Interaction Using Mental States

• US 20070173733A1
• Filed: 09/12/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Emotiv Systems Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Emotiv Systems Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Thie, Johnson, Delic, Emir, Do, Nam, Pham, Hai, King, William, Della Torre, Marco, Le, Tan, Siu, Wing
• Application Number:
  US11/531,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20070173733A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/544
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• 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 5/374 Detecting the frequency distribution of signals, e.g. detecting delta, theta, alpha, beta or gamma waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/377 using evoked responses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/398 Electrooculography [EOG], e.g. detecting nystagmus; Electroretinography [ERG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/441 Skin evaluation, e.g. for skin disorder diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/726 using Wavelet transforms
• 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: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A method of detecting a mental state includes receiving, in a processor, bio-signals of a subject from one or more bio-signal detectors, and determining in the processor whether the bio-signals represent the presence of a particular mental state in the subject. A method of using the detected mental state includes receiving, in a processor, a signal representing whether a mental state is present in the subject. The mental state can be a non-deliberative mental state, such as an emotion, preference or sensation. A processor can configured perform the methods, and a computer program product, tangibly stored on machine readable medium can have instructions operable to cause a processor to perform the methods.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a mental state, comprising:

receiving, in a processor, bio-signals of a subject from one or more bio-signal detectors; and

determining in the processor whether the bio-signals represent the presence of a particular mental state in the subject.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular mental state comprises a non-deliberative mental state.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the non-deliberative mental state is an emotion, preference, sensation, physiological state, or condition.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a signal from the processor representing whether the particular mental state is present.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the bio-signals comprise electroencephalograph (EEG) signals.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining includes transforming the bio-signals into a different representation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining includes calculating values for one or more features of the different representation.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining includes comparing the values to a mental state signature.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the particular mental state comprises a non-deliberative mental state and determining the presence of the non-deliberative mental state is performed substantially without calibration of the mental state signature.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving and determining occur in substantially real time.

11. A computer program product, tangibly stored on machine readable medium, the product comprising instructions operable to cause a processor to:

receive bio-signals from one or more bio-signal detectors; and

determine whether the bio-signals indicate the presence of a particular mental state in a subject.

12. The product of claim 11, wherein the particular mental state comprises a non-deliberative mental state.

13. The product of claim 12, wherein the non-deliberative mental state is an emotion, preference, sensation, physiological state, or condition.

14. The product of claim 11, further comprising instructions operable to cause the processor to generate a signal representing whether the particular mental state is present.

15. The product of claim 11, wherein the bio-signals comprise electroencephalograph (EEG) signals.

16. A system, comprising

a processor configured to receive bio-signals from one or more bio-signal detectors and determine whether the bio-signals indicate the presence of a particular mental state in a subject.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the particular mental state comprises a non-deliberative mental state.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the non-deliberative mental state is an emotion, preference, sensation, physiological state, or condition.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to generate a signal representing whether the particular mental state is present.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the bio-signals comprise electroencephalograph (EEG) signals.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein the environmental variables occur in a physical or virtual environment.

21. A method of using a detected mental state, comprising:

receiving, in a processor, a signal representing whether a mental state is present in a subject.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the particular mental state comprises a non-deliberative mental state.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the non-deliberative mental state is an emotion, preference, sensation, physiological state, or condition.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing the signal.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising selecting an action to modify an environment based on the signal.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the non-deliberative state is an emotion, and the method comprises:

storing data representing a target emotion;

determining with the processor an alteration to an environmental variable that is expected to alter an emotional response of a subject toward the target emotion; and

causing the alteration of the environmental variable.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising determining whether the target emotion has been evoked based on signals representing whether the emotion is present in the subject.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising storing weightings representing an effectiveness of the environmental variable in evoking the target emotion and using the weightings in determining the alteration.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising updating the weightings with a learning agent based on the signals representing whether the emotion is present.

31. A computer program product, tangibly stored on machine readable medium, the product comprising instructions operable to cause a processor to:

receive at a processor a signal representing whether a mental state is present in a subject.

32. The product of claim 31, wherein the particular mental state comprises a non-deliberative mental state.

33. The product of claim 32, wherein the non-deliberative mental state is an emotion, preference, sensation, physiological state, or condition.

34. The product of claim 31, further comprising instructions to cause the processor to store the signal.

35. The method of claim 31, further comprising instructions to cause the processor to modify an environment based on the signal.

36. A system, comprising

a processor configured to receive a signal representing whether a mental state is present in a subject.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the particular mental state comprises a non-deliberative mental state.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the non-deliberative mental state is an emotion, preference, sensation, physiological state, or condition.

39. The system of claim 36, further comprising instructions to cause the processor to store the signal.

40. The method of claim 36, further comprising instructions to cause the processor to modify an environment based on the signal.

41. A method of detecting and using a mental state, comprising:

detecting bio-signals of a subject with one or more bio-signal detectors;

directing the bio-signals to a first processor;

determining in the first processor whether the bio-signals represent the presence of a particular mental state in the subject;

generating a signal from the first processor representing whether the particular mental state is present;

receiving the signal at a second processor; and

storing the signal or modifying an environment based on the signal.

42. An apparatus comprising:

one or more bio-signal detectors;

a first processor configured to bio-signals from the one or more bio-signal detectors, determine whether the bio-signals indicate the presence of a particular mental state in a subject, and generate a signal representing whether the particular mental state is present;

a second processor configured to receive the signal and store the signal or modify an environment based on the signal.

43. A method of interaction of a user with an environment, comprising:

detecting and classifying the presence of a predetermined mental state in response to one or more biosignals from the user;

selecting one or more environmental variables that affect an emotional response of the user; and

performing one or more actions to alter the selected environmental variables and thereby alter the emotional response of a user.