INTERFACE APPARATUS FOR STIMULATION OF BIOLOGICAL TISSUE

• US 20100070006A1
• Filed: 08/06/2009
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Highland Instruments, Inc.,
• Original Assignee: Highland Instruments, Inc.,
• Inventors: WAGNER, Timothy Andrew, Eden, Uri T.
• Granted Patent: US 8,718,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0408 Use-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0452 Specially adapted for transcutaneous muscle stimulation [TMS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0456 Specially adapted for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0472 Structure-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0484 Garment electrodes worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36025 for treating a mental or cerebral condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36034 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092

Abstract

An apparatus for interfacing between tissues being stimulated is provided. The apparatus includes an electric source capable of generating an applied electric field across a region of tissue and/or a means for altering at least one electromagnetic characteristic of the region of tissue relative to the applied electric field and an interface component, such interface component creating an interface between the region of tissue and the applied electric field or the means for altering at least one electromagnetic characteristic of the region of tissue.

Claims

1. An apparatus for interfacing between tissues being stimulated comprising:

an electric source capable of generating an applied electric field across a region of tissue;

a means for altering at least one electromagnetic characteristic of said region of tissue relative to said applied electric field; and

an interface component, such interface component creating an interface between said region of tissue and said applied electric field or said means for altering at least one electromagnetic characteristic of said region of tissue.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one electromagnetic characteristic is permittivity, said permittivity is altered relative to said applied electric field and such alteration generates a displacement current in said region of tissue.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one electromagnetic characteristic is conductivity, said conductivity is altered relative to said applied electric field and such alteration generates an altered ohmic current.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one electromagnetic characteristic is altered relative to said applied electric field and such alteration generates a new electric field which has the ability to drive additional ohmic and displacement currents.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for altering at least one electromagnetic characteristic of said region of tissue is selected from a chemical source, optical source, mechanical source, thermal source or electromagnetic source.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus is worn by an individual having their tissue stimulated.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said interface component houses said electrical source or said means for altering at least one electromagnetic characteristic of said region of tissue relative to said applied electric field.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said interface component is a transducer headpiece, such transducer headpiece housing said electrical source to create said interface between said region of tissue and said applied electric field.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said interface component is a transducer headpiece, such transducer headpiece housing said means for altering at least one electromagnetic characteristic of said region of tissue relative to said applied electric field to create said interface between said region of tissue and said means for altering at least one electromagnetic characteristic of said region of tissue.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said interface component comprises materials of appropriate electrical impedance such that said region of tissue has an electrical impedance such that it is matched or coupled with said interface thereby creating an electrical path to transmit said applied electrical field from said electric source.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said interface component comprises materials of an appropriate electromagnetic characteristic such that said at least one electromagnetic characteristic between said region of tissue and said electric source is matched thereby creating an interface in part between said electric source with said region of tissue.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said interface component can be used to focus or guide said applied electric field or said means for altering at least one electromagnetic characteristic of said region of tissue to a targeted location in said tissue.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said interface apparatus further comprising means to control its number of uses and duration of said stimulation.

14. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said means for altering at least one electromagnetic characteristic of said region of tissue is a mechanical source and said interface component comprises materials having appropriate acoustic or mechanical parameters such that said region of tissue has acoustic or mechanical parameters such that it is matched or coupled with said interface thereby creating an acoustic or mechanical path to transmit an applied acoustic field generated by said mechanical source.

15. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said interface component comprises materials of an appropriate mechanical or acoustic characteristic such that said at least one mechanical or acoustic characteristic between said region of tissue and said mechanical source is matched thereby creating an interface in part between said mechanical source with said region of tissue.

16. An apparatus for interfacing between tissues being stimulated comprising:

an electric source capable of generating an applied electric field across a region of tissue;

a means for altering at least one electromagnetic characteristic of said region of tissue relative to said applied electric field whereby the permittivity of said tissue relative to said applied electric field is altered which generates a displacement current in said region of tissue, the conductivity of said region of tissue is altered which generates an altered ohmic current, and electromagnetic characteristics of said region of tissue are altered which generates a new electric field which can drive additional ohmic and displacement currents; and

an interface component, such interface component creating an interface between said region of tissue, said applied electric field or said means for altering at least one electromagnetic characteristic of said region of tissue.