STATIONS FOR PERFORMING PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS TESTS

• US 20100145219A1
• Filed: 12/10/2008
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IQ Biolabs Incorporated
• Original Assignee: IQ Biolabs Incorporated
• Inventors: Grey, Alexander B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,126,542 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/546
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for evaluating the risk of stress-related injury associated with a predetermined activity. One embodiment involves collecting physiological data while a subject performs a predetermined task, collecting psychological data while the subject performs a cognitive task, and ascertaining the risk of stress-related injury based on both the collected physiological data and the collected psychological data. Another embodiment involves presenting a subject with a plurality of mental and physical tasks during which physiological data, psychological data, and/or both is collected, and determining the risk of stress-related injury based on the data collected. Yet another embodiment includes a test circuit for measuring stress responses that includes both physiological test stations and psychological test stations. Physiological stress is evaluated in the form of surface electromyography data that is quantified into a single index value, as will be described in detail herein.

Claims

1. A method for accessing the physiological effect of physiological and psychological stressors on a subject, the method comprising:

presenting the subject with a first physiological stressor;

receiving sEMG data points describing muscular activity of the subject while the subject is experiencing the physiological stressor;

presenting the subject with a first psychological stressor;

receiving surface electromyography (sEMG) data points describing muscular activity of the subject while the subject is experiencing the psychological stressor; and

accessing the physiological effect of the psychological and physiological stressors by analyzing the sEMG data points received.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a first index value summarizing at least a portion of the sEMG data points received while the subject is presented with the psychological stressor; and

calculating a second index value summarizing at least a portion of the sEMG data points received while the subject is presented with the physiological stressor, wherein the act of analyzing the sEMG data points includes analyzing the first and second index values.

3. A method according to claim 2, further comprising ascertaining a risk of the subject developing a stress-related injury based at least in part on the first and second index values.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first physiological stressor includes one or more predetermined physical tasks.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the one or more physical tasks include a driving simulation task that requires the subject to perform a simulated driving course on a driving simulator, wherein the simulated driving course further includes a second psychological stressor presented to the subject while the subject is performing the one or more physical tasks.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the second psychological stressor includes at least one of a slippery road condition, a police car, a reckless driver, and/or a loud noise in the simulated driving course.

7. A method according to claim 4, wherein the one or more physical tasks include a gross motor task.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the gross motor task requires the subject to perform at least one of lifting an object, moving an object, catching an object, and/or throwing an object.

9. A method according to claim 4, wherein the one or more physical tasks includes a multitasking task that requires the subject to perform physical exercises utilizing a keyboard, a mouse, a touchpad, and/or a microphone.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising a second psychological stressor that includes at least one of distracting noise, changing fonts, moving virtual windows, and/or changing display colors that is presented to the subject simultaneously with the one or more physical tasks.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first psychological stressor includes one or more cognitive tasks.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the one or more cognitive tasks include:

requiring the subject to read and recite the name of a word, wherein the semantic meaning of the presented word is a color other than the color of the presented word; and

/or

requiring the subject to perceive and recite the color of the presented word, wherein the semantic meaning of the presented word is a color other than the color of the presented word.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the one or more cognitive tasks includes a mathematical processing test presented to the subject, wherein the mathematical processing test requires the subject to perform a series of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and/or division exercises aloud.

14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising calculating at least one index value summarizing the sEMG data, wherein calculating the at least one index value summarizing the sEMG data points includes:

calculating the index value based at least in part on an area under a curve, the curve approximating at least a portion of the sEMG data points;

calculating the index value based at least in part on an area over the curve;

calculating the index value based at least in part on an average of multiple high data points or an average of multiple low data points;

calculating the index value based at least in part on a combination of a high data point, a low data point, an average of multiple data points;

calculating the index value base on a derivative of one or more order;

and/or

calculating the index value based at least in part on a combination of a high data point (H), a low data point (L), and an average data point (A) according to the following equation;

DH+CL+BA=E

, where D, C, and B describe weights assigned to the high data point, low data point, and average data point.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the area under the curve or the area over the curve is calculated by taking an integral of at least a portion of an sEMG graph representing the sEMG data points.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the area under the curve or the area over the curve is calculated by taking a weighted integral or double integral of at least a portion of an sEMG graph representing the sEMG data points.

17. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions stored on the computer readable medium, the executable instructions being configured to cause a computer to perform the acts of claim 1 when executed by the computer.

18. A method for determining the risk of stress-related injury associated with a predetermined activity, the method comprising:

presenting a subject with a test circuit, the test circuit including a plurality of test stations, wherein each test station includes one or more physiological and/or psychological stressors;

collecting surface electromyography (sEMG) data points describing muscular activity of the subject while the subject is at a first test station experiencing a first physiological stressor;

calculating a first index value summarizing the sEMG data points collected while the subject is experiencing the first physiological stressor at the first test station;

collecting sEMG data points describing muscular activity of the subject while the subject is at a second test station experiencing a first psychological stressor;

calculating a second index value summarizing the sEMG data points collected while the subject is experiencing the first psychological stressor at the second test station; and

determining the risk of stress-related injury associated with the predetermined activity based on the first and second index values.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the first physiological stressor includes a gross motor task that requires the subject to perform a physical task including at least one of lifting an object, moving an object, catching an object, and/or throwing an object.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the second test station includes a driving simulation that requires the subject to perform a simulated driving course on a driving simulator, wherein the simulated driving course further includes the first psychological stressor which includes at least one of a slippery road condition, a police car, a reckless driver and/or a loud noise.

21. A method according to claim 18, wherein the first test station includes a multitasking task that requires the subject to perform computer exercises utilizing a keyboard, a mouse, a touchpad, and/or a microphone, wherein the computer exercises further include a second psychological stressor including at least one of a distracting noise, a changing font, a moving window, and/or a changing display color.

22. A method according to claim 18, wherein the second test station further includes:

requiring the subject to read and recite the name of a color presented in a different color, wherein the semantic meaning of the presented word is a color other than the color of the presented word; and

/or

requiring the subject to perceive and recite the color of a presented word, wherein the semantic meaning of the presented word is a color other than the color of the presented word.

23. A method according to claim 18, wherein the second test station includes a mathematical processing test presented to the subject via a computer platform, wherein the mathematical processing test requires the subject to perform a series of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and/or division exercises aloud.

24. A method according to claim 18, wherein the first and/or second index values are calculated using the sEMG data points as an input to a mathematical algorithm, wherein:

the algorithm includes an integral;

the algorithm includes separate weights for high data points, low data points, and averages of data points within the sEMG data points,;

the algorithm includes a derivative of one or more orders;

the algorithm includes calculating the index value based at least in part on an area under a curve, the curve approximating at least a portion of the sEMG data points;

the algorithm includes calculating the index value based at least in part on an area over the curve;

the algorithm includes calculating the index value based at least in part on an average of multiple high data points or an average of multiple low data points; and

/or

the algorithm includes calculating the index value based at least in part on a combination of a high data point, a low data point, an average of multiple data points.

25. A test circuit for accessing the physiological effect of mental and physical stressors on a subject comprising:

a first test station including;

a first plurality of surface electromyography (sEMG) sensors for collecting first sEMG data describing muscular activity of the subject while the subject is experiencing a physiological stressor; and

a first processing circuit communicably coupled to the first plurality of sEMG sensors for calculating a first index value based on the first sEMG data; and

a second test station including;

a second plurality of sEMG sensors for collecting sEMG data describing muscular activity of the subject while the subject is experiencing a psychological stressor; and

a second processing circuit communicably coupled to the second plurality of sEMG sensors for calculating a second index value based on the second sEMG data.

26. A test circuit according to claim 25, wherein the first test station includes a plurality of differently weighted objects which are utilized by the subject to perform large motor movements including at least one of lifting the objects, moving the objects, throwing the objects, catching the objects and kicking the objects.

27. A test circuit according to claim 25, wherein the second test station includes a computer interface for guiding the subject through the execution of one or more cognitive tasks.

28. A test circuit according to claim 25, wherein the first test station includes a driving simulator which is configured to simulate stressful driving conditions.

29. A test circuit according to claim 25, wherein the second test station includes a computer platform having a display unit, a keyboard and a mouse which are used to perform multitasking exercises.

30. A test circuit according to claim 25, further comprising:

a third test station including a third plurality of sEMG sensors for collecting third sEMG data describing muscular activity of the subject; and

a fourth test station including a fourth plurality of sEMG sensors for collecting fourth sEMG data describing muscular activity of the subject, wherein;

the first test station includes a plurality of differently weighted objects which are utilized by the subject to perform large motor movements including at least one of lifting the objects, moving the objects, throwing the objects, catching the objects and kicking the objects;

the second test station includes a computer interface for guiding the subject through the execution of one or more cognitive tasks;

the third test station includes a driving simulator which is configured to simulate stressful driving conditions; and

the fourth test station includes a computer platform having a display unit, a keyboard and a mouse which are used to provide multitasking exercises.