SYSTEMS, APPARATUSES, DEVICES, AND PROCESSES FOR SYNERGISTIC NEURO-PHYSIOLOGICAL REHABILITATION AND/OR FUNCTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• US 20140200432A1
• Filed: 05/21/2012
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nanyang Technology University
• Original Assignee: Nanyang Technology University
• Inventors: Heng, Kok Hui John Gerard, Banerji, Subhasis
• Granted Patent: US 10,639,235 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/383
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1107 Measuring contraction of parts of the body, e.g. organ, muscle apparatus for measuring work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1125 Grasping motions of hands
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/162 Testing reaction times
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/224 Measuring muscular strength
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• 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 5/375 using biofeedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/395 Details of stimulation, e.g. nerve stimulation to elicit EMG response
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/743 Displaying an image simultaneously with additional graphical information, e.g. symbols, charts, function plots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7445 Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0094 for active rehabilitation, e.g. slow motion devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0096 : using performance related parameters for controlling electronic or video games or avatars
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0647 : Visualisation of executed movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0655 : Tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00181 : comprising additional means assisting the user to overcome part of the resisting force, i.e. assisted-active exercising
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4017 : to the upper limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4019 : to the hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 : for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4045 : Reciprocating movement along, in or on a guide weights moving along or in guiding means A63B21/06; for cardio-training A63B22/201
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2213/004 : with electrotherapy
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 : with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/06 : heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/08 : other bio-electrical signals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/10 : electroencephalographic signals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/207 : P-O2, i.e. partial O2 value
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/30 : blood pressure A63B2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/42 : rate
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/60 : muscle strain, i.e. measured on the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1209 : Involving a bending of elbow and shoulder joints simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/14 : for wrist joints
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0059 : Exercising apparatus with reward systems
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 : Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 : Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves
• 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: G09B 19/003 : Repetitive work cycles; Sequence of movements
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 : relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 : for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

A system for facilitating a subject'"'"'s functional development includes sensing devices configured for sensing mind state signals; sensing devices configured for sensing body state signals; and a set of processing resources configured for generating a mind state indicator/measure, a body state indicator/measure, and a mind-body synergy indicator/measure that corresponds to which each of the subject'"'"'s mind state and body state are synergistically aligned for facilitating the subject'"'"'s functional development. The system can be configured for concurrently presenting a set of activities involving a model body part; engaging in attempted imitation of the set of activities by way of attempted movement of a body part that is a mirror image of the model body part; presenting an indication of an extent to which each of the mind state and body state are cooperative with respect to performance of the set of activities; and presenting an indication of relaxation.

Claims

1-46. -46. (canceled)

47. A system for facilitating a subject'"'"'s functional development, wherein the subject is experiencing at least one of a functional shortcoming, functional inadequacy, functional impairment and functional dysregulation, the system comprising:

a first set of sensing devices configured for sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s mind state;

a second set of sensing devices configured for sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s body state; and

a set of processing resources configured for generating a mind-body synergy measure that corresponds to an expected extent to which each of the subject'"'"'s mind state and the subject'"'"'s body state are cooperatively aligned with respect to facilitating the subject'"'"'s functional development,

wherein the set of processing resources is configured for generating each of (a) a mind state alignment measure corresponding to an expected extent to which the subject'"'"'s mental activity is conducive to learning, and (b) a body state alignment measure corresponding to an expected extent to which the subject'"'"'s bodily activity is conducive to successfully performing a functional development activity,

wherein the body state alignment measure corresponds to a measure of agonist-antagonist muscle contraction; and

a set of display devices configured for presenting a visual functional development activity sequence to the subject that conveys at least one target movement of at least one model body part, the visual functional development activity sequence intended for at least one of performance, attempted performance, and imagined performance by the subject by way of at least one subject body part that is a mirror image of the at least one model body part, wherein the visual functional development activity sequence is presented concurrently with the subject'"'"'s at least one of performance, attempted performance, and imagined performance of the visual functional development activity sequence,

wherein the set of display devices is further configured for presenting to the subject a visual representation of a level of subject activation of each of an agonist muscle and an antagonist muscle associated with subject performance, attempted performance or imagined performance of the functional development activity sequence concurrently with the presentation of the visual functional development activity sequence to the subject.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the first set of sensing devices comprises a set of devices configured for detecting signals representative of intracranial neural activity.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the first set of sensing devices comprises a set of EEG signal detection elements.

50. The system of claim 47, wherein the second set of sensing devices comprises a set of devices configured for detecting signals corresponding to peripheral nervous system activity.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein the second set of sensing devices comprises a set of EMG signal detection elements.

52. The system of claim 47, wherein the mind state alignment measure corresponds to at least one of a level of stress, a level of anxiety, a level of mental relaxation, and a level of mental attention or focus.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the mind state alignment measure is correlated with a ratio between a mean relative alpha band power measure P_α

, and a delta-to-alpha measure DAR referenced to a particular time t, normalized to a baseline or at rest ratio between the mean relative alpha measure P_α

, and the delta-to-alpha measure DAR.

54. The system of claim 47, wherein the body state alignment measure is correlated with a difference between a measure of voluntary target agonist muscle contraction and a measure of voluntary target antagonist muscle contraction.

55. The system of claim 47, wherein the mind-body synergy measure includes a breakthrough measure that is expected to correspond to a likelihood that the subject'"'"'s mind state and body state can synergistically facilitate at least one of substantial, accelerated, sudden, nonlinear, surprising, spontaneous, and lasting gains in functional capability.

56. The system of claim 55, wherein the breakthrough measure is correlated with a voluntary muscle contraction measure that (a) meets or exceeds a threshold muscle contraction condition, and which (b) is temporally associated with each of the mind state alignment measure satisfying a mind state alignment condition and the body state alignment measure satisfying a body state alignment condition.

57. The system of claim 47, further comprising a set of display devices configured for presenting to the subject each of the visual functional development activity sequence and a visual representation of at least one of the mind-body synergy measure, a measure of subject relaxed mental attention, a measure of subject bodily tension, a measure of subject heart rate, a measure of subject skin conductance, a measure of subject sweat, a measure of subject blood oxygenation, and a target subject breathing rate.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the set of display devices is further configured for selectively presenting mind state training exercises and body state training exercises to the subject.

59. The system of claim 47, wherein at least a portion of the system is wearable by the subject.

60. The system of claim 58, wherein the system is wearable by the subject.

61. The system of claim 57, further comprising at least one of a robotic orthosis configured for providing movement assistance to the subject and a functional electrical stimulation (FES) apparatus configured for delivering FES signals to the subject.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the robotic orthosis comprises:

a set of appendage motion modules configured for engaging with a portion of a subject appendage;

a set of mechanical power interface modules coupled to the set of appendage motion modules and configured for facilitating movement of appendage motion modules within the set of appendage motion modules; and

a set of flexible drive shafts couplable to the set of mechanical power interface modules and a set of motors external to the wearable robotic orthosis, wherein the set of appendage motion modules and the set of mechanical power interface modules are subject wearable.

63. The system of claim 62, wherein the set of appendage motion modules includes multiple independently operable and selectively detachable appendage motion modules.

64. A method for facilitating functional development of a subject, wherein the subject is experiencing at least one of a functional shortcoming, functional inadequacy, functional impairment and functional dysregulation, the method comprising:

sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s mind state;

sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s body state; and

generating a mind-body synergy measure that corresponds to an expected extent to which each of the subject'"'"'s mind state and the subject'"'"'s body state are cooperatively aligned with respect to facilitating the subject'"'"'s functional development;

generating each of (a) a mind state alignment measure corresponding to an expected extent to which the subject'"'"'s mental activity is conducive to learning, and (b) a body state alignment measure corresponding to an expected extent to which the subject'"'"'s bodily activity is conducive to successfully performing a functional development activity,

wherein the body state alignment measure corresponds to a measure of agonist-antagonist muscle contraction;

presenting a visual functional development activity sequence to the subject that conveys at least one target movement of at least one model body part, the visual functional development activity sequence intended for at least one of performance, attempted performance, and imagined performance by the subject by way of at least one subject body part that is a mirror image of the at least one model body part, wherein the visual functional development activity sequence is presented concurrently with the subject'"'"'s at least one of performance, attempted performance, and imagined performance of the visual functional development activity sequence; and

presenting to the subject a visual representation of a level of subject activation of each of an agonist muscle and an antagonist muscle associated with subject performance, attempted performance or imagined performance of the functional development activity sequence concurrently with the presentation of the visual functional development activity sequence to the subject.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s mind state comprises detecting signals representative of intracranial neural activity.

66. The method of claim 64, wherein sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s mind state comprises sensing EEG signals.

67. The method of claim 64, wherein sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s body state comprises detecting signals corresponding to peripheral nervous system activity.

68. The method of claim 64, wherein sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s body state comprises sensing EMG signals.

69. The system of claim 64, wherein the mind state alignment measure corresponds to at least one of a level of stress, a level of anxiety, a level of mental relaxation, and a level of mental attention or focus.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein the mind state alignment measure is correlated with a ratio between a mean relative alpha band power measure P_α

and a delta-to-alpha measure DAR referenced to a particular time t, normalized to a baseline or at rest ratio between the mean relative alpha measure P_α

and the delta-to-alpha measure DAR.

71. The method of claim 64, wherein the body state alignment measure is correlated with a difference between a measure of voluntary target agonist muscle contraction and a measure of voluntary target antagonist muscle contraction.

72. The method of claim 64, wherein the mind-body synergy measure includes a breakthrough measure that is expected to correspond to a likelihood that the subject'"'"'s mind state and body state can synergistically facilitate at least one of substantial, accelerated, sudden, nonlinear, surprising, spontaneous, and lasting gains in functional capability.

73. The method of claim 72, wherein the breakthrough measure is correlated with a voluntary muscle contraction measure that (a) meets or exceeds a threshold muscle contraction condition, and which (b) is temporally associated with each of the mind state alignment measure satisfying a mind state alignment condition and the body state alignment measure satisfying a body state alignment condition.

74. The method of claim 64, further comprising presenting to the subject each of the visual functional development activity sequence and a visual representation of at least one of the mind-body synergy measure, a measure of subject relaxed mental attention, a measure of subject bodily tension, a measure of subject heart rate, a measure of subject skin conductance, a measure of subject sweat, a measure of subject blood oxygenation, and a target subject breathing rate.

75. The method of claim 74, further comprising selectively presenting to the subject a set of mind state training exercises in the event that a set of mind state alignment measures corresponds to a subject mind state that is expected to be counterproductive to subject functional development.

76. The method of claim 75, further comprising automatically resuming presentation of the functional development activity sequence to the subject following presentation of the set of mind state training exercises to the subject.

77. The method of claim 74, further comprising selectively presenting to the subject a set of body state training exercises in the event that a set of body state alignment measures corresponds to a subject body state that is expected to be counterproductive to subject functional development.

78. The method of claim 64, wherein sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s mind state and sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s body state occurs during one of subject involvement in a therapy session and subject performance or attempted performance of activities of daily living.

79. The method of claim 64, wherein sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s mind state, sensing signals corresponding to the subject'"'"'s body state, and generating the mind-body synergy measure occurs during one of subject involvement in a therapy session and subject performance or attempted performance of activities of daily living.

80. The method of claim 64, further comprising:

mounting a wearable robotic orthosis to a portion of a subject appendage; and

providing assistive movement to the subject appendage by way of the wearable robotic orthosis during subject performance or attempted performance of at least one of a functional development activity sequence and an activity of daily living.

81. A method for facilitating a subject'"'"'s functional development, the method comprising:

presenting to the subject a set of activities involving a model body part;

simultaneously engaging the subject in attempted imitation of the set of activities by way of attempted movement of a subject body part that is a mirror image of the model body part;

simultaneously presenting to the subject an indication of an expected extent to which each of the subject'"'"'s mind state and body state are cooperative with respect to subject performance of the set of activities; and

simultaneously presenting to the subject an indication of an extent of subject relaxation.

82. A robotic orthosis system configured for providing assistive movement to a portion of an appendage of a subject, the robotic orthosis system including a robotic orthosis comprising:

a set of appendage motion modules configured for engaging with a portion of a subject appendage;

a set of mechanical power interface modules coupled to the set of appendage motion modules and configured for facilitating movement of appendage motion modules within the set of appendage motion modules; and

a set of flexible drive shafts couplable to the set of mechanical power interface modules,

wherein the set of appendage motion modules and the set of mechanical power interface modules are subject wearable.

83. The robotic orthosis system of claim 82, further comprising a set of motors external to the robotic orthosis, the set of motors couplable to the set of mechanical power interface modules by way of the set of flexible drive shafts.

84. An EEG headset comprising:

at least one flexible band configured for fittable engagement with a subject'"'"'s head; and

a set of dry EEG electrode assemblies carried by the at least one flexible band, each dry EEG electrode assembly comprising an array of resiliently biased EEG sensing elements,

wherein the set of dry EEG electrode assemblies are position adjustable relative to each of an anterior-posterior direction and a superior-inferior direction.