APPARATUS, METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PRE-ACTION THERAPY

• US 20150196800A1
• Filed: 01/13/2015
• Published: 07/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vincent J. Macri
• Original Assignee: Vincent J. Macri
• Inventors: Zilber, Paul, Macri, Vincent James, Macri, Vincent John
• Granted Patent: US 10,111,603 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/09 Rehabilitation or training
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/375 using biofeedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4041 Evaluating nerves condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4519 Muscles A61B5/389, A61B5/224 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an apparatus, method and system for physical, pre-action, extremity and related spinal cord, brain stem and neural therapies. An apparatus according to the present disclosure can include: a computing device configured to convert an input control action into a simulation instruction, wherein the input control action is provided by an input device; at least one simulated extremity operatively connected to the computing device and configured to simulate at least one modeled human anatomical movement based on the simulation instruction, wherein the at least one modeled human anatomical movement is distinct from the input control action; and a feedback device operatively connected to the computing device and configured to transmit a sensory response, wherein the sensory response is based on the modeled human anatomical movement.

Claims

1. An apparatus for physical, pre-action, extremity and related spinal cord, brain stem and neural therapies, the apparatus comprising:

a computing device configured to convert an input control action into a simulation instruction, wherein the input control action is provided by an input device;

at least one simulated extremity operatively connected to the computing device and configured to simulate the at least one modeled human anatomical movement based on the simulation instruction derived from the input control action, wherein the at least one modeled human anatomical movement is distinct from the input control action; and

a feedback device operatively connected to the computing device and configured to transmit a sensory response, wherein the sensory response is based on the modeled human anatomical movement.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the feedback device is coupled to a user extremity, and wherein the sensory response acts on the user extremity to stimulate one or more of the user'"'"'s physical body parts.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a restraint therapy device in communication with the feedback device and configured to restrain at least one extremity of a user, wherein the feedback device is further configured to control the restraint therapy device to restrain or assist at least one extremity of a user.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input device includes at least one of a controller, a motion control system, a sensory body harness and an electroencephalography (“

EEG”

) device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the input device includes the EEG device, and the EEG device includes at least one of a PET scanner, an fMRI scanner and an MVPA scanner.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the feedback device comprises a haptic feedback unit operatively connected to the computing device and configured to transmit the sensory response to a user.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one simulated extremity comprises a robotic anatomical model configured to simulate one the at least one human anatomical movement.

8. A method for physical, pre-action, extremity and related spinal cord, brain stem and neural therapies, the method comprising:

translating an input control action into a simulation instruction for at least one modeled human anatomical movement, wherein the at least one modeled human anatomical movement is distinct from the input control action;

simulating, with at least one simulated extremity, the at least one modeled human anatomical movement based on the simulation instruction;

calculating a difference between an ideal movement and the at least one modeled anatomical movement; and

transmitting a sensory response to a user, wherein the sensory response is derived from the calculated difference.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

translating a cooperative or competing input control action into a simulation instruction for at least one cooperative or competing human anatomical movement; and

simulating, with the at least one model extremity, the at least one cooperative or competing human anatomical movement based on the simulation instruction for the at least one cooperative or competing human anatomical movement.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising restraining or assisting at least one extremity of the user.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising modifying the sensory response to excite neurons in at least one of a prefrontal cortex, a premotor cortex and a supplementary motor area of the user.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising monitoring a neuronal activity of the user, and converting the monitored neuronal activity into the input control action.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one modeled human anatomical movement consists of movements other than the at least one modeled human anatomical movement.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one model extremity includes at least one of a virtual model and a robotic model.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising diagnosing a medical condition of the user based on the calculated difference between the ideal movement and the at least one modeled anatomical movement.

16. A system for physical, pre-action, extremity and related spinal cord, brain stem and neural therapies, the system comprising:

an input device configured to receive an input control action from a user;

at least one simulated extremity operatively connected to the input device and configured to simulate at least one modeled human anatomical movement based on the input control action;

a feedback device operatively connected to the input device and configured to transmit a sensory response to the user; and

a computing device operatively connected to the input device, the at least one simulated extremity and the feedback device, wherein the computing device is configured to perform actions including;

simulate, with the at least one simulated extremity, the at least one modeled human anatomical movement based on the input control action, wherein the at least one modeled human anatomical movement is distinct from the input control action,

calculate a difference between an ideal movement and the modeled human anatomical movement, and

transmit a sensory response via the feedback device to a user, wherein the sensory response is derived from the calculated difference.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one simulated extremity comprises one of a robotic extremity and a virtual extremity for simulating the model human anatomical movement in virtual space, the virtual extremity being displayed upon a display device.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising a restraint therapy device operatively connected to the computing device, wherein the computing device is further configured to instruct the restraint therapy device to restrain or assist at least one extremity of the user.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the feedback device comprises haptic feedback units mechanically coupled to the feedback device and configured to provide the sensory response to the user.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the input device includes at least one of a controller, a motion control system, a sensory body harness and an electroencephalography device.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the computing device is further configured to receive at least one cooperative or competing input control action from at least one cooperative or competing user, translate the at least one cooperative or competing input control action into at least one cooperative or competing simulated human anatomical movement, and simulate the at least one cooperative or competing simulated human anatomical movement with the model extremity based on the at least one cooperative or competing input control action.