Wearable and Mobile Brain Computer Interface (BCI) Device and Method

• US 20160239084A1
• Filed: 04/24/2016
• Published: 08/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medibotics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Medibotics, LLC
• Inventors: Connor, Robert A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,234,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• 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

Abstract

This invention is a wearable and mobile Brain Computer Interface (BCI) device which can be embodied in a head-worn undulating band. This band can have an ear-engaging segment, a side segment which spans the side part of a person'"'"'s forehead and/or face, and a top segment which spans the top of the person'"'"'s head. This band can encircle a person'"'"'s head and include an ear prong. This band can include a movable loop which can be moved to span across a person'"'"'s forehead.

Claims

1. A Brain Computer Interface (BCI) device comprising:

a rear ear-engaging segment, wherein the rear ear-engaging segment is configured to be worn on a first side of a person'"'"'s head around at least a portion of the rear-facing surface of the person'"'"'s ear on the first side;

a side segment, wherein this side segment is configured to span on the first side of the person'"'"'s head from the rear ear-engaging segment to the person'"'"'s temple, to a side portion of the person'"'"'s face, and/or to a side portion of the person'"'"'s forehead;

a top segment, wherein this top segment is configured to span on the first side of the person'"'"'s head from the side segment to the top of the person'"'"'s head;

at least one electromagnetic energy sensor which is held in proximity to the person'"'"'s head by the rear ear-engaging segment, the side segment, or the top segment, wherein the at least one electromagnetic energy sensor collects data concerning electromagnetic brain activity;

a data processor which receives data from the at least one electromagnetic energy sensor;

a data transmitter; and

a power source which powers the at least one electromagnetic energy sensor, the data processor, and/or the data transmitter.

2. The device in claim 1 wherein the rear ear-engaging, side, and top segments are all parts of an arcuate undulating band.

3. The device in claim 1 wherein this device further comprises rear ear-engaging, side, and top segments on a second side of the person'"'"'s head opposite to the first side, and wherein first side and second side top segments connect at the top of the person'"'"'s head.

4. The device in claim 1 wherein the side segment is configured to protrude, project, arc, and/or undulate forward from a person'"'"'s ear along a vector which is substantially parallel to a vector which is clockwise between the 3 o'"'"'clock (90 degree) and 5 o'"'"'clock (150 degree) vectors, wherein these vectors are defined with respect to a side view of the person'"'"'s ear canal.

5. The device in claim 1 wherein the side segment is configured to span, protrude, curve, or loop from the person'"'"'s ear:

at least two inches toward the person'"'"'s eye;

at least two inches toward the center of the person'"'"'s forehead;

between one quarter and three-quarters of the way toward the person'"'"'s eye;

or between one quarter and three-quarters of the way toward the center of the person'"'"'s forehead.

6. The device in claim 1 wherein the side segment has a shape selected from the group consisting of:

arc, wave, undulation, semi-circle, semi-oval, loop, half-sinusoidal curve, bell-shaped curve, and conic section.

7. The device in claim 1 wherein the side segment has an arc, wave, or undulation with a rear-facing concavity and a forward-facing peak.

8. The device in claim 1 wherein the side segment has a concavity whose opening faces along a vector which is parallel to a vector which is clockwise between the 7 o'"'"'clock (210 degree) and 11 o'"'"'clock (330 degree) vectors, wherein these vectors are defined with respect to a side view of the person'"'"'s ear canal.

9. The device in claim 1 wherein the side segment is configured to have a lower portion which rests on the outer ear and an upper portion which is vertically above the outer ear.

10. The device in claim 1 wherein the side segment is configured to:

(a) span in an arcuate and/or undulating manner downward and forward from a person'"'"'s ear to a location on the side of a person'"'"'s face, (b) then span in an arcuate and/or undulating manner upward, and (c) then span in an arcuate and/or undulating manner upward and rearward to a location above the ear on the side of the head.

11. A Brain Computer Interface (BCI) device comprising:

a forward-upward sloped headband which is configured to encircle a person'"'"'s head;

an ear prong which is configured to engage a portion of the perimeter of an outer ear;

at least one electromagnetic energy sensor which is held in proximity to the person'"'"'s head by the forward-sloped headband or the ear prong, wherein the at least one electromagnetic energy sensor collects data concerning electromagnetic brain activity;

a data processor which receives data from the at least one electromagnetic energy sensor;

a data transmitter; and

a power source which powers the at least one electromagnetic energy sensor, the data processor, and/or the data transmitter.

12. The device in claim 11 wherein a front portion of the headband is higher than a rear portion of the headband.

13. The device in claim 11 wherein the front third of the headband has a first average height, wherein the rear third of the undulating headband has a second average height, and wherein the first height is between 1″

and 3″

higher than the second height.

14. The device in claim 11 wherein a front portion of the headband is configured to span across the person'"'"'s forehead.

15. The device in claim 11 wherein right and left side portions of the headband are attached to right and left side ear prongs, and wherein each ear prong partially encircles the perimeter of an outer ear and/or the connection between the main body of the head and the outer ear.

16. The device in claim 11 wherein right and left side portions of the headband are attached to right and left side ear prongs and wherein each ear prong engages the rear-facing surface of an outer ear.

17. A Brain Computer Interface (BCI) device comprising:

a rear loop which is configured to loop around the rear portion or upper-rear portion of a person'"'"'s head, from a first side of the person'"'"'s head to a second side of the person'"'"'s head;

a rear ear-engaging member which is configured to curve around at least a portion of the rear of an ear;

a movable loop, wherein this movable loop has a first configuration in which it loops around the rear or upper-rear portion of a person'"'"'s head, wherein this movable loop has a second configuration in which it loops across the person'"'"'s forehead, and wherein this movable loop can be reversibly moved from the first configuration to the second configuration;

at least one electromagnetic energy sensor which is held in proximity to the person'"'"'s head by the movable loop in the second configuration, wherein the at least one electromagnetic energy sensor collects data concerning electromagnetic brain activity;

a data processor which receives data from the at least one electromagnetic energy sensor;

a data transmitter; and

a power source which powers the at least one electromagnetic energy sensor, the data processor, and/or the data transmitter.

18. The device in claim 17 wherein the movable loop further comprises a stretchable, elastic, and/or expandable portion.

19. The device in claim 17 wherein this device further comprises a frontal ear-engaging member which is configured to curve around at least a portion of the front of an outer ear.

20. The device in claim 17 wherein this device further comprises a joint, hinge, or axle around which the movable loop pivots or rotates.