LOCALIZED COLLECTION OF BIOLOGICAL SIGNALS, CURSOR CONTROL IN SPEECH-ASSISTANCE INTERFACE BASED ON BIOLOGICAL ELECTRICAL SIGNALS AND AROUSAL DETECTION BASED ON BIOLOGICAL ELECTRICAL SIGNALS

• US 20160256067A1
• Filed: 10/14/2014
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neurovigil, Inc
• Original Assignee: Neurovigil, Inc
• Inventors: Low, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 11,672,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/296 for electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• 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 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4076 Diagnosing or monitoring particular conditions of the nervous system A61B5/4821, A61B5/4824 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4812 Detecting sleep stages or cycles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4815 Sleep quality
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4842 Monitoring progression or stage of a disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4848 Monitoring or testing the effects of treatment, e.g. of medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7207 of noise induced by motion artifacts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a device with electrodes configured to record electrical activity that are confined to a restricted area, using recorded biological electrical signals to control cursor position in a speech-assistance interface, and using recorded biological signals to detect arousals during sleep.

Claims

1. A physiological data acquisition assembly comprising a housing having a cluster of electrodes comprising an active electrode and a reference electrode, the electrodes being in close proximity to each other.

2. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 1, wherein the electrodes are separated by less than about 5, 4 or 3 inches.

3. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 1, wherein the cluster of electrodes further comprises a ground electrode.

4. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 1, further comprising a power subsystem.

6. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 1, further comprising functionality for analyzing physiological data acquired from a user.

7. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly is configured to record, transmit or store data acquired from a user.

8. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 7, wherein the assembly further comprises functionality to encrypt acquired data.

9. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly further comprises at least one port to charge the assembly.

10. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly further comprises at least one port to transmit or receive data.

11. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 6, wherein the assembly further comprises a wireless communications module.

12. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly is in communication with a remote server or a computing device.

13. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 11, wherein the assembly is in wireless communication with a remote control.

14. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 13, wherein the remote control serves as a power source or docking station.

15. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly further comprises one or more additional sensors.

16. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 15, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of a accelerometer, GPS sensor, head positioning sensor, nasal pneumotachometer, body temperature sensor and oximeter.

17. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more additional sensors detects a physiological parameter selected from the group consisting of body temperature, pulse, respiratory rate, respiratory volume and blood pressure.

18. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 1, wherein acquired data is electromyography data.

19. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 12, wherein the computing device comprises a graphical display.

20. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 19, wherein acquired data is utilized to generate a desired text option on the graphical display.

21. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 12, wherein the computing device is selected from the group consisting of prosthetic, laptop, computer, cell phone, media player, medical device, tablet, and phablet.

22. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 12, wherein the computing device is a prosthetic and acquired data is utilized to control a movement of the prosthetic.

23. The physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 1, wherein acquired data is utilized to generate speech.

24. A system for acquiring physiological data of a subject comprising:

a) the physiological data acquisition assembly of claim 1; and

b) a computing device, a remote server or remote network, wherein the assembly is in communication with the computing device, remote server or remote network.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein acquired data is electromyography data.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the system comprises functionality to generate speech based on the acquired data.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the system comprises functionality to generate a desired text option on a graphical display of the computing device based on the acquired data.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the computing device is a prosthetic and the system comprises functionality to control a movement of the prosthetic based on the acquired data.

29. A method of obtaining and analyzing physiological data of a subject comprising:

a) obtaining physiological data from the subject using the assembly of claim 1; and

b) analyzing the physiological data obtained in (a), thereby obtaining and analyzing the physiological data.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising determining a state of alertness or arousal of the subject based on (b).

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising determining a parameter indicative of a sleep state of the subject based on (b).

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising determining the effect of a drug on the subject based on (b).

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising determining the presence or state of a disease of the subject.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the disease is a neurological or neurodegenerative disease.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or muscular dystrophy.

36. The method of claim 29, further comprising utilizing (b) to control or manipulate a computing device in connection with the assembly.

37. The method of claim 36, where (b) is further utilized to control a movement in the computing device.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the computing device is a prosthetic.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein (b) is further utilized to manipulate a cursor, text, an icon or a visual pointer displayed on a graphical user interface of the computing device.

40. The method of claim 36, wherein (b) is further utilized to generate a sound via the computing device.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the sound is audible speech.

42. The method of claim 36, further comprising mapping obtained data to a specific manipulation.

43. The method of claim 29, wherein the physiological data is electromyography (EMG) data or neurological data.

54. A method of assisting a subject having limited speech or movement ability, the method comprising:

a) obtaining physiological data from the subject using the assembly of claim 1;

b) analyzing the physiological data obtained in (a); and

c) utilizing (b) to control or manipulate a computing device in connection with the assembly, thereby assisting the subject.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the subject has a neurological or neurodegenerative disease.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the disease is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or muscular dystrophy.

57. The method of claim 54, further comprising utilizing (b) to control or manipulate a computing device in connection with the assembly.

58. The method of claim 57, where (b) is further utilized to control a movement in the computing device.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein the computing device is a prosthetic.

60. The method of claim 57, wherein (b) is further utilized to manipulate a cursor, text, an icon or a visual pointer displayed on a graphical user interface of the computing device.

61. The method of claim 57, wherein (b) is further utilized to generate a sound via the computing device.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the sound is audible speech.

63. The method of claim 57, further comprising mapping obtained data to a specific manipulation.

64. The method of claim 54, wherein the physiological data is electromyography (EMG) data or neurological data.

65. A method of detecting a state of arousal or alertness, the method comprising:

a) obtaining physiological data from the subject using the assembly of claim 1;

b) analyzing the physiological data obtained in (a); and

c) utilizing (b) to determine a parameter of arousal or alertness of the subject, thereby detecting the state of arousal or alertness of the subject.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the subject is in a sleep state.

5. (canceled)

44-53. -53. (canceled)

67. The method of claim 67, further comprising characterizing the subject'"'"'s quality of sleep.