Apparatus and method for sensory integration and muscular coordination analysis
First Claim
1. A method for testing whether a subject'"'"'s ability to maintain position in equilibrium in a selected plane of motion is grossly abnormal with respect to both of two criteria, where the first criterion (termed "direct sensory control criterion") is the ability to maintain equilibrium position while support surface inputs and visual inputs related to motion in the selected plane are simultaneously disrupted, and the second criterion (termed "adaptive sensory control criterion") is the ability to maintain equilibrium position while surface inputs related to motion in the selected plane are disrupted and the subject is simultaneously exposed to incorrect visual inputs, and such method comprising:
- (1) Performing Test Procedure Y as follows;
(A) placing the subject in a position of equilibrium on a support surface which is independently rotatable about an axis (hereinafter the "support surface rotation axis") related to the subject'"'"'s position in equilibrium and having the subject stand with eyes closed or blindfolded;
(B) measuring change (hereinafter termed "change in the subject'"'"'s orientation angle") in the angular orientation of the subject in the selected plane of motion;
(C) causing the support surface to undergo a change in angular orientation about the support surface rotation axis so as to equal the measured change in the subject'"'"'s orientation angle, thereby nullifying changes in angle between the orientation of the subject and the inclination of the support surface;
(D) determining whether or not the subject independently maintains the position in equilibrium;
(2) Performing Test Procedure Z as follows;
(A) placing the subject in a position in equilibrium on a support surface which is independently rotatable about an axis (hereinafter the "support surface rotation axis");
(B) substantially surrounding the subject'"'"'s field of view of a movable second surface (hereinafter the "visual surround");
(C) measuring the change in the subject'"'"'s orientation angle;
(D) causing the support surface to undergo a change in angular orientation about the support surface rotation axis so as to equal the measured change in subject'"'"'s orientation angle, thereby nullifying changes in angle between the orientation of the subject and the inclination of the support surface;
(E) causing the visual surround to undergo a change in angular orientation about the support surface rotation axis so as to equal the measured change in subject'"'"'s orientation angle, thereby nullifying changes in angle between the orientation of the subject and the orientation of the visual surround; and
(F) determining whether or not the subject independently maintains the position in equilibrium.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A subject'"'"'s ability to maintain a position in equilibrium by organizing sensory orientation inputs is tested utilizing a support surface and a visual surround. These items are moved by servo control in relation to a subject'"'"'s sway to provide perceptually misleading sensory orientation inputs to the subject, as part of various testing protocols.
86 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for testing whether a subject'"'"'s ability to maintain position in equilibrium in a selected plane of motion is grossly abnormal with respect to both of two criteria, where the first criterion (termed "direct sensory control criterion") is the ability to maintain equilibrium position while support surface inputs and visual inputs related to motion in the selected plane are simultaneously disrupted, and the second criterion (termed "adaptive sensory control criterion") is the ability to maintain equilibrium position while surface inputs related to motion in the selected plane are disrupted and the subject is simultaneously exposed to incorrect visual inputs, and such method comprising:
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(1) Performing Test Procedure Y as follows; (A) placing the subject in a position of equilibrium on a support surface which is independently rotatable about an axis (hereinafter the "support surface rotation axis") related to the subject'"'"'s position in equilibrium and having the subject stand with eyes closed or blindfolded; (B) measuring change (hereinafter termed "change in the subject'"'"'s orientation angle") in the angular orientation of the subject in the selected plane of motion; (C) causing the support surface to undergo a change in angular orientation about the support surface rotation axis so as to equal the measured change in the subject'"'"'s orientation angle, thereby nullifying changes in angle between the orientation of the subject and the inclination of the support surface; (D) determining whether or not the subject independently maintains the position in equilibrium; (2) Performing Test Procedure Z as follows; (A) placing the subject in a position in equilibrium on a support surface which is independently rotatable about an axis (hereinafter the "support surface rotation axis"); (B) substantially surrounding the subject'"'"'s field of view of a movable second surface (hereinafter the "visual surround"); (C) measuring the change in the subject'"'"'s orientation angle; (D) causing the support surface to undergo a change in angular orientation about the support surface rotation axis so as to equal the measured change in subject'"'"'s orientation angle, thereby nullifying changes in angle between the orientation of the subject and the inclination of the support surface; (E) causing the visual surround to undergo a change in angular orientation about the support surface rotation axis so as to equal the measured change in subject'"'"'s orientation angle, thereby nullifying changes in angle between the orientation of the subject and the orientation of the visual surround; and (F) determining whether or not the subject independently maintains the position in equilibrium. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for testing whether a subject'"'"'s ability to maintain a position in equilibrium by appropriately organizing sensory orientation inputs in a selected plane of motion according to two criteria is normal with respect to the first criterion but grossly abnormal with respect to the second criterion, where the first criterion (termed "direct sensory control criterion") is the ability to maintain equilibrium position while support surface input and visual inputs are simultaneously disrupted, and the second criterion (termed "adaptive sensory control criterion") is the ability to maintain equilibrium position while surface inputs are disrupted and the subject is simultaneously exposed to incorrect visual inputs, such method comprising:
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(1) Performing Test procedure X as follows; (A) placing the subject in a position in equilibrium on a support surface which is independently rotatable about an axis (hereinafter the "support surface rotation axis") related to the subject'"'"'s position in equilibrium; (B) measuring the change (hereinafter termed "change in subject'"'"'s orientation angle") in the angular orientation of the subject in the selected plane of motion; (C) causing the support surface to undergo a change in angular orientation about the support surface rotation axis so as to equal the measured change in the subject'"'"'s orientation angle, thereby nullifying changes in angle between the orientation of the subject and the inclination of the support surface; (D) determining whether or not the subject independently maintains the position in equilibrium. (2) Performing Test Procedure Y as follows; (A) placing the subject in a position in equilibrium on a support surface which is independently rotatable about an axis (hereinafter the "support surface rotation axis") related to the subject'"'"'s position in equilibrium, and having the subject stand with eyes closed or blindfolded; (B) measuring the change in the subject'"'"'s orientation angle; (C) causing the support surface to undergo a change in angular orientation about the support surface rotation axis so as to equal the measured change in the subject'"'"'s orientation angle, thereby nullifying changes in angle between the orientation of the subject and the inclination of the support surface; (D) determining whether or not the subject independently maintains the position in equilibrium. (E) determining, if the subject maintains the position in equilibrium over a specified time interval, an index of stability for this Test Procedure Y, such index termed the "index of blind stability," related to the average amplitude of change in the measured subject'"'"'s orientation angle during the specified interval of time; (3) Performing Test Procedure Z as follows; (A) placing the subject in a position in equilibrium on a support surface which is independently rotatable about an axis (hereinafter the "support surface rotation axis") related to subject'"'"'s position in equilibrium; (B) substantially surrounding the subject'"'"'s field of view with a second surface (hereinafter the "visual surround") independently movable with respect to the support surface; (C) measuring the change in the subject'"'"'s orientation angle; (D) causing the support surface to undergo a change in angular orientation about the support surface rotation axis so as to equal the measured change in the subject'"'"'s orientation angle, thereby nullifying changes in angle between the orientation of the subject and the inclination of the support surface; (E) causing the visual surround to undergo a change in angular orientation about the support surface rotation axis so as to equal the measured change in the subject'"'"'s orientation angle, thereby nullifying changes in the angle between the orientation of the subject and the AP orientation of the visual surround; (F) determining whether or not the subject independently maintains the position in equilibrium; (G) determining, if the subject maintains the position in equilibrium over a specified time interval, an index of stability for this Test Procedure Z, such index termed the "index of visually disinformed stability," related to the average amplitude of change in the measured subject'"'"'s orientation angle during the specified interval of time. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification