System for altering motional response to sensory input

• US 8,326,415 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chan, Alistair K., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavert, Nicole F
• Application Number:
  US12/290,663
• Publication Number:
  US 20100114255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2, 607/46, 607/48, 600/559, 600/595, 735/85
• US Class Current: 607/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0456 Specially adapted for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36025 for treating a mental or cerebral condition
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1012 involving biosensors worn by the player, e.g. for measuring heart beat, limb activity
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/1037 being specially adapted for converting control signals received from the game device into a haptic signal, e.g. using force feedback

Abstract

A system is generally described for altering a user'"'"'s motional response to sensory input and includes a current source and a first sensory input device configured to provide a first sensory input to a user. The system also includes a second sensory input device configured to provide a second sensory input to a user and a sensor device configured to detect motions associated with the user. Further, the system includes a control unit configured to receive signals from the sensor and receive sensory signals related to the first and second sensory inputs. The control unit generates control signals based on the signals and the sensory signals. Further still, the system includes electrical contacts configured to contact flesh of the user and deliver current from the current source to the vestibular system of the user in response to the control signals and the current is configured to cause the user to move in a predetermined manner if the user is not in the process of making the predetermined motion.

Claims

1. A system for altering a user'"'"'s motional response to sensory input, the system comprising:

a current source;

a first sensory input device configured to provide a first sensory input to a user;

a second sensory input device configured to provide a second sensory input to the user;

a sensor device configured to detect motions associated with the user;

a control unit configured to receive signals from the sensor device and receive sensory signals related to the first and second sensory inputs, the control unit generating control signals based on the signals and the sensory signals; and

electrical contacts configured to contact flesh of the user and deliver a current from a current source through the flesh and directly to the vestibular nerve of the user'"'"'s vestibular system of the user in response to the control signals and the current configured to influence the user to make a predetermined motion if the user is not in a process of making the predetermined motion.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensory input device includes an audio device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensory input device includes a photic device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensory input device includes a haptic device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensory input device includes a sensory device array.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensory input device includes an audio device and the second sensory input device includes at least one of a photic device, a haptic device, or an olfactory device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensory input device includes a photic device and the second sensory input device includes at least one of an audio device, a haptic device, or an olfactory device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensory input device includes a haptic device and the second sensory input device includes at least one of a photic device, an audio device, or an olfactory device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensory input device includes an olfactory device and the second sensory input device includes at least one of a photic device, a haptic device, or an audio device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first sensory input device includes a sensor array and the sensor array is distributed over a portion of the user.

11. A system for altering a user'"'"'s motional response to sensory input, the system comprising:

a current source;

a first sensory input device configured to provide a first sensory input to a user;

a second sensory input device configured to provide a second sensory input to the user;

a sensor device configured to detect motions associated with the user;

a control unit configured to receive signals from the sensor device and receive sensory signals related to the first and second sensory inputs, the control unit generating control signals based on the signals and the sensory signals; and

electrical contacts configured to contact flesh of the user and deliver a current from a current source through the flesh and directly to the vestibular nerve of the user'"'"'s vestibular system of the user in response to the control signals and the current configured to influence the user to make a predetermined motion after the user fails to make the predetermined motions.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first sensory input device includes an audio device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first sensory input device includes a photic device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the first sensory input device includes a haptic device.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the first sensory input device includes an olfactory device.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the first sensory input device includes a sensory device array.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the first sensory input device includes a sensor array and the sensor array is distributed over a portion of the user.

18. A system for altering a user'"'"'s motional response to sensory input from more than one sensory input device, the system comprising:

a current source;

a first sensory input device configured to provide a combined first and second sensory input to a user;

a second sensory input device configured to provide a third sensory input to the user;

a sensor device configured to detect motions associated with the user;

a control unit configured to receive signals from the sensor device and receive sensory signals related to the first and second sensory inputs, the control unit generating control signals based on one or more signals and the sensory signals; and

electrical contacts configured to contact flesh of the user and deliver a current from a current source through the flesh and directly to the vestibular nerve of the user'"'"'s vestibular system of the user in response to the control signals and the current configured to influence the user to make a predetermined motion after the user fails to make the predetermined motions.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the first sensory input includes an audio input.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the first sensory input includes a haptic input.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the first sensory input includes an olfactory input.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the first sensory input includes a photic input.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the third sensory input includes an audio input.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the third sensory input includes a haptic input.

25. The system of claim 18, wherein the third sensory input includes an olfactory input.

26. The system of claim 18, wherein the third sensory input includes a photic input.

27. A system for altering a user'"'"'s motional response to sensory input from more than one sensory input device, the system comprising:

a current source;

a first sensory input device configured to provide a combined first and second sensory input to a user;

a second sensory input device configured to provide a third sensory input to the user;

a sensor device configured to detect motions associated with the user;

a control unit configured to receive signals from a sensor and receive sensory signals related to the first and second sensory inputs, the control unit generating control signals based on one or more signals and the sensory signals; and

electrical contacts configured to contact flesh of the user and deliver a current from a current source through the flesh and directly to the vestibular nerve of the user'"'"'s vestibular system of the user in response to one or more control signals and the current configured to influence the user to make a predetermined motion if the user is not in the process of making the predetermined motion.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the first sensory input includes an audio input.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the first sensory input includes a haptic input.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the first sensory input includes an olfactory input.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the first sensory input includes a sensory.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the third sensory input includes an audio input.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein the third sensory input includes a haptic input.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein the third sensory input includes an olfactory input.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein the third sensory input includes a photic input.