Method and system for quantitative assessment of spatial distractor tasks

• US 8,475,391 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2009
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cognivue Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cerebral Assessment Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Duffy, Charles J.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOUGHERTY, SEAN PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US12/560,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20110066071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 500/558, 351/239, 351/246, 434/136, 434/167, 434/227, 434/236, 600/558
• US Class Current: 600/558
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/168 Evaluating attention deficit, hyperactivity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4064 Evaluating the brain A61B5/031, A61B5/369, A61B5/14553 take precedence
• 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 5/4082 Diagnosing or monitoring movement diseases, e.g. Parkinson, Huntington or Tourette
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence

Abstract

A method is presented to address quantitative assessment of spatial distractor tasks in a subject, where the method comprises the steps of: (1) presenting at least one scene to a subject on a display, said scene comprising a plurality of elements and a background; (2) modulating the saliency of a predetermined section of the scene; (3) receiving feedback from the subject; (4) superimposing an additional cue onto the scene; (5) generating a shift in attention of the subject; (6) receiving refined feedback from the subject; (7) quantitatively refining the refined feedback; (8) adjusting the motion associated with the scene relative to accuracy of the refined feedback; and (9) calculating a critical threshold parameter for the subject; and (10) recording the critical threshold parameter onto a tangible computer readable medium. An apparatus for quantitative assessment of spatial distractor tasks of a subject comprising a display device, an input device, a control device, and a tangible computer readable medium. In its simplest sense, quantitative assessment profile of spatial distractor tasks by psychophysical responses is generated on a tangible computer readable medium.

Claims

1. A method to evaluate functional impairment in a brain of a subject, said method comprising the steps of:

performing a spatial distractor tasks test, said spatial distractor tasks test assessing the combination of visual motion and visual form, said spatial distractor task test comprising the following steps executed on a processor;

presenting at least one scene to said subject on a display, said scene comprising a plurality of elements and a background;

modulating the saliency of a predetermined section of said scene;

receiving feedback from said subject, said feedback associated with input device;

superimposing at least one additional cue onto said scene, said additional cue associated with at least one distractor;

generating a shift in attention of said subject from said predetermined section to said distractor;

receiving refined feedback from said subject via at least one input device;

quantitatively refining said refined feedback relative to said scene;

adjusting the motion associated with said scene relative to accuracy of said quantitatively refined feedback, said adjusted motion associated with a predetermined target;

calculating a critical threshold parameter for said subject;

recording said critical threshold parameter onto a tangible computer readable medium; and

using said critical threshold parameter in assessing evaluating or determining at least one functional impairment in a brain of said subject.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of the additional steps of:

monitoring at least one response error from said subject; and

measuring said response error relative to a predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of superimposing is performed at a different location than said step of modulating.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of superimposing is performed intermittently.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said modulated saliency is associated with high saliency.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said superimposed cue further comprises a geometric characteristic.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said geometric characteristic further comprises at least one of the following:

shape;

size;

orientation;

aspect ratio; and

line thickness.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said adjusted motion is associated with said modulated predetermined section.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said movement is characterized by at least one of the following:

planar motion;

circular motion;

translational motion;

spiral motion; and

radial motion.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said quantitative refinement is associated with saliency.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said critical threshold parameter is implemented in a different functional impairment assessment test.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium, said medium containing instructions executable by a processer to evaluate functional impairment in a brain of a subject, the steps comprising:

performing a spatial distractor tasks test, said spatial distractor tasks test assessing the combination of visual motion and visual form, said spatial distractor task test comprising the following steps;

presenting at least one scene to said subject on a display, said scene comprising a plurality of elements and a background;

modulating the saliency of a predetermined section of said scene;

receiving feedback from said subject, said feedback associated with input device;

superimposing at least one additional cue onto said scene, said additional cue associated with at least one distractor;

generating a shift in attention of said subject from said predetermined section to said distractor;

receiving refined feedback from said subject via at least one input device;

quantitatively refining said refined feedback relative to said scene;

adjusting the motion associated with said scene relative to accuracy of said quantitatively refined feedback, said adjusted motion associated with a predetermined target;

calculating a critical threshold parameter for said subject; and

outputting said critical threshold parameter, said critical threshold parameter used in assessing, evaluating, or determining at least one functional impairment in a brain of said subject.

13. The medium of claim 12, further comprising at least one of the additional steps of:

monitoring at least one response error from said subject; and

measuring said response error relative to a predetermined threshold.

14. The medium of claim 12, wherein said step of superimposing is performed at a different location than said step of modulating.

15. The medium of claim 12, wherein said step of superimposing is performed intermittently.

16. The medium of claim 12, wherein said modulated saliency is associated with high saliency.

17. The medium of claim 12, wherein said superimposed cue further comprises a geometric characteristic.

18. The medium of claim 17, wherein said geometric characteristic further comprises at least one of the following:

shape;

size;

orientation;

aspect ratio; and

line thickness.

19. The medium of claim 12, wherein said adjusted motion is associated with said modulated predetermined section.

20. The medium of claim 12, wherein said movement is characterized by at least one of the following:

planar motion;

circular motion;

translational motion;

spiral motion; and

radial motion.