Motor training with brain plasticity

• US 8,938,289 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2005
• Issued: 01/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Einav, Omer, Korenman, Ernesto, Faran, Samuel, Mahoney, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goddard, Laura B
• Application Number:
  US11/660,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20090221928A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,442 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 600/544
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• 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 5/375 using biofeedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/377 using evoked responses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/378 Visual stimuli
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/38 Acoustic or auditory stimuli
• 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 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/02 Stretching or bending or torsioning apparatus for exercising
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/10 Electroencephalographic signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/25 Blood flowrate, e.g. by Doppler effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/62 Posture
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/00 Percussion or vibration massage, e.g. using supersonic vibration; Suction-vibration massage; Massage with moving diaphragms apparatus for passive exercising A61H1/00; generating or transmitting mechanical vibrations in general B06B

Abstract

A rehabilitation device, comprising a movement element capable of controlling at least one motion parameter of a portion of a patient; a brain monitor which generates a signal indicative of brain activity; and circuitry including a memory having stored therein rehabilitation information and which inter-relates said signal and movement of said movement element as part of a rehabilitation process which utilizes said rehabilitation information.

Claims

1. A rehabilitation device, comprising:

a movement element capable of controlling at least one motion parameter of a portion of a patient;

a non-invasive brain monitor which generates a brain activity signal indicative of brain activity; and

circuitry of a controller including a memory having stored therein rehabilitation information and which inter-relates said brain activity signal and a mechanical movement signal, said mechanical movement signal derived by the controller and that is not based on the brain activity signal, to control said movement element as part of a rehabilitation process which utilizes said rehabilitation information and wherein said circuitry is adapted to change at least one motion parameter responsive to said brain activity signal.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said portion is a limb.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry controls at least one of the direction and location of a movement or a reach point.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry controls at least one of resistance to movement, speed and movement mode.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry measures at least one parameter of motion of said movement element.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein said circuitry measures at least one of force, movement vector and speed of said movement.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein said rehabilitation information comprises a rehabilitation plan.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein said rehabilitation information comprises a rehabilitation diagnosis.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein said rehabilitation information comprises at least one template of expected brain-motion relationship.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry is adapted to generate an expected motion based on said signal.

11. A device according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry is adapted to generate an expected brain activity based on movement of said movement element.

12. A device according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry is adapted to compare said signal to said rehabilitation information.

13. A device according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry is adapted to compare rehabilitation improvements of said patient to trends in said rehabilitation information.

14. A device according to claim 1, wherein said change is within a time frame of said movement.

15. A device according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry is adapted to detect an intent to move of said patient and provide control of said movement element in response thereto.

16. A device according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry is adapted to detect a readiness to move and provide control of said movement element in response thereto.

17. A device according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry is adapted to change a signal processing of said signal responsive to a detection of movement or lack thereof.

18. A device according to claim 1, wherein said brain monitor comprises an EEG monitor.

19. A device according to claim 1, wherein said brain monitor comprises a blood flow measuring device.

20. A device according to claim 1, wherein said brain monitor comprises an fMRI system.

21. A device according to claim 1, wherein said movement element comprises a robotic manipulator.

22. A device according to claim 1, wherein said movement element comprises a resistive movement element which resists motion in a controllable manner.

23. A device according to claim 1, wherein said movement element is adapted to be capable of substantially unrestricted movement in 3D space over a volume of at least 30 cm in minimum dimension.

24. A device according to claim 1, wherein said movement element is adapted to be selectively coupled and decoupled to at least one type of body portion.

25. A device according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry is adapted to provide cognitive rehabilitation to said patient.

26. A device according to claim 1, wherein said circuitry comprises a memory which stores a rehabilitation progress of said patient.

27. A device according to claim 1, comprising at least two movement elements which said circuitry is configured to identify as being associated with opposite limbs.

28. A device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one motion parameter is a rehabilitation parameter.

29. A method of rehabilitation, comprising:

controlling the motion of at least part of a patient as part of a rehabilitation process using a movement element;

measuring a first brain activity signal of said patient using a non-invasive first brain monitor, in association with said controlling;

deciding on a desired brain rehabilitation using circuitry of a controller including a memory having stored therein rehabilitation information and which inter-relates said brain activity signal and a mechanical movement signal, said mechanical movement signal derived by the controller and is not based on the brain activity signal, to control said movement element as part of a rehabilitation process which utilizes said rehabilitation information; and

,

changing said motion using said circuitry based on said measuring the brain activity signal to affect said rehabilitation.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein said desired brain rehabilitation comprises cortical reorganization.

31. A method according to claim 29, comprising diagnosing the patient based on said measuring.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein diagnosing comprises controlling said motion to achieve a plurality of desired motions for said diagnosis.

33. A method according to claim 31, wherein diagnosing comprises generating at least an indication of brain plasticity for said patient.

34. A method according to claim 29, comprising controlling said motion in response to said measuring.

35. A method according to claim 29, comprising controlling said measuring in response to said motion.

36. A method according to claim 29, comprising measuring the first brain activity of the patient during said motion.

37. A method according to claim 29, comprising repeating said controlling and said measuring for a same motion at least 10 times.

38. A method according to claim 29, comprising repeating said controlling and said measuring for at least 20 different motions in a same day of rehabilitation.

39. A method according to claim 29, comprising comparing brain activity signal measurements for a healthy side and a paretic side.

40. A method according to claim 29, comprising comparing movements for a healthy side and a paretic side.

41. A method according to claim 29, comprising measuring said motion.

42. A method according to claim 29, comprising measuring a quality of said motion.

43. A method according to claim 29, comprising tracking a progress of said rehabilitation process of said patient based on said measurements.

44. A method according to claim 29, comprising training a patient to control cortical activity using said controlling of motion as feedback.

45. A method of rehabilitation according to claim 29, wherein the measuring is of a patient locally activating a brain region;

and, wherein deciding and changing are applied to said brain region in synchrony to said activating.

46. A method according to claim 45, wherein the rehabilitation process comprises physical rehabilitation which uses said brain region.

47. A method according to claim 45, wherein the rehabilitation process comprises delivering a drug.

48. A method according to claim 45, wherein the brain region is stimulated using an external means that directly stimulates brain tissue.

49. A method according to claim 45, wherein said locally activating comprises forcing a patient to locally activate a region using a physical exercise.

50. A method according to claim 45, wherein said locally activating comprises detecting local activation of said region.

51. A method of rehabilitation according to claim 29, further comprising:

causing the generation of brain activity by at least guiding a patient to at least intend to carry out a known physical activity;

measuring a second brain activity signal using a second brain monitor of a different type from the first brain monitor;

determining a correspondence between results of said first and said second brain activity signals measured;

performing rehabilitation on said patient using said second monitor; and

assessing a brain activity of said patient during said performing utilizing a correspondence between said first and said second brain activity signals.

52. A method according to claim 51, wherein said assessing comprises assuming a fixed relationship between said results.

53. A method according to claim 51, wherein said generating brain activity comprises generating under computer control.

54. A method according to claim 51, wherein said generating brain activity comprises repeating a same at least intent to carry out a known physical activity at least 10 times.

55. A method according to claim 51, wherein measuring said second brain activity signal comprises electrical monitoring.

56. A method according to claim 51, wherein measuring said second brain activity signal is significantly lower cost than measuring said first brain activity signal.

57. A method according to claim 51, wherein measuring said first brain activity signal comprises fMRI.