Multimodal automated sensory testing system
First Claim
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1. A stimulator system for sensory testing of a subject by stimulating a portion of the subject and receiving feedback from the subject, comprising:
- a housing member having;
a stimulation site having a surface within the housing member, the surface configured to be accessible through an aperture in the housing member, wherein the aperture is configured to allow the portion of the subject to access a passage in the housing member to position the portion of the subject on the surface;
a transducer member associated with a drive system, wherein the transducer member is moveable by the drive system at least towards the surface of the stimulation site through a drive aperture in the housing member, wherein the transducer member is positioned to at least apply pressure on at least the portion of the subject and bias the portion of the subject against the surface of the stimulation site;
a power source coupled to the drive system;
a controller operably coupled to the drive system;
a communication system coupled to the controller; and
an input system for sending at least a user input signal including the feedback from the subject to the controller of a rating by the subject regarding at least the pressure applied on at least the portion of the subject by the transducer member.
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Abstract
A computer-controlled sensory testing system is disclosed that can be used to further pain research and aid in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of pain syndromes. The system includes actuators to deliver pressure/deformation (strain), auditory, olfactory, and other stimuli to a subject. The system includes software to control the delivery of the stimuli. The system is further operable to receive feedback regarding the stimuli received.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A stimulator system for sensory testing of a subject by stimulating a portion of the subject and receiving feedback from the subject, comprising:
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a housing member having; a stimulation site having a surface within the housing member, the surface configured to be accessible through an aperture in the housing member, wherein the aperture is configured to allow the portion of the subject to access a passage in the housing member to position the portion of the subject on the surface; a transducer member associated with a drive system, wherein the transducer member is moveable by the drive system at least towards the surface of the stimulation site through a drive aperture in the housing member, wherein the transducer member is positioned to at least apply pressure on at least the portion of the subject and bias the portion of the subject against the surface of the stimulation site; a power source coupled to the drive system; a controller operably coupled to the drive system; a communication system coupled to the controller; and an input system for sending at least a user input signal including the feedback from the subject to the controller of a rating by the subject regarding at least the pressure applied on at least the portion of the subject by the transducer member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of operating a sensory stimulation system and receiving a feedback from a subject regarding sensory stimulation, comprising:
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accessing and executing a stored program by at least one processor to transmit a stimulation signal to a stimulator system to apply a stimulus including a pressure to the subject based on instructions of the stored program; initiating operation of the stimulator system; operating the stimulator system, after the initiation of the stimulator system, automatically and based on the executed program and the stimulation signal transmitted to the stimulator system to apply a stimulus to the subject; receiving the feedback from the subject regarding the applied stimulus including pressure based on operation of the stimulator system regarding the applied stimulus, wherein the feedback from the subject includes a rating regarding the applied stimulus including pressure; receiving a feedback from the stimulator system regarding the applied stimulus; analyzing at least one of (i) the received feedback from the subject regarding the applied stimulus including pressure or (ii) the received feedback from the stimulator system; placing at least one digit of a hand of the subject on a digit placement site within a housing member; and applying the stimulus including the pressure to the at least one digit of the subject, including; moving a transducer member with a drive system, at least towards the digit placement site through a drive aperture in the housing member, wherein the transducer member is positioned to apply the pressure on at least a portion of the at least one digit and biasing the at least one digit against the digit placement site; receiving the stimulation signal with a receiver of the stimulator system from the at least one processor based on the executed instructions; and operating the drive system with a drive system controller based on the received stimulation signal. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A pressure stimulator system for sensory testing at least a digit of a human user and a feedback system from the human user, comprising:
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a housing member configured to be held in a single hand of the human user while the digit is placed against a digit placement surface, wherein the housing member has an aperture through an exterior wall of the housing member configured to allow access to the digit placement surface by the digit of the single hand within the housing member; a drive system operable to be powered with a power source, wherein both the drive system and the power source are within the housing member; a transducer member coupled to the drive system, wherein the transducer member is moveable by the drive system at least towards the digit placement surface through a drive aperture in an internal wall of the housing member, wherein the transducer member is configured to apply pressure on at least a portion of the digit of the human user and bias the digit against the digit placement surface to apply a pressure to the digit with the transducer member; a local controller to control the drive system; and an input system for inputting a human user signal from the human user to relate a perception of the human user based on the applied pressure on at least the portion of the digit of the human user. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification