Apparatus and method for improving psychophysiological function for performance under stress

• US 9,402,581 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2015
• Issued: 08/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Optivio Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Biofeedback systems design, llc
• Inventors: Kusik, Daniel A., Stankovic, Dejan, Bourhis, Andrew M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Archer, Marie
• Application Number:
  US14/823,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20150366502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/165 Evaluating the state of mind, e.g. depression, anxiety
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4035 Evaluating the autonomic nervous system
• 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 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4884 inducing physiological or psychological stress, e.g. applications for stress testing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0022 by the tactile sense, e.g. vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0027 by the hearing sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/005 images, e.g. video
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0088 modulated by a simulated respiratory frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/04 Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/42 : Rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/65 : Impedance, e.g. conductivity, capacity
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 : Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/00 : ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 : relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 : relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 : for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for improving psychophysiological function for performance of a subject under stress includes, after a plurality of sensors that monitor stress-indicating physiological parameters have been coupled to the subject, exposing the subject, using computer processes, to at least one training segment during which is determined a degree to which the subject has achieved a targeted level of least one stress-indicating physiological parameter as to be indicative of coherence in the subject. Additionally, the method includes providing, to the subject, feedback indicative of the degree to which the subject has achieved the targeted level of the at least one parameter as to be indicative of coherence in the subject.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for improving psychophysiological function for performance of a subject under stress, the method carried out by a computer coupled to a sensor interface device that is connected to a plurality of sensors that are coupled to the subject, the method comprising:

in a baseline determination computer process conducted when the subject is not performing a stress-inducing activity, (a) receiving, by the computer from the sensor interface device, for each of the plurality of sensors, a measurement stream that quantifies a respective physiological parameter of the subject as measured by such sensor, and (b) storing in the computer, for each of the plurality of sensors, a received measurement of a baseline level of the respective physiological parameter as measured by such sensor;

in a stress determination computer process conducted while the computer is receiving the measurement streams from each of the plurality of sensors, for each one of a stress-inducing activity in a plurality of stress-inducing activities;

(a) using the computer to present such stress-inducing activity to the subject, and (b) storing in the computer, for each of the plurality of sensors, a received measurement of a stress condition level of the respective physiological parameter as measured by such sensor when the subject is performing such stress-inducing activity;

in a relaxation determination computer process conducted while the computer is receiving the measurement streams from each of the plurality of sensors, for each one of a relaxation-inducing protocol in a plurality of relaxation-inducing protocols;

(a) using the computer to prompt the subject to carry out such relaxation-inducing protocol, and (b) storing in the computer, for each of the plurality of sensors, a received measurement of a relaxation condition level of the respective physiological parameter as measured by such sensor when the subject is performing such relaxation-inducing protocol;

in a characterization computer process, (a) selecting, by the computer, the physiological parameter for which the greatest variation exists between the baseline value of the physiological parameter and a stress condition level of the physiological parameter exhibited by the subject when performing an associated stress-inducing activity, (b) selecting, by the computer, the associated stress-inducing activity, (c) selecting, by the computer, the relaxation-inducing protocol for which the greatest variation exists between the baseline value of the selected physiological parameter and a relaxation condition level of the selected physiological parameter exhibited by the subject when performing a relaxation-inducing protocol, and (d) storing, in the computer, data characterizing the selected physiological parameter, the selected stress-inducing activity, and the selected relaxation-inducing protocol; and

providing training in a training computer process, wherein the training computer process includes;

in a first training segment, while monitoring the sensor that provides the measurement stream quantifying the selected physiological parameter, using the computer to present to the subject feedback indicative of the value of the selected physiological parameter as measured by the corresponding sensor, without using the computer to prompt the subject to carry out the determined relaxation-inducing protocol, until the subject achieves a state in which the subject maintains alertness with a relative minimum of stress, such state referred to herein as “

coherence”

, wherein such state is determined to have been achieved when the sensor provides a measurement of the parameter corresponding to the baseline level; and

in a second training segment, while monitoring the sensor that provides the measurement stream quantifying the selected physiological parameter, using the computer to prompt the subject to carry out the selected relaxation-inducing protocol, while using the computer to present feedback indicative of the value of the selected physiological parameter as measured by the corresponding sensor, and while using the computer to present the determined stress-inducing activity to the subject, until the subject achieves coherence, wherein such state is determined to have been achieved when the sensor provides a measurement of the parameter corresponding to the baseline level.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein providing the training further includes, in a third training segment prior to the first training segment, while monitoring the sensor that provides the measurement stream quantifying the selected physiological parameter, using the computer to prompt the subject to carry out the determined relaxation-inducing protocol until the subject achieves the state of coherence, wherein such state is determined to have been achieved when such sensor provides a measurement of the parameter corresponding to the baseline level.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein providing the training further includes, in a fourth training segment prior to the first training segment but after the third training segment, while monitoring the sensor that provides the measurement stream quantifying the selected physiological parameter, using the computer to prompt the subject to carry out the determined relaxation-inducing protocol while also presenting feedback indicative of the value of the selected physiological parameter as measured by such sensor, until the subject achieves the state of coherence, wherein such state is determined to have been achieved when such sensor provides a measurement of the parameter corresponding to the baseline level.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein providing the training further includes, in a fifth training segment after the second training segment, while monitoring the sensor that provides the measurement stream quantifying the selected physiological parameter, using the computer to present feedback indicative of the value of the selected physiological parameter as measured by such sensor, while using the computer to present the determined stress-inducing activity to the subject, without using the computer to prompt the subject to carry out the determined relaxation-inducing protocol, until the subject achieves the state of coherence, wherein such state is determined to have been achieved when such sensor provides a measurement of the parameter corresponding to the baseline level.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein providing the training further includes, in a sixth training segment after the fifth training segment, while monitoring the sensor that provides the measurement stream quantifying the selected physiological parameter, using the computer to present the determined stress-inducing activity to the subject, without using the computer to prompt the subject to carry out the determined relaxation-inducing protocol and without using the computer to present feedback indicative of the value of the selected physiological parameter as measured by such sensor, until the subject achieves the state of coherence, wherein such state is determined to have been achieved when such sensor provides a measurement of the parameter corresponding to the baseline level.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising, in a target determination process, retrieving the stored baseline level, stress-condition level, and relaxation-condition level measurements, and using the retrieved measurements, together with a set of measurements of the selected physiological parameter obtained in the training computer process, to determine and store a new level of the selected physiological parameter that indicates coherence, wherein the indicative level of the selected physiological parameter is re-determined in the course of at least one of the training segments.

7. A method according to claim 5, further comprising providing, to the subject in the course of each training segment, feedback indicative of a degree to which the subject has achieved the baseline level of the selected physiological parameter.

8. A method according to claim 5, further comprising providing, to the subject during the course of at least one of the training segments, feedback having a visual component, wherein the visual component is in the form of a virtual race involving virtual objects, wherein a first virtual object represents achievement by the subject in reaching the baseline level of the selected physiological parameter, and other distinct virtual objects represent distinct amounts of shortfall by the subject in reaching the baseline level of the selected physiological parameter.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein one of the relaxation-inducing protocols is passive muscle relaxation, and the passive muscle relaxation is structured in a manner tending to cause achievement of a state in which the subject maintains alertness with a relative minimum of stress.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein one of the relaxation-inducing protocols is autogenics, and the autogenics is structured in a manner tending to cause achievement of a state in which the subject maintains alertness with a relative minimum of stress.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein one of the relaxation-inducing protocols is guided imagery and the guided imagery is structured in a manner tending to cause achievement of a state in which the subject maintains alertness with a relative minimum of stress.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein one of the relaxation-inducing protocols is mindfulness, and the mindfulness is structured in a manner tending to cause achievement of a state in which the subject maintains alertness with a relative minimum of stress.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein one of the relaxation-inducing protocols is controlled breathing, and the controlled breathing is structured in a manner tending to cause achievement of a state in which the subject maintains alertness with a relative minimum of stress.

14. A system for training a subject to improve psychophysiological function for performance of a stress-inducing activity, the system comprising:

a sensor interface device having;

a microcontroller, including an analog-to-digital converter and a processor;

a plurality of sensor inputs coupled through the analog-to-digital converter to the processor, each sensor input being connectable to a sensor that is coupled to the subject so as to measure a different physiological parameter of the subject, at least one physiological parameter indicating stress in the subject, wherein the processor is programmed to receive from the sensors a measurement stream that quantifies the at least one stress-indicating physiological parameter; and

an output port, coupled to the processor, that is configured to be coupled to a computer, wherein the processor is programmed to communicate the measurement stream to the computer using the output port; and

a non-transitory, tangible computer readable storage medium comprising computer program code that, when executed by the computer, provides a plurality of training segments that train the subject to perform the stress-inducing activity by presenting the subject visual, audible, or tactile prompts or a combination of such prompts that induce the subject to simultaneously perform one or both of the stress-inducing activity and a relaxation-inducing protocol, the prompts being functions of the at least one stress-indicating physiological parameter measured by the plurality of sensors and received as the measurement stream by the computer from the output port;

wherein the computer repeats each of the plurality of training segments until a value of the subject'"'"'s stress-indicating physiological parameter, as quantified by the measurement stream during provision of each training segment, is within a pre-defined range of a baseline value of the parameter, as quantified by the measurement stream during a baseline determination process prior to the provision of each training segment, wherein completion of each training segment indicates that the subject has successfully performed the stress-inducing activity while maintaining alertness with a relative minimum of stress.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the output port is configured to be coupled to the computer via at least one interface selected from the group consisting of a USB interface and a Bluetooth interface.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the sensor interface device further comprises an LED configured to indicate whether communication between the sensor interface device and the computer is occurring wirelessly via Bluetooth.

17. A system according to claim 14, wherein the sensor interface device further comprises an LCD display configured to display information regarding the functioning of the sensor interface device.

18. A system according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of sensor inputs include at least one member selected from the group consisting of a heart rate sensor, a breathing rate sensor, a skin conductance sensor, a skin temperature sensor, and combinations thereof.