Monotonous game-like task to promote effortless automatic recognition of sight words

• US 9,691,289 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2011
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brightstar Learning
• Original Assignee: Brightstar Learning
• Inventors: Kullok, Jose Roberto, Kullok, Saul
• Primary Examiner(s): Gishnock, Nikolai A
• Application Number:
  US13/326,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20120164618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,021 Days
• Field of Search: 434236
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/162 Testing reaction times
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/163 by tracking eye movement, gaze, or pupil change
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4088 Diagnosing of monitoring cognitive diseases, e.g. Alzheimer, prion diseases or dementia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7267 involving training the classification device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7285 for synchronising or triggering a physiological measurement or image acquisition with a physiological event or waveform, e.g. an ECG signal A61B6/5205, A61B6/541, A61B8/5207, A61B8/543 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/541 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0808 for diagnosis of the brain
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/543 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/00 Measuring physical parameters of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/04 Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. E.G.C., blood pressure modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/06 Heartbeat rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/10 Electroencephalographic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 17/003 electrically operated apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 17/006 with audible presentation of the material to be studied audio and audio-visual teaching apparatus in general G09B5/04, G09B5/06
• 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: G09B 19/04 Speaking with audible presentation of the material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/06 Foreign languages with audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 : for medicine
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 : Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/905 : Feedback to patient of biological signal other than brain electric signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 : Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

System and methods are provided to promote effortless automatic recognition of common sight words. A subject performs a game-like task that generates novel non-verbal visual stimuli that triggers visual attention shifts that enhance foveal and parafoveal recognition of non-verbal and verbal stimuli laterally presented in the right or left visual field. The present invention engages a shared motor-perceptual-cognitive neural network involving oculomotor, visuo-motor and selective executive cognitive behaviors on both brain hemispheres. The present invention has applications to a wide range of non-verbal pre-orthographic visual processes and early lexical processes, not only contributing to enabling reading fluency to dyslexics, reluctant and slow readers, but also to beginning readers. The present invention has wide applications in learning disabilities and normative individuals learning to read.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for producing interactive visuo-motor and/or interactive oculomotor non-verbal stimuli in a subject, the method comprising:

displaying a first visualization of first and second graphical objects on a display communicatively coupled with one or more processors, the first graphical object having a first color, and the second graphical object comprising a pathway having a geometric wave form and a graphical reference marker equidistant from a left and a right borderline of the pathway, wherein the pathway is defined by a parameter;

receiving, via an input device communicatively coupled with the one or more processors, a command from a user to change a display position of the first graphical object, wherein the command is based on visuo-motor voluntary control of the user;

changing a display position of the first graphical object on the display according to an application of kinematical predefined rules to the command from a first display position to a second display position;

determining, on the one or more processors, a new value of the parameter based on a normalized performance score for the user, wherein the form of the pathway defined by the second graphical object changes based on the normalized performance score for the user, wherein the normalized performance score for the user is determined based on the second display position of the first graphical object relative to the graphical reference marker;

determining, on the one or more processors, a second visualization of the first and second graphical objects, based at least on the second display position of the first graphical object, and the pathway defined by the determined new value of the parameter,

wherein the second visualization of the first graphical object comprises a second color of the first graphical object, the second color being selected based on an idle time of the subject compared with a predetermined idle threshold time value, the idle time being determined based on aggregation of a plurality of time gaps between arrival times of consecutive interrupts received at the one or more processors from the input device; and

displaying, on the display, the second visualization of the first and second graphical object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying the parameter during a session in accordance with the normalized performance score for the user on a previous predefined time interval.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter comprises kinematical parameters configured to allow a subject'"'"'s eyes to voluntarily track the graphical reference marker relative to the display position of the first graphical object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the display position of the first graphical object is changed under visuo-motor voluntary control of the subject using a mouse.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the first visualization of the graphical object on the display comprises displaying a first graphic mobile planar object configured to move along a predefined area of the second graphical object represented as a second graphic mobile planar object.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the graphical reference marker is depicted inside the predefined area of the second graphical object.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the predefined area of the second graphical object has a graphical form of the pathway.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first graphical object is selected from a group of graphic mobile objects comprising a car, a bird, a panther, and a yacht.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing sensorial feedback information to the subject comprising a degree of navigation smoothness of the first graphical object.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the visualization of the second graphical object comprises changes in graphical and/or kinematical parameters provided in accordance with a predefined program.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein changes to a trajectory of the first graphical object comprise changes to aim the trajectory of the first graphical object to intersect the graphical reference marker of the second graphical object.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

computing a linear distance between the first and second graphical objects, the linear distance based on a distance between a reference sign of the first graphical object and the graphical reference marker of the second graphical object.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

computing the normalized performance score for the user during a predefined time interval using the linear distance between the first and second graphical objects during the predefined time interval.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the second graphical object defines a pathway for movement of the first graphical object.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the second graphical object is selected from a group of graphical objects comprising a road, a river, and a canyon.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the parameter of the geometric wave form of the pathway defined by the second graphical object comprises:

changing parameters of a sinusoidal form of the pathway defined by the second graphical object.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter comprises graphical and kinematical parameters of the second graphical object.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

changing the graphical and/or kinematical parameters of the second graphical object to present different difficulty levels.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

correlating the normalized performance score for the user during a time interval with a difficulty level for the time interval; and

changing a difficulty level for a subsequent time interval based on the correlation.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical reference marker splits the second graphical object into equally-proportioned sides.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical reference marker splits the second graphical object into differently-proportioned sides.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second graphical objects are displayed during a time interval, wherein the time interval is in harmonic relationship with a day cycle.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the harmonic relationship is represented by a time interval of 84 seconds.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter comprises kinematical parameters, the kinematical parameters defining movement of a third graphical object displayed separately from the first and second graphical objects during any part of a predefined time interval.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the kinematical parameters comprise one or more of velocity, positive acceleration, negative acceleration, linear trajectory, and curved trajectory according to predefined spatial coordinate locations of the display.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the display position of the first graphical object comprises changing a trajectory of the first graphical object in relation to the graphical reference marker of the second graphical object.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for producing interactive visuo-motor and/or interactive oculomotor non-verbal stimuli in a subject, execution of which, by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform operations comprising:

displaying a first visualization of first and second graphical objects on a display communicatively coupled with one or more processors, the first graphical object having a first color, and the second graphical object comprising a pathway having a geometric wave form and a graphical reference marker equidistant from a left and a right borderline of the pathway, wherein the pathway is defined by a parameter;

receiving, via an input device communicatively coupled with the one or more processors, command from a user to change a display position of the first graphical object, wherein the command is based on visuo-motor voluntary control of the user;

changing a display position of the first graphical object on the display according to an application of kinematical predefined rules to the command from a first display position to a second display position;

determining, on the one or more processors, a new value of the parameter based on a normalized performance score for the user, wherein the form of the pathway defined by the second graphical object changes based on the normalized performance score for the user, wherein the normalized performance score for the user is determined based on the second display position of the first graphical object relative to the graphical reference marker;

determining, on the one or more processors, a second visualization of the first and second graphical objects, based at least on the second display position of the first graphical object, and the pathway defined by the determined new value of the parameter,

wherein the second visualization of the first graphical object comprises a second color of the first graphical object, the second color being selected based on an idle time of the subject compared with a predetermined idle threshold time value, the idle time being determined based on aggregation of a plurality of time gaps between arrival times of consecutive interrupts received at the one or more processors from the input device; and

displaying, on the display, the second visualization of the first and second graphical object.

28. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, the operations further comprising:

modifying the parameter during a session in accordance with the normalized performance score for the user on a previous predefined time interval.

29. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, wherein the parameter comprises kinematical parameters configured to allow a subject'"'"'s eyes to voluntarily track the graphical reference marker relative to the display position of the first graphical object.

30. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, wherein the display position of the first graphical object is changed under visuo-motor voluntary control of the subject using a mouse.

31. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, wherein displaying the first visualization of the first graphical object on the display comprises displaying a first graphic mobile planar object configured to move along a predefined area of the second graphical object represented as a second graphic mobile planar object.

32. The computer-readable storage device of claim 31, wherein the graphical reference marker is depicted inside the predefined area of the second graphical object.

33. The computer-readable storage device of claim 31, wherein the predefined area of the second graphical object has a graphical form of the pathway.

34. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, wherein the first graphical object is selected from a group of graphic mobile objects comprising a car, a bird, a panther, and a yacht.

35. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, the operations further comprising:

providing sensorial feedback information to the subject comprising a degree of navigation smoothness of the first graphical object.

36. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, wherein the first visualization of the second graphical object comprises changes in graphical and/or kinematical parameters provided in accordance with a predefined program.

37. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, wherein changes to a trajectory of the first graphical object comprise changes to aim the trajectory of the first graphical object to intersect the graphical reference marker of the second graphical object.

38. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, the operations further comprising:

computing a linear distance between the first and second graphical objects, the linear distance based on a distance between a reference sign of the first graphical object and the graphical reference marker of the second graphical object.

39. The computer-readable storage device of claim 38, the operations further comprising:

computing the normalized performance score for the user during a predefined time interval using the linear distance between the first and second graphical objects during the predefined time interval.

40. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, wherein the second graphical object defines a pathway for movement of the first graphical object.

41. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, wherein the second graphical object is selected from a group of graphical objects comprising a road, a river, and a canyon.

42. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, wherein changing the parameter of the geometric wave form of the pathway comprises:

changing parameters of a sinusoidal form of the pathway.

43. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, wherein the parameter comprises graphical and kinematical parameters of the second graphical object.

44. The computer-readable storage device of claim 43, the operations further comprising:

changing the graphical and/or kinematical parameters of the second graphical object to present different difficulty levels.

45. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, the operations further comprising:

correlating the normalized performance score for the user during a time interval with a difficulty level for the time interval; and

changing a difficulty level for a subsequent time interval based on the correlation.

46. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, wherein the graphical reference marker splits the second graphical object into equally-proportioned sides.

47. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, wherein the graphical reference marker splits the second graphical object into differently-proportioned sides.

48. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, wherein the first and second graphical objects are displayed during a time interval, wherein the time interval is in harmonic relationship with a day cycle.

49. The computer-readable storage device of claim 48, wherein the harmonic relationship is represented by a time interval of 84 seconds.

50. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, wherein the parameter comprises kinematical parameters, the kinematical parameters defining movement of a third graphical object displayed separately from the first and second graphical objects during any part of a predefined time interval.

51. The computer-readable storage device of claim 50, wherein the kinematical parameters comprise one or more of velocity, positive acceleration, negative acceleration, linear trajectory, and curved trajectory according to predefined spatial coordinate locations of the display.

52. The computer-readable storage device of claim 27, wherein changing the display position of the first graphical object comprises changing a trajectory of the first graphical object in relation to the graphical reference marker of the second graphical object.

53. A system for producing interactive visuo-motor and/or interactive oculomotor non-verbal stimuli in a subject, the system comprising:

one or more processors configured to process a plurality of instructions; and

a memory configured to store the plurality of instructions comprising instructions for;

displaying a first visualization of first and second graphical objects on a display communicatively coupled with one or more processors, the first graphical object having a first color, and the second graphical object comprising a pathway having a geometric wave form and a graphical reference marker equidistant from a left and a right borderline of the pathway, wherein the pathway is defined by a parameter;

receiving, via an input device communicatively coupled with the one or more processors, a command from a user to change a display position of the first graphical object, wherein the command is based on visuo-motor voluntary control of the user;

changing a display position of the first graphical object on the display according to an application of kinematical predefined rules to the command from a first display position to a second display position;

determining, on the one or more processors, a new value of the parameter based on a normalized performance score for the user, wherein the form of the pathway defined by the second graphical object changes based on the normalized performance score for the user, wherein the normalized performance score for the user is determined based on the second display position of the first graphical object relative to the graphical reference marker;

determining, on the one or more processors, a second visualization of the first and second graphical objects, based at least on the second display position of the first graphical object, and the pathway defined by the determined new value of the parameter,

wherein the second visualization of the first graphical object comprises a second color of the first graphical object, the second color being selected based on an idle time of the subject compared with a predetermined idle threshold time value, the idle time being determined based on aggregation of a plurality of time gaps between arrival times of consecutive interrupts received at the one or more processors from the input device; and

displaying, on the display, the second visualization of the first and second graphical objects.

54. The system of claim 53, the plurality of instructions further comprising instructions for:

modifying the parameter during a session in accordance with the normalized performance score for the user on a previous predefined time interval.

55. The system of claim 53, wherein the parameter comprises kinematical parameters configured to allow a subject'"'"'s eyes to voluntarily track the graphical reference marker relative to the display position of the first graphical object.

56. The system of claim 53, wherein the display position of the first graphical object is changed under visuo-motor voluntary control of the subject using a mouse.

57. The system of claim 53, wherein displaying the first visualization of the first graphical object on the display comprises displaying a first graphic mobile planar object configured to move along a predefined area of the second graphical object represented as a second graphic mobile planar object.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein the graphical reference marker is depicted inside the predefined area of the second graphical object.

59. The system of claim 57, wherein the predefined area of the second graphical object has a graphical form of the pathway.

60. The system of claim 53, wherein the first graphical object is selected from a group of graphic mobile objects comprising a car, a bird, a panther, and a yacht.

61. The system of claim 53, the plurality of instructions further comprising instructions for:

providing sensorial feedback information to the subject comprising a degree of navigation smoothness of the first graphical object.

62. The system of claim 53, wherein the first visualization of the second graphical object comprises changes in graphical and/or kinematical parameters provided in accordance with a predefined program.

63. The system of claim 53, wherein changes to a trajectory of the first graphical object comprise changes to aim the trajectory of the first graphical object to intersect the graphical reference marker of the second graphical object.

64. The system of claim 53, the plurality of instructions further comprising instructions for:

computing a linear distance between the first and second graphical objects, the linear distance based on a distance between a reference sign of the first graphical object and the graphical reference marker of the second graphical object.

65. The system of claim 64, the plurality of instructions further comprising instructions for:

computing the normalized performance score for the user during a predefined time interval using the linear distance between the first and second graphical objects during the predefined time interval.

66. The system of claim 53, wherein the second graphical object defines a pathway for movement of the first graphical object.

67. The system of claim 53, wherein the second graphical object is selected from a group of graphical objects comprising a road, a river, and a canyon.

68. The system of claim 53, wherein changing the parameter of the geometric wave form of the pathway comprises:

changing parameters of a sinusoidal form of the pathway.

69. The system of claim 53, wherein the parameter comprises graphical and kinematical parameters of the second graphical object.

70. The system of claim 69, the plurality of instructions further comprising instructions for:

changing the graphical and/or kinematical parameters of the second graphical object to present different difficulty levels.

71. The system of claim 53, the plurality of instructions further comprising instructions for:

correlating the normalized performance score for the user during a time interval with a difficulty level for the time interval; and

changing a difficulty level for a subsequent time interval based on the correlation.

72. The system of claim 53, wherein the graphical reference marker splits the second graphical object into equally-proportioned sides.

73. The system of claim 53, wherein the graphical reference marker splits the second graphical object into differently-proportioned sides.

74. The system of claim 53, wherein the first and second graphical objects are displayed during a time interval, wherein the time interval is in harmonic relationship with a day cycle.

75. The system of claim 74, wherein the harmonic relationship is represented by a time interval of 84 seconds.

76. The system of claim 53, wherein the parameter comprises kinematical parameters, the kinematical parameters defining movement of a third graphical object displayed separately from the first and second graphical objects during any part of a predefined time interval.

77. The system of claim 76, wherein the kinematical parameters comprise one or more of velocity, positive acceleration, negative acceleration, linear trajectory, and curved trajectory according to predefined spatial coordinate locations of the display.

78. The system of claim 53, wherein changing the display position of the first graphical object comprises changing a trajectory of the first graphical object in relation to the graphical reference marker of the second graphical object.