Devices and methods for vestibular and/or cranial nerve stimulation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An in-ear stimulator for administering thermal stimulation to the ear canal of a subject, comprising:
- (a) an earpiece configured to be at least partially insertable into the ear canal of the subject;
(b) at least one thermoelectric device thermally coupled to said earpiece and configured to heat or cool said earpiece to thereby heat or cool the ear canal of the subject; and
(c) a controller configured to deliver a time-varying thermal waveform to said at least one thermoelectric device such that said thermoelectric device effects corresponding temperature changes to said earpiece to deliver caloric stimulation to the subject, wherein the controller is configured to deliver the time-varying thermal waveform such that the time-varying thermal waveform comprises an amplitude that increases or decreases through a plurality of different temperature points over time.
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Abstract
An in-ear stimulator for administering thermal stimulation to the ear canal of a subject includes (a) an earpiece configured to be insertable into the ear canal of said subject, the earpiece having an outer surface and an internal cavity formed therein, the internal cavity having an inner surface; and (b) at least one thermoelectric device thermally coupled to the earpiece internal cavity inner surface.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. An in-ear stimulator for administering thermal stimulation to the ear canal of a subject, comprising:
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(a) an earpiece configured to be at least partially insertable into the ear canal of the subject; (b) at least one thermoelectric device thermally coupled to said earpiece and configured to heat or cool said earpiece to thereby heat or cool the ear canal of the subject; and (c) a controller configured to deliver a time-varying thermal waveform to said at least one thermoelectric device such that said thermoelectric device effects corresponding temperature changes to said earpiece to deliver caloric stimulation to the subject, wherein the controller is configured to deliver the time-varying thermal waveform such that the time-varying thermal waveform comprises an amplitude that increases or decreases through a plurality of different temperature points over time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An in-ear stimulator for administering thermal stimulation to the ear canals of a subject, comprising:
- (a) a first earpiece configured to be at least partially insertable into the right ear canal of the subject;
(b) a second earpiece configured to be at least partially insertable into the left ear canal of the subject;
(c) at least one thermoelectric device thermally coupled to said first earpiece and configured to heat or cool said first earpiece to thereby thermally stimulate the right ear canal of the subject;
(d) at least one thermoelectric device thermally coupled to said second earpiece and configured to heat or cool said second earpiece to thereby thermally stimulate the left ear canal of the subject;
(e) a headpiece configured to position said first earpiece in the right ear canal of the subject and to position said second earpiece in the left ear canal of the subject. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
- (a) a first earpiece configured to be at least partially insertable into the right ear canal of the subject;
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24. A method for delivering caloric stimulation to a subject, the method comprising:
- positioning at least a portion of an in-ear stimulator in an ear canal of the subject, said in-ear stimulator comprising;
(a) an earpiece configured to be at least partially insertable into the ear canal of the subject; and
(b) at least one thermoelectric device thermally coupled to said earpiece and configured to heat or cool said earpiece to thereby thermally stimulate the ear canal of the subject;
delivering a time-varying thermal waveform to said at least one thermoelectric device such that said thermoelectric device effects corresponding temperature changes to said earpiece to deliver caloric stimulation to the subject, wherein delivering a time-varying thermal waveform to said at least one thermoelectric device comprises delivering a time-varying thermal waveform such that the time-varying thermal waveform comprises an amplitude that increases or decreases through a plurality of different temperature points over time. - View Dependent Claims (25)
- positioning at least a portion of an in-ear stimulator in an ear canal of the subject, said in-ear stimulator comprising;
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26. An in-ear stimulator for administering thermal stimulation to the ear canal of a subject, comprising:
- a heat sink thermally coupled to at least one thermoelectric device and having at least an outer portion of said heat sink that is configured for positioning outside the ear canal of a subject, wherein said at least one thermoelectric device is configured to thermally stimulate the ear canal of the subject.
- View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for delivering caloric stimulation to a subject, the method comprising:
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positioning at least a portion of an in-ear stimulator in an ear canal of the subject, the earpiece comprising; (a) an earpiece configured to be at least partially insertable into the ear canal of the subject; and (b) at least one thermoelectric device thermally coupled to said earpiece and configured to heat or cool said earpiece to thereby thermally stimulate the ear canal of the subject; activating said in-ear stimulator to deliver a thermal stimulation to the ear canal of the subject; and reorienting a tilt angle of the subject to thereby modify a vestibular stimulation. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification