Cognitive enhancement using feedback

• US 9,943,698 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2014
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Chase, Charles J., Yonas, Gerold
• Primary Examiner(s): Natnithithadha, Navin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reddy, Sunita
• Application Number:
  US14/258,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20150297108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 600 9- 14, 434236, 607 62, 607 88
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/20 Workers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• 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 5/374 Detecting the frequency distribution of signals, e.g. detecting delta, theta, alpha, beta or gamma waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0027 by the hearing sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/00 Other devices or methods to cause a change in the state of consciousness; Devices for producing or ending sleep by mechanical, optical, or acoustical means, e.g. for hypnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/10 Electroencephalographic signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36025 for treating a mental or cerebral condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/006 for magnetic stimulation of nerve tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0648 the light being directed to the eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0622 Optical stimulation for exciting neural tissue
• 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: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

In an embodiment, a method includes determining a target frequency corresponding to a target brain state and stimulating a brain of a user using feedback to attempt to achieve the target brain state in the user. The stimulating step may include measuring an electrical output of the brain of the user received from one or more sensors coupled to the user, determining a current frequency associated with the brain of the user based on the measured electrical output, and determining a difference between the current frequency and the target frequency. When the difference between the current frequency and the target frequency is greater than a predetermined amount, the method includes sending a signal to the brain of the user through one or more pathways. The signal may have a frequency operable to modify the current frequency associated with the brain of the user towards the target frequency.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining, by a processor, a target frequency corresponding to a target brain state; and

stimulating, by the processor, a brain of a user using feedback to achieve the target brain state in the user by repeating the following one or more times;

measuring an electrical output of the brain of the user received from one or more sensors coupled to the user;

determining a current frequency associated with the brain of the user based on the measured electrical output;

determining a difference between the current frequency associated with the brain of the user and the target frequency; and

sending two or more signals to the brain of the user along two or more pathways using a plurality of distinct types of stimulation devices, wherein the sending of the two or more signals to the brain of the user is based upon a determination, by the processor, that the difference between the current frequency and the target frequency is greater than a predetermined amount, the two or more signals having a frequency operable to modify the current frequency associated with the brain of the user towards the target frequency, wherein the two or more pathways comprise a first optical pathway through an eye and a second optical pathway through an ear, wherein the plurality of distinct types of stimulation devices comprise an optical device and an audible device, wherein the two or more signals are simultaneously sent along the two or more pathways using the optical device and the audible device, to simultaneously provide stimulating signals to the brain of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the stimulation devices is an electromagnetic stimulator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the two or more pathways is an audible pathway.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the target frequency is determined based on data received from a user device indicative of a user selection of the target brain state.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

encoding, using the processor, the two or more signals with a respective code each identifying a respective one or more of the two or more signals; and

filtering, using the processor, the two or more signals from the electrical output of the brain of the user based on the code.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the target frequency in a database, the database comprising a plurality of frequencies each corresponding to a particular brain state.

7. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising logic operable to:

determine a target frequency corresponding to a target brain state; and

stimulate a brain of a user using feedback to achieve the target brain state in the user by repeating the following one or more times;

measure an electrical output of the brain of the user received from one or more sensors coupled to the user;

determine a current frequency associated with the brain of the user based on the measured electrical output;

determine a difference between the current frequency associated with the brain of the user and the target frequency; and

send two or more signals to the brain of the user along two or more pathways using a plurality of distinct types of stimulation devices, wherein the two or more signals are sent to the brain of the user based upon a determination, by the processor, that the difference between the current frequency and the target frequency is greater than a predetermined amount, the two or more signals having a frequency operable to modify the current frequency associated with the brain of the user towards the target frequency, wherein the two or more pathways comprise a first optical pathway through an eye and a second optical pathway through an ear, wherein the plurality of distinct types of stimulation devices comprise an optical device and an audible device, wherein the two or more signals are simultaneously sent along the two or more pathways using the optical device and the audible device, to simultaneously provide stimulating signals to the brain of the user.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein one of the stimulation devices is an electromagnetic stimulator.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein one of the two or more pathways is an audible pathway.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the target frequency is determined based on data received from a user device indicative of a user selection of the target brain state.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the logic is further operable to:

encode the two or more signals with a respective code each identifying a respective one or more of the two more signals; and

filter the two more signals from the electrical output of the brain of the user based on the code.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the logic is further operable to store the target in a database, the database comprising a plurality of frequencies each corresponding to a particular brain state.

13. A system, comprising:

a memory;

one or more processors communicatively coupled to the memory and operable to;

determine a target frequency corresponding to a target brain state; and

stimulate a brain of a user using feedback to achieve the target brain state in the user by repeating the following one or more times;

measure an electrical output of the brain of the user received from one or more sensors coupled to the user;

determine a current frequency associated with the brain of the user based on the measured electrical output;

determine a difference between the current frequency associated with the brain of the user and the target frequency; and

send two or more signals to the brain of the user along two or more pathways using a plurality of distinct types of stimulation devices, wherein the two or more signals are sent to the brain of the user based upon a determination, by the processor, that the difference between the current frequency and the target frequency is greater than a predetermined amount, the two or more signals having a frequency operable to modify the current frequency associated with the brain of the user towards the target frequency, wherein the two or more pathways comprise a first optical pathway through an eye and a second optical pathway through an ear, wherein the plurality of distinct types of stimulation devices comprise an optical device and an audible device, wherein the two or more signals are simultaneously sent along the two or more pathways using the optical device and the audible device, to simultaneously provide stimulating signals to the brain of the user.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein one of the stimulation devices is an electromagnetic stimulator.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein one of the two or more pathways is an audible pathway.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors are further operable to:

encode the two or more signals with a respective code each identifying a respective one or more of the two or more signals; and

filter the two or more signals from the electrical output of the brain of the user based on the code.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the logic is further operable to store the target frequency in a database, the database comprising a plurality of frequencies each corresponding to a particular brain state.