Devices and methods for vestibular and/or cranial nerve stimulation
First Claim
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1. An in-ear stimulator for administering thermal stimulation to the ear canal of a subject, comprising:
- (a) an earpiece configured to be insertable into the ear canal of said subject, said earpiece having an outer surface and an internal cavity formed therein, said internal cavity having an inner surface;
(b) at least one thermoelectric device thermally coupled to said earpiece internal cavity inner surface;
(c) a heat sink positioned in said earpiece internal cavity, wherein said heat sink is thermally coupled to said at least one thermoelectric device; and
(d) further comprising 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.
57 Citations
28 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 insertable into the ear canal of said subject, said earpiece having an outer surface and an internal cavity formed therein, said internal cavity having an inner surface; (b) at least one thermoelectric device thermally coupled to said earpiece internal cavity inner surface; (c) a heat sink positioned in said earpiece internal cavity, wherein said heat sink is thermally coupled to said at least one thermoelectric device; and (d) further comprising 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, 21)
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22. A method for delivering caloric stimulation to a subject, the method comprising:
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providing an in-ear stimulator comprising; (a) an earpiece configured to be insertable into the ear canal of said subject, said earpiece having an outer surface and an internal cavity formed therein, said internal cavity having an inner surface; (b) at least one thermoelectric device positioned in the internal cavity and thermally coupled to said earpiece internal cavity inner surface; (c) a heat sink positioned in said earpiece internal cavity, wherein said heat sink is thermally coupled to said at least one thermoelectric device; and (d) 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; and positioning at least a portion of an in-ear stimulator in an ear canal of the subject. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. 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 insertable into the ear canal of said subject, said earpiece having an outer surface and an internal cavity formed therein, said internal cavity having an inner surface; (b) at least one thermoelectric device thermally coupled to said earpiece internal cavity inner surface; 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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Specification