Computing device for enhancing communications

• US 10,521,666 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2015
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unither Neurosciences, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Unither Neurosciences, Inc.
• Inventors: Rothblatt, Martine
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher, Jerry-Daryl
• Application Number:
  US14/724,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20150262016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,677 Days
• Field of Search: 434112
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4088 Diagnosing of monitoring cognitive diseases, e.g. Alzheimer, prion diseases or dementia
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training

Abstract

A computing device for enhancing communications is disclosed. The computing device includes a memory configured to store data, a video camera configured to receive video input data, and a microphone configured to receive audio input data. The computing device also includes a processor that is configured to analyze the received video input data, the received audio input data, and the data stored in the memory. The computing device further includes a visual display device that is configured to output a visual display based on the processor analysis, and a speaker output device that is configured to output an audio signal based on the processor analysis.

Claims

1. A computing device for enhancing communications, comprising:

a microphone configured to receive audio input data;

an electroencephalogram (EEG) device to receive EEG data;

one or more processors configured to;

receive, from the EEG device, an EEG waveform generated by a patient, the EEG waveform received in response to detecting, by the microphone, an audio input data generated by a third party;

determine an incapacity of the patient is above a predetermined threshold based on the EEG waveform generated by the patient and a comparison of voice data obtained from the patient with baseline voice data obtained from the patient; and

select, responsive to the incapacity of the patient being above the predetermined threshold, response data based on the audio input data generated by the third party, wherein the response data comprises a conversational segment; and

a speaker output device configured to automatically output an audio signal based on the conversational segment.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to communicate with a server to update the response data.

3. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising a video camera configured to receive video input data.

4. The computing device of claim 3, further comprising a voice and face recognition application, executed by the one or more processors, to identify at least one of a face or a voice of the third party.

5. The computing device of claim 4, wherein the one or more processors are configured to select the response data based on the identified at least one of the face or the voice of the third party.

6. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising a speech synthesis engine configured to generate the audio signal based on the conversational segment.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

detect a vocal prompt in the audio input data; and

select the response data based on the vocal prompt.

8. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the conversational segment comprises a recorded voice segment of the patient.

9. The computing device of claim 1, further comprising a video output device configured to automatically output a video signal based on the conversational segment.

10. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the video signal comprises a viseme generated from at least one of a recording or a photograph of the patient.

11. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the video signal comprises a recorded video segment of the patient.

12. A method to interact with persons in a mentally debilitating state, comprising:

receiving, by a microphone of a wearable device, an audio input data generated by a third party;

receiving, from an EEG device of the wearable device, an EEG waveform generated by a patient, the EEG waveform received in response to detecting the audio input data;

determining, by one or more processors of the wearable device, an incapacity of the patient is above a predetermined threshold based on the EEG waveform generated by the patient and a comparison of voice data obtained from the patient with baseline voice data obtained from the patient;

selecting, by the one or more processors of the wearable device and responsive to the incapacity of the patient being above the predetermined threshold, response data based on the audio input data generated by the third party, wherein the response data comprises a conversational segment; and

outputting, by a speaker output device of the wearable device, an audio signal based on the conversational segment.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising communicating, by the one or more processors of the wearable device, with a server to update the response data.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving, by a video camera of the wearable device, a video input data generated by the third party.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising identifying, by a voice and face recognition application of the wearable device, at least one of a face or a voice of the third party.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting the response data based on the identified at least one of the face or the voice of the third party.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising generating, by a speech synthesis engine, the audio signal based on the conversational segment.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting a vocal prompt in the audio input data; and

selecting the response data based on the vocal prompt.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the conversational segment comprises a recorded voice segment of the patient.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising outputting, by a video output device of the wearable device, a video signal based on the conversational segment.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the video signal comprises a viseme generated from at least one of a recording or a photograph of the patient.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the video signal comprises a recorded video segment of the patient.