Method and apparatus for biofeedback

• US 5,465,729 A
• Filed: 02/10/1994
• Issued: 11/14/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mindscope Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mindscope Incorporated
• Inventors: Cram, Jeffrey R., Bittman, Barry B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamm, William E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US08/194,260
• Time in Patent Office: 642 Days
• Field of Search: 128/731, 128/732, 128/733, 128/734, 128/700
• US Class Current: 600/545
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/375 using biofeedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/486 Bio-feedback A61B5/375 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/905 Feedback to patient of biological signal other than brain electric signal

Abstract

A method and apparatus for mediating a biofeedback session with a human subject in which measurements of electrophysiological quantities are used to control the presentation to the subject of a series of prestored audio-visual sequences of varying levels of clarity resident on a direct-access video storage device. The sequences are real scenes designed to induce a desired psychological state when viewed. As the subject succeeds in altering his physiological parameters, the clarity of the presented image and sound improve as an indication of success. By using the invention, the subject develops a conditioned response to the scenes and is able to control his physiological parameters even when away from the apparatus by remembering the audio-visual sequences used during treatment.

Claims

1. A method of altering the reality of the visual images and stereophonic audio sounds of a recorded audio-visual scene depicting objects, comprising the steps of:

a) performing a plurality of operations from the group consisting of changing the focusing of the images, altering a color content of the images, altering an apparent distance to the objects in the images and altering a position of at least one object in the images; and

b) performing a plurality of operations from the group consisting of altering a degree of stereophonic separation of the sounds, altering the audio volume of the sounds, altering an amplitude of at least one frequency component of the sounds above a selected frequency, moving an apparent acoustic position of at least one object by altering a relative audio amplitude contribution from said object to at least two channels of the stereophonic sound.

2. The method cf claim 1 further comprising the step of:

c) using the altered images and sounds in a biofeedback session.

3. A method of altering the reality of the visual images and stereophonic sounds of a recorded audio-visual scene depicting objects, comprising the steps of:

a) performing a plurality of operations from the group consisting of changing the focusing of the images, altering a color content of the images, altering an apparent distance to the objects in the images and altering a position of at least one object in the images;

b) performing a plurality of operations from the group consisting of altering a degree of stereophonic separation of the sounds, altering the audio volume of the sounds, altering an amplitude of at least one frequency component of the sounds above a selected frequency, moving an apparent acoustic position of at least one object by altering a relative audio amplitude contribution from said object to at least two channels of the stereophonic sound; and

c) using the altered images and sounds in a biofeedback session with a subject by presenting said images and sounds to said subject in an order dependent upon a value of at least one electrophysiological parameter of the subject.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

d) controlling said biofeedback session including

i) selecting at least one of said electrophysiological parameters to be monitored;

ii) computing a weighted average of said values of said monitored parameters; and

iii) repeatedly selecting one of said images and said sounds for exhibition to said subject based upon said weighted average.

5. A method of altering the reality of the visual images and stereophonic audio sounds of a recorded audio-visual scene depicting objects, comprising the steps of:

a) performing a plurality of operations from the group consisting of changing the focusing of the images, altering a color content of the images, altering an apparent distance to the objects in the images and altering a position of at least one object in the images;

b) performing a plurality of operations from the group consisting of altering a degree of stereophonic separation of the sounds, altering the audio volume of the sounds, altering an amplitude of at least one frequency component of the sounds above a selected frequency, moving an apparent acoustic position of at least one object by altering a relative audio amplitude contribution from said object to at least two channels of the stereophonic sound;

c) using the altered images and sounds in a biofeedback session; and

d) controlling said biofeedback session in which at least one electrophysiological signal is acquired from a subject and said images and sounds are presented to said subject in an order dependent upon a value of said at least one electrophysiological signal, said controlling including

i) selecting at least one of said electrophysiological signals to be monitored;

ii) computing a weighted average of said monitored signals; and

iii) repeatedly selecting one said image and one said sound for exhibition to said subject based upon said weighted average.

6. A computer implemented method for controlling a biofeedback session in which at least two electrophysiological signals are acquired from a subject and versions of an audio-visual scene are exhibited to the subject, said versions having varying levels of reality, said method comprising the steps of:

i) selecting a plurality of said signals to be monitored;

ii) computing a weighted average of said monitored signals; and

iii) repeatedly selecting one of said versions for exhibition to the subject based upon said weighted average.

7. A computer method for controlling a biofeedback session in which at least one electrophysiological signal is acquired from a subject and versions of an audio-visual scene are exhibited to the subject, said versions having varying levels of reality, said method comprising the steps of:

i) selecting at least one of said signals to be monitored;

ii) computing a weighted average of said monitored signals; and

iii) repeatedly selecting one of said versions for exhibition to the subject based upon said weighted average, wherein said versions of said audio-visual scene are represented by the altering of the reality of the visual images and stereophonic audio sounds of a recorded audio-visual scene depicting objects including;

a) performing a plurality of operations from the group consisting of changing the focusing of the images, altering a color content of the images, altering an apparent distance to the objects in the images and altering a position of at least one object in the images; and

b) performing a plurality of operations from the group consisting of altering a degree of stereophonic separation of the sounds, altering the audio volume of the sounds, altering an amplitude of at least one frequency component of the sounds above a selected frequency, moving an apparent acoustic position of at least one object by altering a relative audio amplitude contribution from said object to at least two channels of the stereophonic sound.

8. A computer controller for controlling a biofeedback session in which at least two electrophysiological signals are acquired from a subject and versions of an audio-visual scene are exhibited to the subject, said versions having varying levels of reality, comprising:

a) means for selecting a plurality of said signals to be monitored;

b) means for computing a weighted average of said monitored signals; and

c) means for repeatedly selecting one of said versions for exhibition to the subject based upon said weighted average.

9. A computer controller for controlling a biofeedback session in which at least one electrophysiological signal is acquired from a subject and versions of an audio-visual scene are exhibited to the subject, said versions having varying levels of reality, comprising:

means for selecting at least one of said signals to be monitored;

means for computing a weighted average of said monitored signals; and

means for repeatedly selecting one of said versions for exhibition to the subject based upon said weighted average, wherein said versions of said audio-visual scene are represented by the altering of the reality of the visual images and stereophonic audio sounds of a recorded audio-visual scene depicting objects including;

a) performing a plurality of operations from the group consisting of changing the focusing of the images, altering a color content of the images, altering an apparent distance to the objects in the images and altering a position of at least one object in the images; and

b) performing a plurality of operations from the group consisting of altering a degree of stereophonic separation of the sounds, altering the audio volume of the sounds, altering an amplitude of at least one frequency component of the sounds above a selected frequency, moving an apparent acoustic position of at least one object by altering a relative audio amplitude contribution from said object to at least two channels of the stereophonic sound.

10. A computer implemented method for controlling a biofeedback session in which at least one electrophysiological signal is acquired from a subject and discrete versions of an audio-visual scene are exhibited to the subject, said discrete versions having varying discrete levels of reality, said method comprising the steps of:

i) selecting at least one of said signals to be monitored;

ii) computing a weighted average of said monitored signals; and

iii) repeatedly selecting one of said discrete versions for exhibition to the subject based upon said average.

11. A computer controller for controlling a biofeedback session in which at least one electrophysiological signal is acquired from a subject and discrete versions of an audio-visual scene are exhibited to the subject, said discrete versions having discrete varying levels of reality, said computer controller comprising:

a) means for selecting at least one of said signals to be monitored;

b) means for computing a weighted average of said monitored signals; and

c) means for repeatedly selecting one of said discrete versions for exhibition to the subject based upon said weighted average.