Mobile device for transcranial auto-stimulation and method for controlling and regulating the device

• US 8,554,324 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2009
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ANT Applied Neuroscience Technologies GmbH
• Original Assignee: Burkhard Brocke
• Inventors: Brocke, Burkhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Koharski, Christopher D
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAREY, MICHAEL JAMES
• Application Number:
  US13/130,624
• Publication Number:
  US 20110288610A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 607/45, 607/46
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0072 with application of electrical currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0408 Use-related aspects
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0456 Specially adapted for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0476 Array electrodes (including any electrode arrangement with more than one electrode for at least one of the polarities)
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36025 for treating a mental or cerebral condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36034 specified by the stimulation parameters

Abstract

A mobile device for transcranial auto-stimulation and a method for controlling and regulating the mobile device are provided. The mobile device is controlled according to need, of circumscribed brain structures and brain systems. The device for transcranial electric current stimulation includes the following components:—electrodes with fasteners to exactly position the electrodes on the skin of the head and electrical connecting lines and—a transportable, miniaturized stimulation generator comprising a current generator, a controller, a user interface, an electrical energy storage device and a monitoring and safety module with a separate electrical energy storage device.

Claims

1. A mobile device for transcranial auto-stimulation, comprising:

electrodes with attachment means for precise positioning on the scalp and electrical connection lines; and

a transportable, miniaturized stimulation generator with;

a current generator, and

a control unit, in which it is possible to store at least one program for determining the pulses to be emitted by the current generator in respect of the value range of the electrical, topographic and temporal parameters, and which is designed such that the overall charge amount and the current density can be detected and the duration and strength of the stimulation can be controlled in view of the size admissible in each case and provided for calling;

a user interface with;

a program selection button for selecting the programs stored in the control unit,

at least one function call button for selecting and calling provided stimulation protocols,

a display;

an electric energy reservoir;

a monitoring and safety module for checking and limiting the current, the stimulation duration, the electrode position and the electrode area, wherein the monitoring and safety module has a separate electric energy reservoir.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the function call buttons for calling a stimulation protocol from a program by the user, or the entire user interface, are designed as a remote control for the stimulation generator.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring and safety module has a separate microcontroller and a capacitor as a separate energy reservoir for a battery backed-up current supply in the case of a malfunction.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes are formed from electrode partial areas with an area of less than 25 cm² and in that a multiplicity of electrode partial areas are arranged in a grid-like fashion, wherein the electrodes can be formed by actuating one or more electrode partial areas.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the attachment means for the electrodes are designed as a headgear and the electrodes are integrated into the headgear.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the stimulation generator is integrated into the headgear.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein a speech module is provided in the stimulation generator or separate therefrom, by means of which speech module spoken commands, coupled via the stimulation protocol, can be output via headphones.

8. The device according to claim 2, wherein the stimulation generator has an attachment band for attaching it to the upper arm, the hand or to the chest of the user, and in that the remote control with the function call buttons is designed for wireless action on the control unit of the stimulation generator.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the electrodes or the electrode partial areas are designed as sensors for establishing the contact resistance.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the user interface contains a display for visual monitoring of functional states of the instrument and the current operator control actions.

11. A method for controlling and regulating a mobile device for transcranial auto-stimulation according to claim 1, the method comprising the following steps:

selecting a program based on a selection made using the program selection button on the user interface;

selecting a stimulation protocol based on a selection made with the function call buttons;

monitoring and limiting stimulation by means of the monitoring and safety module of the stimulation generator; and

matching the parameters current, voltage, stimulation duration, electrode position and electrode area to one another such that predefined limiting values are not exceeded.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the presence of a precisely set signal sequence is checked by the control unit and monitored in a quasi-continuous fashion, and, if errors are detected, a termination or restart of the program is enforced.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the contact resistance is measured by the electrodes designed as sensors and the measured value is reported to the control unit and processed, and, for the purposes of stimulation, a corresponding number of the multiplicity of electrode partial areas, positioned in a grid-like fashion, are actuated such that the required strength of the stimulation current is obtained over a minimum total electrode area in the interests of precise focusing.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the course of the stimulation and the information on the last stimulation for monitoring and limiting time-integral variables can be stored and called.