Human Performance Enhancement Method And Apparatus

a human performance and enhancement method technology, applied in the field of human performance enhancement methods and apparatus, can solve the problems of reduced attention, reduced blood flow, and muscle not assisting in moving the blood upward in the body

Inactive Publication Date: 2016-04-14
AUSTIN DAVID G +1
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

Effectively reduces blood pooling, enhancing alertness and reducing the risk of drowsiness-related health issues and accidents, while improving rest quality and preventing long-term conditions like varicose veins.

Problems solved by technology

This pooling of the blood in the legs results in a reduced blood flow to the brain which, in turn, causes drowsiness and reduced attentiveness.
Consequently, while gravity continues to attract blood downward into the lower extremities, the muscles are not assisting in moving the blood upward in the body.
There are several undesirable consequences of this pooling of the blood in the lower extremities.
One consequence is that a person driving an automobile or other vehicle or operating other machinery becomes drowsy, inattentive and less vigilant.
All of these consequences have an obvious undesirable effect upon the person's ability to operate a vehicle or machinery in a safe manner.
Unfortunately this problem sometimes leads to increased operator error, not only for persons operating machinery, but also for others such as persons sitting at and operating a computer or a student taking a test in school.
There are also additional long term health consequences that result from excessive occurrences and lengthy time intervals of such blood pooling.
The sleep apnea itself contributes to further drowsiness and inattentiveness because it results in less effective rest.
The retained fluid results in an exponential decrease of airflow with resultant disturbed sleep, increased risk of obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular sequelae.
The disturbed sleep results in drowsy driving, operator error and an increased risk of vehicular accidents.
Disrupted sleep can also lead to some form of Attention Deficit Disorder.
If the pressure rises above the structural limits of the veins, a likelihood that increases with age, the increased pressure causes stretching of the vessel walls (varicose veins).
Simultaneously, fluid is expressed through the venous walls into the soft tissue of the legs resulting in fluid retention and edema

Method used

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  • Human Performance Enhancement Method And Apparatus
  • Human Performance Enhancement Method And Apparatus
  • Human Performance Enhancement Method And Apparatus

Examples

Experimental program
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Embodiment Construction

[0019]U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 889766 filed Oct. 11, 2013 is incorporated by reference into this application.

[0020]FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the invention for improving and protecting the cardiovascular and mental functions of a human who is seated and engaged in reduced physical activity. The embodiment has a human body support in the form of a chair 8 constructed with chair components that comprise a seat 10, a seat back 12, a headrest 14 and a seat front 16. The seat front 16 is illustrated in a vertical orientation although alternatively it can be inclined downward and away from the chair 8 so that it provides more substantial support for the legs. A human body 18 (illustrated in a phantom outline) is supported in the seat 10 in the conventional seated posture.

[0021]Positioned on all the chair components are a plurality of support segments 20. The support segments 20 are arranged in an array or matrix that is distributed across the chair components in locati...

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PUM

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Abstract

A human body support, such as a chair, has a plurality of electrodes arranged in an array and spaced longitudinally with respect to the human body. The array extends from an inferior position to a more superior position along the body. A sensor measures a parameter of the human body that is capable of indicating the presence of drowsiness. A controller has an input connected to the sensor for receiving a signal representing the sensed parameter and has outputs connected to each of the electrodes. The controller detects whether the sensed parameter is within a range indicating the presence of drowsiness and applies a wave of electrical stimuli against the human body in response to detection of a sensed parameter within the range. The electrical stimuli cause periodic tightening and relaxing of proximate muscles as the wave progresses in a direction from an inferior location on the human body toward a more superior location.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 889766 filed Oct. 11, 2013 and is a Division of application Ser. No. 14 / 510,421 now Patent.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT[0002](Not Applicable)THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT[0003](Not Applicable)REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX[0004](Not Applicable)BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0005]This invention relates to a method and apparatus for improving and protecting the health and alertness, particularly cardiovascular and mental functions, of individuals who are engaged in reduced physical activity, particularly when seated. More particularly, the invention is directed to sensing the drowsiness of such individuals by sensing a parameter of the individual's body that, at known values of the parameter, indicates a drowsiness condition and then applying stimulations to the body of such individuals to counteract the drowsiness...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & AuthorityApplications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): A61M21/00B60N2/90
CPCA61M21/00A61M2021/0055A61M2021/0083A61M2205/3303A61M2230/10A61M2021/0044A61M2230/205A61M2230/04A61M2230/65A61M2230/14A61M2230/40A61B5/6891A61B5/6893A61B5/11A61B5/1135A61B5/4809A61N1/26A61N1/322A61H2201/0138A61H2201/0149A61H2201/1623A61H9/0078A61H2201/5002A61H2201/5061A61H2201/5071A61H2201/5092A61H2230/105A61H2230/208A61H2230/305A61H2230/405A61M2021/0072A61M2205/18A61M2230/30A61M2230/60B60N2/976B60N2/914B60N2002/981A61B5/18A61B5/14542A61B5/021A61B5/053A61B5/162A61B5/369A61B5/389B60N2/0023B60N2210/00B60N2/0022A61M2230/005A61H7/001A61H23/04
InventorAUSTIN, DAVID G.AUSTIN, SHARON M.
OwnerAUSTIN DAVID G