Method and system for stimulating an individual to promote the use of a paretic member in relation to a healthy member

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and system for stimulating an individual to promote use of a paretic limb relative to a healthy limb.

[0002] The management of motor disorders in the case of cerebral palsy is currently a rehabilitative challenge.

[0003] Brain plasticity is a continuous process that allows for medium- and long-term changes in synaptic organization for greater efficiency of neural networks. Neuroplasticity is a mechanism that allows the brain to adapt its organization at different levels depending on external events in order to be as efficient as possible. Neuroplasticity underlies learning and memory processes, but also brain reorganization processes following brain damage.

[0004] In cases of unilateral cerebral palsy, immobilization of a healthy limb, and therefore overuse of the paretic limb by the individual, can increase the volume of gray matter in the sensorimotor cortex of the damaged hemisphere.

[0005] Cerebral palsy is currently the most common cause of motor impairment in children. Cerebral palsy is a non-progressive motor disorder resulting from a brain injury to the developing brain. These early brain injuries, occurring during fetal life or the neonatal period, can alter the development and function of the sensorimotor system.

[0006] The diagnosis of cerebral palsy is made at a variable age depending on the severity of the condition. A delay in motor development can be observed by parents from the first months of life: lack of head support at 3 months, lack of sitting at 9 months, preferential use of one hand.

[0007] It is desirable to carry out motor rehabilitation treatment as early as possible.

[0008] The aim of early rehabilitation care is to prevent the secondary appearance of complications linked to the presence of deficits, to improve the deficient function(s), to promote the child's activities as much as possible and thus to enable the child to participate socially as well as possible.

[0009] Early rehabilitation is often carried out by blocking the healthy limb during consultations and / or rehabilitation care in a specialized medical environment. These interventions can generate frustration in the individual.

[0010] The paper by Dana R Anaby et al., entitled "Assistive technology for physical disability: switches," describes toys that include switches and proximity sensors that operate using electromagnetic force received from proximity to a patient's body part.

[0011] Document US 8,706,241 B2 describes a neural stimulation system for a patient interacting with an everyday object.

[0012] The present invention aims to resolve the drawbacks of the prior art by proposing a method and a system for stimulating an individual to promote the use of a paretic limb compared to a healthy limb on a daily basis without having to block the healthy limb, without technical assistance, and in the individual's environment so as to promote the individual's acceptance, compliance and observance.

[0013] To this end, according to a first aspect, the invention proposes a system for stimulating an individual to promote use of a paretic limb compared to a healthy limb, characterized in that the system comprises: an element placed on the paretic limb of the individual, an object, placed near the individual, comprising: a proximity sensor determining the distance separating the element placed on the paretic limb and the object, means for activating a scenario for the generation of at least one sound and / or visual and / or somesthetic signal by the object, if the distance separating the element placed on the paretic limb and the object is less than a given distance, means for storing and updating information each time the distance between the element placed on the paretic limb and the object is less than the given distance.

[0014] Thus, the present invention promotes the use of a paretic limb compared to a healthy limb on a daily basis without having to block the healthy limb, without technical assistance, and in the individual's environment so as to promote the individual's acceptance, compliance and observance.

[0015] By memorizing the information, the practitioner, when consulting this information, can thus make the link between possible progress of the individual and the use of the paretic limb.

[0016] The present invention, by activating a scenario for the generation of at least one sound and / or visual and / or somesthetic signal if the distance separating the element placed on the paretic limb and the object is less than a given distance and not when the healthy limb is close to the object, stimulates the use of the paretic limb by generating a reward for the individual.

[0017] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the updated information is the number of times the distance between the element placed on the paretic limb and the object is less than the given distance, the stored information is the given distance and / or the scenario and / or a timestamp.

[0018] Thus, the practitioner, when consulting this information, can make the link between possible progress of the individual and the use of the paretic limb.

[0019] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the object further comprises means for modifying the given distance if the number of times the distance between the element placed on the paretic limb and the object is less than the given distance is greater than a predetermined value.

[0020] Thus, the present invention promotes motor learning. The distance given is, for example, large at first to encourage the individual to practice the exercise, then is reduced as learning progresses.

[0021] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the object further comprises means for modifying the scenario if the given distance is modified.

[0022] Thus, the present invention stimulates the individual by evolving the scenarios over time.

[0023] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the object further comprises means for activating the scenario if a movement of the object is detected and means for modifying the scenario if a predetermined number of movements of the object is detected.

[0024] Thus, the present invention stimulates the individual by evolving the scenarios over time according to the complexity of the conditions to be met to activate or not the reward.

[0025] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the individual is less than 3 years old.

[0026] Thus, the present invention is suitable for early rehabilitation in children.

[0027] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the element is included in an orthosis and the object is a plush toy.

[0028] Thus, the present invention is suitable for early rehabilitation in children.

[0029] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the element is included in an orthosis and the object is a doll.

[0030] Thus, the present invention is suitable for child rehabilitation.

[0031] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the element is included in an orthosis and the object is a scale model of a vehicle.

[0032] Thus, the present invention is suitable for child rehabilitation.

[0033] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the element is included in an orthosis and the object is a ball and / or a balloon.

[0034] Thus, the present invention is suitable for the motor rehabilitation of hemiplegia.

[0035] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the element is a permanent magnet.

[0036] Thus, the manufacturing cost of the system is reduced.

[0037] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the object further comprises communication means for transferring stored and updated information to a remote device.

[0038] The above-mentioned and other features of the invention will become more clearly apparent from the following description of an exemplary embodiment, said description being made in relation to the accompanying drawings, among which: there Fig. 1 represents a system for stimulating an individual to promote use of a paretic limb relative to a healthy limb according to the present invention; Fig. 2 represents an example of electronic architecture of the object according to the present invention; the Fig. 3 represents an algorithm for stimulating an individual to promote use of a paretic limb relative to a healthy limb according to the present invention.

[0039] There Fig. 1 represents a system for stimulating an individual to promote use of a paretic limb relative to a healthy limb according to the present invention.

[0040] The system comprises an object 10 and an element 60 placed on a paretic member 80.

[0041] In the example of the Fig. 1 , the paretic member is a hand 80. Of course the present invention finds its application with other members.

[0042] In the example of the Fig. 1 , element 60 is placed in an orthosis 70. The orthosis is for example used when the paretic limb has an adductus thumb. Indeed, most children with cerebral palsy have an adductus thumb, appearing very early due to spasticity of the extrinsic muscles or more rarely of the intrinsic muscles of the hand.

[0043] Of course, element 60 can be placed on a bracelet or a ring.

[0044] Element 60 is for example a permanent magnet.

[0045] Object 10 is, in the example of the Fig. 1 , a stuffed animal. The object has a shape adapted to the individual's age. When the individual is an infant, the object is a stuffed animal. Of course, the object can take multiple forms, such as a doll, a model vehicle, a ball, or a balloon.

[0046] The object 10 comprises a proximity sensor 30 which allows the determination of the distance between the object 10 and the element 60. The proximity sensor is for example a magnetic detector when the element is a magnet.

[0047] The object 10 comprises an electronic card 20 which will be described in more detail with reference to the Fig. 2 .

[0048] The object 10 comprises a displacement detector 65 such as for example an accelerometer and / or a gyroscope.

[0049] The object 10 comprises means for emitting sound signals 40 and means for emitting light signals 50 such as for example a bar of light-emitting diodes.

[0050] The object also includes means, not shown in Fig. 1 , generation of a somesthetic signal such as the generation of vibrations or the generation of moderate heat.

[0051] There Fig. 2 represents an example of electronic architecture of the object according to the present invention.

[0052] Object 10, more precisely the electronic card 20 of the object, comprises: a processor, microprocessor, or microcontroller 200; a volatile memory 203; a non-volatile memory 202; an input-output interface 205; a removable storage medium 206 such as for example an SD card; a network interface 207 of the wired or Bluetooth type allows communication with a remote device; a communication bus connecting the processor 200 to the ROM memory 203, to the RAM memory 203, to the input-output interface 205, to the removable storage medium 206 and to the network interface 207.

[0053] The processor 200 is capable of executing instructions loaded into the volatile memory 203 from the non-volatile memory 202, from an external memory (not shown), from a storage medium, such as an SD card or the like, or from a communications network. When the object 10 is powered on, the processor 200 is capable of reading instructions from the volatile memory 203 and executing them. These instructions form a computer program that causes the processor 200 to implement all or part of the method described in relation to the Fig. 3 .

[0054] All or part of the process described in relation to the Fig. 3 can be implemented in software by executing a set of instructions by a programmable machine such as a DSP ( Digital Signal Processor in English or Digital Signal Processing Unit in French) or a microcontroller, or be implemented in hardware form by a machine or a dedicated component, such as an FPGA ( Field-Programmable Gate Arrayin English or Field Programmable Gate Array in French) or an ASIC ( Application-Specific Integrated Circuit in English or Application Specific Integrated Circuit in French).

[0055] There Fig. 3 represents an algorithm for stimulating an individual to promote use of a paretic limb compared to a healthy limb according to the present invention.

[0056] This algorithm is described in an example in which it is executed by the processor 200.

[0057] In step E300, the processor 200 initializes a variable denoted Duration and a variable Cpt to the value zero. The variable duration is a variable representing the value of a clock which is used to change scenarios periodically. The variable Cpt is a counter which counts the number of times the distance separating the element placed on the paretic limb and the object is less than a given distance.

[0058] In step E301, the processor 200 obtains, via the input / output interface 205, the output signal from the proximity sensor 30.

[0059] In step E302, the processor 200 determines, from the output signal of the proximity sensor 30, the distance separating the object 10, more precisely the proximity sensor 30, from the element 60. The processor 200 checks whether the distance separating the element placed on the paretic limb and the object is less than the given distance, for example 20 cm.

[0060] If the distance separating the element placed on the paretic limb 80 and the object 10 is less than the given distance, the processor 200 goes to step E303.

[0061] If not, the processor 200 returns to step E301.

[0062] In step E303, the processor 200 triggers a scenario for the generation of at least one sound and / or visual and / or somesthetic signal.

[0063] In step E304, the processor 200 stores and updates information.

[0064] The updated information is the number of times Cpt where the distance between the element placed on the paretic limb and the object is less than the given distance, the stored information is the given distance and / or the scenario and / or a timestamp.

[0065] In step E305, the processor 200 checks whether the variable Cpt is equal to a predetermined value Nbr.

[0066] For example, Nbr is equal to 20.

[0067] If the variable Cpt is equal to a predetermined value Nbr, the processor 200 goes to step E306. If not, the processor 200 goes to step E309.

[0068] At step E306, the processor 200 modifies the scenario.

[0069] A scenario includes a sequence of sounds and a sequence of visual animations such as flashing LEDs at a varying rate, variations in the colors of the LED bar.

[0070] In step E307, the processor 200 stores information.

[0071] The information stored is the given distance and / or the scenario and / or a timestamp.

[0072] At step E308, the processor 200 sets the variable Cpt to zero.

[0073] In step E309, the processor 200 checks whether the Duration variable is greater than a threshold, for example equal to 24 hours.

[0074] If the Duration variable is greater than the threshold, the processor 200 goes to step E310 and sets the Duration variable to zero. If not, the processor 200 returns to step E301.

[0075] In step E310, the processor 200 modifies the scenario, stores and updates information.

[0076] The updated information is the number of times Cpt where the distance between the element placed on the paretic limb and the object is less than the given distance, the stored information is the given distance and / or the scenario and / or a timestamp.

[0077] In step E311, the processor 200 checks whether a movement of the object is detected by the movement detector 60.

[0078] If a movement of the object is detected, the processor 200 goes to step E312. If not, the processor 200 returns to step E301.

[0079] In step E312, the processor 200 triggers a scenario for the generation of at least one sound and / or visual and / or somesthetic signal.

[0080] The processor 200 then returns to step E301.

[0081] Of course, the present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described here, but on the contrary encompasses any variant within the reach of those skilled in the art.

[0082] In particular, the present invention in an example in which the processor 200 modifies the scenario, stores and updates information based on the number of times the distance separating the element placed on the paretic limb and the object is less than a given distance.

[0083] Scenario modification, storage and updating of information can also be performed based on the number of movements of the detected object.

Claims

1. System for stimulating an individual in order to promote use of a paretic member with respect to a healthy member, characterised in that the system comprises: - an element (60) placed on the paretic member of the individual, - an object (10), placed in the vicinity of the individual, the object comprising: - a proximity sensor (30) determining the distance separating the element placed on the paretic member and the object, - means (20, 40, 50) for activating a scenario for generating, by the object, at least one audible and / or visual and / or somaesthetic signal if the distance separating the element placed on the paretic member and the object is less than a given distance, - means (20) for storing and updating information whenever the distance between the element placed on the paretic member and the object is less than the given distance.

2. System according to claim 1, characterised in that the updated information is the number of times when the distance between the element placed on the paretic member and the object is less than the given distance, and the information stored is the given distance and / or the scenario and / or a timestamp.

3. System according to claim 2, characterised in that the object further comprises means for modifying the given distance if the number of times when the distance between the element placed on the paretic member and the object is less than the given distance is higher than a predetermined quantity.

4. System according to claim 2, characterised in that the object further comprises means for modifying the scenario if the given distance is modified.

5. System according to claim 2, characterised in that the object further comprises means for activating the scenario if a movement of the object is detected and means for modifying the scenario if a predetermined number of movements of the object are detected.

6. System according to claim 5, characterised in that the element is included in an orthosis and the object is a soft toy or a doll or a ball or a small-scale vehicle model.

7. System according to claim 6, characterised in that the element is a permanent magnet.

8. System according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the object further comprises communication means for transferring stored and updated information to a remote device.