Haptic actuators and methods of their use

Abstract

To provide alleviation of a subjective symptom to a user by operating a tactile sense actuator and applying physical and / or thermal senses to the user.SOLUTION: In an embodiment, one or more detected states of a user are compared to one or more prescribed activation parameters, and if it is determined that the user is experiencing development of a symptom related to a disease of the user, a tactile sense actuator can be activated automatically. In another embodiment, if alleviation of a subjective symptom in a desirable amount is not provided to the user while the tactile sense actuator is used, one or more operation parameters of the tactile sense actuator can be updated. In still another embodiment, the tactile sense actuator can create a log of events on the basis of activation events when the tactile sense actuator is used for providing alleviation of a symptom for the disease of the user.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 571,311, filed October 12, 2017, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The disclosed embodiments relate to haptic actuators and methods of their use. [Background technology]

[0003] Haptic actuators can be used to present various thermal and / or physical sensations to users to provide symptomatic relief for various types of ailments the user may have. For example, thermal dysregulation can be experienced by women experiencing hot flashes, individuals with strokes or other types of traumatic brain injuries, and individuals undergoing certain cancer treatments. To help relieve symptoms associated with thermal dysregulation, haptic actuators can be used to provide cooling intervals to the user. Similarly, individuals prone to anxiety or panic attacks can be provided with physical sensations that calm the individual. For certain types of ailments, physicians may instruct patients to keep a log of symptom episodes and / or symptom severity associated with the illness they experience, as monitoring symptoms of the illness can help better manage the symptoms experienced. For example, if a patient recognizes that they are experiencing a hot flash, panic attack, or other type of symptom episode associated with the illness, the patient can make notes about the event and its severity in a diary that can be later provided to the physician for evaluation purposes. On the other hand, if a particular disease does not produce discrete symptom episodes, the patient may simply keep a diary of the severity of their symptoms throughout the day. In either case, this record may help provide medical professionals with a better understanding of the severity of a particular disease and its progression over time. This information may not only help physicians make informed medical decisions about how to treat the disease, but may also help patients make more informed lifestyle decisions that may help reduce the severity of the symptoms they experience. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] WO2015054615A1 [Patent Document 2] WO2016149117A1 Summary of the Invention

[0005] In one embodiment, a method of operating a haptic actuator includes detecting one or more conditions of a user, comparing the one or more conditions of the user to one or more predetermined activation parameters to determine whether the user is experiencing a symptom episode requiring symptom relief associated with the user's disease, and activating a haptic actuator to provide thermal and / or physical sensations to the user to provide subjective symptom relief perceived by the user during the symptom episode.

[0006] In another embodiment, a method of operating a haptic actuator includes actuating a haptic actuator to provide thermal and / or physical sensations to a user to provide subjective symptom relief perceived by the user for the user's condition; determining whether the haptic actuator has provided the user with a desired amount of subjective symptom relief; and updating one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator if the haptic actuator has not provided the user with the desired amount of subjective symptom relief.

[0007] In yet another embodiment, a method of operating a haptic actuator includes activating a haptic actuator to provide a thermal and / or physical sensation to a user to provide subjective symptom relief for the user's condition as perceived by the user; and recording information related to activation of the haptic actuator to create a log of events related to the condition, the information including at least one selected from the group consisting of a timestamp, one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator, and one or more conditions of the user.

[0008] In yet another embodiment, the haptic actuator includes one or more thermal and / or physical actuators configured to apply a thermal and / or physical stimulus to a user, and a controller operatively coupled to the one or more thermal and / or physical actuators, the controller configured to detect one or more conditions of a user, compare the one or more conditions of the user to one or more predetermined activation parameters to determine whether the user is experiencing an episode requiring symptom relief associated with the user's disease, and activate the one or more thermal and / or physical actuators to provide a thermal and / or physical sensation to the user to provide subjective symptom relief perceived by the user during the episode.

[0009] In another embodiment, the haptic actuator includes one or more thermal and / or physical actuators configured to apply a thermal and / or physical stimulus to a user, and a controller operatively coupled to the one or more thermal and / or physical actuators, the controller configured to: activate the thermal and / or physical actuators to provide a thermal and / or physical sensation to the user to provide subjective symptom relief perceived by the user for the user's condition; determine whether the haptic actuators have provided the user with a desired amount of subjective symptom relief; and update one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuators if the haptic actuators have not provided the user with the desired amount of subjective symptom relief.

[0010] In yet another embodiment, a haptic actuator includes one or more thermal and / or physical actuators configured to apply a thermal and / or physical stimulus to a user, and a controller operatively coupled to the one or more thermal and / or physical actuators, the controller configured to activate the one or more thermal and / or physical actuators to provide a thermal and / or physical sensation to the user to provide subjective symptom relief for the user's condition as perceived by the user, and record information related to activation of the haptic actuators to create a log of events related to the condition, the information including at least one selected from the group consisting of a timestamp, one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuators, and one or more conditions of the user.

[0011] It should be understood that the foregoing concepts, and additional concepts described below, may be arranged in any suitable combination, as the disclosure is not limited in this respect. Furthermore, other advantages and novel features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of various non-limiting embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

[0012] In the event that the present specification and a document incorporated by reference include conflicting and / or inconsistent disclosure, the present specification shall control. If two or more documents incorporated by reference include conflicting and / or inconsistent disclosure with respect to each other, the document having the later effective date shall control. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. In the drawings, individual identical or nearly identical components shown in various figures may be represented by like numerals. For clarity, not every component may be labeled in every figure.

[0014] [Figure 1]1 illustrates one embodiment of a haptic actuator located on a user's wrist that communicates with a single computing device and / or a remotely located database. [Figure 2] 1 illustrates one embodiment of a haptic actuator that includes a wireless communicator and one or more sensors. [Figure 3] 10 shows a graph of one embodiment of a series of thermal pulses that may be applied to a user by a haptic actuator. [Figure 4] 10 shows a graph of one embodiment of a series of pressure pulses that may be applied to a user by a haptic actuator. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a method for operating haptic actuators to provide personalized symptom relief and automatic activation, and to log the occurrence of events related to a user's illness. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] There are various benefits to keeping an accurate log of a patient's symptoms associated with one or more disorders. For example, an accurate symptom log can help enable medical professionals to make informed decisions about appropriate types of treatments and therapies and / or adjust those treatments and therapies based on the effectiveness shown in the symptom log. An accurate symptom log can also help patients better understand how their lifestyle decisions may correlate with the degree and severity of the symptoms they experience, thereby helping them make more informed behavioral decisions to effectively manage their symptoms. However, relying on self-reporting in a symptom log suffers from various deficiencies. In particular, these logs rely on the individual to both accurately recognize the occurrence of symptom episodes and / or objectively assess the severity of an individual's symptoms over time. The patient must also remember to record those events in the symptom log, which results in a loss in both the accuracy and completeness of the self-reported symptom log.

[0016] In view of the above, the inventors have recognized that it would be desirable to both provide improved symptom relief for patients suffering from various diseases and to improve the quality and accuracy of symptom logs for evaluation by patients and / or their medical professionals. In particular, the inventors have recognized that haptic actuators can be used to deliver at least one of thermal and / or physical sensations to a user to provide the user with a desired subjective sensation for symptom relief for a variety of different types of diseases. However, because physical and thermal sensations are highly subjective to individual users, the inventors have recognized that patients may wish to personalize the physical and / or thermal sensations they experience, i.e., to create individual settings for each individual user to provide that individual user with a desired subjective sensation for symptom relief. Accordingly, the inventors have recognized that haptic actuators can be manipulated to provide personalized symptom relief for patients. Furthermore, the activation and personalization of these haptic actuators for individual users can be used to provide both an accurate log of when the haptic actuators are activated, which may be correlated with the occurrence of disease episodes and / or the number of times a user requests symptom relief for a particular disease, and previously unavailable information related to the type of symptom relief requested by the user, as described further below. This information can be recorded over time to create a more objective and accurate log of the frequency and / or severity of symptoms experienced by a user over time, as described further below.

[0017] In one embodiment, the haptic actuator may be activated, either manually or automatically, to provide at least one of a thermal sensation and / or a physical sensation to a user to provide the user with a desired subjective sensation for symptomatic relief from a disorder from which the user suffers. Activation of the haptic actuator, whether manual or automatic, may be considered an event associated with a disorder. Accordingly, information related to activation of the haptic actuator may be recorded to create a log of haptic actuator activation events. While the recorded information may correspond to any suitable type of information, in one embodiment, the information includes at least one of a timestamp of when the actuator was activated, one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator, and one or more sensed statuses of the user, and combinations thereof.

[0018] As described above, in some embodiments, in response to the controller of the haptic actuator determining that the user is experiencing a particular onset and / or symptom associated with a disease with a perceived severity and that the user desires symptom relief, the controller may automatically activate the haptic actuator. However, due to the high degree of variability between people, the controller may misidentify the circumstances under which the user desires symptom relief. Thus, in some embodiments, after automatic activation of the haptic actuator, the controller of the haptic actuator may request that the user confirm that they are experiencing the onset and / or symptom for which they desire relief. If the user indicates that they do not desire activation of the haptic actuator, the controller may not record the event in the event log. This confirmation may occur either before, during, or after operation of the haptic actuator, which may help increase the accuracy of the event log. Of course, this disclosure is not intended to be limiting, and embodiments are contemplated in which the accuracy of a particular event is not confirmed before recording.

[0019] As described above, the information obtained to form a log of events related to a user's illness when a haptic actuator is activated may correspond to any suitable type of information related to a medical professional and / or the user. For example, in addition to simply taking a timestamp (e.g., date and time) associated with an identified event, various user interactions associated with controlling and / or personalizing the haptic actuator to provide a desired subjective degree of symptom relief may also provide useful data that can be used to quantify the degree and severity of symptoms experienced by the user. Thus, one type of information that may be recorded includes activation time, which may provide insight into the onset of a symptom and / or the time at which a symptom is experienced and / or the frequency with which it occurs. Another type of information that may be recorded includes human operating parameters for the haptic actuator, such as the duration and / or degree of activation. For example, variations in frequency of use and / or variations in one or more operating parameters for activation of the haptic actuator may be associated with variations in the degree of symptom severity experienced by the user. For example, increased frequency, duration, and / or intensity of activation may be associated with more severe symptoms, while decreased frequency, duration, and / or intensity of activation may be associated with less severe symptoms. As described further below, in some embodiments, the haptic actuator includes one or more sensors that sense information related to one or more statuses of the user and / or the surrounding environment. These sensed user statuses and environments may also be included in an incident log generated when the haptic actuator is activated to provide symptom relief for the user.

[0020] Although various types of information are illustrated herein for use in forming a log associated with the events of haptic actuator actuation, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to only the types of information described herein. Rather, any suitable information related to a particular condition of interest to a user and / or medical professional may be recorded during operation of a haptic actuator to form a log of events experienced by a particular individual using the haptic actuator.

[0021] As described further below, the information recorded for events experienced by the user may be recorded locally on the haptic actuator and / or associated computing device, and / or the information may be transferred to and stored in a remotely located database accessible to the patient and / or medical professional. For example, information related to various events may be stored in the local memory of the haptic actuator and then separately transferred to an associated computing device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Information stored on the computing device may be transferred to a remotely located database. Alternatively, information may simply be sent directly to the database during the initial detection and recording process. In either case, an accurate and objective log related to the occurrence of events associated with the haptic actuator may be accurately and easily obtained in order to provide symptomatic relief to the user.

[0022] The event log described above can be presented to the user and / or a medical professional associated with the user to help monitor the severity and frequency of symptoms over time. This quantitative record of event information can be used to track fluctuations in symptom severity and / or frequency, which may correlate with the severity of the underlying disease. The user or medical professional can then use the log as additional information to chart the occurrence of the underlying disease, monitor the effectiveness of treatments and / or therapies administered to the user, and / or correlate experienced events with triggers present in the user's daily life. Thus, the systems and methods of the present disclosure can be used to provide a more accurate and objective event log related to the events experienced by a user with a particular disease, allowing the user and the user's associated medical professional to better monitor and treat the user's disease over time.

[0023] In another embodiment, it may be desirable to provide a haptic actuator that automatically activates to apply at least one of a thermal sensation and / or a physical sensation to the user to provide symptomatic relief when the user is experiencing symptoms from the user's disease. For example, a controller of the haptic actuator may be operably coupled to one or more sensors that sense one or more statuses of the user. The sensed one or more statuses may be compared to one or more predetermined activation parameters that indicate the user is experiencing an episode accompanied by symptoms that the haptic actuator can be used to at least partially alleviate. If the one or more statuses match the one or more predetermined activation parameters, indicating that the user is likely experiencing an episode accompanied by symptoms, the controller of the haptic actuator may automatically activate the haptic actuator to provide at least one of a thermal sensation and / or a physical sensation to the user to provide symptomatic relief for the event.

[0024] Certain diseases exhibit symptoms that exist at varying degrees of severity. That is, symptoms are not merely experienced during a discrete occasion. Instead, symptoms are subjectively experienced and vary in severity over time. This contrasts with symptoms that are merely experienced during a discrete occasion, such as experiencing thermal dysregulation during a hot flash. Thus, as used herein, a disease episode from which a user may desire relief can refer to both a discrete episode, associated with symptoms present only during that episode, and an episode corresponding to a combination of factors from which a user desires relief based on the subjectively perceived severity of symptoms on that occasion, even if symptoms are present on other occasions. For example, an episode could correspond to a user's desire for symptom relief from the perceived severity of chronic pain, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, insomnia, and / or other diseases that exhibit symptoms across a spectrum. Thus, it should be understood that an episode is not limited to diseases that exhibit symptoms during a discrete occasion.

[0025] Because of the wide variability in user status exhibited by different subjects when experiencing a symptomatic episode, it can be difficult to accurately identify when a user is experiencing a symptom episode in order to automatically create a record associated with that episode and / or automatically activate the haptic actuator to alleviate the symptom. Accordingly, in some embodiments, it may be desirable to personalize one or more activation parameters associated with a particular user in order to accurately identify when an episode requiring symptom relief is occurring. In one such embodiment, the user can ascertain whether an episode for which symptom relief is desired has occurred after the haptic actuator is automatically activated based on a comparison between the user's sensed status and predetermined activation parameters stored in the haptic actuator's local memory. The haptic actuator controller can also at least temporarily record the user's one or more sensed statuses when the haptic actuator is manually activated by the user to alleviate the symptom during a self-identified episode. By including user input in the form of a symptom episode confirmation and / or manual activation, the user's one or more sensed statuses can be identified as corresponding to an episode requiring or not requiring symptom relief for that particular user. These one or more detected states, including classification, such as symptom onset or non-onset, can be used to update one or more predetermined activation parameters to improve the accuracy of symptom onset identification by the haptic actuator controller for that user.

[0026] Updating one or more predetermined activation parameters associated with a particular user may be performed in any suitable manner. For example, in one embodiment, if a user's sensed status results in an inaccurate identification of an episode for which the user desires relief, the user's sensed status may be used to reversely reinforce actuation of the haptic actuator in response to the combination of sensed statuses. Correspondingly, if the user confirms that the haptic actuator controller has correctly identified an episode for which the user desires relief and / or if the user manually activates the haptic actuator to receive relief during a self-identified episode, the corresponding one or more sensed statuses for the user during these confirmed events may be used to forward reinforce actuation of the haptic actuator in response to the combination of sensed statuses. Thus, the accuracy of the haptic actuator in identifying episodes requiring relief for a particular user may be improved by the user actively using the actuator to provide the desired symptom relief and / or confirm the accuracy of automatically identified episodes requiring symptom relief.

[0027] While the above embodiments describe the use of reinforcement learning to identify combinations of user statuses associated with particular events, the disclosure is not so limited and other suitable types of learning algorithms may be used. Alternative embodiments may utilize linear regression, naive Bayes, K-nearest neighbors (KNN), decision trees, support vector machines (SVM), K-means clustering (K-means), association rules, Q-learning, TD learning, deep adversarial networks, and / or any other suitable algorithm that may appropriately update activation parameters for controlling haptic actuators using sensed user statuses as described herein.

[0028] Depending on the particular embodiment, the haptic actuator may have default settings for one or more predetermined activation parameters used to identify the occurrence of an episode requiring symptom relief and / or for operational parameters used to provide the user with a desired sensation for symptom relief. For example, the sternal skin conductance corresponding to the majority of individuals experiencing hot flashes may serve as a default setting for one or more predetermined activation parameters for people experiencing hot flashes. These default settings for the one or more predetermined activation parameters may then be strengthened, either positively or negatively, based on actual episode data for the individual user, as described above. Meanwhile, in another embodiment, the haptic actuator controller may initially record one or more sensed statuses of the user during any suitable number of initial manual actuation activation events that may be assumed to correspond to self-identified episodes. These self-identified episodes and the manually controlled operating parameters of the haptic actuators during those episodes may then form the basis of an initial data set used to identify one or more predetermined activation and / or operating parameters associated with the user's identification of episodes related to their disease for which symptom relief is desired, and to determine operating parameters that provide the user with a desired level of subjective symptom relief. Suitable forms of data analysis that the controller or associated computing device may use to determine the predetermined operating parameters include, but are not limited to, linear regression, naive Bayes, K-nearest neighbors (KNN), decision trees, support vector machines (SVM), K-means clustering (K-means), association rules, Q-learning, TD learning, deep adversarial networks, or any other suitable type of analytical algorithm. However, it should be understood that other methods of setting the initial settings of the haptic actuators used to identify the occurrence of an event requiring symptom relief may be determined in any other suitable manner.

[0029] One or more sensed statuses of a user may be compared to one or more corresponding predetermined activation parameters to identify the occurrence of a disease-related episode in the user in any suitable manner. For example, in some embodiments, the one or more statuses and the predetermined activation parameters may be compared using a detection threshold, a relative increase or decrease in signal strength associated with the sensed status, a duration of the sensed status, the occurrence of the sensed status over time, a combination of these, and / or any other suitable method that allows for the identification of these targeted episodes. For example, the occurrence of a hot flash for a user may be determined by detecting a sternal skin conductance greater than a lower threshold skin conductance for a period greater than a threshold time.

[0030] It should be understood that the types of sensed statuses and predetermined activation parameters, as well as the values ​​of these statuses and parameters, used to identify a user's symptom episode requiring symptom relief will vary depending on the particular condition the user has. Additionally, the sensed status of the user may correspond to the user's physiological state and / or the user's emotional state (e.g., psychological / emotional state). For example, non-limiting examples of user conditions that may be monitored include, but are not limited to, the following: Skin temperature, skin conductance / electrodermal activity; heart rate; heart rate variability / irregularity; blood pressure; brain / nerve activity; respiratory rate; general physical activity level; sleep behavior and patterns; oxygen saturation; electrical activity of various muscles; observable behavior of the user such as voice patterns, facial expressions, body language and posture (e.g., tone and intonation of speech, facial expressions, body language / posture may be associated with a user experiencing a particular emotion or pain); environmental conditions to which the user is exposed (e.g., temperature and humidity), self-reported physiological and / or emotional status of the user (e.g., a user indicating the severity of symptoms experienced by the user and / or the user's emotional status, which may be input into the controller of the haptic actuator using an appropriate interface), combinations of the foregoing, and / or any other suitable status of the user that may be correlated with a particular disease. Suitable sensors that may be used to sense the status of a user, including those described above, include, but are not limited to: temperature sensors (e.g., thermocouples or thermistors) for measuring skin temperature and / or environmental temperature; galvanic skin response sensors (e.g., electrodes placed on the skin) for measuring skin electrical conductivity, which can indicate various stress levels; accelerometers for measuring respiratory rate, physical activity levels, sleep behavior and patterns, etc.; optical physiological sensors, which in some embodiments can use optical spectroscopy, to sense status such as temperature, heart rate, cardiac abnormalities, and blood oxygen saturation; Holter monitors; chest strap sensors for measuring electrocardiograms (ECGs), heart rate, and respiratory rate; electromyography (EMG) for sensing electrical activity in muscles; a voice recognition module that may include one or more speakers (e.g., voice recognition analysis has been recognized to be able to assess certain emotional statuses of an individual, including depression, and whether an individual is in pain); a facial recognition and body posture recognition module that may include a camera or other optical detector (facial expressions and body posture / language can be correlated with a user experiencing certain emotional statuses and whether an individual is in pain); combinations of the foregoing and / or any other suitable sensors capable of detecting the user's desired status.

[0031] The inventors have recognized that the ability of a haptic actuator to provide symptom relief for a particular individual is entirely dependent on how the applied stimulus is perceived by that individual. Furthermore, how people perceive touch varies greatly from person to person, particularly as it relates to temperature sensation. A person's status and / or illness that causes the affliction may also affect the somatosensory system, which may alter how the particular individual perceives sensations over time. Thus, giving the user the ability to customize one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator to personalize the subjective relief they experience for their particular illness provides both enhanced symptom relief and a new form of insight into the symptoms the user is experiencing that can be quantitatively monitored over time.

[0032] From the foregoing, the inventors have recognized advantages associated with allowing a user to update one or more operating parameters of a haptic actuator either before, during, and / or after the haptic actuator is being used to provide symptomatic relief associated with a particular symptom episode for the user's ailment. For example, the haptic actuator may be manually or automatically activated in response to any suitable input to provide the user with at least one thermal and / or physical sensation to provide symptomatic relief for the user's ailment. A controller of the haptic actuator may then determine, based on the subjective perception of that individual user, whether the haptic actuator has provided the user with a desired amount of symptomatic relief. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways, including, for example, verbal, audio, textual, graphical, or other suitable prompts provided to the user by the haptic actuator itself or by an associated computing device, such as a smartphone or tablet, implementing a graphical user interface or other suitable type of interface. The user may then indicate to the controller of the haptic actuator whether the desired amount of symptom relief was provided using any suitable type of input device, including, but not limited to, a touchscreen, a keyboard, buttons, a motion recognition sensor such as an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a voice recognition system, an imaging system for recognizing gestures or facial expressions, and / or other suitable types of input devices. If the user indicates that the haptic actuator did not provide the desired amount of symptom relief, the user may be allowed to update one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator, as described below.

[0033] Although the above-described embodiments relate to cases in which the operating parameters of the haptic actuator are updated after receiving input from a user that the subjective perception of the sensation provided did not provide the desired sensation, the present disclosure is not limited to only updating the parameters after receiving this type of input. For example, in another embodiment, a user may update the operating parameters of the haptic actuator at any time during use, including before, during, and / or after actuation and operation of the haptic actuator, to provide symptom relief without receiving a prompt.

[0034] When it is desired to update one or more operating parameters of a haptic actuator, these parameters may be updated using any suitable method, as this disclosure is not limited to. For example, in one embodiment, a user may simply manually adjust one or more of the operating parameters of a particular haptic actuator using any suitable input device. Alternatively, the haptic actuator's controller or associated computing device may simply prompt the user to indicate whether they desire more aggressive or less aggressive symptom relief. Subsequently, the one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator may be updated with a predetermined set of operating parameters associated with various amounts of symptom relief for a particular type of ailment. For example, a request for more aggressive symptom relief may correspond to providing an increased physical and / or thermal stimulus to the user, while a request for less aggressive symptom relief may correspond to a reduced level of physical and / or thermal stimulus to the user. In one particular example, a user suffering from hot flashes or other forms of thermal dysregulation may be provided with a more aggressive waveform and / or increased degree of cooling after indicating a desire for a more aggressive cooling sensation. In some embodiments, these sets of predetermined operating parameters may be preloaded into local storage of the haptic actuator and / or associated computing device, while in other embodiments, sets of predetermined operating parameters associated with a particular disease may be pushed to the haptic actuator and / or associated computing device from a remotely located computing device or database upon request for updated operating parameters.

[0035] In addition to allowing a user to update the operating parameters of the haptic actuators as described above, in some instances it may be desirable to record one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuators applied to the user during symptom relief. This information may be recorded locally, either in memory associated with the haptic actuator's controller, an associated computing device, and / or a remotely located database. Over time, this may provide the user and / or medical personnel monitoring the user's treatment with an objective log of events related to the activation of the haptic actuators that may be correlated with the onset of symptoms of the user's disorder for which the user desires symptom relief. Information included in this event log may include information related to the occurrence and / or severity of symptoms experienced by the user. For example, while specific indicators of the severity of symptoms experienced by a user may vary depending on the particular disorder from which the user suffers, generally, lower magnitude temperatures and / or pressures, lower magnitude oscillations in the applied temperature and / or pressure, shorter durations, less frequent actuations (once, hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly timescales), and / or less aggressive waveforms may indicate less severe symptoms. Thus, greater temperatures and / or pressures, greater changes in temperature and / or pressure, longer durations, more frequent actuations (on hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly timescales), and more aggressive waveforms may indicate more severe symptoms. In either case, changes in requested operating parameters over time may not only be correlated with various stimuli a user may be subjected to, but may also serve to objectively assess changes in experienced symptoms and evaluate the effectiveness of various treatments and / or therapies administered to the user. For example, if requested symptom relief from a haptic actuator decreases in frequency and / or intensity, this may indicate an improvement in the underlying condition and / or that a particular treatment or therapy is effective in controlling the underlying condition.

[0036] As described in more detail below, the haptic actuators can be controlled using any suitable type of operating parameters to provide a desired type of symptom relief using physical and / or thermal stimulation. For example, suitable types of operating parameters may include, but are not limited to, waveform shape, rate of change, pulse strength (i.e., the difference between the maximum and minimum applied stimulation), power profile, duration of operation, rest periods between physical pulses, frequency, type of physical movement applied to the user, combinations of the foregoing, and / or other suitable types of operating parameters for adjusting the applied physical and / or thermal sensations to provide a desired subjective sensation to the user.

[0037] In general, warm sensations and slow rhythms have been found to relax individuals due to their association with the individual's perception of social touch. Similarly, cool sensations have been found to have a calming effect on individuals experiencing heightened emotional states. Faster-paced rhythms may also provide an energizing effect to those experiencing them. For example, a temperature range that may be associated with an energizing or relaxing warm sensation may be between 35 and 45°C. A temperature range that may be associated with a cooling, energizing, or relaxing sensation may be between 15 and 30°C. Separately, the effect of a rhythmic sensation on a person's physiological state depends on the pace of the rhythm relative to the pace of the physiological process being referenced, which may be, for example, heart rate or respiratory rate in some embodiments. Thus, what is perceived as relaxing or energizing may depend on an individual user's resting heart rate or respiratory rate. For respiratory rate, the average range for an adult may be 12-18 breaths per minute (0.2-0.3 Hz), and an example of a respiratory-like rhythm for relaxation may be 10-15 breaths per minute (0.17-0.25 Hz). For heart rate, the average range for an adult may be 50-100 beats per minute (0.8-1.7 Hz), and an example of a heart-beat-like rhythm for relaxation may be 40-80 bpm (0.7-1.3 Hz). Conversely, an energizing rhythm may be 0.25-0.33 Hz (energizing respiratory rate) or 1.2-1.8 Hz (energizing heart rate). While specific temperatures and frequencies are set forth above, it should be understood that the disclosure is not limited in this manner, and embodiments in which different temperatures and / or frequencies, both higher and lower than those set forth above, are used are also contemplated.

[0038] Examples of the application of particular types of stimulation for the control of symptoms associated with a particular user's disease are provided below.

[0039] In one embodiment, the haptic actuator can provide a cooling sensation to provide symptomatic relief to users with conditions associated with experiencing thermal discomfort, including menopause; stroke or other traumatic brain injury; multiple sclerosis; various cancer treatments (e.g., prostate and breast cancer treatments) that require thermal regulation. abnormality or a person is experiencing thermal abnormality The thermal discomfort may include hot flashes associated with other conditions that may cause the user to experience hot flashes. In embodiments in which the haptic actuator is activated automatically, the user's hot flashes may be determined using a combination of parameters including skin conductance. In some embodiments, the parameter is the user's sternal skin conductance, which is greater than a predetermined skin conductance threshold.

[0040] In another embodiment, haptic actuators that provide a heating or cooling sensation can be used to provide emotional relief to manage symptoms associated with experiencing emotions that have a strong thermal association. For example, depression, anxiety, insomnia, anger, loneliness, and sadness are strongly correlated with experiencing thermal sensations. Haptic actuators that apply physical sensations, such as vibrotactile actuators, can also be used to provide emotional relief for symptoms associated with elevated arousal, using slow rhythms to promote a parasympathetic response and calm the individual. As described in more detail in the following embodiments, haptic actuators that provide both thermal and physical sensations to provide symptomatic relief from elevated emotional states are also contemplated.

[0041] In one embodiment, the haptic actuator can provide a cooling sensation and / or a slow rhythmic physical stimulation to calm a user experiencing a panic attack. For automatic activation of the haptic actuator, the onset of a panic attack can be determined using a spike in heart rate, although other suitable user conditions can be used instead or in combination to help identify a panic attack. For example, an increase in heart rate greater than a threshold heart rate increase for a given period of time may indicate a panic attack.

[0042] In yet another embodiment, the haptic actuators can be used to alleviate a user's symptoms of depression, anxiety, hypertension, and / or insomnia. In such an embodiment, the haptic actuators can provide heat, cold, and / or slow rhythmic physical sensations to relax the user. An inertial measurement unit (IMU) can be used to monitor activity levels during sleep and monitor symptoms of insomnia. Measurements of activity level, voice intonation, or skin temperature can be used to monitor increased symptoms of depression. Symptoms related to anxiety or hypertension can be related to indicators of physiological arousal, such as heart rate, heart rate variability, blood pressure, and skin conductance. Of course, it should be understood that the above user conditions can be used in combination to help improve reliable monitoring of a user's symptoms of interest.

[0043] In yet another embodiment, the haptic actuator can provide symptomatic relief associated with chronic pain, including, for example, chronic neck pain, which is the most common form of chronic pain. In such an embodiment, the haptic actuator can apply thermal sensations and / or vibrations to the site of pain to provide symptomatic relief. Detecting a user's physical state and symptoms associated with chronic pain can include the use of: electromyography (EMG) to detect increased localized muscle contractions; one or more IMUs to monitor pain-related body position and posture; facial or voice recognition to identify when chronic pain is being experienced; and / or other suitable user conditions. General measurements of autonomic arousal can also provide physiological information (e.g., heart rate, heart rate variability, skin conductance) related to the experience of chronic pain.

[0044] Although specific combinations of user diseases and associated user conditions are described above, the present disclosure is not limited to only those combinations of diseases and user conditions described herein. Thus, the above user conditions may be combined with or substituted for one or more other user conditions disclosed herein to provide a more accurate identification of symptomatic episodes for which symptom relief may be desired. For example, combining one or more of the above user conditions with a determination of the user's emotional state, environmental conditions to which the user is exposed, such as temperature and humidity, and / or other suitable user conditions may help provide a more complete understanding of how a user subjectively experiences symptoms of a particular disease. Furthermore, this combination of factors may enable a more accurate determination of whether a particular individual desires symptom relief when exposed to that combination of conditions.

[0045] In some examples, the haptic actuator may be used for any number of different types of user conditions. In such an environment, the haptic actuator may include multiple standard sensors and / or inputs for determining various types of user conditions. In such an embodiment, the haptic actuator's controller may detect all available user conditions and determine, using a suitable algorithm described herein, appropriate correlations between the detected user conditions and symptom manifestations for which the user may desire relief over time as the user continues to use the haptic actuator for symptom relief. For example, if the controller determines that certain user condition inputs have little correlation with symptom manifestations for a particular disease, the predetermined activation parameters of the haptic actuator may be reversed to emphasize these user conditions little or not at all. Conversely, if the controller determines that certain user conditions exhibit a strong correlation with symptom manifestations for which the user desires relief, the controller may positively reinforce the use of those user conditions within the predetermined activation parameters of the haptic actuator. Thus, the controller of a generic haptic actuator that can be used to provide symptomatic relief for multiple different diseases can be reconfigured as it is used to recognize and activate the haptic actuator depending on the user's condition related to a particular disease.

[0046] In the above embodiments, suitable forms of data analysis that the controller or associated computing device may use to determine these predetermined operating parameters include, but are not limited to, linear regression, naive Bayes, K-nearest neighbors (KNN), decision trees, support vector machines (SVM), K-means clustering (K-means), association rules, Q-learning, time difference, deep adversarial networks, or other suitable types of analytical algorithms.

[0047] As used herein, a haptic actuator may refer to a device configured to generate thermal and / or physical sensations perceivable by a user for the purpose of alleviating the symptoms of the user's condition. The thermal and physical sensations may correspond to sensations perceived by a user through touch, as they apply to sensing pressure and / or temperature applied to the user's skin. Suitable types of haptic actuators include, but are not limited to: thermal actuators using various thermal technologies, such as thermoelectric materials and resistive heating elements; vibrotactile actuators; pressure cuffs (e.g., bands including electroactive polymers and / or inflatable bladders); mechanical stroke and / or caress actuators, such as variable stiffness and variable impedance actuators; and / or any other suitable type of device capable of applying a desired physical and / or thermal stimulus to a user.

[0048] The sensations provided by the haptic actuators may be applied at a static location on the user's body, and / or the haptic actuators may apply moving sensations relative to a portion of the user on which the haptic actuator is located. For example, sensations from the haptic actuators may be applied to the user using components that can move in a linear reciprocating motion, a rotational motion, and / or any other suitable type of motion relative to a portion of the user's body. Specific example components that may be used to provide this desired type of motion include, but are not limited to, eccentric rotating mass motors, linear resonant actuators, piezoelectric drivers, solenoid drivers, and / or haptic transducers.

[0049] One particular example of a haptic actuator that can be used to provide a thermal stimulus to a user, as well as a method of operation thereof, is described in International Patent Application No. PCT / US2014 / 060100, filed October 10, 2014, and International Patent Application No. PCT / US2016 / 022105, filed March 11, 2016, the disclosures of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0050] As described above, haptic actuators may provide psychophysiological relief for a variety of different user ailments by leveraging the body's natural response to thermal and physical sensations subjectively perceived by the user. Various operational parameters that may be associated with controlling haptic actuators to provide a desired degree of symptomatic relief using thermal and / or physical stimulation may include, but are not limited to, the magnitude of heating and / or cooling (i.e., the magnitude of the change in temperature), the magnitude of pressure applied, the frequency of the temperature and / or pressure change (slow rhythmic pressure vs. high frequency oscillations), the rate of change of temperature and / or pressure, the change in temperature and / or pressure during individual cycles of the applied profile, the shape of the applied waveform, and / or any other suitable operational parameter not limited to the present disclosure.

[0051] Although several specific types of haptic actuators are described above, it should be understood that a haptic actuator configured to provide symptomatic relief for a particular type of ailment may provide any desired combination of physical and / or thermal stimuli to a user. Thus, a haptic actuator may provide a user with only thermal stimuli, only physical stimuli, and / or a combination of thermal and physical stimuli, without limitation as disclosed herein.

[0052] In addition to the above, depending on the particular condition the haptic actuator is intended to alleviate, the haptic actuator may be incorporated into any number of different wearable components that may be placed in proximity to various parts of a user's body. For example, the haptic actuator may be incorporated into an article of clothing (e.g., a scarf, necklace, shirt, dress, pants, shorts, gloves, socks, etc.), a band or sleeve that may be worn on a part of the body (e.g., an armband, wristband, bracelet, ankle bracelet, leggings, compression sleeve, etc.), and any other garment or other configuration capable of holding the haptic actuator in proximity to a desired part of the user's body. In contrast, the haptic actuator may be placed and maintained in proximity to any number of different parts of a user's body, including, but not limited to, the user's arms, wrists, chest, neck, torso, waist, legs, ankles, and / or any other suitable part of the user's body, as disclosed herein.

[0053] As mentioned above, a user interface for displaying queries and / or other output to a user and for receiving input from a user can be provided in a variety of ways. For example, a user interface including a display and / or user input device may be integrated with a haptic actuator and / or the haptic actuator may be included in a separate computing device, either in wired or wireless communication. Thus, a user interface may include a computer, a smartphone, a tablet, a touchpad, a keyboard, a display, a speaker, a microphone, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), a combination of the above, or any other suitable configuration. In one embodiment, an IMU can be used to monitor taps and / or user gestures applied to the device to provide input to the haptic actuator, such as a start actuation, an end actuation, an increase or decrease of a desired parameter, an indication of "yes" or "no" in response to a query, and / or any other suitable type of input. For example, tapping the haptic actuator once may display a "yes" to a query from the haptic actuator, and tapping the haptic actuator twice may display a "no" to the query, although other gestures may be used for various types of input.

[0054] As used herein, when an element, component, layer, and / or surface is referred to as "adjacent," it may be directly adjacent, or there may be intervening elements, components, layers, and / or surfaces. A layer or component "directly adjacent" to another element, component, layer, and / or surface means that there are no intervening elements, components, layers, and / or surfaces.

[0055] Some embodiments described herein refer to a wireless communicator used to provide communication between a haptic actuator and one or more associated computing devices and / or remotely located databases. It should be understood that a wireless communicator may correspond to any suitable device or component that allows a haptic actuator to communicate wirelessly, including devices that communicate using radio frequency (RF), Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or any other suitable wireless communication protocol. However, it should be understood that the haptic actuators and methods of operation disclosed herein are not limited to use with devices that include wireless communication. For example, a haptic actuator may be designed for standalone use without external communication or may include one or more communication ports that can be used for periodic downloads and uploads to (and / or from) a connected computing device or database.

[0056] Certain non-limiting embodiments will now be described in further detail with reference to the drawings. It will be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, and that the various systems, components, features, and methods described with respect to these embodiments can be used individually and / or in any desired combination.

[0057] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a haptic actuator 100 that can be used to provide at least one thermal and / or physical stimulus to a user to provide symptomatic relief for the user's condition. In the illustrated embodiment, the haptic actuator is in the form of a bracelet worn on the wrist of a user 102. However, as previously discussed, the haptic actuator can be placed proximate any suitable portion of the user's body and can be integrated into any suitable garment or other component capable of maintaining the haptic actuator in a desired position on the user's body. In some embodiments, the haptic actuator is in wireless communication with a separate computing device 10 that can function as a user interface, and in some examples, wirelessly communicates with a controller for the haptic actuator. For example, a user can use a graphical user interface (GUI), buttons, a keypad, or other suitable interface on the computing device to activate the haptic actuator and further provide symptomatic relief during an episode the user is experiencing, respond to prompts regarding the operation of the haptic actuator, and / or adjust one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator.

[0058] As described above, in some embodiments, it may be desirable to record various types of information when using a haptic actuator to provide symptomatic relief for a user's disease-related episode. In such embodiments, the haptic actuator 100 and / or the computing device 10 with which the haptic actuator is in communication can send and / or receive information to (or from) a remotely located database 12. For example, the remotely located database may be associated with a database maintained by a physician overseeing the treatment and management of a particular user using the haptic actuator. Thus, information regarding the operation of the haptic actuator, such as a timestamp, one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator, one or more user states, a combination thereof, and / or any other suitable type of information regarding the operation of the haptic actuator during an episode, may be recorded in local memory of the haptic actuator and / or computing device and then transmitted to the remotely located database. Alternatively, the disclosure is not so limited, and the information may simply be transmitted to the remotely located database without maintaining a separately recorded log of episodes in local memory. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the information may not be transmitted to a remotely located database, but may instead simply be recorded in the local memory of the haptic actuator and / or computing device.

[0059] FIG. 2 shows a schematic embodiment of a haptic actuator 100. In the illustrated embodiment, the haptic actuator includes a housing 102 and a band 104 configured to maintain the haptic actuator in proximity to a desired portion of a user's body. Within the housing, the haptic actuator may include one or more thermal or physical actuators 106, which may be configured to apply thermal and / or physical stimuli to relevant portions of the user's body to which the haptic actuator is positioned. The haptic actuator includes a controller 108 operably coupled to the one or more thermal or physical actuators. The haptic actuator may also include one or more sensors 110 operably coupled to the controller. The sensors, as described above, are configured to sense one or more conditions of the user. While the one or more sensors are shown as being included within the housing 100, in some embodiments, the one or more sensors may be located external to the housing and may be positioned at different locations on the user's body to sense specific conditions of the user. The haptic actuator may also include a battery 112 and a wireless communicator 114 operably coupled to the controller.

[0060] Although the tactile actuators shown in the above embodiments include bands, it should be understood that tactile actuators may be incorporated into any other suitable type of wearable device, component, or garment, as previously described.

[0061] To provide the desired type of symptom relief, the tactile actuator can provide various types of thermal stimulation. One particular embodiment of a thermal profile that can be applied to a corresponding portion of a user's body is shown in FIG. 3. In the illustrated graph, the temperature of the tactile actuator is shown relative to the initial temperature of the surface on which the tactile actuator is placed. For clarity, the illustrated embodiment shows a temperature higher than the corresponding temperature of the surface on which the tactile actuator is placed (i.e., the tactile actuator provides a heating sensation). However, the present disclosure is not limited in this manner. For example, the tactile actuator may be operated to apply a temperature lower than the corresponding initial temperature of the surface to provide a cooling sensation to the user. Furthermore, embodiments are contemplated in which both heating and cooling sensations are applied alternately at temperatures both higher and lower than the initial temperature of the surface.

[0062] As shown schematically in the figures, the thermal profile may have one or more portions including a ramp profile portion and / or one or more alternating thermal profile portions, i.e., one or more heat pulses. For example, the thermal profile may include a first portion including a ramp profile portion (Region I) and a second portion including an alternating thermal profile portion (Region II) in which the temperature of the haptic actuator is periodically varied between at least a first higher temperature and a second lower temperature. In some embodiments, the alternating thermal profile portion has an average frequency f1, corresponding to the number of heat pulses applied per unit time, an average temperature T avg , and the oscillation window T ow The oscillation window is the difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures for a given alternating thermal profile. avg is equal to the time average of the temperature and thus may vary depending on whether the rates of increase and decrease of the temperature between the first higher temperature and the second lower temperature are different and / or whether there is a constant temperature portion associated with the heat pulse.

[0063] Similar to the description of the thermal profile above, FIG. 4 schematically illustrates one possible embodiment of a pressure profile applied to a corresponding portion of a user's body. The pressure profile may have one or more portions including a ramp profile portion and / or one or more alternating pressure profile portions, i.e., one or more pressure pulses. For example, the pressure profile may include a first portion (Regime I) including a ramp profile portion and a second portion including an alternating pressure profile portion (Regime II) in which the pressure of the haptic actuator periodically varies between at least a first higher and a second lower pressure, although depending on the particular embodiment, the second lower pressure may be zero pressure (i.e., a rest period) or an intermediate pressure lower than the first pressure. In some embodiments, the alternating pressure profile portions may have an average frequency f1, corresponding to the number of pressure pulses applied per unit time, an average pressure P avg , and the oscillation window P ow The oscillation window is the difference between the maximum and minimum pressure for a given alternating pressure profile. The mean pressure P avg is equal to the time average of the pressure and thus may vary depending on whether the rates of increase and decrease in pressure between the first higher pressure and the second lower pressure are different and / or whether there is a constant pressure portion associated with the pressure pulse.

[0064] While the above figures depict sawtooth temperature and pressure profiles, it should be understood that these profiles are for illustrative purposes only, and that the actual profiles applied during operation of the haptic actuators can exhibit any desired type of waveform. For example, a particular heat and / or pressure pulse may have a profile that exhibits substantially linear, nonlinear, exponential (e.g., exponential growth, exponential decay), polynomial (quadratic, cubic, etc.), irregular (e.g., following a piecewise function), sinusoidal, or other suitable variation. A heat or pressure profile may also include one or more constant temperature or pressure sections associated with one or more pulses. In such embodiments, a heat or pressure pulse may include one or more sections in which the temperature and / or pressure is maintained at a value for a predetermined duration. This constant section of the pulse may be applied at the maximum, minimum, and / or intermediate temperature or pressure of the pulse. In such embodiments, the pressure profile may include a periodic, substantially stepwise change in pressure applied to the user between a first, higher pressure and a second, lower pressure. Furthermore, while the rates of change of temperature and pressure during the periodically applied pulses are shown in the figures as being equal between the increasing and decreasing portions of the pulses, the disclosure is not limited to this format. Specifically, the applied heat and pressure pulses may exhibit different rates of change during the temperature or pressure increase and decrease. For example, a heat pulse may rapidly increase to a desired maximum temperature while cooling to a lower temperature at a relatively slower rate, or vice versa. While periodic heat and pressure pulses are described above, of course, the disclosure is not limited to applying periodic sensations, and in some embodiments, a haptic actuator may simply apply and hold one or more temperatures or pressures for a predetermined period of time, rather than periodically.

[0065] Based on the above, illustrative examples of operational parameters that may be used to control the thermal and / or physical sensations applied to a user by a haptic actuator may include, but are not limited to, waveform shape, rate of change, and magnitude / intensity of the applied pressure and temperature; maximum and minimum applied temperature or pressure (i.e., oscillation window); cycle frequency; actuation period; and combinations of the foregoing. In cases where the haptic actuator can move the location at which the thermal or physical sensation is applied relative to a portion of the user's body (e.g., where a movable pressure actuator and / or thermal actuator that rotates, moves linearly, and / or otherwise moves relative to the user's body), the operational parameters of the haptic actuator may also include the pattern and / or frequency at which the thermal and / or pressure actuator can move relative to the associated portion of the user's body.

[0066] 5 illustrates one embodiment of a method for operating a haptic actuator and recording information about an incident determined based on actuation of the haptic actuator to provide symptomatic relief to a user. For clarity, the illustrated method is described with reference to a controller of the haptic actuator. However, embodiments are also contemplated in which an associated computing device with which the haptic actuator communicates may perform one or more of the steps described below.

[0067] When a user first receives the haptic actuator, the controller of the haptic actuator may initialize various operational and predetermined activation parameters that can be used to identify the disease the user has and identify episodes for which the user may desire relief. See step 200. For example, the user may input which specific disease they have or select from a list presented in the GUI. These initial settings for the operational and / or predetermined activation parameters of the haptic actuator correspond to settings determined to provide an appropriate degree of symptom relief and accuracy in identifying episodes for a population of users with the same disease or for a standard group of patients evaluated under controlled circumstances. However, in some embodiments, a particular haptic actuator is configured for use with a particular disease and, therefore, may not specifically identify a particular user's disease prior to initial operation.

[0068] During normal operation, the controller of the haptic actuator may determine whether a user has manually initiated operation of the haptic actuator at step 202. The user may manually initiate operation of the haptic actuator using an appropriate user interface, including buttons, a keypad, a touchpad, gesture recognition, voice commands, or even through the use of a companion computing device such as a smartphone or tablet, or other appropriate interface. If the user manually initiated operation of the actuator, operation proceeds to step 208, where the haptic actuator uses one or more operating parameters to apply a desired thermal and / or physical sensation to the user to alleviate symptoms. If the user did not manually request operation of the haptic actuator, the controller may proceed to step 204, where one or more sensors associated with the controller determine one or more states of the user. Again, these states of the user can be determined using one or more sensors, as described above, and / or the user may provide input regarding a self-reported user state, such as a self-reported physiological state and / or emotional state, using an appropriate interface with the haptic actuator. For example, the user may indicate the severity of experienced symptoms and / or the user's emotional state. Once one or more user conditions have been determined, the controller may compare the one or more user conditions to one or more predetermined activation parameters using any of the comparison methods described above to determine whether the user is experiencing a symptom associated with the identified disease for which symptom relief may be desired. See step 206. If the user's sensed condition is consistent with the user experiencing a symptom associated with the disease for which symptom relief may be desired, then at step 208, the controller may automatically initiate operation of the haptic actuator to apply thermal and / or physical sensations to the user to alleviate the symptom. However, if the user's sensed condition does not match the predetermined activation parameters, the controller may continue to monitor manual activation of the haptic actuator and further determine whether the user is experiencing a symptom associated with the user's identified disease.

[0069] In some examples, the thermal and / or physical sensations applied to the user upon activation do not provide a subjective sensation as felt by the user, but rather provide a desired intensity of symptom relief. Thus, the haptic actuator controller may be configured in step 210 to allow the user to update one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator during operation to modify the applied sensations to provide a desired amount of symptom relief as perceived by the user. Of course, the user may modify the operating parameters both before and after the haptic actuator activation event, although it should be understood that the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to such.

[0070] In some embodiments, before, during, or after operation of a haptic actuator to provide symptomatic relief to a user, i.e., after a haptic actuator-activated event, one or more of a timestamp associated with the event, one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator, one or more sensed states of the user, and / or a combination of the foregoing may be recorded to provide a log of the event. See step 212. Again, this information may be recorded in a memory associated with the haptic actuator, a computing device paired with the haptic actuator, and / or a remotely located database.

[0071] In some embodiments, to improve the accuracy of the haptic actuator controller in identifying a symptom episode requiring symptom relief associated with a user's particular disease, the controller may confirm whether the symptom episode identified by the controller actually occurred. Specifically, in one embodiment, if the haptic actuator controller automatically initiated operation of the haptic actuator based on one or more detected states of the user in step 214, the controller may confirm whether the symptom episode was correctly identified in step 216. The controller may confirm this to the user using an appropriate form of query and corresponding input from the user. In step 218, if the user affirmatively indicates that the controller correctly identified a symptom episode associated with the user's disease, i.e., if the user provides positive confirmation, or if the user manually initiates operation of the haptic actuator to relieve the symptom, which may also be taken as confirmation of the symptom episode, the haptic actuator controller may positively enhance one or more predetermined activation parameters used to identify the event due to one or more determined states of the user during the symptom episode. See step 220a. In contrast, if the user indicates in step 218 that the controller incorrectly identified a disease-related episode, i.e., indicates negative confirmation, the haptic actuator controller may reverse reinforce one or more predetermined activation parameters according to one or more determined conditions at the time the event was incorrectly identified. See step 220b. On the other hand, if the user does not confirm whether the controller correctly identified an episode requiring symptom relief, the controller may maintain the current set of predetermined activation parameters without changing the reinforcement during that operation cycle. Thus, increasing the use of the haptic actuator to provide symptom relief for a particular user may lead to personalizing and even refining the set of predetermined activation parameters used to determine whether the user is experiencing an episode for which activating the haptic actuator to provide symptom relief is desirable.Although a reinforcement learning protocol is described above, it should be understood that other suitable protocols can be used that may help improve the accuracy of event identification using the additional information provided by manual initiation and confirmation of symptom onset from the user.

[0072] As noted above, to help refine application of the appropriate amount of symptom relief using the haptic actuator, in some embodiments it may be desirable to allow the user to personalize operation of the haptic actuator to provide a desired degree of symptom relief. Thus, as shown in step 222, in some embodiments, the controller of the haptic actuator may request input from the user using any suitable interface to indicate whether operation of the haptic actuator provided the desired amount of symptom relief during the most recent activation event, i.e., during the corresponding symptom episode for which the user desired symptom relief. If the user indicates that the haptic actuator provided the desired amount of symptom relief, the controller simply maintains the current operating parameters of the haptic actuator and returns to step 202 to await the next activation.

[0073] In contrast to the above, if the user indicates in step 222 that the haptic actuator did not provide the desired amount of symptom relief, the controller may proceed to step 224, where it may adjust one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator for use during future operating cycles, as described below. After updating the operating parameters of the haptic actuator, the controller may return to step 202 to begin processing again.

[0074] Adjustments to the operating parameters of the haptic actuator to provide symptom relief may occur during or after operation of the haptic actuator, and may be made in any suitable manner. For example, in one embodiment, a user may simply manually adjust one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator using an appropriate interface. In another embodiment, a user may select from among a set of different predetermined operating parameters to apply thermal and / or pressure sensations of varying intensity to provide the desired subjective symptom relief for that individual user. In yet another embodiment, a user may simply indicate a desire for the intensity of symptom relief provided by the haptic actuator to be increased or decreased. In such an embodiment, the controller of the haptic actuator may simply select a more or less aggressive thermal and / or pressure profile to provide the desired subjective amount of symptom relief. In both of these embodiments, these predetermined sets of operating parameters may be stored locally in the controller of the haptic actuator and / or pushed to the controller from a remotely located computing device and / or database upon receiving a request from the controller of the haptic actuator to update the operating parameters to provide the user with the desired amount of sensation. Thus, as the user continues to use the haptic actuator, the user may personalize the operation of the haptic actuator to provide the desired subjective amount of symptom relief.

[0075] The above-described embodiments of the technology described herein may be implemented in any of numerous ways. For example, the embodiments may be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination thereof. When implemented in software, the software code may be executed on any suitable processor or collection of processors, whether provided on a single computing device or distributed among multiple computing devices. Such a processor may be implemented as an integrated circuit with one or more processors of integrated circuit components, including commercially available integrated circuit components known in the art under names such as CPU chips, GPU chips, microprocessors, microcontrollers, or coprocessors. Alternatively, a processor may be implemented with custom circuitry such as an ASIC, or semi-custom circuitry resulting from constructing a programmable logic device. As yet another alternative, a processor may be part of a larger circuit or semiconductor device, whether commercially available, semi-custom, or custom. As a specific example, some commercially available microprocessors have multiple cores, such that one or a subset of those cores can constitute a processor. However, a processor may be implemented using any suitable format of circuitry.

[0076] Further, it should be understood that a computing device may be implemented in any of a number of forms, such as a rack-mounted computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, or a tablet computer. Furthermore, a computing device may be incorporated into devices that are not generally considered computing devices, but that have suitable processing capabilities, including personal digital assistants (PDAs), smartphones, tablets, or any other suitable portable or fixed electronic device.

[0077] A computing device may also have one or more input and output devices. These devices may be used, among other things, to display a user interface. Examples of output devices that may be used to provide a user interface include a display screen for visually displaying output and a speaker or other sound-generating device for audibly indicating output. Examples of input devices that may be used in a user interface include a keyboard, individual buttons, and pointing devices such as a mouse, touchpad, or digitizing tablet. As another example, a computing device may receive input information via voice recognition or in other audible formats.

[0078] Such computing devices may be interconnected by one or more networks of any suitable form, including a local area network or a wide area network such as an enterprise network or the Internet. Such networks may be based on any suitable technology and operate according to any suitable protocol, and may include wireless networks, wired networks, or fiber optic networks.

[0079] Additionally, the various methods or processes outlined herein may be coded as software executable on one or more processors employing any one of a variety of operating systems or platforms. Furthermore, such software may be written using any of a number of suitable programming languages ​​and / or programming or scripting tools, and may be compiled as executable machine language code or intermediate code that runs on a framework or virtual machine.

[0080] In this regard, the embodiments described herein may be embodied as a computer-readable storage medium (or multiple computer-readable media) (e.g., computer memory, one or more floppy disks, compact disks (CDs), optical disks, digital video disks (DVDs), magnetic tapes, flash memory, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, circuitry in a field programmable gate array or other semiconductor device, or other tangible computer storage medium) encoded with one or more programs that, when executed on one or more computers or other processors, perform methods that implement the various embodiments described above. As is evident from the foregoing examples, a computer-readable storage medium may retain information for a time sufficient to provide computer-executable instructions in a non-transitory form. Such computer-readable storage media may also be portable, such that programs stored thereon can be loaded into one or more various computing devices or other processors to implement the various aspects of the present disclosure described above. As used herein, the term "computer-readable storage medium" encompasses only non-transitory computer-readable media that can be considered an article of manufacture (i.e., an article of manufacture) or machine. Alternatively, or additionally, the present disclosure may be embodied as a computer-readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium, such as a propagated signal.

[0081] The terms "program" or "software" are used generically herein to refer to any type of computer code or set of computer-executable instructions that may be employed to program a computing device or other processor to implement various aspects of the present disclosure, as described above. It should further be understood that, according to one aspect of this embodiment, one or more computer programs that, when executed, perform the methods of the present disclosure need not reside on a single computing device or processor, but may be distributed in a modular manner among multiple different computers or processors to implement various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0082] Computer-executable instructions may be in many forms, such as program modules, executed by one or more computers or other devices. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Typically, the functionality of the program modules may be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments.

[0083] The embodiments described herein may be embodied as methods, for which examples are provided. The acts performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitable manner. Thus, while the illustrated embodiments are shown as sequential acts, embodiments can be constructed in which the acts are performed in a different order than illustrated, and may include performing multiple acts simultaneously.

[0084] Additionally, some actions are described as being taken by a "user." It should be understood that a "user" need not be a single individual, and that in some embodiments, actions attributed to a "user" may be performed by a team of individuals and / or by an individual in combination with computer-assisted tools or other mechanisms.

[0085] Example: Providing symptom relief and logging for hot flashes

[0086] Because the severity of menopausal hot flashes may be related to lifestyle factors (stress, alcohol, diet), hot flash logging can help women experiencing menopause or other individuals with disorders that cause thermal dysregulation better understand the lifestyle factors that contribute to increased perceived hot flash intensity. Furthermore, accurate documentation of hot flash occurrences can help physicians best determine the type of treatment most appropriate for each individual. Currently, sternal skin conductance is considered a validated physiological measure of hot flashes. However, some studies have shown that up to one-quarter of reported hot flashes do not result in a measured increase in skin conductance. Furthermore, the magnitude of change in sternal skin conductance correlates poorly with the perceived intensity of hot flashes. Therefore, physicians recommend that patients continue to manually enter hot flash diaries to provide a systematic approach to collecting subjective data on those experiencing hot flashes as a menopausal symptom. However, these manual diaries are prone to over- or under-reporting due to a variety of factors that complicate self-reporting.

[0087] In contrast, haptic actuators can be used to provide cooling relief for hot flashes experienced by a user. Because cooling sensations are a commonly recommended method of providing symptomatic relief for hot flashes, such devices are compatible with currently recommended treatments. However, unlike conventional treatments, haptic actuators can also monitor the occurrence and severity of hot flashes in addition to providing symptomatic relief. For example, the haptic actuator can record the timestamp of each cooling session, the duration of each cooling session, the selected intensity of each cooling session, and the number of cooling sessions per day. This information can be recorded in the haptic actuator's on-board memory, an associated computing device, and / or a remotely located database to provide a comprehensive log of hot flashes experienced by a particular user. The information contained in this record can be processed either by the haptic actuator itself or by an associated computing device and / or remotely to provide quantitative information that serves as a behavioral record of the wearer's vasomotor symptoms. This information can then be presented to the user and / or an associated physician as a tool for symptom characterization and management.

[0088] While the present disclosure has been described in conjunction with various embodiments and examples, it is not intended that the present disclosure be limited to such embodiments and examples. On the contrary, the present disclosure encompasses various alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only.

Claims

1. 1. A haptic actuator, comprising: one or more thermal and / or physical actuators configured to apply thermal and / or physical stimuli to a user; and a controller operatively coupled to the one or more thermal and / or physical actuators; Including, The controller activating the one or more thermal and / or physical actuators to provide a thermal and / or physical sensation to a user to provide subjective symptomatic relief perceived by the user for a condition of the user, the condition being thermal discomfort; Recording information related to activation of the tactile actuator to create a log of events related to the disease. It is structured as follows: the information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a timestamp, one or more operation parameters of the haptic actuator, and one or more states of the user; Tactile actuator.

2. The controller and updating one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator during symptom relief in response to input from the user to provide a desired subjective amount of symptom relief. The haptic actuator of claim 1 , configured as follows:

3. The haptic actuator of claim 1 or 2, wherein the information includes updated one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator.

4. The haptic actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the information includes the one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator before being updated.

5. The haptic actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the information includes the time stamp.

6. A haptic actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the information includes the one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator.

7. The haptic actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the information includes the one or more states of the user.

8. The controller transmitting the information to a remotely located database containing a log of the events related to the user's illness; The haptic actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, which is configured as follows.

9. The controller Recording the information in a local memory of the haptic actuator. The haptic actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 8, which is configured as follows.

10. The controller Confirming that activation of the tactile actuator is associated with the disease It is structured as follows: If activation of the haptic actuator was not related to the disease, the controller does not record the information. The tactile actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. the haptic actuator includes a thermoelectric material configured to be worn on the body of the user; the thermal and / or physical sensation comprises at least one thermal pulse applied by the thermoelectric material, at least one of the thermal pulses having one or more operating parameters; A tactile actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The controller: configured to actuate the haptic actuator multiple times to provide the thermal and / or physical sensation to the user; The controller: configured to confirm that one actuation of the plurality of actuations of the haptic actuator is associated with a disorder of the user; the recorded information includes the one or more operating parameters of at least one of the thermal pulses; The haptic actuator of claim 11.

13. The controller: and recording the information related to the actuation of the haptic actuator in response to determining that the actuation of the haptic actuator is associated with the disorder of the user. It is configured as follows:

13. The haptic actuator of claim 12.

14. The haptic actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the user's illness is a hot flash.

15. The haptic actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the user's illness is anxiety.

16. The tactile actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the user's illness is stress.

17. 1. A method for logging events associated with operation of a haptic actuator by a controller, comprising: and actuating, by the controller, a haptic actuator to obtain a user's response to the thermal and / or physical sensations provided to provide subjective symptomatic relief for the user's condition as perceived by the user; recording, by the controller, information related to activation of the haptic actuators to create a log of events related to the user's illness; A method comprising: the condition is thermal discomfort, the information includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a timestamp, one or more operation parameters of the haptic actuator, and one or more states of the user; method.

18. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising updating, by the controller, one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator during symptom relief in response to input from the user to obtain a user reaction when a desired subjective amount of symptom relief is provided.

19. 19. The method of claim 17 or 18, wherein the information includes updated the one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator.

20. The method of any one of claims 17 to 19, wherein the information includes the one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator before they are updated.

21. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 20, wherein the information includes the timestamp.

22. The method of any one of claims 17 to 21, wherein the information comprises the one or more operating parameters of the haptic actuator.

23. The method of any one of claims 17 to 22, wherein said information includes said one or more states of said user.

24. transmitting, by said controller, said information to a remotely located database containing a log of said events related to said user's illness; The method of any one of claims 17 to 23, further comprising:

25. The method of any one of claims 17 to 24, wherein recording the information comprises recording, by the controller, the information in a local memory of the haptic actuator.

26. and further comprising the step of: determining, by the controller, that activation of the haptic actuator is associated with the disease; If activation of the tactile actuator was not related to the disease, the information is not recorded. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 25.

27. the haptic actuator includes a thermoelectric material configured to be worn by a user; the thermal and / or physical sensation comprises at least one thermal pulse applied by the thermoelectric material; At least one of the thermal pulses has one or more operating parameters; the recorded information includes the one or more operating parameters of at least one of the thermal pulses; The method according to any one of claims 17 to 26.

28. and further comprising actuating, by the controller, the haptic actuator a plurality of times to provide the thermal and / or physical sensation to the user; and further comprising: determining, by the controller, that one actuation of the plurality of actuations of the haptic actuator is associated with a disorder of the user.

28. The method of claim 27.

29. and recording information associated with activation of the haptic actuator to create a log of events associated with the disease comprises recording, by the controller, the information in response to determining that activation of the haptic actuator is associated with the user's disease.

29. The method of claim 28.

30. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 29, wherein the user's illness is hot flashes.

31. The method of any one of claims 17 to 29, wherein the user's disorder is anxiety.

32. The method of any one of claims 17 to 29, wherein the user's illness is stress.

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