413 results about "Biofeedback" patented technology

A method of balancing a user's input to an interactive computer program with the program's output is obtained by continually measuring the difference between the user's input and the program's output and adjusting one or more parameters of the program's output so that the difference from the user's performance is progressively reduced. The adjustment may be obtained dynamically through negative feedback dampening of the measured difference (delta) between user input and program output, and / or by selection of predetermined apposite values for program output corresponding to the measurement of user input. The adjustment results in dynamic generation and / or selection of premodeled segments of interactive output in closer balance with user input. The adjustment method can be applied to video games, educational games, productivity programs, training programs, biofeedback programs, entertainment programs, and other interactive programs. In video games, the adjustment method results in balancing user performance with game difficulty for a more engaging game experience. It can also enable embedded advertising to be triggered when the user is in an optimum state of engagement. The adjustment method may be performed by projecting future trends of user performance, selecting predetermined or dynamically determined levels of value, modifying user control of input devices, or even modifying the program's challenges to user capability over time.

Disclosed are devices and systems which to sense parameters related to the mechanical forces imposed on devices implanted in the stomach. The parameters of the system are further translated into patient feedback systems to create satiety inducing pathways in the stomach.

Environmental feedback and / or biofeedback is associated with one or more players' emotions in real time. The emotional feedback is provided to a game device being used by the player, such an electronic gaming machine (EGM). The game device uses the biofeedback and / or environmental feedback to appropriately adjust the game play to maximize the game's entertainment value to the player(s). The player(s) can be identified, and the game device matches the emotional response with certain game elements being presented at that time and associates this matching to the identified player. The matches can be used to make an adjustment to the game device, to the environments, and / or to take some other action. The game device can also store the matches, combined with any collected environmental and / or biometric stimuli, on a game server or player tracking database via the network. Previous environmental / biometric information can be used to make immediate adjustments to the game or environment, or incorporated into future game design and environmental design.

A computer network implemented system for improving the operation of one or more biofeedback computer systems is provided. The system includes an intelligent bio-signal processing system that is operable to: capture bio-signal data and in addition optionally non-bio-signal data; and analyze the bio-signal data and non-bio-signal data, if any, so as to: extract one or more features related to at least one individual interacting with the biofeedback computer system; classify the individual based on the features by establishing one or more brain wave interaction profiles for the individual for improving the interaction of the individual with the one or more biofeedback computer systems, and initiate the storage of the brain waive interaction profiles to a database; and access one or more machine learning components or processes for further improving the interaction of the individual with the one or more biofeedback computer systems by updating automatically the brain wave interaction profiles based on detecting one or more defined interactions between the individual and the one or more of the biofeedback computer systems. A number of additional system and computer implemented method features are also provided.

Apparatus for providing biofeedback sports training are described to improve training in a convenient form. Aspects include a sparring device that converts impact and training rates into audio streams following human speech patterns. A device is described for coaching swings such as in golf. Another aspect of the invention is a strength training device utiling a multicylinder piston device.

A computer system for guiding one or more users through a brain state guidance exercise or routine, such as a meditation exercise, is provided. The computer system includes at least one computing device which may be a smart phone. A computer program which may be a mobile application runs one or more brain state guidance routines that guide at least one user through at least one brain state guidance exercise. The computing device is connected to at least one bio-signal sensor that provides biofeedback information to the computing device, and where the computer program when executed further measures performance of the at least one user relative to one or more brain state guidance related objectives by analyzing the biofeedback information based on stability of state of mind for the user. The computer program may recognize, score and reward states of meditation.

An improved method and apparatus for respiratory audio-visual biofeedback are disclosed. A guide patterned after a breathing cycle comfortable to the patient serves as a target. The target is displayed as a bar moving vertically upward during inhale and vertically downward during exhale, between fixed end ex-hale and end in-hale limits. The patient's current respiratory position is also displayed as a bar, oriented parallel to the target bar so that the difference between the current position and the target position is easy for the patient to see.

A biofeedback system including an elongated member, for feeding back sounds indicative of swing tempo of the elongated member is provided. The system comprises a plurality of acceleration measuring devices adapted to measure accelerations at a plurality of locations along the elongated member; a first microcontroller for processing the measured acceleration signals to reduce effects of gravity and forming a digital number related to an angular rotational speed raised to a power; said digital number comprising a plurality of bits; a second microcontroller for receiving the digital number and associating the bits with a plurality of groups each having an associated tonal composition and amplitude value indicative of bit content and for forming commands indicative of the tonal composition and amplitude value; and a synthesizer responsive to commands and producing an audio signal; and means for outputting the audio signal.

<heading lvl="0">Abstract of Disclosure< / heading> Apparatus utilizing electrical activity of the brain to control a series of low-stimuli educational exercises displayed on a computer monitor to increase the following educational components: time on-task, visual tracking, short-term memory, visual discriminatory processing, auditory discriminatory processing, and focus. The exercises are governed by real-time analysis of the focus and processing states of the user. Specific relative exercise performance data are collected and recorded from the use of each of the educational components to demonstrate improvement over time of the user in each of the sited educational components.

A wearable biofeedback device is provided. The device preferably includes a glove structure and external display device. The glove has at least one sheath for receiving a digit. The glove and sheath include dorsal and palmer surfaces. The palmer surfaces include at least one sensor for acquiring a bio-signal. The dorsal surface includes a compartment for containing an electronics control module. The electronics module is contained in the compartment, and is in communication with the sensor. A circuit system, accommodated in the electronics module, includes an analog to digital converter, a processor for performing an analysis and translation of the digitized bio-signals into a biometric measurement data, a battery, and a wirelessly transmission module for performing wirelessly transmission to the external device. The external device is wirelessly communicated with the glove through the wireless transmission module, and is adapted to display the biometric measurement data in an audio or visual display.

In a training control method using biofeedback, and an apparatus using the method, the method includes setting a target exercise zone for a user based on a bio-signal from the user, the target exercise zone including a range of indices and comparing a current index obtained from the bio-signal with the target exercise zone in time units in an exercise training mode and providing at least one of positive biofeedback information, negative biofeedback information, and a warning message to the user according to a result of the comparison.

A method and system for evaluating movement of a user and providing biofeedback including setting a reference point for movement by the user, whereby the reference point corresponds to a reference rhythm, providing the reference rhythm to the user to assist the user in maintaining the reference point, sensing the user's movement, comparing the user's movement to the reference point movement, and alerting the user that the user's movement is away from the reference point by modifying the reference rhythm to a modified rhythm. The user's movement is corrected after receiving the alert.

A computer network implemented system for improving the operation of one or more biofeedback computer systems is provided. The system includes an intelligent bio-signal processing system that is operable to: capture bio-signal data and in addition optionally non-bio-signal data; and analyze the bio-signal data and non-bio-signal data, if any, so as to: extract one or more features related to at least one individual interacting with the biofeedback computer system; classify the individual based on the features by establishing one or more brain wave interaction profiles for the individual for improving the interaction of the individual with the one or more biofeedback computer systems, and initiate the storage of the brain waive interaction profiles to a database; and access one or more machine learning components or processes for further improving the interaction of the individual with the one or more biofeedback computer systems by updating automatically the brain wave interaction profiles based on detecting one or more defined interactions between the individual and the one or more of the biofeedback computer systems. A number of additional system and computer implemented method features are also provided.

Disclosed are devices and systems which to sense parameters related to the mechanical forces imposed on devices implanted in the stomach. The parameters of the system are further translated into patient feedback systems to create satiety inducing pathways in the stomach.

Respiratory-based biofeedback devices, systems, and methods are provided. A respiratory biofeedback method includes producing a respiratory signal in response to a user's respiratory activity, generating an audio output signal that includes a modified version of the respiratory signal, and converting the audio output signal into sound waves output to the user to provide biofeedback. The sound waves can be output to the user in real time response to the user's respiratory activity. A microphone can be used to generate the respiratory signal. The generated audio output signal can includes the respiratory signal modified to increase a volume level of a portion of the respiratory signal where the volume level exceeds a specified volume level.

Non-surgical methods for treating pelvic floor muscular dysfunctional disorders are provided. The method combines pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), biofeedback and pelvic floor exercises, pudental and hypogastric nerve neuromodulation (electrical stimulation), and tibial nerve neuromodulation (PTNS).

In an aspect, a medication delivering injector which includes a housing having opposing proximal and distal ends and an accessible internal cavity for inserting and removing a medicament container such as a syringe. The injector is designed to hold and manipulate a medication delivery device such as a large variety of standard and non-standard medical syringes with fixed or attached needles, assembled such that centrally located is a cylinder containing a liquid medicament and attached either permanently or removably to the distal end of the cylinder, is a hypodermic needle or cannula in fluidic communication with the cylinder. The needle can be from one-half inches to one-and-one-half inches in length in the illustrated embodiment and other sizes are possible by changes in scale of the injector. At the proximal end of the cylinder is an opening with an inserted seal or bung with an attached rod thus constituting a plunger. The central medicament containing cylinder could also be a standard medicament cartridge. Hereinafter, both are referred to as a “syringe”. A lid or access cover which, in an open position permits insertion and removal of the syringe into / from the housing in a horizontal fashion thus providing ease of loading. The syringe is inserted with the needle end toward the distal end of the housing and the plunger toward the proximal end of the housing. A movable carriage is disposed in the proximal end of the housing and slides in the axial direction forwards and rearwards such that a syringe, whose proximal end is gripped by the carriage, so moves with the carriage such that the needle exits the housing at the distal end of the housing and pierces the tissue of the patient prior to dispensing of the medicament, and then is retracted after the medicament has been dispensed by retraction of the carriage. Attached to the carriage is an actuator which pushes on the syringe plunger causing the medicament contained within the syringe cylinder to be dispensed through the needle into the patient's tissue. In one embodiment suitable for both removable needle and fixed needle syringes, the proximal end of the syringe including the syringe finger flange is gripped by an elastomeric flange grip which resides within the carriage, while the syringe distal end resides in and is supported by a “syringe guide” which is attached to the carriage and thus moved with it. In another embodiment which is so made to accommodate syringes with removable needles and their safe disposal, the syringe flange at the proximal end of the cylinder is gripped by an elastomeric flange grip which resides in the carriage as described above, while the syringe distal end is supported by a needle which resides in a removable disposable needle shield. The needle guide is biased toward the carriage and thus, the syringe body is compressed and guided as the carriage moves forward and rearward.Both the movement of the carriage and the actuator are controlled by servo motors which are controlled by electronics and a microcontroller so operating such that speeds and accelerations are controlled smoothly and gently so as to avoid the stop / start motion of motors controlled by limit switches and simple electronics or the vibration and abruptness such as result from injectors powered by compressed springs or gas. Furthermore, the forces are adaptive to the loads imposed and the requirements necessary for the proper dispensation of medicaments with high viscosity or sensitivity to shear forces.The housing, approximately midway between proximal and distal ends, is affixed by a hinge such that the device can be folded in half to provide for a more compact device to be stored and transported.On the distal end of the housing are electrical sensor pads in communication with the microcontroller such that contact with the patient's skin and the angle at which the injector is held against the skin and the steadiness with which the injector is being held can be ascertained. Within the housing are a haptic vibrator and an audio speaker, both producing a vibration which is variable in pitch in such a manner that biofeedback is provided to the injector user as to the pressure, angle and steadiness with which they are holding the injector against the skin. This facilitates the action of injection oneself in the gluteus muscle where visual feedback isn't available to the patient.Multiplexed onto the electrical sensor pads, is a TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) generator which is operational (at the user's choice) just before and during the injection to interrupt or quench the pain of tissue perforation often accompanied with needle injections.Contained on the surface of the housing such as on the access cover, is a display such that user menus, device state, directions, and battery charge status, etc. are displayed. Also contained on the surface of the housing, on the proximal half, are buttons which control the menus and selections that are shown on the display. These selections provide for the user to set such parameters as hypodermic insertion speed and medicament dispensing speeds, the preferred mode of user biofeedback which can include: speech mode (which can be accompanied by musical themes and ringtones, plus variable pitch tone and haptic vibration), MP3 mode (which has speech muted but includes musical ringtones and variable pitch tone and haptic vibration), and haptic mode (which is haptic vibration and audio tone queues needed for injector position biofeedback and readiness), plus mute mode (which provides no audio but the haptic vibration remains), and none, which provides no vibrational biofeedback, yet the display information always remains available.Also contained on the surface of the housing on the distal half, is an “injection initiate” button which causes the sequences required for performance of an injection to occur if said button is “enabled”.Contained within the electronics and its operating program is the ability to audibly play pre-recorded human speech in any language such that: directions in the form of consecutive steps which are required to load the medicament container (syringe) into the device, consecutive steps to perform an injection, steps to remove and properly dispose of parts, to alert of device status and menu choices, etc. can be played through the audio speaker. Also contained within the electronics and program is the ability to play musical ringtones as a distraction during the needle insertion and injection or when a scheduled injection alarm is reached, or calming human voice exhibiting bedside manner during the needle insertion and injection.Also contained within the electronics and software is a real-time clock-calendar which can store a patient's injection schedule and play a musical ringtone as an alarm as each scheduled injection becomes due. Also contained within the electronics and software are the ability to communicate with a personal computer through a USB port, which can also charge the injector's rechargeable battery. The battery in one embodiment, consists of three AAA batteries which can be rechargeable or non-rechargeable. The USB port in combination with an application running on the personal computer, is used to download the injection schedule into the real-time clock-calendar and to download ringtones and musical themes of the user's choice and to download foreign language sets for the pre-recorded human language feature.The injector can be further equipped with the capability to aspirate the tissue by drawing back on the plunger thus creating a vacuum into which fluids will flow. These fluids enter the syringe cylinder where they can be checked for the presence of blood by optical absorption in the red spectrum. This information is useful in the instances where intramuscular injections are to be given with drugs whose ‘Full Prescribing Information’ instructs the patient to aspirate and check for blood in the syringe which indicates that the puncture of a vein has occurred, and if so detected, to abort the injection and then re-inject into a different location.

A force sensor system for use in monitoring weight bearing on a location. The force sensor system comprises at least one a foot force sensor, a palm force sensor, and a knee force sensor. The foot force sensor comprises a flexible insole containing a plurality of inflatable pockets that are inflated with air or liquid. The palm force sensor and knee force sensor each comprise a wrap to be worn around the palm and knee, respectively. Each wrap comprises a pocket. Each pocket is connected to a tube that, in turn, connects with a pressure sensor and a connector coupling that is remote from the pocket. Each coupling contains a valve. The valve opens to allow inflation and deflation of each inflatable pocket. The pressure sensors measure the air or liquid pressure within each of the inflatable pockets, and convert the corresponding pressure signal into a suitable output signal medium, usually electrical signals. The output signal from the sensors provides accurate real time input data to a weight bearing biofeedback system or to control a stimulator for activation of an electronic orthosis to normalize dynamic gait patterns.

The invention discloses a myoelectricity feedback based upper limb training method and system. The myoelectricity feedback based upper limb training system orderly combines signal acquisition, mode identification, biological feedback and real-time fatigue evaluation, thereby being capable of helping a user train the movement function of the upper limb. The upper limb training method includes steps of acquiring movement signals and myoelectric signals of the upper limb joint of the user when the user acts correspondingly such as forearm rotation and wrist bending / stretching as completing virtual game tasks, adjusting movement parameters of virtual control targets on the basis of the movement signals acquired by the users, identifying several muscle contraction modes of the user according to the characteristic parameters of the myoelectric signals, and utilizing the identified modes as selection basis for a myoelectric feedback control method. In addition, the upper limb training system is capable of extracting fatigue characteristics in real time according to the acquired myoelectric signals, analyzing fatigue states of muscles so as to judge muscle fatigue and send an alarm during the whole interaction system.

Easy to use, cost-effective methods and devices for evaluating and treating stress and thereby disorders caused or exacerbated by stress are provided. More particularly methods and devices for identifying RSA waves during respiration which provide a subject with near real-time RSA wave information are provided. This information can be used in biofeedback settings to assist subjects in reducing levels of stress by achieving rhythmic breathing patterns.

A system and associated method that provides a virtual coach to a person during an exercise routine includes a sensor used to sense the level of a physiological parameter of the exerciser, such as heart rate, a processor programmed to compare the sensed physiological parameter to a target level of the physiological parameter, and, depending on the comparison, provide coaching prompts to the exerciser. Coaching prompts include audible and visual prompts. In another feature, a visual image of a virtual coach may be made available for display to the exerciser, and in yet another feature, a video of the virtual coach saying the audio prompt may be displayed. The system allows for selection from a plurality of virtual coaches. The audio and video of virtual coaches are recordings of real people and may be produced or obtained from other sources. In one embodiment, audio, visual, and video of the virtual coach may be downloaded from the Internet.

A non-invasive device for assisting the treatment of any kind of musculoskeletal disorder, including but not exclusive of those of joint, limb, and spine disorders, includes a brace, sleeve, flexible pad, or any combination of the three, a plurality of electrodes disposed thereon, wherein the plurality of electrodes transmit at least three electrophysical modalities, and a stimulation control unit having interactive software to establish a controlled sequence of transmission of the at least three electrophysical modalities and communicating the controlled sequence to the electrodes. The at least three electrophysical modalities are chosen from a group consisting of neuromodulating functional electrical stimulation, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, pulsed electromagnetic field stimulation, and heat therapy stimulation. The stimulation control unit also provides feedback data using the electrodes for monitoring and integration with the interactive software to analyze and assess biomechanical, neuromuscular, and neurological responses to the device.

Devices, systems and methods are disclosed that are used to treat a medical condition, by electrical stimulation of a nerve or nerve ganglion, used in conjunction with biofeedback. The system comprises a stimulator that applies electrical impulses sufficient to modulate a nerve at a target site within the patient. A sensor measures a physiological output from the patient, such as heart rate variability, and a property of the stimulation signal is varied based on the physiological output.

The invention is directed to a motion trainer for improving a person's movement of an implement by allowing the person to visualize the path of the implement during the movement. The motion trainer comprises an implement having a plurality of motion characteristic sensors located thereon for determining, among other things, the direction of the movement and the orientation of the implement during the movement. Biofeedback devices provide the person information regarding the positioning of the implement during the movement.

A new biofeedback modality for the treatment of bruxism. A mildly aversive, safe, liquid is inserted into, and sealed in, small, bilaterally-sleeved, polyethylene capsules. Two capsules are attached to a specially-constructed dental appliance which comfortably and securely places them between the lower and upper teeth. The appliance and capsules are worn at night or at other times when bruxism is suspected to occur. Whenever a sleeping or an awake patient attempts to brux, the capsules rupture and the liquid is released into the mouth. The liquid then draws the patient's conscious attention to, and forestalls, any attempt of teeth clenching or grinding. Variations of the method and device can be used to diagnose bruxism and to sustainably release medications and odor-masking substances into the mouth,.

A device configured to provide biofeedback on arm swing during walking, running, or other movement activities is disclosed herein. The device includes motion sensing means configured to sense the motion of an arm of a user during a movement activity and output one or more signals based upon the sensed arm motion; computational means configured to compute an arm swing angle of the arm of the user using the one or more signals outputted by the motion sensing means; and one or more signaling devices operatively coupled to the motion sensing means and computational means, the one or more signaling devices configured to emit one or more signals to the user that are based upon the computed arm swing angle of the user so as to provide biofeedback to the user regarding arm swing. The use of two devices, one on each arm of a user is also disclosed herein.