Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation With Biometric Feedback Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vagus nerve stimulation devices for conditions like epilepsy and depression are invasive and lack individualized treatment protocols, and non-invasive devices suffer from variability due to sensitivity differences and treatment effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A treatment system that includes an electrode worn on the ears to stimulate the vagus nerve, a controller to adjust electrical stimulation based on biometric and user input, and a measurement part to personalize the treatment protocol using FFT analysis of brainwaves, heart rate variability, and environmental factors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If invasive vagus nerve stimulation is used, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate due to surgical requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses ear acupuncture points as an intermediary access point to stimulate the vagus nerve. Instead of directly stimulating the cervical vagus nerve through surgery, the device applies stimulation to the ear where the vagus nerve has branches, serving as a mediator that achieves treatment effects without invasive procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical surgical procedure (incision, coil winding, microchip grafting) with a non-invasive electrical stimulation device applied to the ear. This substitutes the invasive mechanical system with a simpler electrical stimulation system that can be operated by the general public.
2Device complexity
If standardized vagus nerve stimulation is used, then device simplicity is improved, but adaptability deteriorates due to individual sensitivity differences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of stimulation parameters based on real-time biometric feedback. The device can adapt intensity, frequency, and pattern of electrical stimulation according to the user's physiological state, allowing the same device structure to provide personalized treatment for different individuals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates biometric sensors to continuously monitor the user's physiological state and uses this feedback to automatically adjust stimulation parameters. This feedback mechanism enables the device to adapt to individual sensitivity differences without requiring manual reconfiguration.
3Ease of operation
If non-invasive ear stimulation is used, then ease of operation is improved, but treatment effectiveness deteriorates due to variability in individual response
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the device to automatically adjust its own parameters based on real-time biometric feedback without requiring manual intervention. The system self-regulates the stimulation intensity and pattern according to the user's physiological response, ensuring consistent and reliable treatment effects while maintaining ease of use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes stimulation parameters (intensity, frequency, pattern) based on real-time biometric data. By continuously adjusting these parameters in response to the user's physiological state, the device optimizes treatment effectiveness for each individual while maintaining the simplicity of non-invasive operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables an individually optimized treatment protocol by adjusting electrical stimulation intensity and pattern based on user-specific biometric and environmental data, providing personalized and effective therapy without invasive procedures.
Implementation Method 1
an electrode configured to be worn on at least one of the left and right ears and configured to generate electrical stimulation on the vagus nerve in the auricle
Implementation Method 2
The measurement part may measure brainwaves of the user
Implementation Method 3
The controller may perform fast Fourier transform (FFT) analysis on the brainwaves, and adjust a dose of the intensity, the pattern, etc. of the electrical stimulation on the basis of the amount of change in the brainwaves obtained by comparing a composition ratio of the brainwaves composed of delta waves, theta waves, alpha waves, beta waves, and gamma waves
Implementation Method 4
The measurement part may measure a heart rate of the user, and the controller may adjust the intensity and pattern of the electrical stimulation on the basis of the measured heart rate
Data Source
AI summary
Proposed is a treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation. The treatment system includes a treatment part including an electrode configured to be worn on at least one of the left and right ears and configured to generate electrical stimulation on the vagus nerve in the auricle, a controller configured to transmit an electrical stimulation signal for generating the electrical stimulation to the treatment part, an input part configured to allow a user to input user information, and a measurement part configured to measure biometric information on the user. The controller adjusts an intensity and a pattern of the electrical stimulation on the basis of the biometric information measured by the measurement part, and adjusts a treatment protocol including treatment time and treatment intensity on the basis of the biometric information measured by the measurement part and the user information input by the input part.