Concentration Detection via Varying Brain Blood Flow Thresholds

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technologies face challenges in accurately determining user concentration due to low validity and reproducibility, often influenced by personal differences and body movements, and fail to consistently measure brain blood flow volume changes associated with task concentration.

Innovation Solution

A concentration presence/absence determining device that measures brain blood flow volume and uses a varying threshold to determine concentration by identifying a decrease in blood flow volume, calculating concentration sections, and assessing the degree of concentration based on these measurements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional NIRS is used to measure brain blood flow volume, then measurement can be performed, but validity and reproducibility are low

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevalidity and reproducibilityVSAvoidmeasurement accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the measurement parameter from brain blood flow volume (which shows low validity and reproducibility in conventional NIRS) to oxygenated hemoglobin concentration, which demonstrates high validity and reproducibility for determining user concentration states

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the conventional measurement approach (direct brain blood flow volume measurement) with an alternative measurement approach (oxygenated hemoglobin concentration measurement) that achieves the same functional goal of determining concentration with higher reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If brain blood flow volume is measured during task execution, then concentration can be determined, but personal differences and body movements affect measurement accuracy

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconcentration determination accuracyVSAvoidpersonal differences and body movements

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces oxygenated hemoglobin concentration as an intermediary parameter that is less sensitive to personal differences and body movements, serving as a more stable mediator for determining user concentration states

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses oxygenated hemoglobin concentration as a proxy or copy of brain activity indicators, which correlates with concentration states but is more stable and less affected by external factors than direct brain blood flow volume measurements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

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

The device accurately determines user concentration by analyzing brain blood flow volume changes, providing reliable and reproducible results that overcome previous limitations in NIRS technologies.

Implementation Method 1

with the current near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), the validity and the reproducibility of the hypotheses are low

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNear-infrared spectroscopy: Absorption (EM radiation)

Data Source

PatentUS9775525B2Concentration presence/absence determining device and content evaluation apparatus

Publication Date: 2017.10.03 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD

AI summary

A concentration presence/absence determining device includes: a brain blood flow volume obtaining unit configured to obtain a brain blood flow volume of the user; a varying threshold obtaining unit configured to obtain a varying threshold that is a value smaller than the brain blood flow volume of the user at a base time; and an determining unit configured to determine that the user concentrates, when the brain blood flow volume obtained by the brain blood flow volume obtaining unit falls below the varying threshold obtained by the varying threshold obtaining unit.