Electrical Stimulation of Brown Adipose Tissue for Weight Loss

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for treating obesity, including surgical and nonsurgical procedures, are either invasive, have undesirable side effects, or lack long-term efficacy in activating brown adipose tissue (BAT) to increase energy expenditure and promote weight loss.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that utilize electrical energy to activate brown adipose tissue by delivering specific electrical signals, including modulating and carrier signals, to increase energy expenditure without surgical intervention or pharmaceuticals, targeting depots such as the supraclavicular region.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If surgical procedures are used to treat obesity, then weight loss is achieved, but invasive risks and post-operative complications occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweight loss efficiencyVSAvoidsurgical risks and complications

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical surgical intervention with electrical field stimulation. Instead of physically altering the body through surgery, the invention uses electrical signals to activate brown adipose tissue, thereby substituting a mechanical/invasive system with a non-invasive electrical field-based system that achieves similar metabolic effects without surgical risks

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state and activation parameters of brown adipose tissue through electrical stimulation. By applying specific electrical field parameters (frequency, amplitude, pulse duration) to BAT, the tissue transitions from an inactive to an active thermogenic state, achieving weight loss through parameter modulation rather than surgical intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If pharmaceutical approaches are used to increase energy expenditure, then metabolic outcomes improve, but technical and physiological limitations arise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy expenditureVSAvoidphysiological limitations

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent substitutes pharmaceutical chemical intervention with electrical field stimulation. Instead of using drugs to modulate metabolic pathways, the invention directly stimulates brown adipose tissue with electrical fields, bypassing the need for complex pharmaceutical mechanisms and their associated physiological limitations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces electrical field stimulation as an intermediary between external control and brown adipose tissue activation. This intermediary approach allows precise control of BAT activation without the complexity of pharmaceutical absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If non-invasive methods are used to treat obesity, then patient acceptance increases, but long-term efficacy in activating BAT is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient acceptanceVSAvoidBAT activation efficacy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs periodic electrical stimulation with specific pulse frequencies and duty cycles to activate brown adipose tissue. The periodic nature of the electrical signals mimics physiological rhythms and effectively triggers BAT thermogenesis, achieving reliable activation while maintaining non-invasive application that patients can tolerate long-term

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent enables continuous or prolonged electrical stimulation of brown adipose tissue to sustain thermogenic activation. By delivering continuous useful action through extended treatment protocols, the system achieves long-term efficacy in weight loss while maintaining patient acceptance through non-invasive application

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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 method effectively induces weight loss and increases metabolic rate by stimulating BAT, offering a non-invasive, long-term solution for obesity treatment by enhancing thermogenesis and reducing fat stores without surgical risks or pharmaceutical reliance.

Implementation Method 1

delivering an electrical signal to a patient to activate brown adipose tissue and increase energy expenditure of the brown adipose tissue

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical stimulation: Electrical Impedance Tomography

Data Source

PatentUS11040196B2Methods and devices for activating brown adipose tissue using electrical energy

Publication Date: 2021.06.22 CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL

AI summary

Methods and devices are provided for activating brown adipose tissue (BAT). Generally, the methods and devices can activate BAT to increase thermogenesis, e.g., increase heat production in the patient, which over time can lead to weight loss. In one embodiment, a medical device is provided that activates BAT by electrically stimulating nerves that activate the BAT and/or electrically stimulating brown adipocytes directly, thereby increasing thermogenesis in the BAT and inducing weight loss through energy expenditure.