Circadian Sleep Stimulation Using Physiological Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensory stimulation devices for sleep onset do not provide clear recommendations on timing and duration of use, leading to unclear or conflicting instructions that can exacerbate insomnia issues, and do not account for circadian-dependent physiological effects.
Innovation Solution
A system that delivers sensory stimulation based on a circadian-dependent model, determining the duration and type of vibratory stimulation by quantifying physiological effects at different times of the day, using sensors to measure autonomic nervous system activity and adjusting stimulation parameters accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If existing sensory stimulation devices are used without personalized recommendations, then users can access sleep assistance technology, but users receive unclear or conflicting instructions that can exacerbate insomnia issues
Solution Approach 1:
The system measures the user's initial physiological state (autonomic nervous system activity, heart rate variability) and uses this feedback to dynamically determine personalized stimulation parameters including duration, intensity, and timing. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that each user receives customized recommendations based on their real-time physiological state rather than generic instructions, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adjusts stimulation parameters (duration, intensity, timing) based on the user's initial state and circadian phase. By changing parameters dynamically rather than using fixed settings, the system provides clear personalized instructions that adapt to individual physiological conditions, thereby improving both ease of operation and reliability simultaneously.
2Reliability
If sensory stimulation is applied without considering circadian rhythms, then the device structure remains simple, but the effectiveness for facilitating sleep onset is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines the user's circadian phase and optimal stimulation timing without requiring manual user input or complex external monitoring. The device self-adjusts based on measured physiological markers (heart rate variability, autonomic nervous system activity), making the circadian integration transparent to the user and avoiding excessive complexity while maintaining high effectiveness.
3Loss of time
If personalized stimulation parameters are determined based on initial state, then sleep onset latency is shortened, but the system complexity increases due to state measurement and modeling
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical or invasive measurement systems with physiological signal processing of readily available data (heart rate variability from ECG or PPG signals). By substituting direct physiological measurement with analysis of existing vital signs, the system achieves personalized parameter determination that shortens sleep onset latency without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure pertains to systems and methods for delivering sensory stimulation to a subject for facilitating sleep onset. The system comprises one or more sensors for generating output signals indicating one or more physiological parameters of a subject; a sensory stimulator for delivering sensory stimulation to the subject; and one or more physical processors configured to: determine an initial state of the subject based on the output signals from the sensor, the initial state corresponding to at least one physiological parameter of the subject; determine one or more stimulation parameters of sensory stimulation to be delivered to the subject by the sensory stimulator based on the initial state of the subject; and cause the sensory stimulator to deliver the sensory stimulation to the subject based on the determined one or more stimulation parameters.