GSR Storm Detection for Attention Restoration

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing information and communication overload disrupts brain homeostasis, making it difficult to maintain attentional capacity, and existing methods lack a simple and efficient way to restore brain homeostasis without sleep.

Innovation Solution

A device and system that use skin conductance measurements to identify Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) storms and provide bio-feedback, guiding users into a meditative state similar to Zen meditation, allowing for the restoration of attentional capacity without slow wave sleep, using a wearable device with a processing unit to generate user instructions and bio-feedback information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If sleep is used to restore brain homeostasis, then brain homeostasis is restored and attentional capacity is renewed, but time is lost and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebrain homeostasis restorationVSAvoidtime lost to sleep
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors skin conductance levels and provides real-time feedback to the user about their mental balance state and GSR storm occurrences. This feedback loop enables users to adjust their meditation practice dynamically, achieving homeostasis restoration without requiring extended sleep periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the biological sleep mechanism with an alternative restoration mechanism based on meditation and controlled breathing. By substituting the mechanical/biological sleep process with a conscious meditation practice guided by biofeedback, users can restore attentional capacity without the time loss associated with sleep.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Loss of time

If meditation is used to restore brain homeostasis, then attentional capacity is restored without sleep, but the user needs guidance on achieving the correct meditative state

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetime saved by avoiding sleepVSAvoiddifficulty of achieving meditative state
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides continuous biofeedback based on skin conductance measurements, informing users about their current mental state and the effectiveness of their meditation practice. This feedback simplifies the operation by automatically indicating when homeostasis is restored, eliminating the need for users to manually determine if they have achieved the correct meditative state.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables users to self-monitor and self-regulate their meditation practice through automated analysis of their physiological signals. The processing unit automatically detects GSR storms, determines mental balance, and provides guidance, allowing users to independently achieve homeostasis restoration without external guidance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Measurement precision

If skin conductance monitoring is implemented to provide biofeedback, then meditative state achievement can be detected, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection of meditative stateVSAvoidcomplexity of biofeedback system
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and focuses on a single, specific physiological signal (skin conductance) to indicate meditative state achievement, rather than monitoring multiple complex parameters. By isolating the GSR storm detection as the key indicator, the system achieves precise measurement of meditative state while minimizing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system monitors changes in skin conductance parameters over time, specifically looking for characteristic GSR storm patterns that indicate transition into meditative states. By focusing on temporal parameter changes rather than absolute values, the system achieves accurate detection with relatively simple sensing and processing requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 the restoration of attentional capacity and provides bio-feedback on achieving a clear mind state, facilitating brain homeostasis through meditation, without the need for slow wave sleep, by detecting GSR storms and latency in skin conductance traces.

Implementation Method 1

a skin conductance sensor for sensing the skin conductance of the user, the skin conductance over time forming a skin conductance trace

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGalvanic Skin Response:

Data Source

PatentEP3893746B1Device, system and method for providing bio-feedback to a user
Publication Date: 2023.05.24 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV
  • EP3893746B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3893746B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3893746B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present invention relates to device, system and method for providing bio- feedback to a user. The device comprises an interface (11) configured to obtain skin conductance measurements of a user and to output user instructions and bio-feedback information; and a processing unit (12) configured to generate user instructions indicating one or more actions to follow by the user, identify one or more galvanic skin response (GSR) storms in a skin conductance trace of the obtained skin conductance measurements, wherein a GSR storm is identified based on the number of peaks and/or the peak frequency in a time period having a duration in the range of 2 to 10 minutes, identify a latency of a predetermined duration without a further GSR storm after the end of an identified GSR storm, and generate, if at least one GSR storm followed by a latency has been identified, bio-feedback information providing bio-feedback related to the one or more actions followed by the user.