Gyroscopic Tremor Stabilization With Adaptive Flywheel Biasing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing tremor stabilization devices are not effective in addressing the variability of tremors in neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease, as they lack adaptability to different tremor profiles and often compromise user comfort due to bulkiness and weight.
Innovation Solution
A tremor stabilization apparatus featuring a rotatable flywheel assembly with a gimbal mounted to a housing, allowing precession about a fixed axis, equipped with an adjustable force biasing member and sensors to detect tremor characteristics, enabling dynamic adjustment of biasing force and rotational speed to match user-specific tremor patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a battery-driven gyroscope is held against the back face of the hand by a strap, then tremor stabilization is achieved, but the device becomes bulky and heavy, compromising user comfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamically adjustable flywheel rotation speed controlled by a processor that receives accelerometer data and adjusts the flywheel speed in real-time to match the user's tremor frequency. This dynamic adaptation allows the device to maintain effective tremor stabilization with optimized weight distribution, eliminating the need for excessive mass that would compromise comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The device changes operational parameters by adjusting the flywheel rotation speed based on detected tremor characteristics. The processor monitors accelerometer data and modifies the rotational speed parameter to match varying tremor frequencies, enabling effective stabilization without requiring a fixed heavy mass, thus improving user comfort while maintaining reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the flywheel rotation speed is fixed, then the device structure is simple, but it cannot adapt to different tremor frequencies and amplitudes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where accelerometers detect tremor movements, the processor analyzes the data to determine tremor frequency and amplitude, and then adjusts the flywheel rotation speed accordingly. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables the device to adapt to different tremor profiles while maintaining manageable complexity through efficient signal processing algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms with an electronic control system. Instead of using mechanical variable mass or adjustable physical components, the system uses a processor-controlled motor to adjust flywheel speed electronically, reducing mechanical complexity while enhancing adaptability to different tremor characteristics.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the precession axis is allowed to move freely, then the device can respond to tremors in any direction, but the device becomes more complex with more moving parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the single precession axis universal by implementing a controlled mechanism that can orient the axis in different directions as needed. The processor controls the gimbal to position the precession axis optimally based on detected tremor patterns, allowing one axis to serve multiple directional functions, thus reducing overall device complexity while maintaining comprehensive tremor response capability.
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 apparatus provides effective tremor stabilization across a range of tremor amplitudes and frequencies, maintaining user comfort by reducing bulk and weight while allowing for customizable responsiveness to individual tremor profiles.
Implementation Method 1
a battery-driven gyroscope is held against the back face of the hand by a strap. A gyroscope seeks to maintain the orientation of its spinning axis and resists any action that seeks to cause a change in that orientation. Thus the theory of using a gyroscope is that the onset of a muscle tremor causes a movement in the hand but the gyroscope acts against that movement, substantially cancelling out the tremor.
Implementation Method 2
the tremor stabilisation apparatus may further comprise an elastomeric damper disposed between the biasing member and the housing. The biasing member is preferably configured to increase a biasing force provided by the biasing member as the angle of precession increases. For example, the biasing member may comprise a spring.
Data Source
AI summary
A tremor stabilization apparatus, for example for helping to stabilize tremors of user with Parkinson's Disease or Essential Tremor. The tremor stabilization apparatus has a housing that is attachable to a part of a user's body and a rotatable flywheel assembly mounted to the housing. The rotatable flywheel assembly includes a rotatable flywheel, a prime mover arranged to rotate the flywheel about a flywheel rotation axis, and a gimbal to which the flywheel is attached. The gimbal is pivotally mounted to the housing at a hinge formed between the gimbal and the housing and defining a precession axis such that the flywheel can precess with respect to the housing about the precession axis. The precession axis is fixed relative to the housing. The tremor stabilization apparatus further includes a biasing member arranged to oppose precession of the rotatable flywheel assembly and urge the rotatable flywheel assembly to an equilibrium position.