Loose-Fit NIR Therapy Hood With Cooling for Brain Irradiation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current phototherapy apparatuses for Alzheimer's disease have low near-infrared light irradiance, fail to reach the whole brain, and cause discomfort and resistance due to their fitting design, leading to poor treatment compliance and effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A phototherapy apparatus with a hood body that loosely accommodates the head, allowing rotation and movement, and includes an array of near-infrared irradiation units emitting >40 mW/cm² near-infrared light, combined with a cooling mechanism to dissipate heat, ensuring comfortable treatment compliance and effective brain irradiation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the hood body is adapted to the shape of the patient's head, then the phototherapy apparatus can provide focused treatment, but it causes strong resistance and poor compliance from patients with Alzheimer's disease
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of adapting the hood body to fit the patient's head shape, the patent inverts the approach by designing a loose-fitting hood that allows the patient's head to move freely. This inversion of the conventional fitting design eliminates resistance and improves patient compliance while maintaining treatment effectiveness through the array of near-infrared irradiation units positioned to cover the entire head.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic movement capability by allowing the patient's head to rotate within a predetermined angle range and move in the up-down direction within a predetermined distance range during treatment. This dynamic design accommodates patient mobility and reduces resistance, transforming a static fitting constraint into a flexible adaptive system.
2Illumination intensity
If the near-infrared light irradiance is increased to improve treatment effect, then phototherapy effectiveness improves, but thermal discomfort and heat accumulation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful thermal effect of high-intensity near-infrared irradiation into a beneficial cooling mechanism. By introducing a cooling mechanism that actively removes heat from the patient's head, the system allows the use of higher irradiance levels for improved treatment effect while preventing thermal discomfort and heat accumulation through active heat dissipation.
3Area of stationary object
If separate near-infrared treatment modules are used to cover the whole brain, then comprehensive coverage is achieved, but light leakage occurs and treatment effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple near-infrared irradiation units into a single integrated array positioned within the hood body. This unified arrangement ensures comprehensive coverage of the entire brain while maintaining proper light containment, eliminating the light leakage issues associated with separate modules and improving overall treatment effectiveness.
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 enhances treatment compliance and effectiveness by providing higher irradiance and comprehensive brain coverage, improving cognitive functions and reducing thermal discomfort, suitable for patients with varying disease courses.
Implementation Method 1
an array of near-infrared irradiation units arranged in the hood body, which is constructed to emit near-infrared light with an average irradiance greater than 40 mW/cm2 towards the patient's head
Implementation Method 2
a cooling mechanism configured to introduce cooled gas and send it into the hood body, blowing it towards the patient's head through a cooled gas delivering pathway between the hood body and the patient's head to dissipate the heat of the patient's head
Data Source
AI summary
The present application relates to a phototherapy apparatus for treating Alzheimer's disease. The apparatus comprises: a hood body that loosely accommodates the patient's head; an array of near-infrared irradiation units arranged in the hood body, which is constructed to emit near-infrared light with an average irradiance greater than 40 mW/cm2 towards the head; and a cooling mechanism configured to introduce cooled gas and send it into the cover, blowing it towards the patient's head through a cooled gas delivering pathway between the hood body and the patient's head to dissipate heat from the patient's head. This device can effectively treat patients with Alzheimer's disease, adapt to the special psychological and physiological needs of patients with various disease courses, improve patients' treatment compliance, and ensure good treatment effect for Alzheimer's disease.