Phase-Agnostic Stimulation Waveforms for Oscillation Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing treatments for biological oscillations require precise phase-specific stimuli to suppress oscillations, which can be challenging due to the narrow phase window and instability of arrhythmic states, making it difficult to effectively treat oscillopathies like epilepsy and cardiac arrhythmias.
Innovation Solution
Development of phase-agnostic stimulus waveforms generated by a programmable arbitrary waveform generator, using algorithms like extrema distortion and deep reinforcement learning to optimize stimulation signals regardless of the phase, applied through electrodes for conditions like epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and cardiac arrhythmias.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If phase-specific stimuli are used to suppress biological oscillations, then the precision of rhythm suppression is improved, but the complexity of operation and difficulty of implementation increase due to the narrow phase window requirement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of stimulus waveform from simple pulses to complex, optimized waveforms with specific amplitude modulations and frequency components. This allows the stimulus to suppress oscillations across a broader phase range while maintaining effectiveness, resolving the contradiction between precision and ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic, adaptive stimulus waveforms that can be adjusted based on the oscillator's state. The complex waveforms include time-varying amplitude and frequency characteristics that allow them to effectively interact with the biological oscillator regardless of its phase, making the treatment easier to apply while maintaining precision
2Measurement precision
If phase-specific stimuli are used to suppress biological oscillations, then the precision of rhythm suppression is improved, but the device complexity and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-computing and storing optimized complex waveforms that have been designed to suppress oscillations effectively. These pre-computed waveforms can then be applied directly without requiring real-time phase detection or complex computational processing during treatment, reducing device complexity while maintaining precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transforms the control approach by changing from real-time phase-dependent parameter adjustment to applying pre-determined complex waveforms with fixed parameters. This parameter transformation simplifies the device requirements while achieving the same therapeutic effect
3Reliability
If the phase window is narrowed for precise rhythm suppression, then the effectiveness of oscillation suppression is improved, but the stability of the arrhythmic state deteriorates due to sensitivity to phase timing errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the waveform parameters from simple pulse characteristics to complex, multi-component waveforms with specific amplitude modulations. These parameter changes create a broader effective phase window, making the arrhythmic state more stable and less sensitive to timing variations while maintaining suppression effectiveness
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for applying a phase-agnostic stimuli are disclosed herein. Certain embodiments include methods and apparatus that are configured to receive a detected signal from a subject and transmit a stimulation signal that is configured to optimize a response signal without regard to the phase of the detected signal.