Portable Breathing Timer Using Audible Signals
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing breathing regulators are complex, expensive, difficult to use, and conspicuous, limiting their effectiveness in promoting healthy breathing patterns, especially for children and individuals with ADHD or low intellectual abilities, and they often require visual attention, restricting their use in various situations.
Innovation Solution
A breathing timer with a control unit that automatically adjusts inhalation and exhalation phases, using simple and inexpensive components like vibration, temperature, or acoustic signals, allowing for unobtrusive and easy-to-use devices that can be worn or integrated into other devices, enabling adaptation of breathing rhythms to different situations without the need for complicated electronic circuits or sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a breathing regulator uses complicated electronic circuits and sensors to detect and control breathing patterns, then the precision of breathing regulation is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the complex sensor and electronic control components from the breathing regulator, replacing them with a simple mechanical timing mechanism. This eliminates the need for electronic circuits while maintaining the core function of regulating breathing patterns through audible signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive, complex electronic components with inexpensive, simple mechanical components that can be easily manufactured and replaced. The device uses basic mechanical elements like gears, springs, and audible indicators instead of costly sensors and microprocessors.
2Measurement precision
If a breathing regulator requires visual attention and complex operation, then the precision of breathing control is improved, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the breathing regulation function into simple, distinct audible phases (inhalation signal, exhalation signal, pause signal) that are easily distinguishable. Each phase is represented by a unique audible characteristic, allowing users to follow the breathing pattern without visual attention or complex operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces visual displays and electronic interfaces with audible mechanical signals. The breathing phases are communicated through distinct sounds generated by simple mechanical components, making the device operable without visual attention and accessible to users with various abilities.
3Illumination intensity
If a breathing regulator is designed to be noticeable and conspicuous, then the user can easily perceive the breathing signals, but the device becomes less suitable for unobtrusive use in various situations
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using visual displays that are conspicuous, the invention inverts the approach by using audible signals that can be perceived without visual attention. The breathing signals are transmitted through sound rather than light, allowing unobtrusive use in various situations while maintaining clear perceptibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces sound as an intermediary medium to transmit breathing signals. Rather than directly displaying visual information, the device uses audible signals as an intermediary that can be perceived in various environments without being conspicuous, enabling versatile and unobtrusive use.
4Ease of manufacture
If a breathing regulator uses fixed breathing patterns, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the adaptability to different situations decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates dynamic adjustability into the mechanical timing mechanism, allowing the breathing pattern durations to be modified while maintaining the simple mechanical structure. The device can adapt different inhalation and exhalation phase durations through mechanical adjustments without requiring complex electronics or sensors.
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 breathing timer effectively promotes healthy breathing by increasing heart rate variability and heart coherence, reducing stress, improving concentration, and enhancing overall physiological balance, while being portable, easy to manufacture, and suitable for various users, including children and the elderly.
Implementation Method 1
a signal unit (5, 12) for the perceptible transmission of a signal to a user's body
Implementation Method 2
a signal unit (5, 12) for the perceptible transmission of a signal to a user's body
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A portable breath regulator having a signal unit (5, 6) for noticeably transmitting a signal to the body of the user and having a control unit for periodically actuating the signal unit (5, 6) by way of an actuation signal, wherein a period of use of the actuation signal comprises an inhalation phase (TE) and an exhalation phase (TA), can be manufactured in a simple and cost-effective manner and operated easily, if the signal is a vibration signal, a current pulse signal and/or a temperature signal, and if the actuation signal is formed independently of physiological body values.