Sleep induction device and method for inducting a change in a sleep state
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sleep induction devices require lengthy calibration and are not adaptive to sudden changes in user situations, such as illness or irregular sleep patterns, leading to inefficiencies in transitioning between sleep stages.
Innovation Solution
A sleep induction device equipped with sensors to detect physiological characteristics, a stimulator to provide adaptive stimuli, and a processing unit that generates and tailors guidance paths in real-time to induce changes in sleep stages, allowing for immediate effectiveness and adaptation to individual sleep profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the device performs calibration to determine personalized sleep profiles and physiological responses, then the sleep induction effectiveness is improved, but the required calibration time becomes relatively long
Solution Approach 1:
The device applies preliminary action by using a mean sleep profile as a default starting point before any user-specific calibration is performed. This allows the device to be immediately useful from the first night without requiring extensive preliminary calibration, while still achieving effective sleep induction. The mean profile serves as a pre-prepared baseline that works adequately for most users initially.
Solution Approach 2:
The device implements feedback by continuously monitoring the user's actual sleep profile during sleep sessions and comparing it against the mean profile. Based on this feedback, the system automatically adapts and adjusts the guidance paths in real-time, eliminating the need for lengthy offline calibration. The feedback loop enables the device to learn and personalize quickly during actual use.
2Reliability
If the device uses a fixed personalized sleep profile, then the sleep induction is optimized for normal conditions, but the device cannot adapt to suddenly or incidentally changed user situations
Solution Approach 1:
The device applies dynamics by making the sleep profile adaptive rather than static. Instead of relying on a fixed personalized profile, the system continuously adjusts the mean profile based on real-time monitoring of the user's actual sleep characteristics. This dynamic adaptation allows the device to respond to changing conditions such as illness, jet lag, or other incidental factors that affect sleep patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The device implements parameter changes by allowing the mean sleep profile parameters to evolve and update continuously. When the user's sleep profile deviates from the mean profile, the system adjusts the guidance parameters in real-time to match the user's current state. This enables the device to adapt to changed situations by modifying operational parameters rather than being constrained by a fixed profile.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the device continuously monitors and adapts the guidance path during sleep session, then the adaptability to changing sleep profiles is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device applies universality by using a single mean sleep profile that serves multiple functions: it acts as a baseline for comparison, a template for guidance path generation, and a reference for real-time adaptation. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate complex personalized profiles while still enabling real-time adaptation, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The device implements self-service by automatically monitoring, comparing, and adapting the guidance path without requiring external intervention or complex user-specific programming. The system serves itself by using the mean profile as both reference and template, automatically adjusting to user needs through real-time comparison and adaptation algorithms that simplify the control structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A sleep induction device includes at least one sensor for detecting a physiological characteristic of the user, a stimulator configured to provide successive stimuli to the user to anticipate on the detected physiological characteristic, which successive stimuli define a guidance path, and which guidance path is to be followed by the user to induce a change during the sleep session of the user, a memory which is arranged to store values of detected physiological characteristics, and provided stimuli during the sleep session, and a processing unit including a control programme which is programmed to determine a current sleep state of the user, which current sleep state is based on at least one detected physiological characteristic measured by the at least one sensor and which control programme is programmed to generate an initial guidance path to induce a change from the determined current sleep state to another sleep state.