Noninvasive Vagus Nerve Stimulator with Accelerometer Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Self-administration of vagus nerve stimulation for conditions like migraine headaches poses challenges such as ensuring correct nerve targeting, minimizing device movement, and maintaining consistent stimulation amplitude, which can lead to variable treatment efficacy and safety concerns when a healthcare professional is not present.

Innovation Solution

A system comprising a dual-electrode stimulator with a docking station that transmits data for session monitoring and authorization, allowing for controlled delivery of electrical impulses to the vagus nerve, ensuring correct side targeting and optimizing stimulation parameters, and includes features like accelerometers to compensate for device movement, thereby enhancing treatment consistency and safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation is used for self-treatment, then patient convenience and accessibility are improved, but treatment precision and safety deteriorate due to lack of professional supervision

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient convenienceVSAvoidtreatment safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system incorporates session monitoring that tracks stimulation parameters and device positioning, providing real-time feedback to ensure treatment remains within safe and effective parameters even during self-administration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Accelerometers and sensors replace the need for manual positioning by automatically detecting device orientation and movement, substituting mechanical precision requirements with electronic measurement and compensation systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Stability of the object's composition

If device movement is minimized through secure positioning, then stimulation consistency is improved, but device complexity and comfort deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestimulation consistencyVSAvoidpositioning mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical positioning and securing mechanisms with electronic sensors (accelerometers) that measure device movement and orientation, then use software algorithms to compensate for position changes and maintain stimulation consistency without requiring rigid fixation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If stimulation parameters are optimized for efficacy, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but risk of adverse effects increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment efficacyVSAvoidadverse effects

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system monitors stimulation delivery in real-time and provides feedback control to maintain parameters within the optimal therapeutic window, automatically adjusting or terminating stimulation if parameters approach levels that could cause adverse effects

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary monitoring and authorization checks before delivering optimized stimulation parameters, ensuring that high-efficacy stimulation is only administered after verifying proper device positioning, patient eligibility, and safe parameter selection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 system ensures precise and consistent vagus nerve stimulation, improving treatment efficacy for conditions like migraines by ensuring correct nerve targeting and maintaining optimal stimulation parameters, reducing the risk of adverse effects and improving patient safety during self-administration.

Implementation Method 1

The energy impulses (and/or fields) that are used to treat those conditions comprise electrical and/or electromagnetic energy, delivered non-invasively to the patient, particularly to a vagus nerve of the patient

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical stimulation: Conduction (electrical)

Implementation Method 2

includes features like accelerometers to compensate for device movement

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAccelerometer detection: Accelerometer

Data Source

PatentUS9248286B2Medical self-treatment using non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation

Publication Date: 2016.02.02 ELECTROCORE INC

AI summary

Devices, systems and methods are disclosed that allow a patient to self-treat a medical condition, such as migraine headache, by electrical noninvasive stimulation of a vagus nerve. The system comprises a stimulator that is applied to the surface of the patient's neck, as well as a docking station that is used to charge a rechargeable battery within the stimulator. The docking station and stimulator housing transmit data to one another regarding the status of a stimulation session, as well as to a computer program in a patient interface device such as a mobile phone or computer. The interface device in turn communicates with medical record and billing databases contained within other computers, via the internet. The system is designed to address problems that arise particularly during self-treatment, when a medical professional is not present.