Velocity-Based Posture State Suspension for Implantable Therapy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical devices that deliver therapy, such as electrical stimulation or drug delivery, face challenges in maintaining therapeutic efficacy as patients change posture states, leading to inconsistent therapy delivery due to temporary posture transitions and increased power consumption from continuous adjustments.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that temporarily suspends automatic therapy adjustments and posture state detection during high movement velocities, using the most-recently detected stable posture state for therapy delivery, thereby conserving processing resources and power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If automatic therapy adjustments are made for every detected posture state, then therapy delivery is continuously optimized, but processing resources are wasted and power is drained unnecessarily during transient movements
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes velocity thresholds that indicate transient movement states. When velocity exceeds these thresholds, the system proactively suspends posture-based therapy adjustments before unnecessary processing occurs, thereby conserving power while maintaining therapy optimization during stable postures
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of continuously adjusting therapy for every posture detection, the system applies adjustments only when movement velocity is below thresholds, performing partial adjustments that are sufficient for therapeutic efficacy while avoiding excessive processing during transient movements
2Adaptability or versatility
If therapy is adjusted for every transient posture state during movement, then all posture changes are responded to, but uncomfortable therapy modifications occur and processing resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-defines velocity thresholds that distinguish transient movements from stable postures. By suspending posture-based therapy adjustments when velocity exceeds these thresholds, the system prevents uncomfortable modifications during movement while maintaining adaptability when the patient is stationary
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts its responsiveness based on movement velocity. During high-velocity transient states, posture-based adjustments are suspended, while during low-velocity stable states, full posture-responsive therapy is active, creating a dynamic balance between adaptability and comfort
3Measurement precision
If posture state detection continues during high velocity movement, then all posture changes are captured, but processing resources are wasted on temporarily-sustained posture states
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and removes transient posture detections from processing by comparing velocity against thresholds. When velocity exceeds thresholds, posture state detections during movement are excluded from triggering therapy adjustments, thereby improving processing efficiency while maintaining detection precision for stable postures
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial posture detection processing by selectively responding only to posture states occurring during low-velocity stable periods. This partial processing approach maintains measurement precision for relevant postures while avoiding excessive processing of transient movement states
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure describes techniques for modifying an electrical stimulation or another type of therapy provided to a patient by a medical device. The therapy modification may be based on a posture and/or activity state of a patient that is detected by an IMD, such as a change in a detected posture state occupied by the patient. Different therapy modifications may be applied for different changes in detected posture state. An IMD may modify therapy based on a transition from one posture state to another posture state. The IMD may determine a posture state of the patient for use in controlling therapy adjustments and/or other aspects of the system. In some examples, when the patient's movement and/or activity velocity exceeds a velocity threshold, a previously-determined stable posture state of the patient may be used to control therapy rather than a current posture state of the patient, which may be transient.