Portable Vestibular Stimulation System with Wireless Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vestibular stimulation systems face challenges in providing comfortable and effective electrical stimulation for sleep while avoiding tangling with wires and bulky devices, and ensuring safe and efficient energy delivery.
Innovation Solution
A portable, battery-powered vestibular stimulation system with a housing containing a power supply, controller, and electrode assembly, featuring a mounting assembly for user positioning and a display for visual feedback, allowing for wireless operation and adjustable stimulation parameters to promote relaxation and sleep.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a surface electrode and stimulation unit are used to deliver electrical stimulation to the vestibular system, then the stimulation can be delivered effectively, but the patient becomes tangled in electrical wires and sleep is disrupted by a bulky stimulation unit
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate functional components: a portable stimulation unit with battery and controller, electrode assemblies with positioning elements, and optional mounting structures. This segmentation allows the stimulation function to be delivered effectively while the components can be positioned to avoid tangling and discomfort during sleep.
Solution Approach 2:
Wireless communication technology serves as an intermediary between the stimulation unit and any external control systems, eliminating the need for physical wire connections that cause tangling. The wireless link maintains stimulation delivery effectiveness while removing the mechanical constraint of wires.
2Ease of operation
If the stimulation unit is made compact for portability, then wire tangling is reduced, but the power supply capacity and control functionality may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic power management where the controller adjusts stimulation parameters in real-time based on user needs and battery status. This allows the compact unit to deliver effective stimulation while optimizing power consumption to extend battery life despite the limited capacity of a portable power supply.
Solution Approach 2:
The stimulation parameters (amplitude, frequency, pulse width) can be dynamically adjusted within a range to balance therapeutic effectiveness with power consumption. This allows the compact unit with limited power capacity to provide effective stimulation by optimizing the electrical parameters delivered to the electrodes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the stimulation parameters are made adjustable for individual comfort, then user comfort and effectiveness are improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller is pre-programmed with stimulation protocols and parameter ranges that have been determined to be effective for vestibular stimulation. This preliminary configuration allows the system to provide adjustable parameters for individual comfort without requiring complex real-time decision-making logic, thus managing device complexity while maintaining adaptability.
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 enables comfortable and effective vestibular stimulation, allowing users to fall asleep without wires and ensuring safe energy delivery, with adjustable parameters for individual comfort and effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
electrical stimulation provides the most flexibility in terms of patterns of stimulation, convenience, and comfort for the patient
Implementation Method 2
A position sensing assembly is adapted to monitor a position of such a user, wherein the controller controls the delivery of energy to a user based on an output of the position sensing assembly
Data Source
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AI summary
A vestibular stimulation system (30) and method that includes a housing (42), a power supply (32) disposed in the housing, an electrode assembly (38, 40) adapted to be coupled to the housing, and a controller (34) disposed in the housing and operatively coupled to the power supply. The controller controls the delivery of energy from the power supply to the electrode assembly. An input element (36, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58) is also disposed on an exterior surface of the housing. The input element is manually manipulated to control the operation of the vestibular stimulation system. A display (46) disposed on an exterior surface of the housing provides visual information regarding the operation of the vestibular stimulation system. A mounting assembly (62, 86, 92, 100, 106, 114, 122, 134, 140, 142, 180) is coupled to the housing to mount the housing on such a user.