Vibration Stimulation Therapy System for Baroreflex Sensitivity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods are inadequate for effectively increasing baroreflex sensitivity in patients, which is associated with various health issues such as hypertension, congestive heart failure, and depression, as they often require active patient involvement and do not address reduced sensitivity effectively.

Innovation Solution

A vibration stimulation therapy system that delivers specific vibration signals to the patient's skin, alternating between active and inactive periods to induce resonance or high amplitude oscillations in the cardiovascular system, thereby enhancing baroreflex sensitivity without requiring active patient participation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If vibration stimulation therapy is delivered continuously to the patient, then the therapeutic effect on baroreflex sensitivity may be enhanced, but patient comfort and tolerance deteriorate due to potential discomfort or adverse effects from prolonged vibration exposure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetherapeutic effectVSAvoidpatient discomfort

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The vibration stimulation is delivered in periodic cycles with alternating active and inactive periods. The active period delivers vibration signals to induce cardiovascular resonance, while the inactive period allows the patient's cardiovascular system to return to baseline, preventing discomfort while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness through repeated stimulation cycles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Reliability

If the vibration signal frequency is increased to better match cardiovascular resonance frequencies, then the therapeutic efficacy on baroreflex sensitivity improves, but the risk of inducing adverse physiological responses increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetherapeutic efficacyVSAvoidadverse physiological responses

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The vibration signal frequency is dynamically adjusted during therapy sessions to track the patient's instantaneous cardiovascular resonance frequency. This dynamic adaptation ensures the vibration frequency remains optimized for therapeutic effect while avoiding fixed frequencies that might induce adverse responses in different physiological states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors cardiovascular parameters such as heart rate variability and blood pressure to detect resonance frequencies in real-time. This feedback information is used to adjust the vibration signal frequency, ensuring it remains within the therapeutic window and avoids frequencies that could trigger adverse physiological responses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If the vibration stimulation therapy is made passive without requiring patient participation, then ease of operation and patient compliance improve, but the ability to provide personalized therapy based on individual physiological feedback decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient complianceVSAvoidpersonalized therapy capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically detects the patient's individual cardiovascular resonance frequency and adjusts therapy parameters without requiring active patient participation or manual input. The passive nature of the therapy is maintained while the system performs self-adjustment based on real-time physiological monitoring, combining ease of operation with personalized therapy delivery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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 effectively increases baroreflex sensitivity and cardiovascular oscillations, promoting overall health and well-being by modulating the vagus nerve and brain inhibition-excitation balance, and can be used to treat various disorders including depression and cardiovascular diseases.

Implementation Method 1

the vibration signal and the first and second periods of time being together configured to trigger or induce resonance or high amplitude oscillations in a cardiovascular system of the patient

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectResonance: Resonance

Data Source

PatentUS9943461B1Systems, devices, components and methods for triggering or inducing resonance or high amplitude oscillations in a cardiovascular system of a patient

Publication Date: 2018.04.17 MUENCH FREDERICK

AI summary

Various embodiments of systems, devices, components, and methods for providing external therapeutic vibration stimulation to a patient are disclosed and described. Therapeutic vibration stimulation is provided to at least one location on a patient's skin, or through clothing or a layer disposed next to the patient's skin, and is configured to trigger or induce resonance or high amplitude oscillations in a cardiovascular system of the patient. Inducing such resonance can aid in training autonomic reflexes and improve their functioning.