Wearable Vibration Reduction Device Using Closed-Loop Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for neurological disorders such as Essential Tremor and Parkinson's disease that cause involuntary body vibrations are inefficient and difficult to practice, affecting the quality of life and limiting daily functions.
Innovation Solution
A wearable device with motion sensors and actuators that sense and analyze vibrations to apply a feedback force, stabilizing the affected body part and enabling normal daily activities by reducing vibration intensity through a controlled feedback force profile.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If medication, occupational therapy, or deep brain stimulation is used to treat neurological disorders causing vibrations, then treatment effectiveness may be improved, but ease of practice and quality of life are worsened due to inefficiency and difficulty in practice
Solution Approach 1:
The wearable device employs motion sensors to detect vibrations and applies actuators to generate counteracting forces in real-time, creating a closed-loop feedback system that automatically stabilizes the body part without requiring user intervention or complex medical procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The device enables the body part to self-stabilize by continuously monitoring its own vibrations and applying corrective forces autonomously, eliminating the need for external medical interventions while maintaining treatment effectiveness
2Reliability
If a wearable device with multiple sensors and actuators is used to reduce vibrations, then vibration reduction effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into modular components including motion sensors, actuators, and a control unit, each performing a specific function that can be independently optimized and maintained, thereby managing complexity while maintaining effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The wearable device is designed to accommodate different body parts and vibration scenarios through configurable sensor and actuator arrangements, allowing a single device platform to serve multiple therapeutic purposes without requiring separate complex systems for each application
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 wearable device effectively reduces vibration intensity by up to 50% in one dimension, allowing subjects to perform daily functions more easily and improving quality of life by stabilizing affected limbs.
Implementation Method 1
One or more motion sensors of the device are configured to sense the vibrations of the limb
Implementation Method 2
actuators that are configured and operable to execute the feedback force to reduce the vibrations of the limb
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure concerns a system and a method, that include the use of a wearable device, for reducing uncontrolled vibrations of a body part, typically a hand of a subject, which may be a result of neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, Essential tremor, Multiple sclerosis, etc. These involuntary, uncontrolled, vibrations may be continuous and affect the quality life of the subject.