Claims
- 1. An indicating apparatus for indicating phases of a respiratory cycle of a user to permit self-synchronization of speech and respiration comprising
a strap for being secured around the chest or abdomen of the user, said strap having a variable condition that changes as the user inhales air during the inspiration phase of the respiratory cycle and exhales air during the expiration phase of the respiratory cycle, said strap including a sensor adapted to sense said variable condition during the respiratory cycle, said sensor generating electrical output indicative of said variable condition during the inspiration and expiration phases, respectively; and a signaling device carried by said strap and being operated in response to said electrical output, said signaling device being deactivated in response to said electrical output that is generated during the inspiration phase to produce a first tactilely sensible signal to the user indicative of the inspiration phase, said signaling device being activated in response to said electrical output that is generated during the expiration phase to produce a second tactilely sensible signal to the user indicative of the expiration phase, said second tactilely sensible signal being tactilely distinguishable from said first tactilely sensible signal.
- 2. The indicating apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said strap has opposing free ends and further including fasteners on said free ends by which said strap is adjustably secured around the chest or abdomen of the user.
- 3. The indicating apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said sensor includes a piezoelectric film element.
- 4. The indicating apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said sensor includes a spring-loaded mechanism.
- 5. The indicating apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said sensor includes a resistive flexible member.
- 6. The indicating apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said variable condition is tension in said strap.
- 7. The indicating apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said electrical output is digital electrical output.
- 8. The indicating apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein said digital electrical output includes a first digital command signal generated by said sensor during the inspiration phase and a second digital command signal generated by said sensor during the expiration phase, said signaling device being deactivated in response to said first digital command signal and being activated in response to said second digital command signal.
- 9. The indicating apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said electrical output is linear electrical output.
- 10. The indicating apparatus as recited in claim 9 and further including a processor carried by said strap and adapted to process said linear electrical output to determine whether the user is inhaling or exhaling, said processor generating a first digital command signal in response to a determination that the user is inhaling and generating a second digital command signal in response to a determination that the user is exhaling, said signaling device being deactivated in response to said first digital command signal and being activated in response to said second digital command signal.
- 11. The indicating apparatus as recited in claim 1 and further including a power supply mounted on said strap for supplying electric power to said signaling device.
- 12. The indicating apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said signaling device includes a vibratory motor, one of said first or second tactilely sensible signals includes the absence of a perceptible vibration emanating from said motor and the other of said first or second tactilely perceptible signals includes a perceptible vibration emanating from said motor.
- 13. The indicating apparatus as recited in claim 12 wherein said first tactilely sensible signal includes the absence of a perceptible vibration emanating from said motor and said second tactilely sensible signal includes a perceptible vibration emanating from said motor.
- 14. The indicating apparatus as recited in claim 1 and further including a control unit on said strap for selectively controlling operational parameters of said indicating apparatus.
- 15. An indicating apparatus permitting self-synchronization of speech and respiration in a user comprising
a stretchable strap for being secured around the chest or abdomen of the user, said strap expanding linearly in response to expansion of the chest or abdomen when the user inhales air during respiration and contracting linearly in response to contraction of the chest or abdomen when the user exhales air during respiration, said strap having a sensor capable of sensing linear expansions and contractions of said strap, said sensor producing electrical output indicative of the sensed linear expansions and contractions, respectively; a processor carried by said strap adapted to process said electrical output to generate a first command signal when said electrical output indicates linear expansion of said strap and a second command signal when said electrical output indicates linear contraction of said strap; and at least one motor carried by said strap and being operated in response to said first and second command signals, said at least one motor being operable in response to said first command signal to produce a tactilely perceptible pause signal prompting the user to pause from speaking, said at least one motor being operable in response to said second command signal to produce a tactilely perceptible vocalization signal prompting the user to speak.
- 16. The indicating apparatus as recited in claim 15 wherein said processor includes a central processing unit, memory and a timer.
- 17. An indicating apparatus for indicating respiratory phases in a user to permit self-synchronization of speech and respiration comprising
strap means removably securable around the chest or abdomen of the user and being capable of linearly expanding and linearly contracting in response to expansion and contraction of the chest or abdomen as the user inhales and exhales air, respectively, said strap means having sensing means for sensing the linear condition of said strap means as the user inhales and exhales air; processor means carried on said strap means for measuring the linear condition sensed by said sensing means and determining whether said strap means is linearly expanding or linearly contracting, said processor means generating a first command signal in response to a determination that said strap means is linearly expanding and generating a second command signal in response to a determination that said strap means is linearly contracting; and signaling means carried on said strap means for producing tactilely sensible signals, said signaling means being controlled by said command signals to produce a tactilely sensible pause signal when said first command signal is generated and to produce a tactilely sensible vocalization signal when said second command signal is generated, said pause signal being coincident with respiratory inspiration to prompt the user to refrain from speaking during inhalation of air, said vocalization signal being coincident with respiratory expiration to prompt the user to speak during exhalation of air.
- 18. A method of indicating respiratory phases in a user comprising the steps of
sensing a variable condition of a strap that is worn around the chest or abdomen of the user as the variable condition changes in response to expansion and contraction of the chest or abdomen during inhalation and exhalation, respectively; generating electrical output indicative of the variable condition during inhalation and exhalation; and producing a first tactilely sensible signal for the user indicative of inspiration in response to generation of electrical output indicative of the variable condition during inhalation or a second tactilely sensible signal, tactilely distinguishable from the first signal, for the user indicative of expiration in response to generation of electrical output indicative of the variable condition during exhalation.
- 19. A method of self-synchronizing speech with respiration comprising the steps of
wearing a stretchable strap of an indicating apparatus so that the strap linearly expands in response to expansion of the respiratory muscles during the inspiration phase of a respiratory cycle and linearly contracts in response to contraction of the respiratory muscles during the expiration phase of the respiratory cycle; perceiving a tactile vocalization signal produced by the indicating apparatus while the strap is linearly contracting in the expiration phase; speaking while the tactile vocalization signal is perceived; perceiving a tactile pause signal produced by the indicating apparatus while the strap is linearly expanding in the inspiration phase; inhaling air and pausing from speaking while the tactile pause signal is perceived; and repeating said step of perceiving a tactile vocalization signal, said step of speaking, said step of perceiving a tactile pause signal and said step of inhaling air and pausing for a plurality of respiratory cycles to synchronize speaking with the expiration phases and to synchronize pauses in speaking with the inspiration phases.
- 20. The method of self-synchronizing speech with respiration as recited in claim 19 wherein said step of wearing includes wearing the strap over the respiratory muscles.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority from prior U.S. provisional patent application filed Feb. 27, 2001, and entitled Portable Speech/Breathing Synchronization Method and Apparatus.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60272503 |
Mar 2001 |
US |