Patent Application
20190313184
The present disclosure relates to a device providing bimodal stimulation to auditory and somatosensory systems of a user, utilizing headphone speakers to provide auditory stimulation while transdermal electrical contacts deliver electrical impulses for somatosensory stimulation. Although the application of the present disclosure is focused on tinnitus for clarity and brevity, applications of the proposed disclosure cover a wide range of other problems, including pain, depression, and epilepsy, which have been well researched, and could possibly be applicable to other problems based on future research.
Neuroplasticity, also known as brain plasticity and neural plasticity, is the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections, allowing neurons (nerve cells) to adjust their activities in response to new situations or to changes in their environment. Such reorganization has been shown to take place in response to bimodal stimulation of the auditory and somatosensory systems, resulting in improved objective and subjective measures of tinnitus.
Transdermal electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) has been used successfully in many applications including treatment of pain, depression, epilepsy, and tinnitus. Specifically for reducing tinnitus, it has been shown that stimulation of the vagus nerve combined with auditory stimulation provides the best results. Using this information, methods and devices have been developed to reduce tinnitus; however, some applications require surgical implantation of a subcutaneous device that provides electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve. Non-surgical options are available; however, they require the use of adhesively attached electrodes. Convenient non-clinical uses, such as in the home, have not been adequately addressed. In the treatment of tinnitus, a comfortable, easy-to-use non-surgically-implanted neurostimulator device is needed to provide more convenient treatment options.
Early research on bimodal pairing of auditory stimulation and somatosensory stimulation to reduce tinnitus used a surgical procedure in which a small transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES) device was implanted in the user and connected to a wire which was wrapped around the vagus nerve. The implanted device, which contained its own power supply, received wireless control signals and sent electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve. The somatosensory stimulation was accompanied by auditory stimulation using sound output via headphones, either simultaneously with the somatosensory stimulation or at various combinations of timing, frequencies, power levels, etc. Whereas early transcutaneous devices required an invasive procedure such as surgery, later devices replaced the implanted device with an external transdermal electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) control device which was designed to be utilized with electrodes adhesively applied to the intact skin surface of the user.
The proposed disclosure allows a user to combine auditory stimulation, using one or a pair of headphones, with somatosensory stimulation, using TENS, without having to undergo surgery or using adhesively applied electrodes. The apparatus can house only the TENS contact electrodes, or it can also house the TENS control unit as well. It can be externally powered or powered by one or more internal power sources such as a battery. It can receive control inputs and/or power inputs by means of wires or wirelessly.
Using the disclosure proposed herein, combined with appropriate external hardware and software, users are able to achieve reduction in tinnitus more conveniently and effectively. The disclosed disclosure allows each user to choose an embodiment of the device they feel provides the most convenient application for them.
The proposed disclosure can be used with TENS; it can be configured as ordinary headphones; or it can be configured as a headset with a built-in microphone.
The prior art teaches various bimodal stimulation devices. Among these are:
U.S. Pat. No. 9,682,232 to Susan Shore, David Martel and Seth Koehler teaches a device for treating tinnitus utilizing a bimodal stimulation device configured to generate an audible stimulation signal while generating a somatosensory stimulation signal, either simultaneously or in a timed manner, to stimulate a somatosensory system of a subject (i.e., a user) utilizing various timing and duration patterns resulting in reduction in objective or subjective measures of tinnitus. A wearable transdermal neurostimulator that is connectable to a subject with an electrode apparatus is therein claimed. The Shore et al. Description states: “In some examples, the probes are deep brain region probes that stimulate the somatosensory system. Thus in some examples, the somatosensory stimulation signal to a subject results from applying stimulation to a surface region of the brain of the subject or to a surface structure on the face or a surface structure on the neck of the subject to stimulate the somatosensory system. These stimulations, whether auditory stimulation and somatosensory stimulation, may be provided through a mechanical or electrical stimulation.”
U.S. Pat. No. 9,393,401 to Isy Goldwasser, Sumon K. Pal, Jonathan Charlesworth, Wing Law, Jay Frederick Hamlin, Daniel Z. Wetmore, William J. Tyler, and Douglas Jeffery teaches wearable neurostimulator apparatuses connected to an electrode assembly that is adapted to be attached to the user's body.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,002,458 to Sumon K. Pal, Jonathan Charlesworth, Remi Demers, Daniel Z. Wetmore, Isy Goldwasser, William J. Tyler, Raymond L. Gradwohl, Phillip Lamb, and Christopher Voss describes apparatuses and methods for transdermal electrical stimulation, including transcranial electrical stimulation, to induce neuromodulation utilizing electrodes attached to the head or neck with adhesive.
None of these prior art references describe the present disclosure.
To overcome the problems stated above, the present disclosure provides a means for bimodal stimulation with simultaneous stimulation of auditory and somatosensory systems of a user, utilizing headphone speakers to provide auditory stimulation while transdermal electrical contacts deliver electrical impulses to stimulate the vagus nerves. Although usually referred to in the singular, there are actually both right and left vagus nerves that descend from the brain along the right and left sides of the neck.
An apparatus disclosed herein consists of a bimodal pairing control module, which then controls both auditory stimulation and somatosensory stimulation. Control inputs and/or power inputs are sent to the disclosed disclosure. The auditory control inputs utilize internal or external power sources to produce sound in audio output structure (or component), such as headphone speakers or bone conduction sound hearing structure, while the somatosensory control inputs utilize internal or external power sources to produce electrical current through the skin of the user with transdermal electrical contacts directly or through electrodes, which can be fixed or replaceable.
In one embodiment, an electronic wearable apparatus for providing bimodal stimulation to auditory system and somatosensory system of a user is disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a head-mounted wearable housing that is attached to an auditory system and a somatosensory system of the user. The apparatus also includes a wearable audio output structure configured to apply audio stimulation to the auditory system of the user. The apparatus further includes a wearable transdermal electrical transducer configured to apply a somatosensory stimulation signal to the somatosensory system of the user through a transdermal electrical contact which is in direct contact with a portion of surface structure of the user for stimulating the somatosensory system. The apparatus further includes an electronic control processor that is connected to the audio output structure and the transdermal electrical transducer and configured to synchronize the bimodal stimulations to create a nerve stimulation to improve user's body.
In another embodiment, a method for providing bimodal stimulation to auditory system and somatosensory system of a user is disclosed. The method includes providing the user a head-mounted wearable housing with electronic input and output. The method also includes providing the user a wearable audio output structure having tunable frequency and signal tracking capability that creates an audio stimulation for the user. The method further includes providing the user a wearable transdermal electrical transducer, and the transducer is configured to apply a somatosensory stimulation signal to the somatosensory system of the user through a transdermal electrical contact that is in direct contact with a portion of a surface structure of the user for stimulating the somatosensory system. The method further having an electronic control processor to control the audio output structure and the transdermal electrical transducer, and synchronize the bimodal stimulations to create a nerve stimulation to improve user's body states.
In another embodiment, an apparatus for providing bimodal stimulation to an auditory system and a somatosensory system of a user is provided. The apparatus includes a housing configured to hold an audio output component and a transdermal electrical component. The audio output component is configured to create an audio stimulation for the user and the transdermal electrical component is configured to apply a somatosensory stimulation signal to the somatosensory system of the user through a transdermal electrical contact that is in direct contact with a portion of a surface structure of the user for stimulating the somatosensory system.
In one embodiment, a pair of audio output structure (or component) is attached to a housing designed to be worn on the head of the user as with any conventional headphones. Said audio output structure (or component), generally referred to herein as “headphones” or “speakers”, may be of any design such as ear cushions with speakers, ear buds, earphones, etc.; and they may be air-conducting, bone-conducting, or any combination thereof.
In another embodiment the disclosure is configured for use with behind the neck type of headphones.
Attached to said headphones or said housing are transdermal electrical contacts configured to make contact with a body part of the user, specifically the neck. The headphone speakers provide auditory stimulation, such as a frequency tone, a combination of tones, or music; and the transdermal electrical contacts provide somatosensory stimulation to the nervous system of the user, specifically to the vagus nerves.
Said transdermal electrical contacts can be fixed, or they can be moveable, as by sliding or rotating, etc., so that when said contacts are stored or retracted, the apparatus can be used as conventional headphones without somatosensory stimulation.
In one embodiment said audio output structure (or component) and said transdermal electrical contacts can receive control signals and/or power inputs via wires. In another embodiment they can receive wireless signals and/or inputs; or inputs can be any combination of wired and wireless.
Positive contact between said transdermal electrical contacts and the user's body part can be maintained by the spring tension of said housing or with the aid of auxiliary spring tensioning devices. Said spring tensioning devices can be used to exert pressure against said transdermal electrical contacts or against said electrodes.
The apparatus can be configured as headphones or as a headset with the addition of some type of microphone.
The apparatus could be powered remotely, as with wired inputs, or utilize internal power source(s), such as a battery.
Said housing could contain other components which would not affect the proposed disclosure. Thus, the disclosure can be adapted to a wide range of designs.
Aspects of the present disclosure are best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is noted that, in accordance with the standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion.
A method and devices for headphone with transdermal electrical nerve stimulation has been disclosed. The present disclosure anticipates numerous variations in the devices used. Numerous headphone or speaker designs can be used which can all provide the same function and have various features, including such features as being foldable, having on/off control, volume control, etc., which do not affect the function of the present disclosure. Likewise, numerous TENS designs can be used which can all provide the same function and have various features, including such features as on/off control, frequency control, waveform control, timing control, etc. The scope of the present disclosure should be construed broadly and is only to be limited to that which is claimed and all equivalents. Therefore, it is understood that the above description and illustrations are exemplary of the disclosure and are not to be considered as limiting; and the disclosure is understood to include any equivalents and is not considered as limited by the above description.
It is noted that the various modules, submodules, units, subunits, and components in the present disclosure can be implemented using any suitable technology. For example, a module or a unit can be implemented using processing circuitry. In an example, a module or a unit can be implemented using one or more integrated circuits (IC). In another example, a module or a unit can be implemented as one or more processors executing software instructions. In another example, interface circuitry is used to implement a receiving unit (or module) and/or a sending unit (or module).
