Cognitive enhancement using feedback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9943698-B2
Application number	US-201414258631-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2014
Priority date	Apr 22, 2014
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

In an embodiment, a method includes determining a target frequency corresponding to a target brain state and stimulating a brain of a user using feedback to attempt to achieve the target brain state in the user. The stimulating step may include measuring an electrical output of the brain of the user received from one or more sensors coupled to the user, determining a current frequency associated with the brain of the user based on the measured electrical output, and determining a difference between the current frequency and the target frequency. When the difference between the current frequency and the target frequency is greater than a predetermined amount, the method includes sending a signal to the brain of the user through one or more pathways. The signal may have a frequency operable to modify the current frequency associated with the brain of the user towards the target frequency.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
determining, by a processor, a target frequency corresponding to a target brain state; and
stimulating, by the processor, a brain of a user using feedback to achieve the target brain state in the user by repeating the following one or more times:
measuring an electrical output of the brain of the user received from one or more sensors coupled to the user;
determining a current frequency associated with the brain of the user based on the measured electrical output;
determining a difference between the current frequency associated with the brain of the user and the target frequency; and
sending two or more signals to the brain of the user along two or more pathways using a plurality of distinct types of stimulation devices, wherein the sending of the two or more signals to the brain of the user is based upon a determination, by the processor, that the difference between the current frequency and the target frequency is greater than a predetermined amount, the two or more signals having a frequency operable to modify the current frequency associated with the brain of the user towards the target frequency, wherein the two or more pathways comprise a first optical pathway through an eye and a second optical pathway through an ear, wherein the plurality of distinct types of stimulation devices comprise an optical device and an audible device, wherein the two or more signals are simultaneously sent along the two or more pathways using the optical device and the audible device, to simultaneously provide stimulating signals to the brain of the user.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the stimulation devices is an electromagnetic stimulator.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the two or more pathways is an audible pathway.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target frequency is determined based on data received from a user device indicative of a user selection of the target brain state.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
encoding, using the processor, the two or more signals with a respective code each identifying a respective one or more of the two or more signals; and
filtering, using the processor, the two or more signals from the electrical output of the brain of the user based on the code.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the target frequency in a database, the database comprising a plurality of frequencies each corresponding to a particular brain state.

7. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising logic operable to:
determine a target frequency corresponding to a target brain state; and
stimulate a brain of a user using feedback to achieve the target brain state in the user by repeating the following one or more times:
measure an electrical output of the brain of the user received from one or more sensors coupled to the user;
determine a current frequency associated with the brain of the user based on the measured electrical output;
determine a difference between the current frequency associated with the brain of the user and the target frequency; and
send two or more signals to the brain of the user along two or more pathways using a plurality of distinct types of stimulation devices, wherein the two or more signals are sent to the brain of the user based upon a determination, by the processor, that the difference between the current frequency and the target frequency is greater than a predetermined amount, the two or more signals having a frequency operable to modify the current frequency associated with the brain of the user towards the target frequency, wherein the two or more pathways comprise a first optical pathway through an eye and a second optical pathway through an ear, wherein the plurality of distinct types of stimulation devices comprise an optical device and an audible device, wherein the two or more signals are simultaneously sent along the two or more pathways using the optical device and the audible device, to simultaneously provide stimulating signals to the brain of the user.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein one of the stimulation devices is an electromagnetic stimulator.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein one of the two or more pathways is an audible pathway.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the target frequency is determined based on data received from a user device indicative of a user selection of the target brain state.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the logic is further operable to:
encode the two or more signals with a respective code each identifying a respective one or more of the two more signals; and
filter the two more signals from the electrical output of the brain of the user based on the code.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 7 , wherein the logic is further operable to store the target in a database, the database comprising a plurality of frequencies each corresponding to a particular brain state.

13. A system, comprising:
a memory;
one or more processors communicatively coupled to the memory and operable to:
determine a target frequency corresponding to a target brain state; and

stimulate a brain of a user using feedback to achieve the target brain state in the user by repeating the following one or more times:
measure an electrical output of the brain of the user received from one or more sensors coupled to the user;
determine a current frequency associated with the brain of the user based on the measured electrical output;
determine a difference between the current frequency associated with the brain of the user and the target frequency; and
send two or more signals to the brain of the user along two or more pathways using a plurality of distinct types of stimulation devices, wherein the two or more signals are sent to the brain of the user based upon a determination, by the processor, that the difference between the current frequency and the target frequency is greater than a predetermined amount, the two or more signals having a frequency operable to modify the current frequency associated with the brain of the user towards the target frequency, wherein the two or more pathways comprise a first optical pathway through an eye and a second optical pathway through an ear, wherein the plurality of distinct types of stimulation devices comprise an optical device and an audible device, wherein the two or more signals are simultaneously sent along the two or more pathways using the optical device and the audible device, to simultaneously provide stimulating signals to the brain of the user.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein one of the stimulation devices is an electromagnetic stimulator.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein one of the two or more pathways is an audible pathway.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are further operable to:
encode the two or more signals with a respective code each identifying a respective one or more of the two or more signals; and
filter the two or more signals from the electrical output of the brain of the user based on the code.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the logic is further operable to store the target frequency in a database, the database comprising a plurality of frequencies each corresponding to a particular brain state.

Assignees

• Chase Charles J
• Yonas Gerold
• Lockheed Corp

Inventors

• Chase Charles J
• Yonas Gerold

Classifications

• G09B5/00

  Electrically-operated educational appliances (working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F) · CPC title

• G16H40/67

  for remote operation · CPC title

• A61M2021/0044

  by the sight sense · CPC title

• A61N1/36025

  for treating a mental or cerebral condition · CPC title

• A61B5/16

  Devices for psychotechnics (using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00); Testing reaction times {; Devices for evaluating the psychological state} · CPC title