阅读说明：本技术 头戴式设备 (Head-mounted device ) 是由 A·J·科恩 于 2018-05-02 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种用于检测患者的大脑的功能障碍的头戴式设备,包括LED显示器；用于测量电势的至少一个电极；所述设备被配置为能够安装在患者的头部上,从而使得当安装在患者的头部上时,LED显示器被定位于患者的眼睛前方,并且所述至少一个电极被定位于邻近所述患者的枕叶处。(A head-mounted device for detecting dysfunction of a patient's brain, comprising an LED display; at least one electrode for measuring an electrical potential; the device is configured to be mountable on a patient's head such that when mounted on the patient's head, the LED display is positioned in front of the patient's eyes and the at least one electrode is positioned adjacent the patient's occipital lobe.)

1. A head-mounted device for detecting dysfunction of a patient's brain, comprising:

an LED display;

at least one electrode for measuring an electrical potential;

the device is configured to be mountable on a patient's head such that when mounted on the patient's head, the LED display is positioned in front of the patient's eyes and the at least one electrode is positioned adjacent the patient's occipital lobe.

2. The head mounted display of claim 1, wherein the LED display is configured to display a visual stimulus.

3. The head-mounted device of claim 2, wherein the visual stimulus is a light pulse.

4. The head-mounted device of claim 2, wherein the visual stimulus is white light.

5. The headset of claim 3, wherein the visual stimulus is pulsed at a frequency between 5Hz and 60 Hz.

6. The headset of claim 3, wherein the visual stimulus is pulsed at a frequency of 15 Hz.

7. The head-mounted device of any preceding claim, wherein the at least one electrode is configured to detect electrical signals from the occipital lobe of the patient in response to the visual stimulus when the device is mounted on the patient's head.

8. The head mounted device of any preceding claim, comprising a processor configured to receive potential signal data from the at least one electrode.

9. A head-mounted device further comprising a memory configured to store predetermined electrical potential values, wherein the processor is configured to compare received electrical potential signal data with predetermined electrical potential data to detect a dysfunction of the brain.

10. The head mounted device according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined potential value is at least one of:

the amplitude of the electrical signal;

the frequency of the electrical signal; or

A time delay of the electrical signal.

11. A head-mounted apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the dysfunction of the brain is a concussion.

12. The head mounted device of any preceding claim, further comprising a wireless transmitter configured to communicate the potential signal data to the processor over a radio communications network.

13. The head mounted device of any preceding claim, further comprising a receiver configured to receive an activation signal of the LED display, the LED display configured to display a visual stimulus upon receipt of the activation signal.

14. The head-mounted device of claim 12, wherein the receiver is a radio receiver configured to receive an activation signal from a computing device over a wireless communication network.

15. A method for detecting a dysfunction of a patient's brain comprising the steps of:

providing a visual stimulus to a patient;

measuring an electrical response of the brain to the visual stimulus using a plurality of electrodes; and

comparing the electrical response of the brain with predetermined electrical data to detect dysfunction of the brain.

16. The method of claim 15, implemented in a head-mounted device, wherein the visual stimulus is provided by an LED display and the electrical response of the brain is measured by at least one electrode; the device is configured to be mountable on a patient's head such that when the device is mounted on the patient's head, the LED display is positioned in front of the patient's eyes and the at least one electrode is positioned adjacent the patient's occipital lobe.

17. A system for detecting a dysfunction of a patient's brain, comprising:

the head-mounted device of claim 1; and

a receiver for receiving potential signal data from at least one electrode.

18. A head-mounted device for detecting a dysfunction of a brain, comprising an illumination unit for providing a visual stimulus to a patient, and at least one electrode for measuring an evoked potential of the patient's brain to the visual stimulus.

19. A method for detecting a dysfunction of the brain, comprising the steps of: providing a visual stimulus to a patient, and measuring an evoked potential for the visual stimulus.

20. A computer program comprising instructions for controlling a computer to detect a dysfunction of a brain of a patient as defined in claim 1.

21. A computer readable medium providing a computer program according to claim 20.

22. A data signal comprising a computer program according to claim 20.

23. A computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to any one of claims 15, 16 or 19.

24. A computer readable medium providing a computer program according to claim 23.

25. A data signal comprising a computer program according to claim 23.

26. A system for detecting a dysfunction of a patient's brain, comprising:

a light source;

at least one electrode for measuring an electrical potential;

the at least one electrode is configured to be mountable on a head of a patient and positioned adjacent an occipital lobe of the patient.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the light source is configured to display a visual stimulus.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the visual stimulus is a light pulse.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the visual stimulus is white light.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the visual stimulus is pulsed at a frequency between 5Hz and 60 Hz.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the visual stimulus is pulsed at a frequency of 15 Hz.

32. The system of any one of claims 26 to 31, wherein the at least one electrode is configured to detect electrical signals from the occipital lobe of the patient in response to the visual stimulus when the at least one electrode is mounted on the patient's head.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for detecting a dysfunction of a brain, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for detecting a dysfunction of a brain by monitoring an electrical response of the brain to a visual stimulus.

Background

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and other brain disorders may be the result of physical shocks, especially to the head. Observed symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury include memory loss, lack of directionality, and delayed brain processing speed. These symptoms are generally considered to be concussions.

Mild traumatic brain injury often occurs in high impact sports such as football, AFL (american football league) and american football, as well as other body collisions such as car accidents. However, diagnostic methods for mild traumatic brain injury are often subjective and often unreliable. For example, mild traumatic brain injury is difficult to detect using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans or CT scans.

Mild traumatic brain injury is a dangerous condition. Patients who experience this condition require a long recovery period. Individuals suffering from mild traumatic brain injury are at risk of further impact before they are fully recovered from the condition. This is particularly dangerous in sporting situations where a decision needs to be made quickly whether or not the athlete should continue to play after the collision. There is a need for a reliable assessment of whether an athlete has suffered mild traumatic brain injury within a limited time.

One test widely used to assess mild traumatic brain injury, especially in sports, is the motor concussion assessment tool (fifth edition) SCAT 5. SCAT5 is a standardized assessment for assessing whether an athlete has suffered mild traumatic brain injury. SCAT5 is widely used at all levels of athletic activity to detect concussions and is recognized by several sports agencies including FIFA, world rugby and the international commission on the initiative. SCAT5 includes a series of functional, physical and neurocognitive tests performed on potentially injured athletes. SCAT5 includes an assessment using several tests, including the glasgow coma index (CGS) for assessing consciousness, the madoks score for assessing an athlete's immediate memory, and further for assessing the athlete's physical, balance, coordination, and cognitive tests.

Despite the wide acceptance and implementation of SCAT5, many parts of the analysis are subjective. Thus, different doctors may make different diagnoses of the same athlete. Also, athletes themselves are learning to provide answers to lighten or exaggerate their symptoms. The redifferentiation of the sensitivity and specificity of the test presents a problem for accurate diagnosis of the condition of the athlete. Overall, there is a possibility of diagnostic error and inaccuracy resulting in mild traumatic brain injury using subjective testing including SCAT 5.

Embodiments of the present invention solve some of the problems of the prior art by providing new devices and techniques for assessing the functional performance of the brain.

Disclosure of Invention

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a head-mounted device for detecting dysfunction of a patient's brain, comprising:

an LED display;

at least one electrode for measuring an electrical potential;

the device is configured to be mountable on a patient's head such that when mounted on the patient's head, the LED display is positioned in front of the patient's eyes and the at least one electrode is positioned adjacent the patient's occipital lobe.

In an embodiment, the LED display is configured to display a visual stimulus.

In an embodiment, the visual stimulus is a light pulse.

In an embodiment, the visual stimulus is white light.

In an embodiment, the visual stimulus is pulsed at a frequency between 5Hz and 60 Hz.

In an embodiment, the visual stimulus is pulsed at a frequency of 15 Hz.

In an embodiment, the at least one electrode is configured to detect electrical signals from the occipital lobe of the patient in response to the visual stimulus when the device is mounted on the patient's head.

Drawings

FIG. 1 shows a front view of one embodiment mounted on a patient's head;

FIG. 2 shows a rear view of one embodiment mounted on a patient's head;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of one embodiment mounted on a patient's head;

FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of one embodiment;

FIG. 5 illustrates a rear view of one embodiment;

FIG. 6 illustrates a bottom view of an embodiment;

FIG. 7 illustrates a system including a head unit and a computer processing unit;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram that illustrates components in one embodiment; and

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating steps performed by one embodiment.

Fig. 10 is a graph showing a measured response to a visual stimulus.

Fig. 11 is a graph showing a measured response to a visual stimulus.

Fig. 12 is a block diagram of a setting of LCD monitor stimulation.

Fig. 13 shows the stimulation image used. Top row is flash stimulus; the bottom row is the pattern stimulus. The images are stimulated alternately.

Figure 14 shows a timing pattern for a 15Hz frequency. Note the H and L patterns using "white" or "black" stimuli.

FIG. 15 shows a flow chart of data analysis.

Fig. 16A shows an example of visual stimuli.

Fig. 16B shows the electrode positions.

Fig. 17 shows the fourier transform of the spectrum.

Fig. 18 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a head-mounted device.

Fig. 19 is an exploded view of the goggle in the second embodiment.

Fig. 20 is an exploded view of the sensor housing in the second embodiment.

Fig. 21 is an exploded view of the sensor board in the second embodiment.

Fig. 22 and 23 are flowcharts illustrating the operation of the embodiment.

Fig. 24 is a perspective view of the third embodiment.

Fig. 25 shows the components of the third embodiment.

Embodiments also include a processor configured to receive potential signal data from the at least one electrode.