US-12622628-B2 - Electrode for attention training techniques

US12622628B2US 12622628 B2US12622628 B2US 12622628B2US-12622628-B2

Abstract

An electrode includes a core of beryllium copper alloy and a safe metal coating. In some embodiments, the beryllium copper alloy comprises more than three percent beryllium, less than three percent other metals and a remaining percent copper. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a headband, and a first and second safe metal coated copper-beryllium alloy electrode. The headband is configured to fit snugly to a head of a subject in an orientation from behind a first ear, across a crown of the subject, to a position behind a second ear. The first electrode and second electrode are disposed in the headband to contact a head of the subject at a first position and a different second position, respectively, without gels. In various embodiments, the headband includes a chip to determine an analog signal and transmit data; and, a system includes the headband and a signal analyzing unit.

Inventors

Lana Morrow

Assignees

Lana Morrow

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20220629

Claims (20)

1 . A system comprising: a headband configured to fit to a head of a subject; at least three active electrodes coupled to the headband, wherein a first electrode comprises a first hemispherical metal coated core positioned to contact the head of the subject at a first position; a second electrode comprises a second hemispherical metal coated core positioned to contact the head of the subject at a second position; and a third electrode is positioned at a third position; a chipset configured to determine an analog signal based at least in part on a first signal received from the first electrode and a second signal received from the second electrode and transmit digital data that indicates the analog signal; and at least one computing device comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory embodying a set of executable instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to at least: determine, based at least in part on the digital data, at least a first frequency band, the first frequency band comprising one of: an alpha brain wave band, a beta brain wave band, a delta brain wave band or a theta brain wave band; determine, based at least in part on the digital data, a different second frequency band comprising one of: an alpha brain wave band, a beta brain wave band, a delta brain wave band or a theta brain wave band; determine a score based at least in part on the first frequency band and a strength or peak frequency of the different second frequency band relative to the first frequency band; and cause a stimulus to be presented to the subject based at least in part on the score.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of executable instructions of the at least one computing device further cause the at least one processor to cause data that indicates the subject and the score to be made available to a client host.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first position corresponding to about a Cz location on the subject according to a 10-20 electrode placement system of an International Federation of Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, the second position corresponding to about a first mastoid location on the subject, and the third position corresponding to about a second mastoid location on a side of the head of the subject opposite the first mastoid location.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are copper coated beryllium copper core electrodes that make electrical contact with the head of the subject with an electrical impedance of less than about 3 kilo ohms.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the chipset comprises a plurality of graphene conductors.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the analog signal indicates a common mode noise reduced difference between the first signal and the second signal in a frequency band from about four (4) Hertz to about twenty (20) Hertz, comprising beta brain waves, alpha brain waves, and theta brain waves.
7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the analog signal indicates a common mode noise reduced difference between the first signal and the second signal in a frequency band from about one quarter (0.25) Hertz to about forty (40) Hertz, comprising alpha brain waves, beta brain waves, delta brain waves and theta brain waves.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a contact of the first hemispherical metal coated core and the second hemispherical metal coated core with the head of the subject is a non-liquid contact providing an electrical contact for preprocessing and wireless transmission of data.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein causing the at least one processor to at least determine a score based at least in part on the first frequency band and the different second frequency band further causes the at least one to at least determine the score based at least in part on a strength or peak frequency of the first frequency band and a strength or peak frequency of the different second frequency band.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the set of executable instructions further cause the at least one processor of the at least one computing device to determine, based at least in part on the digital data, a third frequency band selected from a group consisting of an alpha brain wave band, a beta brain wave band, a delta brain wave band and a theta brain wave band, the third frequency band different than the first frequency band and second frequency band.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the set of executable instructions further cause the at least one processor of the at least one computing device to determine, based at least in part on the digital data, a fourth frequency band selected from a group consisting of an alpha brain wave band, a beta brain wave band, a delta brain wave band and a theta brain wave band, the fourth frequency band different than the first frequency band, the second frequency band, and the third frequency band.
12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of executable instructions further cause the at least one processor of the at least one computing device to determine a magnitude of stimulus to present based at least in part on the score.
13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of executable instructions further cause the at least one processor of the at least one computing device to transmit transmitted data to a server following presentation of the stimulus to the subject.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the transmitted data comprises subject data, time data, relative strength of target data, and magnitude of stimulus data.
15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first hemispherical metal coated core comprises a radius of about three millimeters or less extending perpendicular to the headband by a distance about equal to the radius of the first hemispherical metal coated core, the first hemispherical metal coated core.
16 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a client host, wherein the client host comprises: at least one client host processor; and at least one client host memory comprising executable instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to at least: transmit a request message for data corresponding to the subject to the at least one computing device; in response to transmitting the request message, receiving first data that indicates the subject and the score; and presenting, to a user, second data that indicates the subject and the score.
17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first electrode, the second electrode, or the third electrode are disposed in the headband.
18 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the digital data is transmitted using a wireless communication protocol.
19 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface module.
20 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode include a core of a beryllium copper alloy, the beryllium copper alloy comprising: more than three percent by weight beryllium; less than three percent other metals; and a substantively remaining percent by weight copper.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of U.S. application of Ser. No. 16/865,515, filed May 4, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. application of Ser. No. 14/626,403, filed Feb. 19, 2015, which is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/980,759 filed on Oct. 7, 2013, which is a national phase filing under 35 U.S.C. 371 of International Application No. PCT/US2011/021983, filed Jan. 21, 2011, and all of these applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. BACKGROUND Cognitive learning and operant condition training efficacy to help a person exercise their focusing and working memory skills is well established and leads to long-term increase in attention and memory. This kind of skill learning is equally effective as pharmacotherapy. For example, a news report states, “One interesting treatment is a form of therapy in which children wear electrodes on their head and learn to control video games by exercising the parts of the brain related to attention and focus. Research has suggested that the method works just as well as medication, and many children report that they enjoy it.” New York Times, Jun. 20, 2008. Proven permanent benefits of such learning include greater focus, increased working memory and intelligence quotient (IQ), and reduced anxiety. Unfortunately, many devices for placing electrodes on a subject's head suffer from one or more deficiencies. Deficiencies include, large and bulky head gear, messy liquids or gels or painful scalp abrasions or time consuming processes to place electrodes in good electrical conductance with the subject's scalp, constraining hardwired connections to recording and analyzing equipment, limited stimulus feedback to the subject, and on site presence of a treatment specialist, such as a technician or therapist. SOME EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS Therefore, there is a need for electrodes to be used in attention training, which do not suffer one or more of these deficiencies. For example, there is a need for a lightweight, mobile, wireless headgear with small sensitive electrodes that do not require gels, liquids or abrasions for good electrical contact. Similarly, there is a need for materials that provide good electrical contact with a human head to use in the fabrication of such sensitive electrodes. According to one set of embodiments, a beryllium copper alloy for such electrodes includes more than three percent by weight beryllium less than about three percent other metals and a substantively remaining percent by weight copper. The other metals are selected from a group comprising cobalt, nickel, iron, gold, silver and lead. According to another set of embodiments, an electrode for detecting electroencephalogram potentials includes a core of beryllium copper alloy and a coating of safe metal, such as copper or silver. According to another set of embodiments, an apparatus includes a headband, a first electrode and a second electrode. The headband is configured to fit snugly to a head of a subject in an orientation from behind a first ear of the subject, across a top of a crown of the subject, to a position behind a second ear of the subject. The first electrode comprises a safe metal coated copper-beryllium alloy electrode disposed in the headband to contact a head of the subject at a first position. The second electrode comprises a safe metal coated copper-beryllium alloy electrode disposed in the headband to contact the head of the subject at a different second position. In some of these embodiments, the apparatus further includes a chip set disposed on the headband. The chip set is configured to determine an analog signal based on a first signal received from the first electrode and a second signal received from the second electrode. The chip set is configured further to transmit, wirelessly, data that indicates the analog signal. In another set of embodiments, a system includes the apparatus described above and a signal analyzing unit. The signal analyzing unit includes at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs. The at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the signal analyzing unit to at least receive wirelessly the data that indicates the analog signal and determine, based on the data, at least a first frequency band and a different second frequency band selected from a group comprising an alpha brain wave band, a beta brain wave band, a delta brain wave band and a theta brain wave band. The analyzing unit is further configured to determine a score based on a strength or peak frequency of the first frequency band and a strength or peak frequency of the second frequency band. The analyzing unit is also configured to cause a stimulus to be presented to the subject based at least in part on the score. According to another set of embodiments, a method includes determinin