JP2813104B2 - Brain wave guidance device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electroencephalogram guiding apparatus for guiding human brain waves to a desired frequency band.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is known that there is a close relationship between human brain waves and their physiological and psychological states. Human brain waves are, for example, alpha waves (about 8
１３13 Hz), a lot of β-waves (about 14-30 Hz) when in the active state, and a lot of θ-waves (about 4-7 Hz) when you feel sleepy. On the other hand, human brain waves show a pull-in phenomenon that is synchronized with external stimuli, and conversely, when external stimuli are applied to induce brain waves to a desired frequency band so that many predetermined brain waves are generated, A physiological / psychological state can be led to a desired state.

[0003] Therefore, as proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 1-121497, light is applied to the sight as a stimulus by utilizing the interaction between the electroencephalogram and its physiological and psychological states, and for example, α
An electroencephalogram induction device has been developed that induces waves to guide a person to a relaxed state, thereby reducing stress and unifying the mind. In the electroencephalogram induction device, for example, an optical signal is generated based on a subject's electroencephalogram signal detected by a sensor, and the electroencephalogram is induced by feeding back this optical signal to the brain via the subject's vision. Further, an apparatus for detecting left and right brain waves and inducing brain waves has been proposed.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an electroencephalogram guiding apparatus having a structure for inducing an electroencephalogram while controlling left and right electroencephalogram states.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided an electroencephalogram guiding apparatus for guiding an electroencephalogram of a subject to a desired frequency band by means of a light emitting means, wherein the light emitting means is located on the right side of each eyeball of the subject. The apparatus has means for emitting a first photostimulation signal applied to a visual field position and a second photostimulation signal applied to a left visual field position of each eyeball and having a phase difference with respect to the first photostimulation signal.

[0006]

The electroencephalogram guiding apparatus of the present invention irradiates the right eye position and the left eye position of each eyeball of the subject with light stimulus signals having different phases from each other, and separates the right brain and the left brain of the subject with each light stimulus signal. Stimulates and activates.

[0007]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of an electroencephalogram guiding apparatus according to the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes an electroencephalogram sensor such as an electrode attached to a predetermined position on the subject's head. From the electroencephalogram sensor 1, a biological amplifier 2, a band-pass filter 3, a control unit 4, and a light emitting unit 5 for stimulating the subject are connected. Thus, an electroencephalogram guiding apparatus is configured.

The electroencephalogram sensor 1 detects the electroencephalogram of the subject, and the biological amplifier 2 amplifies the electroencephalogram signal detected by the electroencephalogram sensor 1 to an appropriate signal level. The band-pass filter 3 is of a variable band type, and its band center frequency can be changed. The light emitting means 5
As shown in FIG. 2, the main body is made of goggles 10 that can be worn on a subject, for example. And, to the covering portion 11 covering the face of the subject, partitioning plates 12, 12 extending in the vertical direction passing through a position facing the center of each eyeball located in front of the subject are attached substantially perpendicular to the covering portion 11. , These partition plates 1
Nos. 2 and 12 are adapted to separate the visual field of each eyeball of the subject into a physiologically classified right visual field and left visual field. Further, the covering portion 11 includes light-emitting diodes (LEDs) 13R and 13L via the partition plates 12 and 12, and forms a pair of right-view light-emitting portions 14R and left-view light-emitting portions 14R.
L is formed, and the blinking lights emitted by the LEDs 13R and 13L irradiate the left and right visual fields of the subject as light stimulus signals for inducing desired brain waves. Among the binocular light-emitting portions, the right-view light-emitting portions 14R or the left-view light-emitting portions 14L are connected to the same lead wire 15R.
R and 15L are electrically connected to the two output units of the control means 4 respectively. And each light emitting unit 1
The LEDs 13R and 13L of the 4R and 14L are driven to blink by the control means 4.

It is to be noted that, for example, a light stimulus signal emitted from the right-view light emitting unit 14R is prevented from leaking to the goggle area controlled by the left-view light emitting unit 14L of the same eye via the partition plate 12. In addition, the light emitting means 5 is configured.
That is, the right visual field of each eyeball is stimulated only by the light stimulus signal emitted by the right-view light emitting unit 14R, and the left visual field of each eyeball is stimulated only by the light stimulus signal emitted by the left-view light emitting unit 14L. Has become.

The control means 4 comprises a microcomputer, for example, and emits light based on the detected brain wave signal.
Arithmetic circuit 16 which outputs two drive signals for driving
And a buffer 17 as a time delay circuit for temporally delaying one signal. Reference numeral 18 denotes an A / D converter that converts an analog signal into a digital signal, and 19 denotes a D / D converter that converts a digital signal into an analog signal.
/ A converter.

The operation of the above-described electroencephalogram guiding apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. In order to fix the subject's eyeball at a predetermined position, the subject is urged to look at the center by, for example, instructing the subject to unconsciously close his or her eyes naturally. Next, when a switch (not shown) of the device is turned on, the electroencephalogram sensor 1 detects the electroencephalogram of the subject and sends it to the biological amplifier 2. This brain wave is amplified by the biological amplifier 2 and then sent to the band-pass filter 3, where the desired α
Only a frequency component around 10 Hz corresponding to the wave is selected and sent to the control means 4.

In the control means 4, the arithmetic circuit 16 calculates and outputs two driving signals for driving the light emitting means 5 based on the output signal sent from the band pass filter 3. One of the two outputs is supplied as a first light stimulus signal via the D / A converter 19 to, for example, the right-view light emitting unit 14R for the right and left eyes. On the other hand, the other output is once stored in the buffer 17 and time-delayed, that is, processed so as to have a phase difference with respect to the first photostimulation signal, and then converted into a D / A converter as a second photostimulation signal. 19, for example, the left-view light emitting unit 1 for the left and right eyes
It is supplied to 4L. First and second photostimulation signals S1, S2
FIG. 3 shows an example, in which case the phase difference between the two signals is set to approximately 180 °. Light emitting unit 14R, 14
For each of the L, a corresponding L
The ED 13R, 13L flashes, and the corresponding LED 13R,
13 L of flashing light irradiates and stimulates each visual field of each eyeball.

[0013] Generally, as shown in FIG. 4, Human each eye is divided into a right view Vr and left view Vl, each view is mutually inverted in the eye, the visual signal S _vr of right view Vr of the eye
Is transmitted to the left brain, and the visual signal S _vl of the left visual field Vl of each eyeball is transmitted to the right brain. Then, by supplying light stimulus signals having different phases to each of the right and left brains via the respective visual fields Vr and Vl, a pull-in phenomenon occurs in each of the right and left brains,
The right and left brains can be activated separately. By separately activating the right and left brains, information exchange between the right and left brains can be further promoted biologically.

Further, by changing the phase difference between the first light stimulus signal S1 and the second light stimulus signal S2, the activation method of the left and right brains can be adjusted. Next, an electroencephalogram guiding apparatus according to a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG.
The electroencephalogram guiding apparatus has substantially the same configuration as that of the embodiment described above, and the same elements as those shown in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The control means 4 'includes an arithmetic circuit 16 for outputting a drive signal for driving the light emitting means 5 based on the detected brain wave signal. The main body of the light emitting means 5 is configured in the same manner as in the above embodiment, but the right-view light emitting sections 14R are electrically connected directly to, for example, the output section of the control means 4 '. On the other hand, the left-view light emitting units 14L are electrically connected to the output unit of the control unit 4 ′ via the analog delay circuit 20. Note that the left-view light emitting unit 14L is directly controlled by the control unit 4 '.
May be connected to the output unit of the control unit 4 ′ via the analog delay circuit 20.

The analog delay circuit 20 includes resistors R1, R
1, R, a capacitor C, and an operational amplifier 21 for outputting an input signal with a desired time delay.
The operation of the electroencephalogram guiding device will be described by taking, for example, α-wave guidance as an example. When the switch of the device (not shown) is turned on, the brain wave of the subject detected by the brain wave sensor 1 is amplified by the biological amplifier 2 and then corresponds to the desired α wave by the band-pass filter 3 as in the above embodiment. Only the frequency component around 10 Hz is selected and sent to the control means 4 '.

In the control means 4 ', the arithmetic circuit 16 calculates and outputs a driving signal for driving the light emitting means 5 based on the output signal from the band pass filter 3. The output of the control means 4 'is directly supplied to the right-view light emitting section 14R as a first light stimulus signal. At the same time, the output of the control means 4 is input to the analog delay circuit 20 and the time is delayed, that is, processed so as to have a phase difference with respect to the first photostimulation signal, and then left as the second photostimulation signal. The light is supplied to the view light emitting unit 14L. Each of the light emitting units 14R and 14L has a corresponding LED 13 according to the supplied photostimulation signal.
R and 13L blink, and the blinking light of the LEDs 13R and 13L irradiates and stimulates each visual field of each eyeball.

In this manner, the right brain and the left brain can be separately activated in the same manner as in the above embodiment, and the information exchange between the right brain and the left brain can be further promoted biologically. In the above embodiment, the case of inducing an α wave has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be similarly applied to the induction of a θ wave and a β wave, and provides the same effect. Therefore,
For example, when inducing a θ wave, the sweep cycle number range may be set to about 4 to 7 Hz which is a θ wave band, and when inducing a β wave, it may be set to about 14 to 30 Hz which is a β wave band.

[0019]

According to the present invention, the light emitting means irradiates the first light stimulus signal for irradiating the right visual field position of each eyeball of the subject and the first light stimulus signal for irradiating the left visual field position of each eyeball. It has a means for emitting a second light stimulus signal having a phase difference, and adopts a configuration in which the brain wave of the subject is guided to a desired frequency band by this light emitting means, so that the right brain and the left brain can be separately activated, and the right brain and the left brain Information exchange can be further promoted. Further, by controlling the phase difference between the first light stimulus signal and the second light stimulus signal, the activation states of the right and left brains can be controlled.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an electroencephalogram guiding apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of goggles showing an example of a light emitting unit of the electroencephalogram guiding apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3A shows a first light stimulus signal supplied to a right-view light emitting unit of a light emitting unit, and FIG. 3B shows a second light stimulus signal supplied to a left view light emitting unit of the light emitting unit. Show.

FIG. 4 is a model diagram illustrating transmission of a light stimulus signal to the brain by the electroencephalogram guidance device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing another embodiment of the electroencephalogram guiding apparatus according to the present invention.

[Description of Signs of Main Parts]

 5 Light-emitting means 14R Right-view light-emitting section 14L Left-view light-emitting section 17 Temporal delay circuit 20 Analog delay circuit

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An electroencephalogram guiding device for guiding brain waves of a subject to a desired frequency band by a light emitting means, wherein the light emitting means comprises: a first light stimulus signal applied to a right visual field position of each eye of the subject; A second light irradiating the left visual field position of each eyeball and having a phase difference with respect to the first light stimulus signal;
An electroencephalogram guidance device comprising means for emitting a light stimulus signal.