KR20220069274A - Treatment system using stimulating vagus nerve and operating method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a treatment system using the stimulation of the vagus nerve, including: a treatment unit which is worn on at least one of the left ear and the right ear, and which includes an electrode for generating an electrical stimulation for the vagus nerve of the external ear; a control unit which transmits an electrical stimulation signal for generating the electrical stimulation to the treatment unit; an input unit which enables a user to input user information; and a measurement unit which measures biological information on the user, wherein the control unit adjusts the intensity and pattern of the electrical stimulation based on the biological information measured by the measurement unit, and adjusts a treatment protocol including treatment time and treatment intensity based on the biological information measured by the measurement unit and the user information input by the input unit. According to the present invention, a treatment protocol is changed to configure or optimize a treatment protocol optimized for the user by not only reflecting information input by the user with respect to a disease and biometric information of the user which is measured while stimulation for diagnosis or treatment is applied, together with general personal information of the user and general information about the disease, but also measuring and reflecting surrounding environment information.

Description

Treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation and its operating method

The present invention relates to a system for treating a disease, and more particularly, to a system for treating a disease by stimulating the vagus nerve.

The vagus nerve is one of the cranial nerves and corresponds to the 10th cranial nerve. The vagus nerve originates from the brain and is distributed over the face, chest, and abdomen. It is a mixed nerve containing parasympathetic fibers and is involved in the regulation of parasympathetic nerves acting on the heart, lungs, and digestive tract. It has the longest and most complex structure among the 12 pairs of cranial nerves, and includes both sensory nerve fibers and motor nerve fibers.

It is known that the vagus nerve stimulation device for epilepsy treatment and depression treatment has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and they are targeted to stimulate the cervical region located in the neck. However, in this electrical stimulation of the cervical branch of the vagus nerve, an incision is made directly on the skin, the cervical branch of the vagus nerve is exposed, and a coil, which is an electrical body, is wound on the outside, and a microchip is installed. can't

On the other hand, in Oriental medicine, a method of treating diseases through acupuncture on the ear is applied, and the ear is a place where the auricle of the vagus nerve is distributed, and it can be seen that stimulation of the vagus nerve is used for treatment.

Accordingly, although a device for electrically stimulating the vagus nerve distributed in the ear has been developed, it is not widely used due to differences in individual sensitivity to stimulation and differences in treatment effect.

Republic of Korea Patent Registration 10-0596540 Republic of Korea Patent Publication 10-2019-0088300

An object of the present invention is to provide a treatment system capable of applying an individually optimized treatment protocol to a user in order to solve the problems of the prior art.

In order to achieve the above object, a treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation according to the present invention includes: a treatment unit including an electrode that is worn on at least one of a left ear and a right ear to generate electrical stimulation for the vagus nerve of the outer ear; a control unit that transmits an electrical stimulation signal for generating electrical stimulation to the treatment unit; an input unit for a user to input user information; and a measuring unit for measuring biometric information about the user, wherein the control unit adjusts the intensity and pattern of electrical stimulation based on the biometric information measured by the measuring unit, and the biometric information measured by the measuring unit and the user input by the input unit It is characterized in that the treatment protocol including treatment time and treatment intensity is adjusted based on the information.

The measuring unit may measure the user's EEG, and the controller may adjust the intensity and pattern of electrical stimulation based on the measured EEG. The control unit performs FFT analysis on the EEG, and quantifies the intensity, pattern, etc. of electrical stimulation based on the amount of change in EEG compared to the composition ratio of EEG composed of alpha waves, delta waves, beta waves, gamma waves, theta waves, etc. can be adjusted.

The measurement unit may measure the heart rate of the user, and the control unit may adjust the intensity and pattern of electrical stimulation based on the heart rate. The controller may control the intensity of the electrical stimulation by comparing the heart rate variability with a reference value.

The user information includes disease-related disease information and general information other than the disease information, and the disease information is the first disease information input about the intensity and frequency of symptoms in a state in which electrical stimulation is applied, and the first disease-related information other than the first disease information. 2 disease information, and the control unit may adjust a treatment protocol based on the first disease information. The treatment process consists of a plurality of sessions, and the treatment protocol of the next session can be adjusted based on the first disease information input by the user in the previous session.

The treatment unit further includes a sound device that generates a sound, the controller transmits a sound signal to the sound device, and the controller derives a hearing loss pattern and a hearing loss frequency based on information input by a user while sound is applied. And it is possible to adjust the attenuation frequency of the sound and the width of the bandpass filter for the treatment of hearing loss.

It further includes an environment measurement unit for measuring the surrounding environment information, the control unit can adjust the treatment protocol by converting the environmental information measured by the environment measurement unit into a stress index. The environment measuring unit may be installed in the wearable device.

The measuring unit may be installed in a treatment unit worn on the user's ear or installed in a wearable device.

The operating method of a treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation according to another aspect of the present invention provides diagnosis to the user's body through an electrode that is worn on at least one of the left ear and the right ear and generates electrical stimulation for the vagus nerve of the outer ear. an information collection step in which the user inputs user information on the intensity and frequency of symptoms in a state in which stimulation is given, and measures the user's biometric information; A treatment program design step in which the intensity and pattern of electrical stimulation are determined based on the measured biometric information, and a treatment protocol including the treatment time and treatment intensity is determined based on the biometric information measured by the measurement unit and user information input from the input unit ; and a treatment step of stimulating the vagus nerve by applying the designed treatment program to the electrodes.

A treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation according to another aspect of the present invention includes: a treatment unit including an electrode that is worn on at least one of a left ear and a right ear to generate electrical stimulation for the vagus nerve of the outer ear; a control unit that transmits an electrical stimulation signal for generating electrical stimulation to the treatment unit; an input unit for a user to input user information; a measurement unit for measuring biometric information about the user; and a server exchanging data with the control unit, wherein the server adjusts the intensity and pattern of electrical stimulation based on the biometric information measured by the measurement unit, and the biometric information measured by the measurement unit and user information input from the input unit It is characterized in that the treatment protocol including the treatment time and treatment intensity is adjusted and transmitted to the control unit based on the .

The server can adjust the intensity and pattern of electrical stimulation and treatment protocol through an AI-based algorithm.

The server may provide a diagnostic stimulation protocol and a therapeutic stimulation protocol for diagnosis.

The server may provide image and sound content for diagnosis and image and sound content for treatment.

The server may provide video and sound content for training.

The server is connected to an expert medical treatment terminal, and can adjust the intensity, pattern, and treatment protocol of electrical stimulation through the medical treatment terminal, and the medical treatment terminal can display the user's personal information and disease-related information.

The present invention configured as described above, together with the user's general personal information and general information about the disease, collects the information input by the user about the disease and the measured user's biometric information in a state where stimulation for diagnosis or treatment is applied. In addition to reflecting, by measuring and reflecting information about the surrounding environment, a treatment protocol optimized for the user can be configured or the treatment protocol can be changed to be optimized.

1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 and 3 are schematic diagrams illustrating the operation of the treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 to 6 are diagrams for explaining a state in which a treatment protocol is changed in a treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a case in which the treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an external server.

An embodiment according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

However, the embodiment of the present invention may be modified in various other forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited only to the embodiments described below. The shapes and sizes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated for a clearer description, and elements indicated by the same reference numerals in the drawings are the same elements.

And throughout the specification, when a part is "connected" with another part, it includes not only the case where it is "directly connected" but also the case where it is "electrically connected" with another element interposed therebetween. In addition, when a part "includes" or "includes" a certain component, it means that other components may be further included or provided without excluding other components unless otherwise stated. do.

In addition, terms such as “first” and “second” are for distinguishing one component from other components, and the scope of rights should not be limited by these terms. For example, a first component may be termed a second component, and similarly, a second component may also be termed a first component.

1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation of this embodiment includes a treatment unit 10 , a control unit 20 , an input unit 30 , a measurement unit 40 , and an environment measurement unit 50 .

The treatment unit 10 is a component that provides stimulation for treatment to the user.

Since the present invention aims to apply electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve of the ear, the treatment unit 10 is worn on the ear, at least one of the left ear or the right ear, and may be worn on both ears. A method of being worn on the ear is not particularly limited, and various methods may be applied. When worn on both ears, the same electrical stimulation may be applied to both ears, but different electrical stimulations may be applied to the left ear and the right ear. The strength, frequency, and pattern of electrical stimulation can be changed, and the strength, frequency or pattern of electrical stimulation applied to the left and right ears can be given differently, which is because the present invention stimulates by adjusting the electrical stimulation according to the user. to be.

An electrode for applying electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve of the ear is included, and one or more electrodes are installed to contact the external ear including the external auditory meatus and the pinna. In addition, a device for applying other stimulation for treatment in addition to the electrode for electrical stimulation may be additionally provided. For example, an acoustic device for providing acoustic stimulation to the user may be provided together, and the acoustic stimulation device may reproduce a sound source for sound therapy such as tinnitus treatment, and music for stabilizing the mind and body of the user during the electrical stimulation treatment process It is also possible to play sound sources such as natural sounds. Furthermore, when worn on both ears, the same sound and electrical stimulation may be applied to both ears, but different stimulations may be applied to the left ear and the right ear. At this time, stimulation is possible by varying the dose of each stimulation. Since the present invention can adjust the stimulation according to the user, it is possible to perform treatment suitable for each based on the results measured for the left and right ears.

The control unit 20 is a component that transmits an electrical stimulation signal for generating electrical stimulation to the electrodes of the treatment unit.

The present invention provides electrical stimulation for treatment or diagnosis to the vagus nerve of the ear through electrodes, and the electrical stimulation signal is configured by reflecting the intensity of stimulation and the pattern in which the stimulation is applied, and the control unit 20 responds to the electrical stimulation signal. Information about the information is stored and transmitted to the treatment unit 10 so that electrical stimulation is performed on the electrode. In this case, in general, the control unit transmits a predetermined electrical stimulation signal to the electrodes of the treatment unit, and it is only possible to change the overall strength of the electrical stimulation signal, but in the present invention, the control unit 20 controls the partial strength of the electrical stimulation signal and It is possible to change the pattern of the signal, and furthermore, it is possible to change the treatment protocol including treatment time and treatment intensity. Specific details of controlling the electrical stimulation signal or treatment protocol will be described later.

When the treatment unit 10 additionally includes a device for providing other stimulation for treatment in addition to the electrode for electrical stimulation, the controller 20 transmits a stimulation signal according to the device. Specifically, in the case of providing an acoustic device together, the control unit 20 can store and deliver information on a sound stimulation signal for a sound source for sound therapy, and music or natural sound for stabilizing the mind and body of the user during the electrical stimulation treatment process. It is possible to store and transmit information about the sound stimulus signal, such as. In particular, it is possible to adjust the frequency at which a sound stimulus is applied for the treatment of tinnitus, and it is possible to adjust the attenuation frequency and the width of the bandpass filter for the treatment of hearing loss.

The control unit 20 may be included in the same device as the treatment unit 10 , or may be included in an external device separated from the treatment device in which the treatment unit 10 is installed. The external device may be connected to the treatment device by wire or wirelessly to send and receive signals or data, and the external device may consist of a dedicated device in which a program or application for the treatment system is installed, or may be installed in the form of a program or application on a smart device. may be

The input unit 30 is a component through which a user can input information.

Information that can be input by the user through the input unit 30 may be first divided into disease information related to a disease and general information other than the information. General information is information that is unique to the user, and includes age, gender, weight, disease history, drug use history, and life log. Information that can be reflected in the process. The disease information is information directly related to the disease to be treated. The first disease information and disease in which the user inputs the intensity and frequency of symptoms or changes in the condition while electrical stimulation for treatment or diagnosis is applied to the vagus nerve. It is divided into the second disease information about the general intensity and frequency and pathology of The second disease information serves as a criterion for selecting a stimulus for a basic configuration and diagnosis of a treatment protocol, and the first disease information is used in the process of configuring a customized treatment protocol suitable for each user. The first disease information may be measured while adding stimulation for treatment or diagnosis in addition to the electrode. For example, a hearing loss pattern and a hearing loss frequency may be derived based on information input by a user in a situation in which a sound stimulus is applied for diagnosis of hearing loss, and the control unit 20 based on this, the attenuation frequency for the treatment of hearing loss and the width of the bandpass filter can be adjusted to configure the acoustic stimulus, and the configuration of the acoustic stimulus for the hearing loss treatment can be changed by reflecting the information according to the user's input during the hearing loss treatment process. In addition, it is also possible to select or configure a sound source that can increase the efficiency of the electrical stimulation treatment process.

Like the control unit 20 , the input unit 30 may be included in the same device as the treatment unit 10 , or may be included in an external device separate from the treatment device in which the treatment unit 10 is installed. Furthermore, even when included in the external device, it may be included in the same device as the control unit 20 or may be included in a separate device from the control unit 20 .

The measurement unit 40 is a component for measuring the user's biometric information.

Biometric information includes brain waves, heartbeat, blood pressure, and the like, and changes occur in the values of the user's physical and psychological state. In particular, changes in brain waves, heartbeat, blood pressure, etc. in a situation in which electrical stimulation or acoustic stimulation for diagnosis or treatment is applied reflects minute changes in physical and psychological state that the user does not recognize.

The present invention is a complete system that reflects not only the first disease information directly input by the user in a state in which stimulation for diagnosis or treatment is applied, but also directly acquires and reflects the user's biometric information to reflect changes in the body that the user is not aware of. A personalized treatment protocol can be applied. In addition, by detecting and immediately reflecting changes in the body during the treatment process in which stimulation is repeated, treatment can proceed within a range that does not put any strain on the body.

When the measurement unit 40 measures the user's EEG and transmits it to the control unit 20, the control unit 20 performs FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) analysis on the EEG, and derives the composition ratio of the alpha wave among the EEG You can check the amount of change. Alpha waves are brain waves with a frequency range of about 8 to 13 Hz, and appear when the eyes are closed, relaxed, passive, and not concentrating. A decrease in the ratio of alpha waves means an increase in anxiety or stress, and accordingly, a quantity of electrical stimulation and/or the intensity and pattern of reproduced music or sound may be adjusted. Furthermore, besides alpha waves, delta waves (1~3Hz) related to the immune system, theta waves (3.5~8Hz) related to depressive disorder, beta waves (12~33Hz) related to concentration, and cognitive processing Considering a high gamma wave (25 to 100 Hz), etc., an appropriate electrical stimulation intensity and pattern or music can be given. In particular, it is possible to adjust the quantity of electrical stimulation and the intensity of music, patterns, etc. based on the amount of change in each EEG compared to the composition ratio of delta waves, theta waves, alpha waves, beta waves, gamma waves, and the like.

When the measurement unit 40 measures the heart rate of the user and transmits it to the control unit 20 , the control unit 20 may compare the heart rate with the normal state and detect a change amount. The controller 20 compares the heart rate variability with a reference value, and changes the intensity and pattern of the electrical stimulation accordingly.

In addition, the measurement unit 40 may be configured in various devices and forms to measure various biometric information that can reflect the user's physical and psychological state.

Like the control unit 20 and the input unit 30 , the measurement unit 40 may be included in the same device as the treatment unit 10 , and biometric information may be obtained through an ear-worn device. In addition, the treatment unit 10 may be included in an external device separated from the installed treatment device, and may be manufactured in the form of a wearable device worn on various parts of the body, or connected to the wearable device to measure the user's biometric information (20) can be configured to transmit. The measuring unit 40 may be composed of a plurality of measuring devices separated from each other, and the plurality of measuring devices may be installed in one device or may be installed separately in a plurality of different devices.

The environment measurement unit 50 is a component that measures the user's surrounding environment information.

The surrounding environment information is information such as temperature, humidity, fine dust, noise, light brightness and location. Such information about the surrounding environment may affect the manifestation of symptoms of the disease or may affect the psychological state of the user. Unlike a place where the treatment environment is controlled, such as a hospital, in a place to which the treatment system of the present invention is applied, the surrounding illusion is not controlled, so that the influence of the surrounding environment affects the treatment effect. In addition, the change in the user's biometric information measured by the measurement unit 40 may be due to the stimulus applied by the treatment unit 10 or may reflect the influence of the surrounding environment, so it is better to reflect information about the surrounding environment together. desirable.

In the present invention, the environmental measurement unit 50 measures information on the surrounding environment and transmits it to the control unit 20, and the control unit 20 synthesizes the surrounding environment information and converts it into a stress index for the user and digitizes it, the stress index can be reflected in the treatment protocol to further enhance the treatment effect.

The environment measuring unit 50 may be included in the same device as the treatment unit 10 like the measuring unit 40 , and may measure information through a device worn on the ear. In addition, the treatment unit 10 may be included in an external device separated from the installed treatment device, and may be manufactured in the form of a wearable device that is worn on various parts of the human body, or is connected to the wearable device to measure the surrounding environment information. can The environment measuring unit 50 may be composed of a plurality of measuring devices separated from each other, and the plurality of measuring devices may be installed in one device or may be installed separately in a plurality of different devices.

2 and 3 are schematic diagrams illustrating the operation of the treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a case in which a treatment protocol is configured at the initial stage of use of the treatment system, and FIG. 3 shows a state in which the treatment protocol is changed according to the user in the process of using the treatment system.

In the process of using the treatment system using the vagus nerve stimulation of the present embodiment, the user's unique information is input. Although the user's unique information can be input every time it is used, it is preferable to create a personal account and store the user's unique information for each individual account to use the user's unique information without a separate input. User's unique information may include age, gender, weight, disease history, drug use history and life log, etc. It is general information that is not directly related to the disease to be treated, but configures the treatment protocol at the beginning of use. reflected in the process. For example, one may be selected from among a plurality of diagnostic stimuli based on age, gender, and weight, and in the process of configuring a treatment protocol such as treatment intensity, treatment time, composition of a treatment sequence, number of repetitions of a session, etc. Age, gender, and weight can be reflected. In addition, the user's unique information is also reflected when changing the treatment protocol to the user's customization in the course of treatment.

The user's unique information may include information about the user's general intensity and frequency of the disease to be treated and the condition. Based on the information about the disease input by the user, a basic treatment protocol may be configured or a stimulus for diagnosis may be configured or selected.

The treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation of the present embodiment configures a treatment protocol by reflecting the state information input by the user and the user's biometric information measured by the measurement unit in the process of applying the stimulation for diagnosis to the user. The stimulation for diagnosis may be configured in the same way as the stimulation for treatment, but may be specially configured to accurately diagnose the condition of a disease, which is not the purpose of treatment. Stimulation for diagnosis may be variously configured according to the disease to be treated, and in the case of diseases such as hearing loss or tinnitus, input user's state information and measurement while adding sound stimulation by sound as well as electrical stimulation together or alone Through the user's biometric information, the pattern of hearing loss or the frequency of hearing loss can be more accurately derived, and the sound range in which tinnitus occurs can also be derived.

The state information input by the user may be the intensity, frequency, and pathology of symptoms, and the user directly measures and inputs the specific state of the disease in real time in a state in which the vagus nerve is stimulated for diagnosis. Accordingly, a more accurate diagnosis of the user's disease state is possible, and a treatment protocol can be configured by reflecting this. Thereafter, the user can directly input his or her condition in real time while the stimulation by the treatment protocol is applied to the vagus nerve, and reflect this to change the current treatment protocol or change the treatment protocol to be performed in the future. It does not fix the initial treatment protocol, but changes the treatment protocol according to the progress of treatment so that the optimal treatment is performed. The treatment protocol can be optimized for the user. Stimulation for diagnosis and input of the user's status accordingly may not be performed only once for the first time, but may be performed every time a user's selection or a predetermined period elapses, thereby making it possible to clearly grasp the progress of treatment.

The information on the disease input by the user in a state in which stimulation is applied to the user is different from the general intensity and frequency of the disease and the information on the condition. In order to distinguish this, in the present invention, information on diseases input by the user in a state in which stimulation is applied to the user is divided into first disease information, and general information about diseases input by the user is divided into second disease information, , it is possible to configure a treatment protocol optimized for the user by applying both the first disease information and the second disease information, or change the treatment protocol to be optimized.

The user's biometric information measured by the measurement unit may include brain waves, heartbeat, blood pressure, etc., and the user's physical and psychological state is reflected. In the diagnosis stage, a more accurate diagnosis can be made by reflecting changes in the body and mind that are not reflected in the user state information entered by the user, and in the treatment stage, changes in the body and psychology that are not reflected in the user state information input by the user are detected By reflecting this, you can configure a treatment protocol optimized for the user or change the treatment protocol to be optimized. When measuring the user's EEG as user biometric information, FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) analysis is performed on EEG, and the intensity and pattern of electrical stimulation can be changed by deriving the composition ratio of the alpha wave from the EEG and checking the amount of change in the alpha wave. have. When measuring the heart rate as user biometric information, the change amount of the heart rate may be measured or comparison with a reference value may be performed, and the intensity and pattern of electrical stimulation may be changed accordingly.

In the process of using the treatment system using the vagus nerve stimulation of the present embodiment, information about the surrounding environment is measured. The surrounding environment information includes information such as temperature, humidity, fine dust, noise, light brightness and location. By reflecting the influence of the main environment in diagnosis and treatment, it is possible to receive an accurate diagnosis and optimized treatment even at home, not in a hospital controlled by the diagnosis and treatment environment. As a specific method of reflecting the surrounding environment information in diagnosis and treatment, it is possible to quantify the information by synthesizing the surrounding environment information and converting it into a stress index for the user.

If this process is divided into stages, the user inputs user information about the intensity and frequency of symptoms and measures the user's biometric information in a state where the user's body is stimulated for diagnosis through an electrode that generates electrical stimulation. Determines the intensity and pattern of electrical stimulation based on the information collection step and the measured biometric information, and determines the treatment protocol including the treatment time and treatment intensity based on the biometric information measured by the measuring unit and the user information input from the input unit It can be divided into a treatment program design step and a treatment step in which the vagus nerve is stimulated by applying the designed treatment program to the electrodes.

As such, the present invention reflects not only the user's general personal information and general information about the disease, but also the information input by the user about the disease and the measured user's biometric information in a state where stimulation for diagnosis or treatment is applied. Instead, by measuring and reflecting the surrounding environment information, it is possible to configure a treatment protocol optimized for the user or change the treatment protocol to be optimized. When other stimuli are added in addition to the electrical stimulation for stimulating the vagus nerve, the treatment protocol applies a complex stimulus in which a plurality of stimuli are combined to the user, and the configuration and change of the treatment protocol is centered on the electrical stimulation for the vagus nerve do. For example, when sound stimulation by sound is added, a treatment protocol is configured and changed centering on electrical stimulation for the vagus nerve, and sound stimulation is applied as a secondary component according to the configuration and change of electrical stimulation.

In addition, the configuration and change of the diagnosis and treatment protocol described in this embodiment may be performed for each of the left ear and the right ear. Diagnosis and treatment can be performed on each ear not only when the treatment device is worn on only one ear, but also when the treatment device is worn on both ears at the same time.

In the present invention, the treatment protocol includes voltage, frequency, duty rate and duty cycle for electrical stimulation, and consists of a plurality of sessions. The modification of the treatment protocol may be performed by raising or lowering each of the elements of the electrical stimulation described above, or by lengthening or shortening the length of the session. In addition, as for the change of the treatment protocol of the present invention, it is also possible to change all of the treatment protocol to be performed next through information obtained in the course of performing the treatment protocol, and in the process of performing the treatment protocol consisting of a plurality of sessions, the previous session It is also possible to change a subsequent session by reflecting the information obtained in the process of performing this.

4 to 6 are diagrams for explaining a state in which a treatment protocol is changed in a treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation has a treatment protocol in which electrical stimulation for stimulating the vagus nerve is repeatedly applied in a pattern of a predetermined intensity. The treatment system using the vagus nerve stimulation of this embodiment reflects the user's input information and the measured user's biometric information and surrounding environment information while performing treatment with the treatment protocol shown in the upper part of FIG. Overall lowering the intensity of the treatment protocol The treatment protocol can be changed with the treatment protocol below.

In addition, by reflecting the user's input information, the measured user's biometric information, and the surrounding environment information during treatment with the set treatment protocol, the treatment protocol may be changed immediately. 5, by reflecting the user's input information and the measured user's biometric information and surrounding environment information while performing the first session in a treatment protocol consisting of a plurality of sessions to repeat stimulation of a certain pattern , it is possible to lower the stimulation intensity of the session performed later. And, as shown in FIG. 6 , by reflecting the user's input information input during the first session, the measured user's biometric information, and the surrounding environment information, the length of the subsequent session may be reduced.

The form in which the treatment protocol is changed in the treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation of the present invention is not limited thereto, and the length and intensity of stimulation may be simultaneously changed or the pattern itself may be changed, and when stimulation other than electrical stimulation is applied together could be changed in many more ways.

7 is a schematic diagram illustrating a case in which the treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an external server.

The treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation shown in FIG. 1 may be connected to an external server, and the illustrated embodiment includes a treatment device unit 100 , a first server 200 , and a second server 300 . In this case, it may be included in all or the treatment device unit 100 of the treatment system of FIG. 1 , and all or part of the control unit 20 includes the treatment device unit 100 , the first server 200 , and the second server 300 . may be functionally isolated from For example, the treatment device unit 100 may include a control unit for configuring and changing the treatment protocol, and the process of configuring and changing the treatment protocol is performed in the first server 200 or the second server 300 , The control unit of the treatment device 100 may be configured to simply receive and apply the configured and changed treatment protocol. When the process of configuring and changing the treatment protocol is performed only in the first server 200 or the second server 300 , there is an advantage in that the configuration of the control unit included in the treatment device unit 100 is simplified, but user input information However, there is a disadvantage in that it is difficult to immediately reflect the measurement result of biometric information. Therefore, the control unit included in the treatment device 100 is configured to configure and change the treatment protocol at a general level, but the first server 200 or the second server 300 configures and changes the treatment protocol at a more complex level. It is desirable to decentralize functions to make changes.

The treatment device 100 of this embodiment includes a treatment device including an electrode for stimulating the vagus nerve and an input device for a user to input information, and an environment for measuring the user's biometric information and surrounding environment information includes a meter. The treatment device, input device, measuring device, and environment measuring device may be included in one device, or some or all of them may be distributed in separate devices. In particular, the measuring instrument and the environmental measuring instrument may be configured as a wearable device acting on the human body or may be configured to transmit and receive information in connection with the wearable device.

In this embodiment, the first server 200 and the second server 300 are described separately, but only one of the first server 200 or the second server 300 may be provided, and the first server ( 200) and a single server in which the functions of the second server 300 are integrated.

In this embodiment, the first server 200 is a server managed by a manufacturer of a treatment device using vagus nerve stimulation, and the second server 300 is a server managed by a hospital where a user using a treatment device using vagus nerve stimulation is treated. to be.

The first server 200 includes an AI-based diagnosis and treatment algorithm, and configures and changes a diagnosis and treatment protocol for a disease based on the user's input information and information measured in the course of use. However, it cannot be performed in the range that should be performed by a doctor, and various information about treatment can be provided within the range permitted by law. New content can be provided to users by reflecting data accumulated through continuous research, and for this purpose, a subscription system that can provide information and content to users on a regular basis can be applied. Provided contents include diagnostic stimulation protocols, therapeutic stimulation protocols, and training program sound sources and videos. In addition, it can provide video and sound content for diagnosis and video and sound content for treatment, and can provide video and sound content for training, and provides a community function so that multiple users can share their opinions and experiences. It is desirable to have In addition, it is preferable that the first server 200 encrypts and stores log data information so that the user does not repeatedly input personal information.

The second server 300 is connected to the medical treatment terminal of a doctor who is an expert, and is configured such that the doctor's diagnosis and treatment protocol change are performed within a range that requires the doctor's judgment. The medical terminal displays not only the user's information collected at the hospital, but also the user's biometric and disease-related information collected during the treatment process, so that the doctor can make an accurate prescription. Hospitals receive a device from a treatment device manufacturer, sell it to a patient, a user, and manage it, thereby increasing patient management and treatment efficiency, and accumulating various clinical information and applying it to research.

The present invention has been described above through preferred embodiments, but the above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical spirit of the present invention, and various changes are possible without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention in this field. Those of ordinary skill in the art will be able to understand. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be interpreted by the matters described in the claims, not specific embodiments, and all technical ideas within the equivalent range should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention.

10: treatment unit 20: control unit
30: input unit 40: measurement unit
50: Ministry of Environmental Measurement
100: treatment device unit 200: first server
300: second server

Claims (20)

a treatment unit including an electrode that is worn on at least one of the left ear and the right ear to generate electrical stimulation for the vagus nerve of the outer ear;
a control unit that transmits an electrical stimulation signal for generating electrical stimulation to the treatment unit;
an input unit for a user to input user information; and
Includes a measurement unit that measures biometric information about the user,
The control unit adjusts the intensity and pattern of electrical stimulation based on the biometric information measured by the measuring unit, and a treatment protocol including treatment time and treatment intensity based on the biometric information measured by the measuring unit and user information input from the input unit A treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation, characterized in that to control.
The method according to claim 1,
The measuring unit measures the user's EEG, and the control unit adjusts the intensity and pattern of electrical stimulation based on the measured EEG.
3. The method according to claim 2,
The control unit performs FFT analysis on the EEG, and controls the electrical stimulation based on the amount of EEG change compared to the composition ratio of EEG. A treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation.
The method according to claim 1,
The measurement unit measures the heart rate of the user, and the control unit adjusts the intensity and pattern of electrical stimulation based on the heart rate.
5. The method according to claim 4,
The control unit compares the heart rate variability with a reference value to adjust the strength of the electrical stimulation.
The method according to claim 1,
The user information includes disease-related disease information and general information other than information,
The disease information includes first disease information input about the intensity and frequency of symptoms in a state in which electrical stimulation is applied, and second disease information, which is other disease-related information,
The control unit is a treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation, characterized in that for adjusting the treatment protocol based on the first disease information.
7. The method of claim 6,
The treatment process consists of a plurality of sessions, and the treatment protocol of the next session is adjusted based on the first disease information input by the user in the previous session. Treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation.
The method according to claim 1,
The treatment unit further includes an acoustic device for generating a sound, and the control unit transmits a sound signal to the acoustic device,
The control unit derives a hearing loss pattern and a hearing loss frequency based on the information input by the user in a state in which sound is applied, and adjusts the attenuation frequency of the sound and the width of the bandpass filter for the treatment of hearing loss. treatment system.
The method according to claim 1,
The treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation, characterized in that it further comprises an environment measurement unit for measuring the surrounding environment information, wherein the control unit adjusts the treatment protocol by converting the environmental information measured by the environment measurement unit into a stress index.
10. The method of claim 9,
The environment measurement unit is a treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation, characterized in that installed in the wearable device.
The method according to claim 1,
The measurement unit is a treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation, characterized in that installed in the treatment unit worn on the user's ear.
The method according to claim 1,
The measurement unit is a treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation, characterized in that installed in the wearable device.
In the state that stimulation for diagnosis is given to the user's body through an electrode that is worn on at least one of the left ear and the right ear and generates electrical stimulation for the vagus nerve of the outer ear, the user receives user information about the intensity and frequency of symptoms. an information collection step of inputting and measuring the user's biometric information;
A treatment program design stage that determines the intensity and pattern of electrical stimulation based on the measured biometric information and determines the treatment protocol including the treatment time and treatment intensity based on the biometric information measured by the measurement unit and user information input from the input unit ; and
A method of operating a treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation, comprising the step of stimulating the vagus nerve by applying the designed treatment program to the electrodes.
a treatment unit including an electrode that is worn on at least one of the left ear and the right ear to generate electrical stimulation for the vagus nerve of the outer ear;
a control unit that transmits an electrical stimulation signal for generating electrical stimulation to the treatment unit;
an input unit for a user to input user information;
a measurement unit for measuring biometric information about the user; and
and a server exchanging data with the control unit,
The server adjusts the intensity and pattern of electrical stimulation based on the biometric information measured by the measurement unit, and a treatment protocol including treatment time and treatment intensity based on the biometric information measured by the measurement unit and user information input from the input unit A treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation, characterized in that the control is controlled and delivered to the control unit.
15. The method of claim 14,
The server is a treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation, characterized in that it adjusts the intensity, pattern, and treatment protocol of electrical stimulation through an AI-based algorithm.
15. The method of claim 14,
The server is a treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation, characterized in that it provides a stimulation protocol for diagnosis and a stimulation protocol for treatment for diagnosis.
15. The method of claim 14,
The server is a treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation, characterized in that it provides image and sound content for diagnosis and image and sound content for treatment.
15. The method of claim 14,
The server is a treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation, characterized in that it provides video and sound content for training.
15. The method of claim 14,
The server is connected to an expert medical treatment terminal, and the treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation, characterized in that it adjusts the intensity, pattern, and treatment protocol of electrical stimulation through the medical treatment terminal.
20. The method of claim 19,
A treatment system using vagus nerve stimulation, characterized in that the medical terminal can display the user's personal information and disease-related information.

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