JP2020178986A - Pain relief system, pain relief method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a technique of relieving pain such as phantom limb pain.SOLUTION: The present invention relates to a pain relief system in which a head mounted display device 2 and a server device 1 are communicatively connected. The server device includes: an application selection unit that selects, as application programs that are effective in reducing phantom limb pain, an application program that implements at least a green light method and a mirror therapy in virtual reality and a shooting game; and a transmitter that transmits the identification information of the selected application program to the head-mounted display device. The head mounted display device includes an application execution unit which, when receiving one selection from among application programs specified by the application identification information, executes the application.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a technique for reducing the pain intensity of chronic neuropathic pain such as phantom limb pain.

Conventionally, a phenomenon in which a patient perceives a feeling of numbness in the space where the lost limb existed or the illusion that the lost limb exists after the limb is amputated is called a phantom limb. There is a desire to reduce phantom limb pain, which causes pain in the space where the limbs existed.

On the other hand, today, a system for measuring and managing training of target cognitive skills for medical professionals, medical personnel, users, etc. has been proposed by a game-based virtual learning curriculum (see, for example, Patent Document 1). .. The techniques of the same document 1 are cognitive skills (for example, attention concentration, attention retention, cognitive inhibition, behavioral inhibition, selective attention, diversion attention, distributive attention, interference control, novelty inhibition, satisfaction delay. Provides an effective and rapid video game-based training curriculum that improves tolerance, inner voice, motivational inhibition, and self-control.

Special Table 2018-533044

However, what is disclosed in Patent Document 1 focuses on improving cognitive skills, and does not realize neurological pain relief.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is pain such as chronic neuropathic pain, nerve pull-out injury (brachial plexus pull-out injury), and phantom limb pain. Is to reduce.

In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the present invention is a pain reduction system in which a head mounted display device and a server device are communicably connected, and the server device is effective in reducing neuropathic pain. As a certain application program, at least an application program that implements green light method and mirror therapy in a virtual reality space, an application selection unit that selects a shooting game, and the identification information of the selected application program are transmitted to the head mounted display device. The head-mounted display device includes an application execution unit that executes the application program when one is selected from the application programs specified by the identification information of the application. ..

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a technique for reducing the pain of chronic neuropathic pain.

It is a block diagram of the pain relief system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of a server device. 3 (a) to 3 (c) are diagrams showing various tables. It is a block diagram of the VR apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the processing procedure by a pain relief system. 6 (a) to 6 (j) are diagrams showing screen transitions. 7 (a) to 7 (c) are diagrams showing a pain level setting scale. It is a figure which shows the execution procedure of the 1st application program. 9 (a) to 9 (f) are diagrams showing screen transitions in the execution process of the first application program. It is a figure which shows the execution procedure of the 2nd application program. 11 (a) to 11 (g) are diagrams showing screen transitions in the execution process of the second application program. It is a characteristic diagram which shows the pain reduction level.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The mechanism of phantom limb pain is still unclear, and there are many opinions such as the confusion caused by changes in cerebral perception and afferent information regarding body parts is recognized as pain. Among them, the inventor hypothesized that the loss of coordinated movement of both hands is the cause of phantom limb pain in healthy limbs and amputated limbs, and brings about a perception that gives the illusion of coordinated movement of both hands. We found that it has a strong effect on phantom limb pain. It is considered that the illusion that shooting is performed with both hands is given, and that shooting at the target stimulates the reward system to the brain by sound effects and vision, which contributes to pain relief.

FIG. 1 shows and describes a configuration of a pain relief system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, in the pain relief system, the server device 1, the HMD (Head Mounted Display) device 2 that realizes VR (Virtual Reality), and the doctor's terminal device 3 form a network 4 such as the Internet. It is connected and configured to communicate freely via.

In such a configuration, various application programs are pre-installed in the HMD device 2. When the HMD device 2 logs in to the platform of the server device 1 and inputs the age, gender, answers to various questions, etc., the information is transmitted to the server device 1. Then, the server device 1 selects an application program suitable for reducing pain in the user's case. Then, in the HMD device 2, the application program selected by the server device 2 and selected by the user from the recommendations is executed, and in the process, the pain related to the case is reduced.

The user inputs a pain scale before and after executing an application program, for example, a game on the HMD device 2. Since this pain scale information is also transmitted to the server device 2 and stored in the database, information on what kind of application program was executed for a certain case and how much the pain was reduced as a result is accumulated. Will be done. This accumulated information can also be confirmed by the remote doctor's terminal device 3.

FIG. 2 shows and describes the configuration of the server device.

As shown in the figure, the server device 1 includes a control unit 11 such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that controls the entire system. The control unit 11 is connected to the communication unit 12 and the storage unit 13. The communication unit 12 is a communication interface for communicating with the VR device 2, the doctor's terminal device 3, and the like via the network 4.

The storage unit 13 is composed of a memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) or a ROM (Read Only Memory), a hard disk drive (HDD; Hard Disc Drive), or the like, and stores a program executed by the control unit 11. There is. Further, the storage unit 13 includes a user information storage unit 14, an application storage unit 15, an effect storage unit 16, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 3A, the user information storage unit 14 stores the user ID, attribute information such as the user's name, gender, and age, and the case (case ID) in association with each other. , As shown in FIG. 3B, the application storage unit 15 corresponds to the case ID, the content of the case (for example, phantom limb pain, etc.), and the ID of the application program suitable for pain relief of the case. It is attached and remembered. Then, as shown in FIG. 3C, the effect storage unit 16 is associated with the case ID, the ID of the executed application program, the pain level (before execution), the pain level (after execution), and the evaluation. It is remembered. In this example, they are all stored in a normalized table format.

In such a configuration, the control unit 11 functions as a reception unit 11a, an application selection unit 11b, a transmission unit 11c, a registration unit 11d, and a learning unit 11e by executing the program of the storage unit 13.

The receiving unit 11a receives the age, gender, name, answer to the question, etc. of the user input by the HMD device 2. The application selection unit 11b refers to the user information storage unit 14 and the application storage unit 15 to select an application program suitable for reducing pain related to the user's case. The transmission unit 11c transmits the ID and the like of the application program selected by the application selection unit 11b to the VR device 2 as selection information. The registration unit 11d registers the information received by the reception unit 11a in the user information storage unit 14, the application storage unit 15, and the effect storage unit 16.

Then, based on the information stored in the effect storage unit 16, the learning unit 11e determines the pain of the case based on the case, the executed application program, and the degree of pain reduction by execution (difference value before and after execution). An application program that is effective for mitigation is learned, and the learning result is reflected in the contents of the application storage unit 15. In other words, the contents of the table in the application storage unit 15 are updated based on the learning result. By learning by the learning unit 11e, the accuracy of selecting an application program suitable for pain reduction in a case is improved as the frequency of use increases.

FIG. 4 shows and describes a configuration of an HMD (Head Mounted Display) device that becomes a part of a pain relief system and realizes virtual reality.

As shown in the figure, the HMD device 2 includes a control unit 21 such as a CPU and an MPU that controls the entire HMD device 2. The control unit 21 is connected to a communication unit 22, an input interface (I / F) 23, a display unit 24, a storage unit 25, a sensor unit 26, a microphone 27, and a speaker 28. The sensor unit 26 includes an angular velocity sensor 26a. The input I / F 23 can freely communicate with the controller 30.

The communication unit 22 is a communication interface for communicating with the server device 1 and the like via the network 4. The input I / F 23 receives an operation input signal from the controller 30. The display unit 24 is composed of a liquid crystal display or the like, and performs various displays. The storage unit 25 is composed of a memory such as RAM or ROM, an HDD, an SSD, or the like, and stores various application programs 25a related to VR, games, and the like in addition to the main program executed by the control unit 21.

The sensor unit 26 generates position information indicating the position of the HMD device 2 and direction information indicating the direction of the HMD device 2, and transmits the position information and the direction information to the control unit 21. The microphone 27 functions as a sound collecting means, and the speaker 28 functions as a sound emitting means.

In such a configuration, the control unit 21 executes the main program stored in the storage unit 25 to execute the transmission unit 21a, the reception unit 21b, the application execution unit 21c, the display control unit 21d, and the reference plane setting unit. Functions as 21e.

The transmission unit 21a transmits information such as the age, gender, name, and answer to the question of the user to the server device 1 based on the operation of the controller 30 and the voice recognition result of the voice input from the microphone 27. The receiving unit 21b receives the application selection information and the like received from the server device 1.

The application execution unit 21c executes an application program selected by the user from the application programs 25a stored in the storage unit 25. The display control unit 21d controls the display on the display unit 24.

The reference plane setting unit 21e sets the reference plane and the like on the screen related to the virtual reality based on the sensor output of the sensor unit 26 and the operation of the controller 30. More specifically, the reference plane setting unit 21e sets the direction of gravity detected by the acceleration sensor 26a as a downward direction, and sets a plane orthogonal to the downward direction as a reference plane in the display coordinate system. Then, the voice recognition unit 21f recognizes the voice input from the microphone 27 and converts it into text.

Hereinafter, the pain relief processing procedure by the pain relief system will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Here, the screen transition diagrams of FIGS. 6 (a) to 6 (j) are appropriately referred to.

The HMD device 2 logs in to the system by operating the controller 30 by moving the cursor on the screen as shown in FIG. 6A and selecting “VR” (S1). Subsequently, by operating the controller 30, the gender is selected on the screen as shown in FIG. 6 (b), the age is selected on the screen as shown in FIG. 6 (c), and the age is selected in FIG. 6 (d). Enter the nickname from the microphone 27 at the bottom of the screen as shown in. This voice input is voice-recognized by the voice recognition unit 21f (S2). In the HMD terminal 2, the transmission unit 21a transmits the attribute information to the server device 1 (S3). In the server device 1, when the receiving unit 11a receives the attribute information, the registration unit 11d registers it in the user information storage unit 14 (S4).

Subsequently, in the HMD device 2, a question item is displayed on the screen, and the question is answered by operating the controller 30 (S5). A question may be asked by voice output from the speaker 28, and the question may be answered by voice (S5). The transmission unit 21a transmits the answers to these questions to the server device 1 (S6). In the server device 1, when the receiving unit 11a receives the answer, the registration unit 11d registers it in the user information storage unit 14 (S7). Then, in the server device 1, the application selection unit 11b refers to the user information storage unit 14 and the application storage unit 15 to select an application program effective for reducing the pain of the user's case, and the transmission unit 11c determines. The IDs of the selected plurality of application programs are transmitted to the HMD apparatus 2 as selection information (S8).

In the HMD device 2, when the receiving unit 21b receives the application selection information from the server device 1 (S9), the display control unit 21d selects the application program based on the selection information as shown in FIG. 6 (f). The screen is displayed on the display unit 24 so that the display of is active (S10). On this screen, when the cursor is moved by the operation of the controller 30 and one application program is selected (S11 is branched to Yes), the nickname is input (S12), and the transmission unit 21a outputs the nickname information. It is transmitted to the server device 1 (S13). In the server device 1, when the receiving unit 11a receives the nickname, the registration unit 11d registers it in the user information storage unit 14 (S14).

Subsequently, as shown in FIGS. 6 (g) and 6 (h), when the HMD device 2 receives the input of the pain scale (before execution) by the operation of the controller 30 (S15), the transmission unit 21a displays the scale. Information on the set pain level is transmitted to the server device 1 (S16). In the server device 1, when the receiving unit 11a receives the pain level information, the registration unit 11d registers it in the effect storage unit 16 (S14).

In the HMD device 2, the selected application program is executed as shown in FIG. 6 (i) (S18). The details related to the execution of this application will be described in detail later with reference to the drawings.

In this way, when the execution of the application program is completed, the HMD device 2 accepts the input of the pain scale (after execution) by the operation of the controller 30 (S19), and the transmission unit 21a receives the input again as shown in FIG. 6 (j). , Information on the pain level set by the scale is transmitted to the server device 1 (S20). In the server device 1, when the receiving unit 11a receives the pain level information, the registration unit 11d registers it in the effect storage unit 16 (S21).

Subsequently, in the HMD device 2, questions are displayed on the screen, and the questions are answered by operating the controller 30. A question may be asked by voice output from the speaker 28, and the question may be answered by voice (S22). The transmission unit 21a transmits the answers to these questions to the server device 1 (S23). In the server device 1, when the receiving unit 11a receives the answer, the registration unit 11d registers it in the user information storage unit 14 and the effect storage unit 16 (S24). In this way, a series of processes is completed.

Here, FIGS. 7 (a) to 7 (c) show and explain another example of the pain level setting scale. In the processing procedure described above in FIG. 5, a visual analog scale as shown in FIG. 7 (a) was adopted, but as shown in FIG. 7 (b), the pain setting level was confirmed numerically. A numerical evaluation scale with an index that can be used, or a facial expression scale that allows the degree of pain to be felt by facial expressions may be adopted as shown in FIG. 7 (c).

Next, the execution procedure of the first application program will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Here, the screen transition diagrams of FIGS. 9 (a) to 9 (f) are appropriately referred to.

The first application program is a program related to relaxing VR that realizes green light therapy, mirror therapy, and animal therapy.

When this program is executed, the screen is switched from FIG. 9A to FIG. 9B, and the amputated hand (phantom limb side) is selected by the operation of the controller 30 (S31). Here, when the left hand is selected, the phantom limb side (left hand) will be operated on the VR with the healthy limb (S32), while when the right hand is selected, the healthy limb will be operated thereafter. The limb will operate the phantom limb side (right hand) on VR (S33).

Subsequently, the display control unit 21d displays on the display unit 24 various explanatory screens related to operations such as phantom limb operation as shown in FIGS. 9 (c) and 9 (d) in VR. (S34). After this operation explanation and the like, the display control unit 21d displays a display that realizes animal therapy as shown in FIG. 9 (e) and mirror therapy as shown in FIG. 9 (f) based on green light therapy. It is sequentially applied to the display unit 24 (S35). In this way, after completing the execution of the game, the process returns to step S19 of FIG.

For example, according to the above-mentioned mirror therapy on VR, some chronic neuropathic pain including phantom limb pain can be alleviated by manipulating the phantom limb on VR by operating the controller with a healthy limb. It became clear by the experiment by the inventor. In addition, in the basic green light therapy, VR is used to create an environment in which the user can be placed in the forest, but the green visible light that occupies the visual input is 520 to 530 nm (nanometer) and the brightness is 1 cd (candela). It provides visual input by irradiation with. It has become clear that this can also alleviate some chronic pain caused by various diseases. In addition, in animal therapy on VR, by making animals appear in the forest, it virtually provides an opportunity to interact with animals, but for example, psychological modifications that are pain enhancers can be seen. It was revealed that it contributes to pain relief.

Next, the execution procedure of the second application program will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Here, the screen transition diagrams of FIGS. 11 (a) to 11 (g) are appropriately referred to.

The second application program is a program related to a shooting game in which a target is shot and the target is sunk.

When this program is executed, the user automatically advances toward the back in the VR realized by the display by the display unit 24. Then, under the control of the display control unit 21d, as shown in FIG. 11A, a target character or object appears randomly or in a predetermined place in VR. At the time of this appearance, a sound effect matching the object is output from the speaker 28 (S41).

When the user uses the physical motor function to capture the target object and pulls the trigger of the controller 30 (branches S42 to Yes), as shown in FIGS. 11 (b) and 11 (c). A bullet is fired on the display screen of the display unit 24, and a firing sound is output from the speaker 28 (S43). Then, when the fired bullet hits the target object (S44 is branched to Yes), as shown in FIGS. 11 (d) and 11 (e), the object is described as being crushed and the destruction sound is emitted from the speaker. It is output from 28 (S45). At this time, as shown in FIG. 11 (f), coins and hearts symbolizing the reward system are presented in the crushed object, the process returns to step S41 again, and the above process is repeated (S46 is branched to No). .. Then, when the game is ended (S46 is branched to Yes), the game returns to step S19 in FIG.

Among the above processes, the process from step 42 to step S44, that is, the process from when the trigger is pulled until the ejected bullet lands on the target object and the effect is output, is described as 0. Do this for 2 seconds. This has the effect of releasing into the brain reward system, dopamine, and noradrenaline neural circuits, increases the memory retention and occupancy rate of the user's consciousness of health, and reduces some of the chronic pain such as phantom limb pain. The inventor's research has revealed that it can be done.

Also, among chronic diseases, serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) is generally mentioned as a part of the first-line drug for the treatment of neuropathic pain, because dopamine functions as a precursor of noradrenaline. In the experience of maintaining the serotonin balance, it exerts a pain-relieving effect in combination with the action of noradrenaline. In addition, it was clarified that the analgesic time is maintained for several hours to two weeks depending on the person by further strengthening the memory retention because the learning is strengthened by the reward.

Finally, FIG. 12 shows and describes a characteristic diagram relating to the pain reduction level.

As shown in the figure, 60% of patients were in pain for nerve withdrawal injury, but it decreased to 15% after the application was executed by this system. Regarding phantom limb pain, all patients felt pain, but it decreased to 70% after the application by this system was executed. For cancer resection, 35% of patients were in pain, but decreased to 15% after running the application with this system. For complex regional pain syndrome, 70% of patients were in pain, but after running the application with this system, it decreased to 50%. In benign tumor / sciatica, 20% of the patients felt pain, but it decreased to 10% after the application by this system was executed. In this way, it was possible to confirm the pain-relieving effect of this system for each disease.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, pain such as phantom limb pain is effectively reduced by mirror therapy, green light method, animal therapy, etc. realized on VR, and by executing a shooting game. It becomes possible to do.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that various improvements and changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

For example, the application programs that can be selected and executed are not limited to the above-mentioned relaxing VR and shooting games, and various types can be adopted.

1 ... server device, 2 ... HMD device, 3 ... terminal device, 4 ... network, 11 ... control unit, 11a ... reception unit, 11b ... application selection unit, 11c ... transmission unit, 11d ... registration unit, 11e ... learning unit, 12 ... Communication unit, 13 ... Storage unit, 14 ... User information storage unit, 15 ... Application storage unit, 16 ... Effect storage unit, 21 ... Control unit, 21a ... Transmission unit, 21b ... Reception unit, 21c ... Application execution unit, 21d ... Display control unit, 21e ... Reference plane setting unit, 21f ... Voice recognition unit, 22 ... Communication unit, 23 ... Input I / F, 24 ... Display unit, 25 ... Storage unit, 25a ... Application program, 26 ... Sensor unit , 26a ... angular speed sensor, 27 ... macrophone, 28 ... speaker, 30 ... controller.

Claims (11)

In a pain relief system in which a head-mounted display device and a server device are freely connected to each other.
The server device
As application programs that are effective in reducing neurological pain, at least an application program that implements green light method and mirror therapy in a virtual reality space, and an application selection department that selects shooting games,
A transmitter that transmits the identification information of the selected application program to the head-mounted display device is provided.
The head mounted display device is
A pain relief system including an application execution unit that executes the application program when one is selected from the application programs specified by the identification information of the application. In a pain relief system in which a head-mounted display device and a server device are freely connected to each other.
The server device
A user information storage unit that stores user information and
An application storage unit that stores a case and an application program that is effective in reducing pain in the case in association with each other,
An effect storage unit that stores the case, the application program executed, and the change in the degree of pain in association with each other.
An application selection unit that refers to the application storage unit based on the user information from the head-mounted display device and selects an application program that is effective in reducing pain in a case included in the user information.
A transmitter that transmits the identification information of the selected application to the head-mounted display device is provided.
The head mounted display device is
Upon receiving one selection from the application program specified by the identification information of the application, the application execution unit that executes the application program and the application execution unit
Before and after the execution of the application program, a transmission unit that receives an input of the degree of pain and transmits the information on the degree of pain to the server device is provided.
In the server device, a pain relief system that updates the contents of the effect storage unit based on the information on the degree of pain sent from the head mounted display device. The pain reduction according to claim 2, wherein the application selection unit selects at least an application program for performing green light method and mirror therapy in a virtual reality space and a shooting game as an application program effective for reducing neuropathy pain. system. In the shooting game, a process is executed within 0.2 seconds after a bullet is fired at a target object until the object is hit, an effect is displayed, and a sound effect is output. The pain relief system according to 3. Claims 2 to 2 further include a learning unit that learns an application program effective in reducing pain in a case based on the contents of the effect storage unit and updates the contents of the application storage unit based on the learning result. The pain relief system according to any one of 4. In the pain reduction method by the pain reduction system in which the head mounted display device and the server device are freely connected to each other,
The server device stores user information in a user information storage unit, associates a case with an application program effective in reducing pain in the case, stores the user information in the application storage unit, and stores the case and the executed application program. And the step of storing the change in the degree of pain in the effect storage unit
A step in which the server device refers to the application storage unit based on the user information from the head mounted display device and selects an application program effective in reducing pain in a case included in the user information.
A step in which the server device transmits the identification information of the selected application to the head mounted display device.
When the head-mounted display device receives one selection from the application programs specified by the identification information of the application, the step of executing the application program and
Before and after the execution of the application program, the head-mounted display device receives an input of the degree of pain and transmits the information on the degree of pain to the server device.
A pain relief method, wherein the server device has a step of updating the contents of the effect storage unit based on information on the degree of pain sent from the head mounted display device. The pain relief method according to claim 6, wherein the server device selects at least an application program for performing green light method and mirror therapy in a virtual reality space as an application program effective for reducing neuropathic pain, and a shooting game. In the shooting game, the process from when a bullet is fired at a target object to when the object is hit, the effect is displayed, and the sound effect is output is executed within 0.2 seconds. The pain reduction method according to 7. Claim that the server device further has a step of learning an application program effective in reducing pain in a case based on the contents of the effect storage unit and updating the contents of the application storage unit based on the learning result. 6. The pain-relieving method according to any one of claims 8. Computer,
A user information storage unit that stores user information and
An application storage unit that stores a case and an application program that is effective in reducing pain in the case in association with each other,
An effect storage unit that stores the case, the executed application program, and the change in the degree of pain in association with each other.
An application selection unit that refers to the application storage unit based on the user information from the head-mounted display device and selects an application program that is effective in reducing pain in a case included in the user information.
It functions as a transmitter that transmits the identification information of the selected application to the head-mounted display device.
A program that updates the contents of the effect storage unit based on information on the degree of pain sent from the head-mounted display device. A claim that causes a computer to learn an application program effective in reducing pain in a case based on the contents of the effect storage unit and to function as a learning unit that updates the contents of the application storage unit based on the learning result. The program according to 10.