JP3671225B2 - Higher brain dysfunction test equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to apparatus used for the checking whether with high following brain dysfunction such as Alzheimer's disease.
[0002]
[Prior art]
It characterized those with high following brain dysfunction such as Alzheimer's disease, the visual acuity and field of view, while the initial visual perception and object recognition, such as stereoscopic maintained easily from the side of the spatial perception and attention visual fault (For example, refer nonpatent literature 1). Therefore, considering the above characteristics, we conducted an experiment involving movement of the line of sight to the subject, by considering the distribution of attention visual based on the experimental results, high following brain the subject, such as Alzheimer's disease It is possible to check whether there is a malfunction.
[0003]
[Non-Patent Document 1]
"Mendez MF", Tomsak RL, Remler B, "Disorders of the visual system in Altzheimer's New," Mole (JClin Neurophthalmol) 10, 62-69, 1990
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, since the visual attention of the subject tends to be distracted, it is necessary to consciously fix the visual attention of the subject to a certain position in order to obtain a more accurate result in the above examination, Specifically, it is necessary to fix the subject to the approximate center of the examination area on the screen for examination. However, as described above, there are some subjects who are difficult to consciously fixate in the approximate center of the examination area, cannot be properly examined, and cannot obtain more accurate results. The problem that occurs.
[0005]
In view of the above-described problems, the present invention can be expected to obtain a more accurate test result by causing the subject to perform a relatively simple operation and consciously fixate at the approximate center position of the test area. and to provide a higher-order brain dysfunction testing device.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
That is, higher-order brain dysfunction testing apparatus of the present invention is to recognize the information displayed at any position of the inspection region set on the screen of the information processing apparatus to the subject, based on the percentage of correct answers of the recognition information In order to examine whether or not the subject has higher brain dysfunction such as Alzheimer's disease, in order to consciously fixate the subject at the approximate center position of the examination area at the start of the examination A pointer display means for displaying a pointer on the screen; a pointer moving means for moving the pointer by operating an input device for designating an input position or coordinates on the screen; and an approximate center position of the inspection area. A gazing point display means for displaying a viewpoint, a superposition recognition means for recognizing when the pointer moved by the pointer moving means is superimposed on the gazing point, and the pointer Printer is characterized in that it comprises a pointer Stabilization shifting means to prevent the movement at a higher frequency than a predetermined frequency.
[0007]
Here, the “inspection area” is an area displayed in a certain range in the screen where the gazing point, the pointer, and the like are displayed, and is displayed in a certain range in the screen, or a screen It is a concept including what is displayed in the entire frame.
[0008]
If this is the case, when performing the examination, the subject moves the pointer on the screen by his / her own operation and superimposes the pointer on the gazing point displayed at the approximate center of the screen. During this work, the subject continues to gaze at the operation target pointer, and the gaze is controlled. Then, when the pointer and the gazing point overlap, the subject can be consciously gazed at the approximate center position of the examination area, and the fixation to the approximate center position of the examination area can be ensured through a relatively simple operation. It can be carried out. In addition, since the pointer shake prevention means is provided so that the pointer displayed on the screen is moved at a frequency lower than a predetermined frequency, the person who does not know the operation of the input device or has some trouble Those who cannot operate the input device well, especially when the camera shake causes unnecessary vibration to the input device and the pointer on the screen moves at a high frequency corresponding to the vibration of the input device, and the pointer can move with a stable movement. Even when a person who cannot be examined, the pointer can be moved at a low frequency within a certain range, and the movement of the pointer can be stabilized to some extent. It can be expected to perform relatively smoothly.
[0009]
Specifically, it is preferable that the input device is a mouse, and the pointer shake preventing means is a weight attached to a part of the mouse to restrict the movement of the mouse. If this is the case, you can increase the mass of the mouse by attaching the weight to the mouse and set the mouse so that it does not move unless a certain amount of force is applied. Unnecessary movement of the mouse due to camera shake or the like can be restricted. As a result, since the pointer on the screen does not move at a high frequency due to camera shake, it is possible to realize a stable movement of the pointer, and it can be expected that the operation of overlaying the pointer on the gazing point is performed more smoothly.
[0010]
Further, the pointer shake prevention means is a filter that deletes frequency components outside a predetermined range from frequency components generated by the operation of the input device, and selects and passes only frequency components within the predetermined range. The filter can cut high frequency components outside a predetermined range due to camera shake or the like without reducing the relative distance that is the movement of the pointer with respect to the operation of the input device, and realizes stable pointer movement as described above. Therefore, even a subject having a disability can be preferably used.
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
The apparatus for high following brain dysfunction test 1, a personal computer and peripheral devices as the information processing apparatus, a display 2 for displaying the screen W, an input device serving mouse 3 to specify the coordinates on the screen W Etc. Then, the subject A is made to recognize the target T, which is information displayed at an arbitrary position in the examination area C set on the screen W, and the attention distribution is examined based on the correct answer rate of the recognized target T. Thus, it is applied to examine whether or not the subject A has higher brain dysfunction such as Alzheimer's disease.
[0013]
Since the display 2 and the mouse 3 can have structures widely known in the art, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
[0014]
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, the information processing apparatus 1 includes a CPU 41, a storage 42, an input / output interface 43, and the like. A control unit 4 connected to the mouse 3 and the like is provided.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 3, the control unit 4 executes a program stored in the storage 42 by the CPU 41, thereby cooperating with peripheral hardware resources such as the display 2 and the mouse 3 to display a gazing point display unit. 51, pointer display means 52, pointer movement means 53, superposition detection means 54 as superposition recognition means, gaze point / pointer disappearance means 55, gaze point redisplay means 56, and target display means 57.
[0016]
As shown in FIG. 4, the gazing point display means 51 is, for example, approximately 1.0 degree × 1.0 degree green (shown as a pattern in the figure) at a substantially central position of the inspection area C of the screen W. And the display information, which is information indicating that the gazing point R has been displayed, is output to the pointer display means 52.
[0017]
When the display information is received from the gazing point display unit 51, the pointer display unit 52 randomly displays the pointer P at any position above and below the gazing point R (for example, a range of 3 to 5 degrees). It is. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the pointer P has a rectangular shape of red of about 1.0 degree × 1.0 degree of vision (shown in a filled state in the figure). It is set slightly smaller than R. Note that the gazing point R and the pointer P are set to be displayed in the inspection area C almost simultaneously. Of course, each of them may be displayed with a time difference.
[0018]
The pointer moving means 53 detects mouse position information that is position information of the mouse 3 as the mouse 3 moves, and moves the position of the pointer P in accordance with the moving distance of the mouse 3 based on the information. Is.
[0019]
When the pointer P moved by the pointer moving unit 53 is superimposed on the gazing point R, the merging detection unit 54 detects the merging information which is information to that effect, and the merging point information and erasure of the gazing point / pointer described later are detected. It outputs to the means 55.
[0020]
When receiving the superposition information from the superposition recognition means 54, the gaze point / pointer extinction means 55 temporarily disappears the gaze point R and the pointer P from the inspection area C, and displays information indicating that the gaze point has disappeared. Is output to the gazing point redisplay means 56 described later.
[0021]
When receiving the disappearance information from the gazing point / pointer disappearance unit 56, the gazing point redisplay unit 56 displays the gazing point R again at a predetermined position on either the left or right side in the inspection area C of the display 2. The re-display information, which is information indicating that the display has been performed again, is output to the target display means 57.
[0022]
The target display means 57 displays the target T at a predetermined location in the inspection area C of the display 2 after a certain delay period when redisplay information is received from the gazing point redisplay means 56. The target T is, for example, a single-digit white number having a luminance of about 40 cd / m ² and a size of 1.0 degree. As described above, numbers are used as the target T because even Alzheimer's disease patients with marked visual cognitive impairment are easy to read in a relatively short display time, and the form is simple. Reasons that there is little difference in complexity, that it is easier to draw subjects' attention than abstract figures and light spot stimuli, and that it is possible to respond verbally, so there is no need to rely on reactions such as key presses. by. As will be described later, even when the redisplay information is received, the target T may not be displayed.
[0023]
Next, an example of an inspection flow centering on each function will be described below with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. 5 and a screen flow displayed in the inspection area C shown in FIG. In addition, as will be described later, this test is performed a plurality of trials, and the following is an example of the trial.
[0024]
First, with the subject A sitting at a position approximately 60 cm away from the display, the gazing point display means 51 displays the gazing point R at a substantially central position in the examination area C as shown in the screen W1 of FIG. (FIG. 5 (S1)). Next, when the pointer display means 52 displays the pointer P at a position below the gazing point R (FIG. (S2), FIG. 6 (W2)), the subject A operates the mouse 3 to move the pointer movement means. An operation of moving the pointer P by 53 and superimposing it on the gazing point R is performed. When the pointer P overlaps the gazing point R, the overlapping detection unit 54 detects the overlapping information (FIG. 5 (S3)), and the gazing point / pointer disappearing unit 55 inspects the gazing point R and the pointer P. Once the area C is erased (S4 in FIG. 6), the gazing point redisplay means 56 displays the gazing point R / pointer P again on the left side of the examination area C as shown in the screen W3 in FIG. 5 (S5)). Subsequently, the target display means 57 displays the target T at a predetermined position with a delay period of 200 ms (FIG. 6 (S6), FIG. 6 (W4)).
[0025]
The result of this inspection can be obtained by performing a plurality of one trial examples as described above. Specifically, for example, the display position TP of the target T has three left visual fields as shown in FIG. 7 (2.5 degrees visual, 5.0 degrees, 7.5 degrees on the horizontal line from the center), right visual field 3 Repeated 10 times for each target T display position with a point (2.5 degrees visual, 5.0 degrees, 7.5 degrees on the horizontal line from the center) and 7 points in the center, with an interval between trials of 2.0 seconds. One experiment session is a total of 180 trials (1 direction of movement of the gazing point R (two directions in the left and right directions) × the display position of the target T (7 points) × the number of repetitions (10 times) + the trial in which the target T is not displayed (40 times) The trial execution time is about 5 seconds). In addition, the delay period from when the gazing point R is redisplayed to when the target T is displayed is changed to 200 ms, 400 ms, and 800 ms, and a comparison is made with the case where the gazing point R is not moved.
[0026]
Through inspection as described above, the subject A is answered numbers of the target T verbally, based on the percentage of correct answers, detecting whether the subject A has a higher-order brain dysfunction by considering the distribution of attention can do.
[0027]
Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, there is provided a weight 6 as a pointer blur preventing means for preventing the pointer P from moving at a frequency higher than a predetermined frequency. The weight 8 is a flat plate having flexibility, and is attached to a part of the mouse 3 by an appropriate means such as adhesion or hook-and-loop fastener to restrict the movement of the mouse 3.
[0028]
Further, a frame body 8 for restricting the movement range of the mouse 3 is provided. The frame 8 surrounds the mouse 3 within a certain range by a wall portion 81 having a predetermined height so as to limit the movement of the pointer P by the operation of the mouse 3 within the inspection area C, for example, It is a hollow, substantially rectangular shape molded from resin, and is integrally provided along substantially the entire periphery of the mouse pad 7 disposed on the lower side of the mouse 3 to restrict the movement range of the mouse 3 on the plane. To do.
[0029]
Thus, higher-order brain dysfunction inspection apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, to recognize the target T to be displayed at any position of the inspection area C set on the screen W of the information processing apparatus to the subject A, the This is for testing whether or not the subject A has a higher brain dysfunction such as Alzheimer's disease based on the correct answer rate of the recognized target T. The pointer display means 52 for displaying the pointer P on the screen W, the pointer moving means 53 for moving the pointer P by operating the mouse 3, and the inspection area. When the gazing point display means 51 for displaying the gazing point R at a substantially central position of C and the pointer P moved by the pointer moving means 53 overlap the gazing point R Those having a recognizing polymerization detecting means 54. For this reason, during the inspection, the subject A moves the pointer P on the screen W by his / her own operation and superimposes the pointer P on the gazing point R displayed in the approximate center of the screen, The subject A continues to watch the pointer P to be operated, and the watch is controlled. As a result, when the pointer P and the gazing point R overlap, the subject A can be consciously gazed at the approximate center position of the examination area C, and fixation to the approximate center position of the examination area C is relatively easy. It can be done reliably through operation. In addition, since the weight 6 is provided so as to move the pointer P displayed on the screen W at a frequency lower than a predetermined frequency, unnecessary vibration is given to the mouse 3 due to camera shake in particular. A very simple configuration in which the weight 6 is attached to the mouse 3 even if the subject A moves the pointer P at a high frequency corresponding to the vibration of the mouse 3 and cannot move the pointer P with a stable movement. By increasing the mass of the mouse 3, it can be set so that the mouse will not move unless a certain amount of force is applied, and restricting unnecessary movement of the mouse 3 due to slight camera shake, etc. Can do. As a result, since the pointer P on the screen W does not move at a high frequency due to camera shake, it is possible to realize a stable movement of the pointer P and to smoothly perform the operation of superimposing the pointer P on the gazing point R. I can expect.
[0030]
In addition, since the frame 8 that restricts the movement range of the mouse 3 within a predetermined range is provided, it is possible to prevent the pointer P from exceeding the inspection area C, and the pointer P is moved to the note. It can be expected that the operation of overlapping the viewpoint R is performed more smoothly.
[0031]
In addition, about the specific structure of each part, it is not restricted to the said embodiment.
[0032]
For example, the weight 6 is not limited to the illustrated one as long as the weight of the mouse 3 is increased. The input device may be any device that can specify an input position and coordinates on the screen, such as a track pad or a track ball. Further, the shape and size of the pointer and the gazing point may be appropriately changed. In addition to numbers, characters, figures, etc. may be used as targets.
[0033]
Further, the pointer shake prevention means is a filter that deletes frequency components outside a predetermined range from frequency components generated by operation of the input device, and selects and passes only frequency components within the predetermined range. It doesn't matter. As shown in FIG. 9, this filter is connected to an input device, and cuts frequency components of a predetermined height or higher from various frequencies received from the input device. By providing the filter, it is possible to cut high frequency components outside a predetermined range due to camera shake or the like without reducing the relative distance that is the movement of the pointer with respect to the operation of the input device. This can be realized, and even a test subject with a disability can be suitably used.
[0034]
In addition, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when performing the examination, the subject moves the pointer on the screen by his / her own operation, and superimposes the pointer on the gazing point displayed in the approximate center of the screen. During the work, the subject keeps gazing at the operation target pointer, and the gaze is controlled. And when a pointer and a gaze point overlap, a test subject can be made to gaze at the approximate center position of a test | inspection area | region consciously. In this way, fixation to the approximate center position of the inspection area can be reliably performed through a relatively simple operation. In addition, since the pointer shake prevention means is provided so that the pointer displayed on the screen is moved at a frequency lower than a predetermined frequency, the person who does not know the operation of the input device or has some trouble Those who cannot operate the input device well, especially when the camera shake causes unnecessary vibration to the input device and the pointer on the screen moves at a high frequency corresponding to the vibration of the input device, and the pointer can move with a stable movement. Even when a person who cannot be examined, the pointer can be moved at a low frequency within a certain range, and the movement of the pointer can be stabilized to some extent. It can be expected to perform relatively smoothly.
[Brief description of the drawings]
Overall perspective view of a higher-order brain dysfunction inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.
[Figure 2] device configuration diagram of a higher-order brain dysfunction inspection apparatus according to the embodiment.
Figure 3 is a functional block diagram of a higher-order brain dysfunction inspection apparatus according to the embodiment.
FIG. 4 shows an example of an inspection area displayed on the screen in the embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing higher-order brain dysfunction inspection apparatus performs according to the embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a screen flow of an inspection area in the embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a screen displayed in the inspection area of the display according to the embodiment.
8 enlarged view of a higher-order brain dysfunction inspection apparatus according to the embodiment.
[9] device configuration diagram of a higher-order brain dysfunction inspection apparatus according to a modification of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 ... High following brain dysfunction test apparatus 3 ... mouse (input device)
6 ... Weight (Pointer shake prevention means)
7 ... Mouse pad A ... Subject C ... Inspection area P ... Pointer R ... Gaze point T ... Target (information displayed at an arbitrary position in the inspection area)
W ... screen

Claims (3)

Does the subject have recognition of information displayed at an arbitrary position in the examination area set on the screen of the information processing apparatus, and whether the subject has higher brain dysfunction such as Alzheimer's disease based on the correct answer rate of the recognized information A device for testing higher brain dysfunction for testing whether or not
Pointer display means for displaying a pointer on the screen and an input for designating an input position and coordinates on the screen in order to consciously fix the subject at the approximate center position of the examination area at the start of the examination A pointer moving means for moving the pointer by operating the device, a gazing point display means for displaying a gazing point at a substantially central position of the inspection area, and a pointer moved by the pointer moving means overlaid on the gazing point And a superimposing recognition means for recognizing that, and a pointer shake prevention means for preventing the pointer from moving at a frequency higher than a predetermined frequency. . 2. The apparatus for examining higher brain dysfunction according to claim 1, wherein the input device is a mouse, and the pointer shake prevention means is a weight attached to a part of the mouse to restrict the movement of the mouse. The pointer shake prevention means is a filter that deletes frequency components outside a predetermined range from frequency components generated by the operation of the input device, and selects and passes only frequency components within the predetermined range. high following brain dysfunction testing apparatus according to claim 1,.

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