JP4988311B2 - Vibration-induced skin reflex control system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vibration-induced skin reflex control system, and more particularly, to a vibration-induced skin reflex control system that transmits controlled vibration of a specific frequency to a living body to control skin reflex induced by vibration. is there.

  The vibration-induced skin reflex is literally a skin reflex induced by vibration, and is a reaction of the living body that is induced without involvement of consciousness action when vibration is applied to the skin of the living body as a stimulus. In the case of the human body, when a vibration having a frequency in a specific range of 50 to 70 Hz is applied to the skin as a stimulus, a phenomenon in which the muscle contracts to move the part that receives the vibration stimulus without involvement of the conscious action. Occur. In recent years, using this vibration-induced skin reflex, attempts have been made to improve blood circulation at the site where the skin reflex is induced to promote burning of body fat or induce sleep (for example, Patent Literatures 1 to 3).

However, in the conventional trial, a vibration of a specific frequency is simply continuously applied to the skin of a living body to obtain a sleep induction effect or a blood circulation improvement effect by skin reflex induced by the vibration (Patent Document 1 and (See Patent Document 2), or those that intermittently give vibrations of a specific frequency, try to obtain a blood circulation improving effect by making the lengths of the period of applying vibrations and the period of resting equal (see FIG. Even in these conventional attempts, some sleep induction effects and blood circulation improvement effects can be expected, but various effects possessed by vibration-induced skin reflex can be sufficiently extracted. It was not a thing.
JP 2000-79149 A JP 2000-79150 A JP 2000-262578 A

  The present invention was made based on the knowledge that conventional attempts to use vibration-induced skin reflexes are still insufficient, and the various functions inherent to vibration-induced skin reflexes are fully utilized. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vibration-induced skin reflex control system that makes it possible to do this.

  The present invention includes an excitation signal generator that generates an excitation signal having a variable frequency in a range of at least 50 to 70 Hz, and one or more vibrations that generate mechanical vibration upon receiving an excitation signal from the excitation signal generator. A generator, and a controller, wherein the controller adjusts the frequency of the excitation signal generated by the excitation signal generator, and adjusts the amplitude of the excitation signal supplied from the excitation signal generator to the vibration generator And means for controlling supply / stop of the excitation signal from the excitation signal generator to the vibration generator, and means for setting the supply period of the excitation signal of the same frequency a plurality of times across the stop period of the excitation signal And means for changing the time length of the excitation signal supply period and / or the stop period to change the ratio of the time length of the excitation signal supply period and the stop period, Shake By providing the induction of skin reflection control system it is intended to solve the foregoing problems.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control device comprises means for adjusting the phase of the excitation signal supplied to the individual vibration generators.

  In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the excitation signal generator generates an excitation signal having a variable frequency in the range of 100 to 120 Hz in addition to the range of 50 to 70 Hz.

  Furthermore, in another preferred embodiment of the present invention, one or more sensors for monitoring a biological signal are provided, and the control device in the system of the present invention is based on the output from the sensor or the sensors. And means for adjusting any or a plurality of frequency, amplitude, phase, supply, and stop of the excitation signal supplied to each or all of the vibration generators.

  In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vibration generator is attached to or constitutes a bed, chair, chair accessory, bedding, clothing, clothing accessory, or hat. ing.

  According to the vibration-induced skin reflection control system of the present invention, the control device includes means for adjusting the frequency and amplitude of the excitation signal for exciting the vibration, and the time between the supply period and the stop period of the excitation signal. And a means for changing the ratio of lengths, so that various patterns of vibration can be applied to the living body, and various effects brought about by skin reflexes induced at that time can be used. Benefits are gained. In particular, with regard to the sleep induction effect, the time length between the period in which vibration is applied and the period in which the vibration is stopped by changing the ratio of the time length between the supply period of the excitation signal and the period in which the excitation signal is stopped By reducing the ratio of 1 to 1, deep sleep increases and the quality of the induced sleep is extremely improved.

  Further, in the case where the vibration-induced skin reflection control system of the present invention includes means for adjusting the phase of the excitation signal supplied to each vibration generator, the excitation signal supplied to each vibration generator is By making the phases in phase and aligning the phases of vibrations applied to the living body, it is possible to obtain a sleep induction effect, and conversely, the phases of the excitation signals supplied to the individual vibration generators are shifted and applied to the living body. There is an advantage that the awakening effect can be obtained by making the vibration phases different.

  Further, when the vibration-induced skin reflection control system of the present invention generates an excitation signal having a variable frequency in the range of 100 to 120 Hz in addition to the range of 50 to 70 Hz, the vibration is caused to the living body by the vibration of 100 to 120 Hz. A reaction called tonic vibration reflex can be induced, and there is an advantage that a blood circulation improvement effect superior to that obtained when only a vibration-induced skin reflex is given to a living body can be obtained.

  Furthermore, the vibration-induced skin reflection control system of the present invention has a sensor for monitoring a biological signal, and the frequency, amplitude, and phase of excitation signals supplied to individual or all vibration generators based on the output from the sensor. In the case where a means for adjusting one or more of supply and stop is provided, the frequency, amplitude, time, etc. of vibration applied to the living body are controlled while monitoring various reactions of the living body by vibration-induced skin reflex. Therefore, there is an advantage that an optimum vibration can be given to an optimum part in obtaining a desired effect.

  The vibration generator in the vibration-induced skin reflection control system of the present invention may be attached to or constitute a part of a bed, chair, chair accessory, bedding, clothes, clothes accessory, or hat. Therefore, there is an advantage that the vibration-induced skin reflection control system of the present invention can be used without difficulty in a form suitable for daily life.

  Hereinafter, the vibration-induced skin reflection control system of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the illustrated one.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a vibration-induced skin reflection control system according to the present invention, where 1 is an excitation signal generator, 2a, 2b, and 2c are amplitude and amplitude connected to the output terminal of the excitation signal generator 1. The phase adjustment devices 3a, 3b and 3c are switching devices connected to the output ends of the amplitude / phase adjustment devices 2a, 2b and 2c, and 4a, 4b and 4c are the respective switching devices 3a, 3b and 3c. The vibration generators 5a, 5b, and 5c connected to the output end are vibration diffusion plates that are mechanically coupled to the vibration generators 4a, 4b, and 4c, respectively. 6 is a bed, 7 is a mattress of the bed 6, and the vibration generators 4a, 4b, 4c are mounted in the mattress 7 via vibration diffusion plates 5a, 5b, 5c.

  As long as the vibration generators 4a, 4b, and 4c are capable of generating vibration upon receiving an excitation signal, the vibration generation mechanism is not particularly limited, and any mechanism can be used to generate vibration. Even those generated can be used in the vibration-induced skin reflex control system of the present invention. The number of vibration generators 4a, 4b, and 4c is not particularly limited, and may be one, two, three, or four or more. When the number of vibration generators 4a, 4b, and 4c changes, the number of switching devices 3a, 3b, and 3c connected thereto, and the number of amplitude / phase adjusting devices 2a, 2b, and 2c also change. Not too long. Depending on the type and structure of the vibration generators 4a, 4b and 4c, if the vibration diffusion plates 5a, 5b and 5c are not required, the vibration generators 4a, 4b and 4c are directly mounted in the mattress 7. May be.

  8 is a control device, 9 is an input / output device of the control device 8, 10 is a monitor screen, 11 is a printer, 12a, 12b and 12c are biosensors. The control device 8 is connected to the excitation vibration generating device 1, the amplitude / phase adjusting devices 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, and the switching devices 3 a, 3 b, 3 c through signal lines (or wirelessly), and via an input / output device 9. In accordance with an input command or program, or a command or program stored in the control device 8, a control signal is sent to the excitation signal generator 1 to adjust the frequency of the excitation signal generated by the excitation signal generator 1. Control signals to the amplitude / phase adjusting devices 2a, 2b and 2c to adjust the amplitude and phase of the excitation signals supplied to the individual vibration generating devices 4a, 4b and 4c, and the switching devices 3a, 3b, It is possible to control the supply and stop of the excitation signal to the vibration generators 4a, 4b and 4c by sending a control signal to 3c. As the input / output device 9, for example, a personal computer can be used. In the illustrated example, the control device 8 and the input / output device 9 are shown as separate components, but the control device 8 and the input / output device 9 are configured by a single device having both functions. Anyway.

  The frequency of the excitation signal generated by the excitation signal generator 1 is variable in a range of at least 50 to 70 Hz. Based on the control signal from the control device 8, the excitation signal generator 1 generates an excitation signal having a designated frequency. Is output to the amplitude / phase adjusting devices 2a, 2b and 2c. In the illustrated example, the excitation signal generation device 1 can generate an excitation signal having a variable frequency in the range of 100 to 120 Hz in addition to the range of 50 to 70 Hz, and 100 according to the control signal from the control device 8. When a frequency within a range of ˜120 Hz is designated, an excitation signal having the frequency is generated and output to the amplitude / phase adjusting devices 2a, 2b, and 2c. As described above, vibrations with a frequency of 50 to 70 Hz, especially vibrations with a frequency of 60 to 65 Hz, are vibrations that induce skin reflection when applied to a human body, and vibrations with a frequency of 100 to 120 Hz are tensions. It is a vibration that induces a reaction called sexual vibration reflex. Accordingly, in the illustrated example, the excitation signal generator 1 generates an excitation signal having a frequency that can induce both vibration-induced skin reflection and tension vibration reflection.

  The excitation signal output from the excitation signal generator 1 is divided into three and supplied to the amplitude / phase adjusting devices 2a, 2b, and 2c, respectively. Of course, the number of excitation signal generators 1 may be increased and the excitation signal from one excitation signal generator 1 may be supplied to one or a plurality of amplitude / phase adjustment devices 2a, 2b, 2c. . The amplitude / phase adjusting devices 2a, 2b, and 2c have a function of adjusting the amplitude and / or phase of the supplied excitation signal based on the control signal from the control device 8. The excitation signal whose amplitude and / or phase has been adjusted by the amplitude / phase adjusting devices 2a, 2b, and 2c is supplied to the vibration generating devices 4a, 4b, and 4c via the switching devices 3a, 3b, and 3c to generate vibrations. The devices 4a, 4b, 4c generate vibrations with the same frequency as the supplied excitation signal.

  The generation and stop of the vibration can be freely performed by controlling the opening and closing of the switching devices 3a, 3b, and 3c by the control signal from the control device 8, and controlling the timing of supplying and stopping the excitation signal to the vibration generating device. It can be carried out. The control device 8 incorporates a program for setting the excitation signal supply period of the same frequency a plurality of times across the excitation signal stop period. According to this program, the excitation signal supply period and / or the stop period are stopped. It is possible to change the time length ratio between the excitation signal supply period and the stop period by changing the time length of the period. Note that the excitation signal supply period and / or the stop period are stored in advance in the control device 8 in a plurality of cases, and any one of them is selected via the input / output device 9. And can be set and changed as appropriate via the input / output device 9 each time.

  The biological sensors 12a, 12b, and 12c monitor the state of the living body to which vibration is applied. Various biological sensors can be used as the biological sensors 12a, 12b, and 12c. For example, one or more sensors for measuring blood flow, blood pressure, heart rate, pulse, body temperature, body fat percentage, skin potential, electroencephalogram, heart activity current, and the like can be provided. The biological signals from the biological sensors 12a, 12b, and 12c are supplied to the control device 8, and the control device 8 uses the supplied biological signals to generate frequencies of excitation signals supplied to the vibration generating devices 4a, 4b, and 4c. It adjusts the amplitude, phase, etc., and controls the timing and number of times of supply and stop of excitation signals to the vibration generators 4a, 4b, 4c. For example, when it is determined that the living body receiving vibration has entered a sleep state based on the measured heart rate, body temperature, or biological signal such as brain waves, based on an algorithm provided in the control device 8 The control device 8 can gradually reduce the amplitude of the excitation signal to gradually decrease the vibration stimulus applied to the living body and cause it to fade out. On the other hand, when the blood pressure or heart rate suddenly increases, the control device 8 can stop the supply of excitation signals to the vibration generators 4a, 4b, and 4c to stop the vibration. . Since the biological sensors 12a, 12b, and 12c for monitoring the state of the living body are provided in this way, the vibration-induced skin reflection control system of the present invention is always suitable for the state of the living body that is receiving vibration. Vibration can be applied.

  The vibration control based on the biological signals from the biological sensors 12a, 12b, and 12c as described above may be performed individually for each of the vibration generating devices 4a, 4b, and 4c. In this case, the vibration generating devices 4a and 4b are used. 4c and the information on the correspondence between the parts of the living body receiving vibrations by the vibration generators are stored in the control device 8 in advance, so that the optimum vibration is given to the optimal part of the living body. Is possible.

  2 to 5 show examples of vibration patterns that can be generated by the vibration-induced skin reflection control system of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a pattern of vibrations generated by the vibration generators 4a, 4b, and 4c when, for example, an excitation signal with a frequency of 60 Hz and the same amplitude is supplied twice with a pause period in between. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the ratio of the length of time between the vibration generation period and the stop period, (t3−t2) / (t2−t1), is not “1”. The ratio (t3-t2) / (t2-t1) is controlled by the control device 8 to control the opening / closing timing of the switching devices 3a, 3b, 3c, and the excitation signals are supplied to the vibration generating devices 4a, 4b, 4c. By controlling the stop timing, the time (t3-t2) and / or the time (t2-t1) can be changed. Also, the length of the first vibration generation period (t2-t1) and the length of the second vibration generation period (t4-t3) can be made different.

  FIG. 3 shows a vibration pattern when the amplitude of the excitation signal is gradually increased or decreased by controlling the amplitude / phase adjusting devices 2a, 2b and 2c by the control device 8. FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the amplitude of the generated vibration is constant for a while from t1, but then gradually decreases and becomes zero at t6. By generating vibrations with gradually increasing or decreasing amplitudes in this way, for example, gradually induces vibration-induced skin reflexes to relieve the shock of the living body, or gradually eliminate them to realize comfortable sleep induction Can do. As described above, such control can be performed based on biological signals from the biological sensors 12a, 12b, and 12c.

  FIG. 4 shows a vibration pattern in which the amplitude of vibration generated every time vibration is generated is not gradually increased or decreased gradually. It is obvious that such a vibration pattern can also be realized by controlling the amplitude / phase adjusting devices 2a, 2b, and 2c by the control device 8 and changing the amplitude of the excitation signal.

  FIG. 5 shows that a vibration having a frequency of 110 Hz (a hatched portion between t5 and t6 in the figure) is generated after a while after a vibration having a frequency of 60 Hz is generated twice. It is a vibration pattern. It is obvious that such a vibration pattern can also be realized by controlling the excitation signal generator 1 by the control device 8 and changing the frequency of the excitation signal. A vibration with a frequency of 110 Hz is a vibration that induces a reaction called tonic vibration reflex. Usually, a human is awakened when receiving a vibration with such a frequency, and therefore, the vibration pattern as shown in FIG. This is effective when awakening a human who has induced sleep by vibration.

  In the vibration patterns described above, the phases of the generated vibrations are all the same, but in the vibration patterns as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the phases of the generated vibrations can be different. For this purpose, the control device 8 may control the amplitude / phase adjusting devices 2a, 2b and 2c. Moreover, it is not necessary to generate the vibration of the same vibration pattern in any of the plurality of vibration generators 4a, 4b, and 4c, and vibrations having different patterns are generated for each of the vibration generators 4a, 4b, and 4c. Also good. Moreover, even in the same pattern, vibrations having different phases may be generated. Vibrations having different phases have an awakening effect even if the frequency of the vibration is a frequency effective for sleep induction, and are effective for awakening a sleeping human.

  In the above example, when the vibration-induced skin reflection control system of the present invention is applied to a bed, that is, the vibration generators 4a, 4b, 4c in the vibration-induced skin reflection control system of the present invention are placed in the mattress 7 of the bed 6. Although the case where it attached is demonstrated, the vibration induction | guidance | derivation skin reflex control system of this invention can be applied not only to a bed but to everything that may contact a biological body. For example, attach a vibration generator to chairs, chair accessories such as footrests, mattresses and futons, bedding such as rugs, clothes including underwear, accessories for clothes such as belts and belts, or hats, By constituting a part of them by the vibration generating device, a chair, chair accessories, bedding, clothes, clothes accessories, or a hat provided with the vibration-induced skin reflection control system of the present invention can be obtained. As described above, the vibration-induced skin reflection control system of the present invention can be used as a part of a daily-use article, and thus has an advantage that it can be used without difficulty in a form suitable for daily life. .

<Experimental example>
Using the vibration-induced skin reflex control system of the present invention, sleep induction was performed on one subject complaining of sleep disorder. That is, a subject complaining of sleep disorder is laid down on a bed equipped with the vibration-induced skin reflex control system of the present invention, and a 60 Hz vibration is supplied for 5 minutes at the start of the experiment for 5 minutes, stopped for 1 minute, and supplied for 5 minutes. The brain waves from 23:00 to 6:30 the next morning were measured, and the sleep state was analyzed. The brain waves from 23:00 to the next morning were measured in the same manner as described above except that no vibration was given again, and the sleep state was analyzed and used as a control. A result is shown as FIG. 6 (control) and FIG. 7 (vibration provision).

  As shown in FIG. 6, which is a control, the subject usually only falls asleep between 2 and 3 o'clock, and around 5 o'clock at dawn, and the depth of sleep analyzed from the electroencephalogram is set. The stage shown is the level where the level 3 sleep appears temporarily around 5:30, and not only the length of the sleep time but also the sleep quality was severely disturbed. However, when 60 Hz vibration is given to the subject in the above pattern, as shown in FIG. 7, the time until falling asleep is significantly shortened, the sleep time is greatly increased, and the sleep at the level of stage 3 is often performed. It has emerged and a significant improvement has been observed not only in the length of sleep time but also in the quality of sleep. Such deep levels of sleep are not normally obtained by sleeping pills, and the vibration-induced skin reflex control system of the present invention is extremely effective not only for sleep induction but also for improving sleep quality. Show.

  As described above, according to the vibration-induced skin reflection control system of the present invention, controlled vibration can be applied to a living body, and various biological reactions caused by vibration-induced skin reflection can be freely examined. Further, when the vibration-induced skin reflex control system of the present invention is used for sleep induction, not only the time to sleep is shortened but also the excellent effect that the quality of sleep is greatly improved is obtained. Such a vibration-induced skin reflex control system of the present invention is not only scientific but also extremely excellent in practical use, and has a great deal of industrial applicability.

It is a block diagram which shows an example of the vibration induction skin reflex control system of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the vibration pattern produced | generated by the vibration induction skin reflection control system of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the vibration pattern produced | generated by the vibration induction skin reflection control system of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the vibration pattern produced | generated by the vibration induction skin reflection control system of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the vibration pattern produced | generated by the vibration induction skin reflection control system of this invention. It is an analysis figure (control) of a sleep state when not giving a vibration. It is an analysis figure (vibration provision) of the sleep state when giving a vibration.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Excitation signal generator 2a, 2b, 2c Amplitude and phase adjustment device 3a, 3b, 3c Opening and closing device 4a, 4b, 4c Vibration generator 5a, 5b, 5c Vibration diffuser plate 6 Bed 7 Mattress 8 Controller 9 Input / output device 10 Monitor screen 11 Printer 12a, 12b, 12c Biosensor

Claims (4)

An excitation signal generator that generates an excitation signal having a variable frequency in a range of 50 to 70 Hz, a plurality of vibration generators that generate mechanical vibrations in response to the excitation signal from the excitation signal generator, and a control device An amplitude / phase adjustment device and a switching device are connected between the excitation signal generation device and the vibration generation device, and the control device includes the excitation signal generation device, the amplitude / phase adjustment device, and the The controller is connected to an opening / closing device, and the control device sends a signal to the excitation signal generation device to adjust the frequency of the excitation signal generated by the excitation signal generation device, and sends a signal to the amplitude / phase adjustment device. Means for adjusting the phase and amplitude of the excitation signal supplied to the vibration generator, and at the time of sleep induction, the phase of the excitation signal supplied to the plurality of vibration generators is the same phase, Means for differentiating phases of excitation signals supplied to the plurality of vibration generators when awakening, and supply / stop of excitation signals from the excitation signal generators to the vibration generators by sending signals to the switchgear And means for setting the excitation signal supply time of the same frequency a plurality of times across the stop period of the excitation signal, and the time length of the supply period and / or the stop period of the excitation signal. A vibration-induced skin reflex control system using vibration-induced skin reflex, comprising means for changing and changing a time length ratio between the supply period and the stop period of the excitation signal. The vibration-induced skin reflex control system according to claim 1, wherein the excitation signal generator generates an excitation signal having a variable frequency in a range of 100 to 120 Hz in addition to a range of 50 to 70 Hz. One or more sensors for monitoring biological signals, the control device based on the output from the sensors or the frequency, amplitude of excitation signals supplied to each or all of the vibration generators, The vibration-induced skin reflex control system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising means for adjusting one or more of phase, supply, and stop. The vibration generator is attached to or constitutes a bed, a chair, a chair accessory, bedding, clothes, a clothing accessory, or a hat. The vibration-induced skin reflex control system described.

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