JPH05300890A - Biofeedback system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To judge the state of own brain waves instantaneously by mounting a display device of the results in detection of a brain wave detection means on a back reset part made free to change askew of a chair being supported in front of a testee to eliminate a base, a support rod or the like for supporting the display device. CONSTITUTION:A display device 7 of a brain wave detection means 6 mounted on a back rest part 12 of a chair 1 is mounted through an arm 71. The display device 7 moves vertically on a circular arc orbit ahead of a face of a testee sitting on the chair while it can be supported at a position as desired. Therefore, when the testee sits down or stands up, the display device 7 is moved appropriately. Moreover, the tilt angle of the back rest part 12 can be changed by the operation of a console 100 sitting in place. In other words, since the display device 7 is mounted on the back rest part 12, the display device 7 can be always supported in front of the face of the testee free from changes in the tilt angle of the back rest part 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a biofeedback system equipped with a display device (7) for displaying the detection result of an electroencephalogram detecting means (6) for detecting an electroencephalogram of a subject.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Brain waves are broadly divided into beta waves (14-3
0Hz), FAST α wave (10 to 14Hz), SLOW
There are 5 types of alpha wave (8-10Hz), theta wave (4-8Hz), and delta wave (0.5-4Hz), and beta wave is under study,
EEG that appears in a state of high tension such as when getting up and working actively such as at work, FASTα wave is an electroencephalogram that appears during mentally intensive relaxation state such as improvement in memory ability and problem solving ability, SLOW α wave is EEGs that appear when you are mentally relaxed, such as when you sleep lightly or relax, θ waves are very stable EEGs that appear in deeply relaxed states such as during meditation, and δ waves are deep sleep. It is an electroencephalogram that appears from time to time. In general, a biofeedback system presents in-vivo information (signals of each band component) that cannot be perceived normally and cannot be voluntarily controlled to a subject by a display device or the like to learn the perception and control of each band component. Is. In such a biofeedback system, conventionally, for example, a subject sits in a chair,
When the electroencephalogram of the subject at that time is detected and the detection result is displayed on the display device, the display device is attached to the base or the support rod in front of the chair or on the side of the chair. Then, the test subject perceived the electroencephalogram state at that time by looking at the display of this display device.

[0003]

Conventionally, the display device is attached to the base or the support rod as described above, but it is necessary to prepare the base or the support rod separately from the chair. There is a problem that the display of the display device is difficult to see when the inclination angle of the backrest of the device is changed. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a biofeedback system capable of instantaneously determining the state of the electroencephalogram of a subject.

[0004]

A first characteristic configuration of a biofeedback system according to the present invention is a display for displaying a detection result of an electroencephalogram detecting means for detecting an electroencephalogram of a subject, on a backrest portion of a chair whose inclination angle is freely changeable. The point is that the device is mounted in a supported position in front of the subject. A second characteristic configuration is that the display device is attached so that the vertical position can be changed.

[0005]

According to the first characteristic configuration, the position of the display device is always supported at the front position of the subject as the tilt angle of the chair is changed. According to the second characteristic configuration, the position of the display device can be changed up and down.

[0006]

According to the first characteristic configuration, the subject does not have to separately provide a stand or a supporting rod for supporting the display device,
Moreover, the display device can be viewed without rising up at any tilt angle of the tilted back of the chair, so that the subject can instantly judge his / her brain wave state. According to the second characteristic configuration, since the position of the display device can be changed in the vertical direction, the display device can be moved to the vertical position desired by the subject. In other words, the display device can be moved to a height that is easy for the subject to see, and the display device can be moved to a position that does not interfere when the subject stands up from the chair or sits down on the chair.

[0007]

EXAMPLES Examples of chairs with backrests to which the biofeedback system of the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1, 2 and 3, 1 is a chair,
Reference numeral 2 is a converter for converting an acoustic signal into mechanical vibration, 4 is a sound reproducing device, 5 is a footrest, 6 is an electroencephalogram detecting means, 7 is a display device for displaying the detection result of the electroencephalogram detecting means 6, and 8 is a control device. , 100 is an operation console. The chair 1 includes an armrest portion 11, a backrest portion 12, a pillow portion 13, and a seat portion 14. Each of the left and right armrest portions 11 includes a transducer 2 and a sound reproducing device 4, and the display device 7 includes an arm 71. A control device 8 is provided below the right armrest portion 11 via a backrest portion 12, and a footrest 5 is provided at a position on which a subject's foot is placed. In the chair with a backrest to which the biofeedback system of the present invention is applied, the subject sitting on the chair 1 hears the music reproduced by the sound reproduction device 4 with his / her ears and a signal corresponding to the sound signal of this music. The user feels the vibration of the transducer 2 for converting the vibration into mechanical vibration with the palm of the hand to promote the relaxed state of the subject. The brain wave at this time is detected by the brain wave detecting means 6, and the detection result is displayed on the display device 7. It is configured to display. Hereinafter, each device will be described.

2 and 3, the operation of the chair with a backrest to which the biofeedback system of the present invention is applied will be described. The control device 8 includes a tilt angle control means for controlling the tilt angle of the backrest portion 12, an external sound reproduction device control means for controlling the operation of the external sound reproduction device, a volume control device for controlling the sound volume of the sound reproduction device 4, and a palm. Vibration control means for controlling the vibration amount of the converter 2 given to the foot, foot vibration control means for controlling the vibration amount of the footrest 5 given to the sole of the foot, and the display level of each frequency band of the display device 7 are controlled. It functions as a display level control means. Then, the control device 8 operates the console 100.
It is configured to perform the above control based on the command.

The external terminal 81 provided in the control device 8 is
For example, an external sound reproducer such as a CD player is connected, and the external sound reproducer control means is configured to control the operation of the CD player via the external terminal 81.

The volume control means is configured to control the volume of the sound reproducing device 4 as follows. The input sound signals of the left and right channels obtained by operating the external sound reproducer become the sound signal A with the signal amount adjusted by the volumes 82a and 82b. This acoustic signal A is
The low pass is cut by the high-pass filters 83a and 83b to become the acoustic signal B, and the power amplifiers 87a and 87b
The sound signal B amplified by is input to the sound reproducing device 4 to drive the sound reproducing device 4. Therefore, the subject is
The sound of the sound signal B reproduced by the sound reproduction device 4 can be heard by the ear.

The hand vibration control means is configured to control the vibration amount of the converter 2 applied to the palm as follows. The acoustic signal A is sent to the low-pass filter 84.
The high range is cut by a and 84b, and becomes the acoustic signal C for vibration applied to the hand and foot. The signal amount of this acoustic signal C is adjusted by the volumes 85a and 85b, and the power amplifier 8
It is amplified by 8a and 88b and added to the converter 2 of the left and right armrests. Therefore, the subject can feel the vibration of the acoustic signal C vibrated by the transducer 2 with the palm.

The foot vibration control means is configured to control the amount of vibration of the footrest 5 applied to the sole of the foot as follows. Similarly to the transducer 2 of the armrest portion 11 and the mounted body 31, the transducer for converting the acoustic signal C into mechanical vibration and the sole on which the subject's sole attached to this vibrating portion is mounted are placed on the footrest 5. The body 51 is provided on each of the left and right feet, and the signal amount of the acoustic signal C is adjusted by the volumes 86a and 86b, amplified by the power amplifiers 89a and 89b, and the left and right converters are driven by this signal, It is configured to vibrate the mounted body 51.

Therefore, the subject can hear the middle and high range sounds of the input sound signal by ear, and at the same time, feel the middle and low range vibration of the input sound signal on the palm and soles. still,
In the acoustic signal B, the vibration during acoustic reproduction of the acoustic reproduction device 4 attached to the chair frame 15 is generated by the chair frame 15.
The armrest portion 11, the backrest portion 12, the pillow portion 1
3 and the cushion of the seat portion 14 and the like are cut so that the frequency of the low range of the input acoustic signal is cut, and the acoustic signal C is a low range in which the transducer 2 can actually vibrate. Only the frequency of is extracted from the input acoustic signal.

The operation of the electroencephalogram detecting means 6 for detecting the electroencephalogram and the display device 7 for displaying the detection result will be described with reference to FIG. The electroencephalogram detecting means 6 comprises a headband 61 and an ear electrode 62, each of which is provided with an electrode. Then, the electroencephalogram detection means 6 is configured to detect, as an electroencephalogram signal, a weak skin potential change between the forehead epidermis with which the electrode of the headband 61 is in contact and the ear epidermis with which the electrode of the ear electrode 62 is in contact. Has been done. The ear electrode 62 is provided so that it can be attached to the earlobe by utilizing the principle of a spring or the like.
The electroencephalogram signal detected by the electroencephalogram detection means 6 is applied to the operational amplifier 91 in the display level control means of the control device 8.
And the volume 92 to amplify it to an appropriate level, and the bandpass filters 93 to 97 for each frequency band cause β
Wave (14-30Hz), FASTα wave (10-14H)
z), SLOW α wave (8 to 10 Hz), θ wave (4 to 8 H)
z) and δ waves (0.5 to 4 Hz) are divided and extracted.
Rectify each frequency component of these extracted EEG signals,
The potential of the rectified waveform is configured to be displayed on the display device 7 as a level for each frequency component band as an average value at the present time or a fixed time. Therefore, the subject can know the current state of the electroencephalogram by directly looking at the display of the display device 7, and thus, the current relaxed state of the subject can be judged from the state of the electroencephalogram.

Next, referring to FIG. 4, the structure of the converter 2 and the mounting structure in which the converter 2 is attached to the chair frame 15 will be described. The converter 2 includes a magnet 20,
The pole piece 21, the yoke plate 22, the voice coil 23, the damper 24, the frame 25, the case 26, the mounting member 27, and the diaphragm 28 are included. Of these, the voice coil 23, the frame 25, and the diaphragm 28 are integrally attached by the attaching member 27. Therefore, when an electric signal is applied to the voice coil 23, the voice coil 23 is driven, and the voice coil 23 vibrates in response to the drive. Board 28
Vibrates. The diaphragm 28 is provided with a protrusion 28a for preventing the elastic body 34 from being displaced, and the chair frame 15 is provided with a groove 15a for holding the elastic body 34 so that the elastic body 34 is not displaced. Then, the diaphragm 2 of the converter 2
8 is attached to the chair frame 15 via the elastic body 34 by the attachment tool 30, and the vibration of the diaphragm 28 is configured not to be transmitted to the chair frame 15.
In order to prevent the converter 2 from coming off the chair frame 15,
A nut 30a is attached to the attachment 30 with play. The vibration absorbing elastic body 34 is made of a vibration absorbing material such as urethane.

Next, referring to FIG. 4 and FIG.
The attachment structure of No. 1, the orientation changing mechanism, and the movement mechanism in the front-back direction of the chair will be described. The support 32 has a sphere 3
2a and a disk-shaped protrusion 32d. Object 3
1 is supported by the spherical body 32a in a state of being exposed from the surface of the armrest portion 11, and is configured so that the orientation of the mounted body 31 can be rotationally changed around the spherical body 32a. Further, the surface of the mounted body 31 has a spherical shape so as to easily support the palm of the subject. A spring 33 is inserted between the support 32 and the protrusion 32d, and when there is no object to be placed on the object 31, the object 3 is placed.
It is configured to hold the posture of No. 1 horizontally. still,
The spring 33 is for holding the posture of the mounted body 31 horizontally, and may be formed of another elastic body. The vibrating plate 28 is provided with a slide groove 28b for the support 32 to slide on the vibrating plate 28 in the chair front-rear direction, and the support 32 has a protrusion that engages with the slide groove 28b of the vibrating plate 28. 32b is provided. Therefore, since the support 32 is configured to slide on the diaphragm 28 in the front-back direction of the chair, the mounted body 31 slides in the front-back direction of the chair accordingly. Therefore, the mounted body 31 is connected to the diaphragm 2 of the converter 2 via the support body 32.
Therefore, the vibration of the diaphragm 28 is configured to be transmitted to the mounted body 31 via the support body 32.

Next, the mounting structure of the sound reproducing device 4 will be described with reference to FIG. The sound reproduction device 4 includes a speaker 41, a speaker box 42, and an elastic body 43 for sound reproduction.
It is composed of The speaker box 42 having the speaker 41 attached to the front side is attached to the chair frame 15 via the elastic body 43 with the rear part thereof being opened, so that the vibration of the speaker 41 is prevented from being transmitted to the chair frame 15. The front surfaces of the left and right speakers 41 are attached so as to face the direction of the position corresponding to the head of the subject, and the subject can hear the sounds reproduced by the left and right speakers 41. ..

Next, a mounting structure for mounting the display device 7 on the backrest portion 12 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9. The display device 7 is fixed to the tip of an arm 71 bent in a U shape, and the attachment 72 is a backrest portion 1 of the chair.
It is fixed to the second frame 15. And arm 7
The root of No. 1 is configured to be rotatably supported by a ball detent mechanism provided between the arm 71 and the fixture 72. The ball detent mechanism has a ball 73 and a spring 7.
4, a nut 75, etc.
The rotation of the arm 71 is stopped when the ball 73 fits in the groove 76 provided in the second arm 2. The nut 75 is attached so that the arm 71 does not fall off from the attachment 72. Therefore, as the base of the arm 71 rotates in the fixture 72, the display device 7 attached to the tip of the arm 71 moves up and down on the arc orbit in front of the face of the subject sitting on the chair, and It is constructed so that it can be supported at the desired position of the subject.
Therefore, the subject moves the display device 7 above the subject's head when sitting on the chair or standing up from the chair, and moves the display device to the front of the subject's face when sitting on the chair and looking at the display device. It can be used by fixing it to a position where the subject can easily see it. Further, as described above, the subject can change the inclination angle of the backrest 12 by operating the console 100 while sitting, but the display device 7 is attached to the backrest 12. Even if the inclination angle of the backrest portion 12 is changed, the display device 7 can always be supported at the front position of the subject's face.

[Other Embodiments] In the mounting structure for mounting the display device 7 of the above embodiment on the backrest portion 12, in the embodiment, a ball detent provided between the arm 71 bent in a U shape and the mounting tool 72 is used. Although it is configured to be rotatably supported by the mechanism, the display device 7 may be attached to the backrest portion 12 by a flexible tube, and the position of the display device 7 may be freely changed by this flexible tube.

It should be noted that reference numerals are given in the claims for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the structures of the accompanying drawings by the entry.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a chair with a backrest according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram.

[Fig. 4] Converter explanatory diagram

[Fig. 5] Converter explanatory diagram

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of mounting the sound reproducing device.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of mounting the display device.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for mounting the display device.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram for mounting the display device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 chair 6 brain wave detecting means 7 display device 12 backrest part

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A display device (7) for displaying a detection result of an electroencephalogram detecting means (6) for detecting an electroencephalogram of a subject is provided on a backrest part (12) of a chair (1) whose angle of inclination can be freely changed. A biofeedback system mounted in a supported position in the forward position. 2. The biofeedback system according to claim 1, wherein the display device (7) is attached so that the vertical position can be changed.