KR102413785B1 - Electric stimulator - Google Patents

Abstract

An electric stimulation apparatus is disclosed. The electrical stimulation apparatus of the present invention includes a stimulation electrode and a measurement electrode divided into a plurality in a defined area, and includes an electrode part attached to the scalp; a control unit for individually determining the type of voltage applied to each of the stimulation electrodes so that the stimulation electrodes become any one of an anode, a cathode, and a neutral; and a measurement unit that measures an electrical signal from the measurement electrode to generate EEG signal measurement information.

Description

Electric stimulator

The present invention relates to an electrical stimulation device.

Brain electrical stimulation using electrical stimulation technology is known to have therapeutic effects on neuropsychiatric disorders such as cognitive enhancement and depression, and research and development are continuing.

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), which invasively penetrates the skull and inserts electrical stimulation electrodes into a specific part of the brain, has proven its therapeutic effect and is used as a medical device. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) and Transcranial Electrical Stimulation are used.

So far, the mechanisms of action regarding brain stimulation and therapeutic effects have not been clearly elucidated. However, it is commonly known that the brain's information transmission and processing functions are caused by electrical signals generated by chemical signals of ionic substances. In order for a biosignal to be transmitted, it is necessary to pass a certain threshold, and this task can be replaced by the action of an externally applied electric field instead of the chemical action of the brain.

If electrical stimulation activates (Excitation) or inhibits (inhibits) signal generation in a specific area of the brain, it can be defined as effectively stimulating the brain. However, the problem is that it is difficult to know which site to provide the stimulus to activate or inhibit.

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an electrical stimulation device that effectively stimulates the brain in response to the correlation by defining a stimulation area in the brain and providing various electric field distributions based on the stimulation area, while feeding back the brain's response. will provide

In order to solve the above technical problem, an electrical stimulation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a stimulation electrode and a measuring electrode divided into a plurality in a defined area, and includes an electrode part attached to the scalp; a control unit for individually determining the type of voltage applied to each of the stimulation electrodes so that the stimulation electrodes become any one of an anode, a cathode, and a neutral; and a measurement unit for generating EEG signal measurement information by measuring an electrical signal from the measurement electrode, wherein the control unit performs at least one or more different electrode control combinations determined with respect to whether each of the stimulation electrodes is positive, negative, and neutral. The determined voltage may be provided for at least one or more periods.

In an embodiment of the present invention, further comprising a storage unit for storing the EEG signal measurement information in association with the electrode control combination, wherein the control unit includes at least one electrode control combination of the electrode control combinations according to a predetermined criterion can be determined as a preferred combination.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the electrode part includes a fifth electrode and a measuring electrode in which a small circle partitioned inside a circle constituting the electrode is divided into two parts, and an annular shape excluding the small circle among the circles is 90 degrees apart. It may include a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, and a fourth electrode which are divided into four and disposed in each quadrant.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the electrode unit includes a fifth electrode and a measuring electrode arranged in two divisions at the center of a quadrangle constituting the electrode, and a first electrode, a second electrode, and a second electrode arranged in each quadrant along the circumference. It includes a third electrode and a fourth electrode, and the electrodes may be divided by a line horizontally dividing the quadrangle and a line drawn along a rhombus in which a vertex is inscribed at each side of the quadrangle.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the electrode part has a fifth electrode and a measuring electrode in which a small square shape is divided into two inside a square constituting the electrode, and a square ring shape excluding the small square inside the square is spaced at 90 degrees. It may include a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode, and a fourth electrode which are divided into four and disposed in each quadrant.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the electrode unit may further include a spacer electrode disposed to be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the defined region.

In an embodiment of the present invention, it further includes; a sensor unit for generating abnormal detection information, wherein the control unit may stop supplying a voltage to the stimulation electrode when the abnormal detection information is generated.

An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical stimulation device that effectively stimulates the brain by diversifying the shape of the electric field reaching the complex form of the cortex.

1 shows an electrical stimulation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 shows the electrode part of the electrical stimulation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 shows the electrode part of the electrical stimulation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 shows the attachment relationship of the electrode part of the electrical stimulation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 schematically shows an electric field generated by the electric stimulation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 shows the electric field applied to each electrode of the electric stimulation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention and the measured EEG.

Since the present invention can apply various transformations and can have various embodiments, specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention.

In describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known technology may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 shows an electrical stimulation apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the electrical stimulation apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an electrode unit 110 , a control unit 120 , a measurement unit 130 , a storage unit 140 , and a sensor unit 150 . include

The electrode unit 110 includes a first electrode 111 , a second electrode 112 , a third electrode 113 , a fourth electrode 114 , a fifth electrode 115 , a sixth electrode 116 , and a spaced electrode. (118). Each electrode may be disposed to be attached to the pad part 119 .

Some of the first electrodes 111 to 116 may be determined as stimulation electrodes, and other portions may be determined as measuring electrodes. In the embodiment of the present invention, the first electrode 111 to the fifth electrode 115 is determined as a stimulation electrode, and the sixth electrode 116 is determined as a measurement electrode.

In FIG. 2 , the spatial arrangement of the shapes of the first electrodes 111 to the sixth electrodes 116 is illustrated.

Each electrode may include a fifth electrode 115 and a sixth electrode 116 disposed in the center, and the first electrodes 111 to 114 divided at intervals of 90 degrees along the circumference.

The first electrode 111 to the fifth electrode 115 are connected to the control unit 120 , and the sixth electrode 116 is connected to the measurement unit 130 .

The first electrode 111 to the fifth electrode 115 may be determined in the form of one of an anode, a cathode, and a neutral electrode by the controller 120 . Neutral may mean a blocked state in which electricity is not passed. In the first electrode 111 to the fifth electrode 115 , a combination of electrode shapes may be variously determined. For example, the first electrode 111 , the third electrode 113 , and the fifth electrode 115 may be an anode, and the second electrode 112 and the fourth electrode 114 may be a cathode.

It can be seen in FIG. 2A that the circular electrode is divided into six in the region defined in the circular shape. A fifth electrode 115 serving as a stimulating electrode and a reference electrode and a sixth electrode 116 serving as a measuring electrode are disposed in the center. The fifth electrode 115 and the sixth electrode 116 have a shape obtained by dividing a circle in half. The first electrode 111 to the fourth electrode 114 have a ring shape excluding the center electrode from the entire circle constituting the electrode, and are arranged in the first quadrant, the second quadrant, the third quadrant, and the fourth quadrant in the x-y coordinate system, respectively. .

It can be seen from FIG. 2B that the quadrangular electrode is divided into six in the region defined in the quadrangular shape. A fifth electrode 115 serving as a stimulating electrode and a reference electrode and a sixth electrode 116 serving as a measurement electrode are disposed in the center, and the first electrode 111 is located in the first, second, third and fourth quadrants in the x-y coordinate system, respectively. ), a second electrode 112 , a third electrode 113 , and a fourth electrode 114 are disposed. A division dividing each electrode is defined along a line dividing the rectangular electrode horizontally and a rhombus shape in which a vertex is inscribed on each side of the rectangle.

In FIG. 3B , it can be seen that the quadrangular electrode is divided into six in the region defined in the quadrangular shape. A fifth electrode 115 serving as a stimulating electrode and a reference electrode and a sixth electrode 116 serving as a measurement electrode are disposed in the center, and the first electrode 111 is located in the first, second, third and fourth quadrants in the x-y coordinate system, respectively. ), a second electrode 112 , a third electrode 113 , and a fourth electrode 114 are disposed. Small square electrodes are disposed inside the large square, and they are divided into a fifth electrode 115 and a sixth electrode 116 , respectively. A quadrangular annular shape excluding the small quadrangle from the large quadrangle is divided into four first electrodes 111 to fourth electrodes 114 .

In FIG. 2, electrodes disposed in every quadrant at intervals of 90 degrees are illustrated except for the electrode disposed in the center. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and electrodes disposed at intervals of 60 degrees, 45 degrees or 30 degrees may be configured. In this case, the number of electrodes disposed along the circumference is 6, 8, and 12, respectively.

In the present invention, the electrode unit 110 is composed of a plurality of electrodes and arranged to be spatially distributed considering that brain stimulation exhibits non-homogeneous electrical characteristics. The first electrode 111 to the fifth electrode 115 whose electrode shape can be changed every cycle by the controller 120 can form an electric field divided into more subdivided stimuli in various directions in a local area. This configuration makes it possible to effectively search for an optimal stimulation path that induces a desired EEG in a non-homogeneous stimulation environment.

3 illustrates the electrode part 110 including the spaced electrode 118 .

The spaced electrode 118 may be determined as any one of an anode, a cathode, and a neutral by the controller 120 .

The spacing electrode 118 is disposed farther apart than the distance between the first electrode 111 to the fifth electrode 115 .

The first electrode 111 to the sixth electrode 116 and the spacer electrode 118 may be disposed attached to the patch portion.

The first electrode 111 to the sixth electrode 116 and the spacer electrode 118 may be attached to the scalp together with the patch part.

The patch part to which the first electrode 111 to the sixth electrode 116 are attached and the patch part to which the spaced electrode 118 is attached may be configured separately.

Referring to FIG. 4A , the electrode unit 110 includes the first electrodes 111 to 116 attached to the patch unit, and may be attached to the scalp.

Referring to FIG. 4B , the electrode part 110 includes first electrodes 111 to sixth electrodes 116 and a spacer electrode 118 attached to the patch part, and may be attached to the scalp.

Referring to FIG. 4C , the electrode unit 110 is composed of first electrodes 111 to sixth electrodes 116 and spaced electrodes 118 attached to separate patch units, and each patch unit is spaced apart from the scalp. can be attached to

In an embodiment of the present invention, the spaced electrode 118 is illustrated as being composed of one electrode, but it is not necessarily limited thereto. The spacing electrode 118 may also be configured such that a plurality of electrodes operate in a combination of various electrode types.

In the present invention, the reason for configuring the spaced electrode 118 is considering that brain stimulation exhibits non-homogeneous electrical characteristics. The spaced electrode 118 is for more diversifying the form of brain stimulation with such non-homogeneous characteristics. This is because it is not known whether the optimal stimulation path by the applied electric field will be formed in a local area or at a longer distance (for example, resistance is high in a path having a short distance and resistance is high in a path having a long distance). If this is small, it may be more effective to form an electric field at a greater distance). Stimulation by the spaced electrode 118 is complementary to the role of the first electrode 111 to the fifth electrode 115 searching for an optimal stimulation path in a local area in that it searches for an optimal stimulation path at a distance. can be hostile

The control unit 120 is connected to the electrode unit 110 , the measurement unit 130 , the storage unit 140 , and the sensor unit 150 , and may receive and control information therefrom.

The control unit 120 is a voltage applied to the first electrode 111 , the second electrode 112 , the third electrode 113 , the fourth electrode 114 , the fifth electrode 115 , and the spacer electrode 118 , respectively. form can be determined. For example, the control unit 120 includes the first electrode 111 , the third electrode 113 , the fifth electrode 115 , and the spaced electrode 118 as an anode, the second electrode 112 and the fourth electrode 114 . ) can be controlled to become a cathode. The control unit 120 may cut off the electrical connection to any one electrode. In this case, the electrode may be electrically neutral.

The control unit 120 may receive EEG measurement information from the measurement unit 130 . The control unit 120 may store the EEG measurement information and the electrode control combination applied during measurement in association with the storage unit 140 . Here, the electrode control combination means that the first electrode 111 to the fifth electrode 115 and the spacer electrode 118 are each determined as one of an anode, a cathode, and a neutral. When the spacer electrode 118 is not provided, the number of combinations is 243, and when the spacer electrode 118 is included, the number is 729. According to an embodiment, when the number of electrodes increases, the number of combinations thereof may also increase exponentially.

The controller 120 may determine at least one electrode control combination as a preferred combination according to a predetermined criterion. A preferred combination may be selected by the user. In this case, the device may be provided with an input button. The present invention may further include a display unit on which the electrode control combination and EEG measurement information are displayed (eg, the information shown in FIG. 6 ) to help the user's selection.

The preference combination may be set so that either one of the most activated or the most inactive ones of the brain is selected when viewing EEG measurement information. A preference combination may be set so that both are selected. In this case, the user may select an activation or inactivation option among the preferred combinations to determine that a desired type of stimulus is provided. In this case, the present invention may include a selection button.

Preference combinations need not always be extremes. When the user or the controller 120 determines that the active stimulus is of an appropriate size, it can be selected and stored as a preferred combination. The preferred combination may be selected to be closest to any one of waveforms defined as well-known alpha waves, beta waves, and the like.

The preference combination determines the combination of electrodes that will mainly provide stimulation after various combinations of stimulation, and the controller 120 controls the electrode unit 110 to provide electrical stimulation by the preference combination, or provides various stimulations. The electrode unit 110 may be controlled so that the preferred combination is provided as the most frequent stimulus.

The control unit 120 may control the electrode unit 110 in response to the sensing information provided from the sensor unit 150 . When abnormal detection information is received from the sensor unit 150 , the control unit 120 releases the voltage provided to the electrode unit 110 to stop the electrical stimulation.

The measurement unit 130 is connected to the sixth electrode 116 , and receives an EEG signal received from the sixth electrode 116 . The measurement unit 130 may transmit the received EEG signal to the control unit 120 .

The storage unit 140 is connected to the control unit 120 and stores information.

The storage unit 140 may store information including an EEG signal and an electrode control combination and a preference combination associated therewith.

The storage unit 140 may provide at least one of the pieces of information to the control unit 120 in response to a request from the control unit 120 .

The sensor unit 150 generates detection information and provides it to the control unit 120 .

The sensor unit 150 may include at least one of an acceleration sensor and an optical sensor.

The acceleration sensor measures the acceleration occurring at a specific time in a certain direction and provides it to the controller 120 .

The controller 120 determines whether the sensed acceleration is equal to or greater than a set value without distinguishing the direction. When the acceleration is greater than or equal to the set value, it may be determined as abnormal detection information. For example, a case in which the user moves violently due to discomfort while receiving electrical stimulation may correspond to a case in which the acceleration is greater than or equal to a set value.

The photosensor may be installed on the opposite side to the electrode-installed surface of the pad part 119 . The photosensor may generate photodetection information and provide it to the controller 120 .

When the light detection information is not provided, the controller 120 may determine this as abnormal detection information. For example, if the user feels uncomfortable due to the generation of excessive impedance due to electrical stimulation, covering the pad portion 119 (the portion where the optical sensor is installed) with his/her hand may correspond to a case in which the light sensing information is not provided.

As described above, when the abnormal detection information is generated, the control unit 120 may immediately stop the operation of the electrode unit 110 .

5 schematically shows an electric field generated by the electric stimulation apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, a schematic position is shown rather than an exact geometric position as in FIG. 2 for the simplification of display, and two-dimensional electric field lines are displayed (the actual electric field is three-dimensional).

6 shows an electric field applied to each electrode of the electric stimulation apparatus 100 and measured EEG according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5A is an electric field when the first electrode 111, the second electrode 112 is set to an anode, the third electrode 113, the fourth electrode 114 is a cathode, and the fifth electrode 115 is set to be neutral. As shown in the figure, the first cycle of FIG. 6 includes electric field application (first electrode 111 to fifth electrode 115) and EEG signal measurement information (sixth electrode 116) according to the electrode control combination set the same as in FIG. 5A. )) is shown.

FIG. 5B shows an electric field when the first electrode 111 to the fourth electrode 114 are set as an anode and the fifth electrode 115 as a cathode. The second cycle of FIG. 6 is the same as in FIG. 5b. Electric field application (first electrode 111 to fifth electrode 115) and EEG signal measurement information (sixth electrode 116) according to the set electrode control combination are shown.

FIG. 5C is a diagram illustrating an electric field when the first electrode 111, the third electrode 113, and the fifth electrode 115 are an anode, and the second electrode 112 and the fourth electrode 114 are set as a cathode. In the third cycle of FIG. 6, electric field application (first electrode 111 to fifth electrode 115) and EEG signal measurement information (sixth electrode 116) according to the electrode control combination set the same as in FIG. will show

5 and 6, the electric field distribution formed by the electrical stimulation apparatus 100 may appear in various ways according to different electrode control combinations, and the corresponding EEG response (EEG signal) also appears in various forms. Able to know.

The electrical stimulation apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention non-invasively provides electrical stimulation to the brain, but provides a variety of spatial distributions of electric fields, so that even if any type of stimulation does not provide a desired effect, various electric field distributions can be used. Since the stimulus is provided in the direction, there is an effect of easily finding a stimulus form having the desired optimal effect in at least one of the different stimulus cycles.

The present invention has the effect of storing the stimulation type (electrode control combination) having the optimal effect and re-using it. As a specific example, more effective electrical stimulation can be provided by varying the weight of the frequency of providing cycles of the preferred combination and other electrode control combinations. The frequency and frequency of the electrode control combination to be provided from the electrical stimulation apparatus 100 may be determined by the user or by an automatic setting program or an artificial intelligence module by machine learning.

The terms used in the present application are only used to describe specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the present invention. In the present application, terms such as “comprise” or “have” are intended to designate that a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification exists, but one or more other features It should be understood that this does not preclude the existence or addition of numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

100: brain stimulator
110: electrode part
111: first electrode
112: second electrode
113: third electrode
114: fourth electrode
115: fifth electrode
116: sixth electrode
118: spaced electrode
119: pad part
120: control unit
130: measurement unit
140: storage
150: sensor unit

Claims (7)

an electrode unit including a stimulation electrode and a measurement electrode divided into a plurality in a defined area and attached to the scalp;
a control unit for individually determining the type of voltage applied to each of the stimulation electrodes so that the stimulation electrodes become any one of an anode, a cathode, and a neutral; and
Including; a measuring unit for generating EEG signal measurement information by measuring an electrical signal from the measuring electrode;
The control unit determines at least one different electrode control combination determined for each of the stimulation electrodes as positive, negative, and neutral, and provides a voltage determined for at least one or more periods.
According to claim 1,
A storage unit for storing the EEG signal measurement information in association with the electrode control combination; further comprising,
The electric stimulation apparatus, characterized in that the control unit determines at least one of the electrode control combination of the electrode control combination as a preferred combination according to a predetermined criterion.
According to claim 1,
The electrode part,
The fifth electrode and the measuring electrode are arranged in a small circle divided into two equal parts inside the circle constituting the electrode, and the ring shape except for the small circle among the circles is divided into four at 90 degree intervals, and the first electrode is arranged in each quadrant. , An electrical stimulation device comprising a second electrode, a third electrode and a fourth electrode.
According to claim 1,
The electrode part,
A fifth electrode and a measuring electrode are divided into two at the center of a quadrangle constituting the electrode, and a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode and a fourth electrode are disposed in each quadrant along the periphery, wherein the electrode The electric stimulation device, characterized in that divided by a line that horizontally divides the rectangle and a line drawn along a rhombus shape in which a vertex is inscribed on each side of the rectangle.
According to claim 1,
The electrode part,
The fifth electrode and the measuring electrode are arranged in two divided small squares inside the square constituting the electrode, and the first electrode is divided into four quadrants at intervals of 90 degrees except for the small square inside the square, and the first electrode is disposed in each quadrant. , An electrical stimulation device comprising a second electrode, a third electrode and a fourth electrode.
According to claim 1,
The electrode part Electrical stimulation apparatus, characterized in that it further comprises a spaced electrode disposed to be spaced apart a predetermined distance in the defined region.
According to claim 1,
It further includes; a sensor unit for generating abnormal detection information;
The electric stimulation apparatus, characterized in that the control unit stops the voltage supply to the stimulation electrode when the abnormal detection information is generated.

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