KR20140080053A - Transcranial electric stimulation system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention discloses a transcranial electric stimulation system. The present invention comprises a terminal device for generating and outputting an electrical signal having a different frequency value according to a selection signal of a user; and a brain wave sensing and electric stimulation controlling device for generating and outputting the electric stimulation signal to multiple electrodes attached at a particular position of a transcranial part according to the frequency value included in the electric signal outputted from the terminal device or for generating and outputting a driving signal for a brain wave sensor for sensing a brain wave signal at the particular position of the transcranial part. The transcranial electric stimulation system according to the present invention can provide a brain wave driving signal for sensing the electric signal for electric stimulation or the brain wave signal so as to electrically stimulate the transcranial part without having to acquire additional power sources or stimulation protocol information.

Description

{TRANSCRANIAL ELECTRIC STIMULATION SYSTEM}

More particularly, the present invention relates to an electric stimulation signal for electrical stimulation or an electroencephalogram sensor driving signal for sensing an electroencephalogram signal, The present invention relates to a light electric stimulation system.

Various concepts are known in the field of nerve stimulation of brain structures.

They were treated with deep electrical stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial electrical stimulation (TES), in particular transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) And transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS).

In particular, the following methods and devices are known, and invasive and non-invasive methods can be distinguished. In the case of invasive methods, a stimulator for nerve stimulation of the meninges of the external spinal cord is disclosed in the case of angina, and the stimulator is operated by surgery.

And, mainly transthoracic and electric brain stimulation methods are known as a method for noninvasive nerve stimulation of the brain. In the case of transthoracic magnetic stimulation (TMS), magnetic coils above the surface of the head are used to apply a very short magnetic field for a duration shorter than one millisecond (ms). The magnetic field has an intensity of approximately 1 to 2 Tesla. The magnetic field passes through the skull and induces a very short current flow. This produces neurotic discharges in the precisely delimited region of a few cubic centimeters. Thus, the coil current is first converted to magnetic energy and then converted to a current in the neurons. In addition to the single-pulse TMS, repeated TMS (rTMS: Repetitive TMS) is known. In rTMS, multiple pulses are applied to a given sequence. High pulse counts increase cortical excitability, while low pulse counts, e. G. 1 hertz, inhibit cortical excitability.

In the case of tricuspid regurgitation (tDCS), a weak, continuous dc is applied through two large area electrodes above the scalp. This results in a small change in the membrane potential of the cortical neurons and a change in the firing rate, thereby affecting its excitation level. To be precise, it is increased or decreased depending on the polarity of the stimulus. In the case of anodic stimulation (the anode is near the cell body or dendritic processes), depolarization is caused by increased membrane potential and firing rate, thereby increasing excitability. In the case of cathode stimulation, neurons are hyperpolarized as a result of reduced membrane potential and firing rate, and excitability is reduced.

Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2011-0086611 (published on July 28, 2011)

The present invention provides a neural network stimulation system capable of providing an electric stimulation signal for electric stimulation or an EEG sensor driving signal for sensing an EEG signal without providing a separate power source or stimulation protocol information for a tactile electrical stimulation .

In order to achieve the above object, according to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a two-pole electric stimulation system comprising: a terminal device for generating and outputting electric signals having different frequency values according to a user selection signal; And an electroencephalogram signal generator for generating and outputting an electric stimulation signal to a plurality of electrodes attached at two specific positions according to a frequency value of the electric signal outputted from the terminal device, And outputting a driving signal for the electroencephalogram detection and electric stimulation control device.

Here, the terminal generates and outputs an electric signal having a predetermined voltage magnitude and frequency values different from each other according to the user's selection signal, and the EEG sensing and electric stimulation control device has different frequency pass bands A plurality of frequency filters for passing or blocking the electrical signal according to a frequency value of the electrical signal; And a plurality of rectifying portions electrically connected to the plurality of frequency filters, respectively, wherein the plurality of rectifying portions rectify the electric signals passing through the plurality of frequency filters, And output the rectified signal or output the rectified signal to the brain wave sensor.

The apparatus further includes a DC / DC converter for converting a voltage magnitude of a signal output from the rectifying unit, which is electrically connected to the brain wave sensor, of the plurality of rectifying units to a preset voltage level and outputting the voltage magnitude Lt; / RTI >

The terminal device may be configured to generate and output an electric signal having one frequency value or a plurality of frequency values according to the selection signal of the user in the light electrical stimulation system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The terminal device may be configured to receive and receive an EEG signal sensed through the EEG sensor, which is electrically connected to the EEG sensor.

Also, the terminal device may include an earphone connection terminal capable of inputting and outputting an electric signal, and the output of the electric signal and the input of the brain wave signal may be performed through the earphone connection terminal.

The terminal device generates and outputs an electric signal having a predetermined voltage level and a different frequency value according to the user's selection signal, The electric stimulation control device includes a plurality of frequency filters having different frequency passbands and passing or blocking the electric signal according to a frequency value of the electric signal; And a plurality of DC / DC converters electrically connected to the plurality of frequency filters, respectively, wherein the plurality of DC / DC converters receive the electric signals output from the plurality of frequency filters as drive signals And may be configured to convert and output the voltage magnitude of the DC power supply signal input from the outside.

The apparatus for controlling electroencephalogram detection and electric stimulation in a light electrical stimulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes a transformer for transforming and outputting a voltage magnitude of an electric signal output from the terminal device according to a predetermined ratio, Frequency filters may be configured to receive the electric signal output from the transformer and to pass or block the electric signal according to the frequency value of the electric signal.

The light electrical stimulation system according to the present invention allows a user to perform light electrical stimulation or EEG signal detection regardless of the place by using a portable mobile communication terminal.

In addition, the light electrical stimulation system according to the present invention does not require complicated stimulation protocol information in order to perform various electric stimulation on two tines, and is configured to enable electric stimulation or EEG signal sensing without a separate power source. Accordingly, the present invention is meaningful in that it provides a simpler form of a light electrical stimulation system.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a tactile electrical stimulation system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a light electrical stimulation system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a light electrical stimulation system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
4 and 5 are views showing an embodiment of the present invention in which a mobile communication terminal is used.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. It is to be noted that the same elements among the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals whenever possible. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a tactile electrical stimulation system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

1 is a block diagram of an electronic stimulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic brain stimulation system according to the present invention includes a terminal device 100 and an electroencephalogram sensing and electric stimulation control device 200. According to the first embodiment of the present invention, The sensing and electric stimulation control apparatus 200 may include a transformer 210, a plurality of frequency filters 220, and a plurality of rectifying units 230.

The terminal device 100 generates and outputs an electric signal having a predetermined frequency value according to a user's selection signal.

Here, the predetermined frequency values according to the user's selection signal in the terminal device 100 can be regarded as identification values for the user's selection signal, which values are within different frequency bands.

The user's selection signal indicates a user's selection of which electrical stimulation to perform among various electrical stimulation types or a signal indicating a user's selection of whether to perform EEG signal sensing through the brain wave sensor 310 It says.

The terminal device 100 may preset one or a plurality of frequency values according to a user's selection signal. Accordingly, the terminal device 100 can generate an electric signal having at least one frequency value according to a user's selection signal.

In this manner, the terminal device 100 is configured to generate electric signals having different frequency values according to the user's selection signal. Therefore, by using the frequency value of the electric signal outputted from the terminal device 100, an electric stimulation signal is provided to electrodes attached to specific positions of a plurality of electrodes attached to two light sensors, or an electroencephalogram sensor 310 to provide an EEG sensor drive signal.

The terminal device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention may be configured to generate and output an electric signal having a predetermined voltage level and different frequency values according to a user's selection signal. Here, the voltage magnitude of the electric signal serves as a value for determining the magnitude of the signal of the electric stimulation signal or the EEG sensor driving signal, and the frequency value of the electric signal is the electric stimulus Acts as a value that determines whether to provide a signal or to drive the brain-wave sensor 310. [

The terminal device 100 may be configured to receive and receive an EEG signal sensed through the EEG sensor 310 by being electrically connected to the EEG sensor 310. In addition, the terminal device 100 may be configured to display the stored EEG signal to the outside or to provide a result of analyzing the EEG signal through an EEG analysis program provided therein.

Here, the EEG sensor 310 includes an electrode (not shown) attached at two specific positions to detect an EEG signal and a signal amplifying unit (not shown) for amplifying and outputting an EEG signal sensed by the EEG sensor 310 .

The electroencephalogram detection and electric stimulation control apparatus 200 receives an electric signal output from the terminal device 100 and outputs an electric stimulation signal to a plurality of electrodes attached at two specific positions according to the frequency value of the electric signal And generates and outputs an EEG sensor driving signal by an EEG sensor 310 that senses an EEG signal at two specific positions.

At this time, the electric signal output form from the terminal device 100 to the EEG sensing and electric stimulation control device 200 may be composed of one channel or more, Is not limited to any particular form.

The apparatus 200 for controlling electroencephalogram detection and electric stimulation according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a transformer 210, a plurality of frequency filters 220, and a plurality of rectifying units 230.

The transformer 210 transforms the voltage magnitude of the electric signal output from the terminal device 100 into a predetermined ratio and outputs the transformed voltage.

The plurality of frequency filters 220 have different frequency passbands and receive the electric signals outputted through the transformer 210, respectively, and then pass or block the electric signals according to the frequency values of the electric signals.

Here, the apparatus 200 for controlling electroencephalogram detection and electric stimulation according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of frequency filters 220 and a plurality of rectifying units 230 without the configuration of the transformer 210 . In such a case, the plurality of frequency filters 220 directly receive the electric signal output from the terminal device 100, and then pass or block the electric signal according to the frequency value of the electric signal.

The plurality of rectifying units 230 are electrically connected to the plurality of frequency filters 220 as shown in FIG. At the same time, an electric signal passed through the frequency filter electrically connected to each of the plurality of rectifying sections 230 is rectified and the rectified signal is outputted.

At this time, some of the plurality of rectifying portions 230 are electrically connected to at least two electrodes. Here, the electrodes electrically connected to the plurality of rectification units 230 are a plurality of electrodes attached to two light sources for electrical stimulation, and only the electrodes connected to the rectification unit, which outputs a rectified signal among the plurality of rectification units 230, An electrical stimulation signal is applied.

In addition, the rest of the plurality of rectifying units 230 may be electrically connected to the brain wave sensor 310 as shown in FIG. Thus, when a rectified signal is outputted from the rectifying part electrically connected to the brain wave sensor 100, the rectified signal operates as a driving signal of a signal amplifying part (not shown) of the brain wave sensor 310, An EEG signal sensed from an electrode (not shown) for sensing an EEG signal at a specific position of the EEG is amplified and output through a signal amplification unit (not shown).

For example, the electric signal output from the terminal device 100 is a signal having a frequency value of 350 Hz and 20 Hz, the signal passband of the first frequency filter is 300 Hz to 400 Hz, and the signal passband of the nth frequency filter is 1 Hz To 60 Hz, the electric signal outputted from the terminal device 100 passes through the first frequency filter and the nth frequency filter, and is input to the first rectifying part and the nth rectifying part. The signal rectified by the first rectifying part is applied as an electric stimulation signal to the first electrode 300a and the second electrode 300b connected to the first rectifying part, and the EEG sensor 310 connected to the n-th rectifying part, Is applied as a driving signal.

In the present invention, the EEG and electric stimulation controller 200 is configured to rectify the electric signal through the plurality of rectifying units 230 to generate a driving signal for the electric stimulation signal or the EEG sensor 310. Accordingly, the intensity of the electric stimulation signal or the EEG sensor driving signal is determined according to the voltage level of the electric signal output from the terminal device 100, and it is not necessary to provide a separate power source for generating such a signal.

As described above, the light electric stimulation system according to one embodiment of the present invention has a configuration capable of providing an electric stimulation signal for electric stimulation or a driving signal of an EEG sensor for sensing EEG without an additional power supply unit.

In addition, the neural network electric stimulation system according to an embodiment of the present invention does not need stimulus protocol information for each electric stimulus so that various electric stimulation can be performed according to the user's selection. Here, the stimulus protocol information is information including the stimulus intensity, the stimulation time, and the information about the electrode to which the electric stimulation signal is output for electrical stimulation. The reason for this is that the light electrical stimulation system according to the present invention provides an electrical signal having a predetermined voltage magnitude and a different frequency value according to a user's selection signal in the terminal device 100, And the electroencephalogram detection and electric stimulation control apparatus 200 according to the frequency value can provide various electric stimulation signals to two kinds of stimuli.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a light electrical stimulation system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

1, the terminal device 100 shown in FIG. 2, and the transformer 210, the plurality of frequency filters 220, and the plurality of rectifying units 230 in the EEG stimulating and electric stimulation controlling apparatus 200, And therefore, will not be described here.

2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an EEG / electric stimulation control apparatus 200 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 2, an EEG / electric stimulation control apparatus 200 includes a plurality of EEG sensors 230 And a DC / DC converter 240 for converting the voltage magnitude of the signal output from the rectifying unit electrically connected to the DC / DC converter 310 to a predetermined voltage magnitude and outputting the magnitude.

As described above, the brain wave sensor 310 includes a signal amplifying unit (not shown) for amplifying and outputting an EEG signal. In order to operate the signal amplifying unit (not shown), a voltage magnitude The drive signal must be received.

In consideration of the case where the signal output through the rectifying part electrically connected to the brain wave sensor 310 is not larger than the minimum operating voltage magnitude capable of operating the signal amplifying part (not shown) of the brain wave sensor 310 The EEG controller 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention further includes a DC / DC converter 240 as shown in FIG. 2 so that an EEG sensor (not shown) 310 may be configured to output a driving signal having a magnitude equal to or greater than a minimum operating voltage required for a signal amplification unit (not shown) of the brain waves sensor 310 to the brain wave sensor 310.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of a light electrical stimulation system according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

The configuration of the terminal device 100 shown in FIG. 2, the transformer 210 and the plurality of frequency filters 220 in the EEG stimulation and electric stimulation control device 200 are the same as those described above with reference to FIG. 1 It will be omitted here.

3, the EEG / electric stimulation controller 200 includes a plurality of DC / DC converters 250 (not shown) corresponding to the plurality of frequency filters 220 and electrically connected to each other, ).

The plurality of DC / DC converters 250 receives an electric signal output from the plurality of frequency filters 220 as a driving signal, and converts the voltage magnitude of an externally input DC power signal into an output voltage.

Therefore, only at least one DC / DC converter electrically connected to at least one frequency filter for outputting an electric signal among the plurality of frequency filters 220 converts and outputs the voltage magnitude of the DC power signal input from the outside.

At this time, as to how much the voltage magnitude of the DC power source signal inputted from the outside is to be converted into the voltage magnitude, the voltage magnitude to be converted into each DC / DC converter is preliminarily set, The DC / DC converter may be configured to convert signals of different voltage magnitudes according to signal magnitudes of the electric signals inputted from the frequency filter, and the DC / DC converter may be configured to convert the voltage magnitudes into corresponding voltage magnitudes.

As described above, the third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 3 differs from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in a configuration configured to receive a DC power supply signal from the outside. Accordingly, the plurality of DC / DC converters 250 may be configured to receive a DC power signal from a battery 400 provided separately from the outside.

A plurality of electrodes 300a, 300b, 300c, 300d,... For electric stimulation are provided in a plurality of DC / DC converters 250, and an electroencephalogram sensor 310 for sensing an electroencephalogram signal is electrically It is connected. Accordingly, only electrodes / EEG sensors 310 electrically connected to at least one DC / DC converter electrically connected to at least one frequency filter for outputting electric signals among the plurality of DC / DC converters 250, To provide a signal whose voltage magnitude is converted.

4 and 5 are views showing an embodiment of the present invention in which a mobile communication terminal is used.

As described above, the terminal device 100 may be configured to generate and output an electric signal having a predetermined voltage level and different frequency values according to a user's selection signal. The terminal device 100 may be electrically connected to the brain-wave sensor 310 to receive and store EEG signals sensed through the brain-wave sensor 310.

Accordingly, the terminal device 100 can include an earphone connection terminal 110 capable of inputting and outputting electrical signals, and the output of the electric signal and the input of the brain wave signal can be performed through the earphone connection terminal 110. [

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, mobile communication terminals such as smart phones are provided with earphone connection terminals capable of inputting and outputting electrical signals. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the terminal device 100, which is a component of the present invention, can be configured using a mobile communication terminal 100 such as a smart phone.

In this case, the mobile communication terminal 100 generates an electric signal having a predetermined voltage level and a different frequency value according to a user's selection signal, and transmits the electric signal through the earphone connection terminal 110 to the EEG detection and electric stimulation control apparatus 200, To output the generated electric signal. In addition, the mobile communication terminal 100 may be configured to receive the EEG signal sensed through the brain-wave sensor 310 through the earphone connection terminal 110 and store the EEG signal in an internal memory (not shown).

The operation of generating and outputting a signal to the plurality of electrodes 300 and the EEG sensor 310 electrically connected to the EEG sensing and electrical stimulation controller 200 is the same as described above.

4, the EEG detecting and electric stimulation controlling apparatus 200 may be provided as a separate device as shown in FIG. 4. In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, Or may be provided in a form attached to the wearing apparatus 500.

5, the head wear apparatus 500 includes a plurality of electrodes 300a, 300b, 300c, 300d, and 311 fixed to a predetermined portion of the main body, and the plurality of electrodes At least one of the electrodes includes an electrode 311 capable of measuring an electroencephalogram signal and at least two electrodes among the plurality of electrodes are electrodes 300a, 300b, 300c, and 300d capable of being electrically stimulated.

As shown in FIG. 5, the head wearer 500 may further include a battery 400 in addition to the brain-wave sensing and electrical stimulation controller 200. This is because, in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the EEG sensing and electrical stimulation controller 200 requires a separate power source in order to receive a DC power signal from the outside.

The brain wave sensor 310 may include an electrode 311 and a signal amplification unit 313 capable of measuring an EEG signal and the EEG sensor 310 may also be included in the head wear apparatus 500 as shown in FIG. Lt; / RTI >

4 and 5, in the light electrical stimulation system according to the embodiment of the present invention, a portable mobile communication terminal 100 is used, Allowing you to perform detection. In addition, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the light electrical stimulation system does not require complicated stimulation protocol information in order to perform various electric stimulation in two light conditions, and further, it is possible to detect electric stimulation or EEG signals without a separate power source Do it. Accordingly, the present invention is meaningful in that it provides a simpler form of a light electrical stimulation system.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments, but, on the contrary, Modification is possible. Accordingly, the spirit of the present invention should be understood only in accordance with the following claims, and all equivalents or equivalent variations thereof are included in the scope of the present invention.

100: terminal device, mobile communication terminal
110: Earphone connection terminal
200: EEG stimulation and electric stimulation control device
210: transformer 220: plural frequency filters
230: plurality of rectifying sections 240: DC / DC converter
250: a plurality of DC / DC converters 300: a plurality of electrodes
300a, 300b, 300c, 300d, 311:
310: brain wave sensor 313:
400: Battery 500: Head wear device

Claims (8)

A terminal device for generating and outputting electric signals having different frequency values according to a user selection signal; And
An EEG sensor for generating and outputting an electric stimulation signal to a plurality of electrodes attached at two specific positions according to a frequency value of the electric signal output from the terminal device or for sensing an EEG signal at the two specific positions And an electric stimulation control device
And a second electrical stimulation system.
The method according to claim 1,
The terminal apparatus comprises:
And generating and outputting an electric signal having a predetermined voltage magnitude and a different frequency value according to the user selection signal,
The electroencephalogram detection and electric stimulation control apparatus includes:
A plurality of frequency filters having different frequency passbands and passing or blocking the electric signal according to a frequency value of the electric signal; And
And a plurality of rectifying portions electrically connected to the plurality of frequency filters, respectively,
Wherein the plurality of rectifying sections comprise:
And rectifying the electric signal passed through the plurality of frequency filters to output the rectified signal to the plurality of electrodes electrically connected or output the rectified signal to the brain wave sensor.
3. The method of claim 2,
The electroencephalogram detection and electric stimulation control apparatus includes:
And a DC / DC converter for converting a voltage magnitude of a signal output from a rectifying unit electrically connected to the brain wave sensor to a predetermined voltage level among the plurality of rectifying units and outputting the voltage magnitude.
The method according to claim 1,
The terminal apparatus comprises:
And generates and outputs an electric signal having one frequency value or a plurality of frequency values according to the user's selection signal.
The method according to claim 1,
The terminal apparatus comprises:
And generating and outputting an electric signal having a predetermined voltage magnitude and a different frequency value according to the user selection signal,
The electroencephalogram detection and electric stimulation control apparatus includes:
A plurality of frequency filters having different frequency passbands and passing or blocking the electric signal according to a frequency value of the electric signal; And
And a plurality of DC / DC converters electrically connected to the plurality of frequency filters, respectively,
The plurality of DC / DC converters include:
And converting the voltage magnitude of a DC power supply signal inputted from the outside into a voltage magnitude of each of the plurality of frequency filters.
6. The method according to claim 2 or 5,
The electroencephalogram detection and electric stimulation control apparatus includes:
Further comprising a transformer for transforming and outputting a voltage magnitude of the electric signal output from the terminal device according to a predetermined ratio,
Wherein the plurality of frequency filters receive an electrical signal output from the transformer and pass or block the electrical signal according to a frequency value of the electrical signal.
The method according to claim 1,
The terminal apparatus comprises:
Wherein the brain wave sensor is electrically connected to the brain wave sensor, and receives and receives an EEG signal sensed through the brain wave sensor.
8. The method of claim 7,
The terminal apparatus comprises:
And an earphone connection terminal capable of electrical signal input / output,
And the output of the electric signal and the input of the EEG signal are performed through the earphone connection terminal.

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