RU107482U1 - DEVICE FOR EVALUATING THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND STATUS OF A HUMAN - Google Patents

Abstract

 1. A device for assessing the psycho-emotional state of a person, containing a reference voltage source connected to a current-sensing resistor of the input measuring circuits, electrodes for picking up a skin-galvanic reaction (RAG), an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) connected to a microcomputer that implements low-pass filtering and analysis of the shape of the pulses of the skin-galvanic reaction (RAG), while the input measuring circuit is equipped with a capacitor connected to a current-setting resistor and forming with it the first low-pass filter (low-pass filter) ), the capacitor outputs are connected to electrodes for detecting a skin-galvanic reaction and to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), the microcomputer is made in the form of a microcontroller incorporating a digital-to-analog converter with pulse-width modulation (PWM-DAC), with which through a second filter low frequency (low-pass filter) electrically connected reference voltage source having a control input from a microcontroller and a reference voltage output for an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), the microcontroller is connected to interfaces (wired m USB and wireless RF) for connection to external devices, analysis of RAG and control device. ! 2. The device according to claim 1 is equipped with an autonomous indicator of the tonic component of the RAG, a keyboard, a system indicator of operating modes, time and results connected to the microcontroller via a digital bus, as well as an analog indicator of the phase component connected to an additional PWM DAC of the microcontroller through a third low-pass filter . ! 3. The device according to claim 1, low-pass filters between a digital-to-analog converter with a width

Description

A device for assessing the psycho-emotional state of a person.

The utility model relates to the field of medicine and medical technology, in particular to methods and devices for diagnosing the state of a living organism by the electrical conductivity of the skin, and can be used in experimental and clinical medicine, as well as in psychophysiology, pedagogy and sports medicine.

It is known that the electrical conductivity of the skin of a living organism is a sensitive indicator of its physiological and mental state, and the parameters of the conductivity response to external influences, the so-called skin-galvanic reaction (RAG), allow one to assess the psychophysiological status of an individual. In the study of RAG distinguish between indicators of tonic and phase components of electrodermal activity (EDA). Tonic activity characterizes changes in the conductivity of the skin, occurring relatively slowly with a period of several minutes or more. Phase activity - these are processes that occur much faster against the background of tonic activity - their characteristic times are from tenths to units of seconds. It is the phase activity to a greater extent that characterizes the reaction of the body to an external stimulus and is hereinafter referred to as the phase component, or RAG.

Known methods for recording RAG include applying to the skin of the test pair of electrodes connected to a probe current source and a current recorder in the circuit, the electrodes are a current source. The reaction takes place when the sweat glands release a secret and short-term pulses of electric current arise in the circuit. Such impulses are generated either spontaneously, or as a result of a stressful or other stimulus [1. Anderson A.A. Mechanisms of electrodermal reactions. - Riga: Zinatne, 1985, p. 59-63.].

Known devices for recording RAG include a current source connected to the electrodes, as well as a unit for recording changes in time of an electrical signal and its processing. Signal processing consists in isolating the phase component against the background of the tonic component. This is ensured in a unit using a bridge circuit and a series of DC amplifiers with individual zero setting. The value of the tonic component is calculated in an analog way, and then subtracted from the signal. The baseline shifts to zero by this value on the plotter [see US patent 4331160, CL A61B 5/05, 1982.].

This technical solution is structurally complicated by the presence of a plotter and technically difficult to manage.

It is also known a device for assessing the psycho-emotional state of a person, containing a reference voltage source connected to a current-sensing resistor of the input measuring circuits, electrodes for picking up a skin-galvanic reaction (AGR), an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) connected to a microcomputer that implements low-pass filtering and analysis of the pulse shape of the skin-galvanic reaction (RAG) (see patent RU 2107460.)

This technical solution is the closest analogue of the claimed utility model.

Significant disadvantages of this technical solution are:

low accuracy and stability of the evaluation of the skin-galvanic reaction (RAG) due to thermal drifts and noise occurring in the input measuring circuits;

the use of a reference voltage source with a fixed voltage value, which limits the technological possibility of using this device for measuring the skin-galvanic reaction (RAG) according to the Tarkhanov method (without external influence by current flowing through the skin), as well as according to the Fere method with adjustment of the measuring current necessary to identify subtle psychoemotional reactions of a person.

Digitization by an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) in this technical solution according to the absolute values of the skin-galvanic reaction (RAG) signal, without regard to the voltage of the reference voltage source in the current source of the input measuring circuit, leads to the need for more thorough and complex configuration of the device, the need for verification and calibrations during operation, which is an additional source of inaccuracies in measuring the magnitude of the signal of the skin-galvanic reaction (RAG).

The use of a low-pass filter in this device to limit the frequency spectrum of the skin-galvanic reaction (RAG) with a cutoff frequency of the order of 1 Hz is insufficient, because the frequency spectrum of the skin-galvanic response signal (RAG), taken from the patient is much wider and carries important information at higher frequencies.

In addition, the mandatory use of a low-pass filter in this device with an analysis unit made on the basis of a personal computer makes the decision cumbersome and limits the scope of laboratory and clinical studies, and the presence of analog active elements in the device requires adjustment and regular verification and calibration of the device as a whole .

Thus, the known technical solution has limited technical capabilities for assessing the psycho-emotional state of a person.

The objective of the claimed utility model was to create a device for assessing the psycho-emotional state of a person, providing a technical result:

to expand the technical capabilities of the device by improving the accuracy and stability of measuring the skin-galvanic reaction (RAG), including with subtle psychoemotional reactions of a person;

to expand the scope of the device and improve its operational characteristics.

To solve the technical problem, a device for assessing the psycho-emotional state of a person is proposed, which contains a reference voltage source connected to a current-sensing resistor of the input measuring circuits, electrodes for picking up a skin-galvanic reaction (RGR), an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) connected to a microcomputer that implements low-pass filtering and analysis of the pulse shape of the skin-galvanic reaction (RAG), while the input measuring circuits are equipped with a capacitor connected to a current-carrying resistor rum and forming the first low-pass filter (low-pass filter), the outputs of the capacitor are connected to electrodes for picking up a skin-galvanic reaction and to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), the microcomputer is made in the form of a microcontroller incorporating a digital-to-analog converter with a latitudinal pulse modulation (PWM DAC), with which a reference voltage source is electrically connected through a second low-pass filter (LPF), having a control input from the microcontroller and a reference voltage output for an analog-to-digital converter ( ADC), the microcontroller is connected to interfaces (wired USB and wireless RF) to connect to external devices for analysis of RGR and device control.

According to the utility model, the device is equipped with an autonomous indicator of the tonic component of the RGR, a keyboard, a system indicator of operating modes, time and results connected to the microcontroller via a digital bus, as well as an analog indicator of the phase component connected to the additional PWM DAC of the microcontroller through a third low-pass filter.

According to the utility model, low-pass filters between a digital-to-analog converter with pulse-width modulation (PWM-DAC) of the microcontroller and the reference voltage source and between the analog phase-phase indicator and PWM-DAC of the microcontroller are made in the form of a first-order low-pass filter on an RC circuit.

In the analysis of the prior art, no technical solutions have been identified that have a combination of design features similar to the claimed technical solution, which indicates that its criterion of the novelty utility model is consistent.

This utility model can be industrially implemented using standard technical means, which is confirmed by the description below.

The utility model is illustrated by the figures below, where:

Fig. 1 shows a general block diagram of a device for assessing the psycho-emotional state of a person;

Fig. 2 - diagram of the input measuring circuit with the connection of electrodes and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to it;

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a first-order low-pass filter on an RC circuit.

A device for assessing the psycho-emotional state of a person, contains:

a power source 1, a reference voltage source 2 connected to a current-sensing resistor 3 of the input measuring circuits 9, electrodes 4 for picking up a skin-galvanic reaction (AGR), an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 5 connected via a data transmission bus 6 with a microcomputer 7.

The reference voltage source preferably has a standard design, as for example, in the information source "Integrated Circuits: Microcircuits for Analog-to-Digital Conversion and Multimedia" Issue 1 - DODEKA, 1996 ISBN-5-87835-008-4 BBK.32.85 M59 UDC 621.375 (03).

The input measuring circuit 9 has a capacitor 8 connected to a current-sensing resistor 3 and forming with it the first low-pass filter of the input measuring circuit. Input measuring circuits provide the conversion of the measured signals to the operating range of the ADC and preliminary analog frequency filtering.

The device uses a multi-channel analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 5 (Sigma / delta ADC 24 bit), which has a built-in precision switch 10 for input circuits 9 and is designed to convert the measured voltages from the selected channel by the built-in Σ / Δ modulator 11 into digital form. The Σ / Δ modulator 11 is connected to a programmable digital filter 12, which provides signal spectrum limiting and deep filtering from interference, mainly interference from the AC network and power consumer devices.

A microcontroller 7 was used as a microcomputer, it included a pulse-width modulator in the form of a digital-to-analog converter (PWM DAC) 13, which is electrically connected through a second low-pass filter (LPF) 14 to a reference voltage source 2 having a control input from the microcontroller 7 and the output of the reference voltage for the ADC 5.

Microcontroller 7 is a standard single-chip microcomputer, for example, the AVR (Atmel) family, with the set of peripheral nodes necessary for building a system.

The microcontroller 7 is connected via a galvanic isolation unit 15 to the wired USB 16 interfaces, as well as to the wireless RF interface 17.

The outputs of the interfaces 15 and 16 are connected to external devices 18, 19 registration, analysis of RGR and device control as a whole. When implementing the device, a remotely located external device 20 can be used, which is connected to a device for assessing the psycho-emotional state of a person, for example, via the Internet 21.

The above-described block diagram of a device for assessing the psycho-emotional state of a person implements the process of measuring the skin-galvanic reaction (RAG) with registration and analysis on an external device.

To use this device in stand-alone mode (without external devices 18, 19), an embodiment of the device is provided, which includes autonomous indicators of the tonic components of the KGR 22, keyboard 23, system indicator 24 of operation modes, time and results, connected to the microcontroller 7 on digital buses. The device is also equipped with an analog indicator 25 of the phase component. An analog indicator 25 of the phase component is connected to the third low-pass filter (LPF) 26, which is connected to an additional digital-to-analog converter with a pulse-width modulator (PWM DAC) 27 of the microcontroller 7.

The indicated low-pass filters 14 and low-pass filters 26 are first-order low-pass filters and are implemented as an RC chain (Fig. 3). In this mode, the device is powered by an autonomous chemical power source 28, such as a galvanic battery or battery.

When the device is operating:

The multi-channel ADC 5 converts the measured voltages from the channel 10 selected by the built-in precision switch to a Σ / Δ modulator 11 digitally. The programmable digital filter 12 provides signal spectrum limiting and deep filtering from interference (mainly interference from AC mains and devices consuming electricity) . Programming the operating modes of the ADC 5 and data exchange with the microcontroller 7 occurs through a digital serial interface 29 of the ADC by writing and reading internal registers 30.

The microcontroller 7 controls the operation of all nodes of the device, receives the measurement results of the ADC 5, performs their additional digital filtering. It extracts the tonic and phase components from the RAG signal and displays these values on the indicators of tonic 22 and phase 25 components. Interrogates the keyboard 23, displays information about the time, state and operating modes of the device on the system indicator 24. Through the interfaces 16, 17, the microcontroller 7 has the ability to communicate with the computer / computers 18, 19. The microcontroller program recorded in Flash memory can be modified from the connected computer 18, 19.

A controlled reference voltage source 2 produces a highly stable reference voltage for the ADC 5 and input circuits 9.

It is controlled (the value of the output voltage is nonzero - the Fere method, or the high-impedance state mode - the Tarkhanov method) by the microcontroller 7.

Managed power supply 1 provides an economical energy consumption of the chemical power source 28, disabling unused in the current mode of operation of the device.

The indicator of the phase component of RAG 25 displays in analog form the usually rapidly changing phase component of RAG.

The tonic component indicator KGR 22 digitally displays the usually slowly changing tonic component of the KGR.

System indicator 24 displays information about the time, status and operating modes of the device.

Keyboard 23 allows the operator to quickly manage operating modes.

USB interface 16 allows the exchange of information with computers via the widespread USB bus. Connecting to a computer allows an advanced analysis of RAG, not only one, but also a group of patients. It also opens the possibility of remote work 20 patient-psychologist through available communication channels, such as Internet 21.

RF interface 17 allows you to exchange information with computers over the air, which gives the device new properties and opens up great scope for new applications:

ideal galvanic isolation, which means a significant reduction in the level of interference in the RAG signal, which in turn allows you to record even more subtle reactions of the body;

exemption of the patient from being tied up with wires to measuring equipment, and hence the office of a psychologist or doctor, which allows the analysis of RAG in any environment (sports, work, leisure).

The internal ADC channel switch 10 selects the desired channel.

Σ / Δ modulator 11 converts the analog signal into digital form, in other words, measures.

Programmable digital filter 12 provides signal spectrum limitation and deep filtering from interference (mainly interference from AC mains and devices that consume electricity).

Input circuits 9 provide the conversion of the measured signals to the operating range of the ADC and preliminary analog frequency filtering. In the case of the mode of operation with RGR according to Fere (resistance measurement) together with the reference voltage source 2, the value of the probing current is set.

The device operates as follows:

1. The electrodes 4 are superimposed on the patient’s skin and form a measuring circuit together with resistor 3. In the mode of measuring RHG by the Feret method (measuring the skin-galvanic reaction (RHL) with the adjustment of the measuring current necessary to detect subtle psychoemotional reactions of a person), as a result of the passage of current from the reference voltage source 2 through the measuring circuit (Fig. 2), or the measurement mode according to the method of Tarkhanov (measuring the skin-galvanic reaction (RAG) without external influence of the current flowing through the skin), without an external current source, voltage appears on the electrodes 4. In the mode of measurement of RGR according to Fere it is proportional to the resistance of the skin. This voltage through the low-pass filter (Fig. 2), goes directly to the input of the ADC 5, which transmits the result of measuring this voltage via bus 6 to the microcontroller 7, where any processing algorithm is implemented within the performance of this microcontroller, for example, to separate the tonic and phase components of the RGR and their output to the indicators of tonic 22 and phase 25 components of the RGR. Both the result itself and the source data can be transferred to external devices 18, 19, 20 of registration, RAG analysis, and device control as a whole. The operating modes of the device can be displayed on the system indicator 24 operating modes, time and results, and can be set both from the keyboard 23 and from external devices 18, 19 of registration, analysis and control.

In stand-alone mode, the device is powered by a chemical power source 28, and in the case of connecting an external device 18 for recording, analysis and control, from the USB bus of this device, through the galvanic isolation unit 15, necessary both for electrical safety and to reduce the level of interference from external device 18 registration, analysis and management. In addition, the microcontroller 7 in this device has the ability to control the operating modes of power supplies 1, 2, which in the first case allows you to save the charge of an autonomous chemical power source, and in the second, switch the operation mode of the RGR recording according to Tarkhanov or Fere, as well as in this case, adjust the measuring current.

2. When interviewing a client, they determine the problem zone of the client’s psycho-emotional tension, which affects the disadaptation in the life sphere. To determine the problem zone of psychoemotional tension, the client is interviewed using information testing templates that reflect post-traumatic events (factors) of the person’s life spheres. When interviewing, a topic, concept, point, condition or postulate is taken into account, taking into account the purpose of the visit stated by the client and the identified topic for the life sphere (family, professional, personal), it is clarified whether the client has an interest in working on this topic. The interviewing process is carried out using the method proposed in patent RU No. 2373965 "Method for harmonizing the psycho-emotional state of a person" and when using the device according to this utility model. For each question, the psychophysiological reaction of the RAG is monitored according to the indications on the indicator of the device for assessing the psychoemotional state of a person. When registering on the device indicator of smooth fluctuation of the curve of the phase component of the skin-galvanic reaction against the background of a decreasing absolute value of the tonic component of the indicated reaction from its initially recorded values, when the dominant post-traumatic factor is identified, the client is psycho-emotional mobilized and his personal adaptation to the identified dominant post-traumatic factor (see Patent RU No. 2373965).

A device for assessing the psycho-emotional state of a person is tested.

When using this device, the accuracy and stability of the measurement of RAG are increased, including with subtle psychoemotional reactions of a person.

Claims (3)

1. A device for assessing the psycho-emotional state of a person, containing a reference voltage source connected to a current-sensing resistor of the input measuring circuits, electrodes for picking up a skin-galvanic reaction (AGR), an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) connected to a microcomputer that implements low-pass filtering and analysis of the shape of the pulses of the skin-galvanic reaction (RAG), while the input measuring circuit is equipped with a capacitor connected to a current-setting resistor and forming with it the first low-pass filter (low-pass filter) ), the capacitor outputs are connected to electrodes for detecting a skin-galvanic reaction and to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), the microcomputer is made in the form of a microcontroller incorporating a digital-to-analog converter with pulse-width modulation (PWM-DAC), with which through a second filter low frequency (low-pass filter) electrically connected reference voltage source having a control input from a microcontroller and a reference voltage output for an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), the microcontroller is connected to interfaces (wired m USB and wireless RF) for connection to external devices, analysis of RAG and control device. 2. The device according to claim 1 is equipped with an autonomous indicator of the tonic component of the RAG, a keyboard, a system indicator of operating modes, time and results connected to the microcontroller via a digital bus, as well as an analog indicator of the phase component connected to an additional PWM DAC of the microcontroller through a third low-pass filter . 3. The device according to claim 1, low-pass filters between a digital-to-analog converter with a pulse-width modulation (PWM DAC) of the microcontroller and the reference voltage source and between the analog phase indicator of the phase component and the PWM DAC of the microcontroller are made in the form of a first-order low-pass filter on an RC circuit .