RU207767U1 - LOW-LATE NEURAL FEEDBACK DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

The present device relates to biofeedback systems, namely, to neurofeedback systems. The low-latency neuro-feedback device contains an elastic carrier in which electrodes are placed that record electroencephalographic signals. An elastic carrier is connected to the rim, on which a multichannel analog-to-digital converter unit is placed for digitizing a multichannel electroencephalogram recorded using electrodes, and a compact high-speed monitor for presenting a neuro-feedback, equipped with a monitoring system for the total delay of the presentation of a neuro-feedback signal, a multi-channel analog-to-digital converter unit for digitizing a multichannel electroencephalogram contains an on-board computer, implemented on a microprocessor, control buttons for setting the parameters of neuro-feedback, such as an electroencephalogram derivation, an electroencephalogram frequency band, according to which the feedback signal and the desired electroencephalogram delay are calculated, status indicators, a power button and a micro-USB for communication with a personal computer for reprogramming the calculator, a battery and is connected to headphones for presentation of neurofeedback via acoustic to whom channel. The technical result of the claimed utility model is to eliminate the presence of a delay between the signal of brain activity and the transmission of information about this signal to the user while ensuring the mobility and portability of the device. 3 C.p. f-ly, 2 dwg

Description

The present device relates to biofeedback systems, namely, to neurofeedback systems.

From the prior art, various devices are known for studying the activity of the brain, for example, an electroencephalographic helmet, an elastic cap for placing electrodes and an electrode for picking up brain biopotentials (see RU 31944U1, publ. 09/10/2003). An electroencephalographic helmet containing an elastic cap and an electrode device, in which the electrode device is removable and consists of two bundles installed on the elastic cap symmetrically to the sagittal plane, while the sockets in which the electrodes are installed are made in the form of cylindrical eyelets, the bases of which are with a height, exceeding the thickness of the hairline, are placed inside the elastic cap, and the liners are outside, and are equipped with a collet fixing the electrodes. Elastic cap for installing electrodes, made of high-strength and chemically resistant polymer fabric, for example, polycaprolactam fabric of the nylon type, in the elastic cap there are round holes with a mutual arrangement corresponding to the standard electroencephalogram lead system, in the holes there are fixing sockets made of electrical insulating material, each of the mounting nests contains a hollow base and a hollow insert, the edges of the round hole in the elastic cap are clamped between the outer surface of the insert and the inner surface of the base, while the insert is located on the outer side of the elastic cap, and the base is located on the inner side, and has a height exceeding the thickness of the hair cover. Electrode for picking up brain biopotentials, containing a flat current collector enclosed in a housing with a cavity for filling with electrically conductive gel, providing contact of at least one surface of the current collector with the head surface, while the current collector has an opening through which the electrically conductive gel is fed into the cavity between the current collector and the surface head, in which the body is cylindrical and encloses the current collector around the perimeter, the body has a second cavity that opens the second cavity of the current collector, connected through a hole in the current collector with a cavity for filling with electrically conductive gel and having an inlet with a diameter equal to the diameter of the nozzle of the disposable syringe.

The specified device, although it is similar in design, is not homogeneous in purpose, that is, it is not a low-latency neuro-feedback device.

Also known from the prior art is a system and method for monitoring, analyzing and stimulating peak mental states selected as the closest analogue (see US11013449B2, publ. 05/25/2021). Brainwave sensors are placed on the user's scalp to measure the user's mental state. The machine learning model can interpret measured brain wave signals into a user's mental state such as relaxed, focused, tense, happy, sad, etc. The system can get the desired mental state of the user, for example, relaxed, etc. The system can measure the difference between the desired mental state and the measured mental state of the user and provide the user with audible and visual feedback indicating how far the user is from the desired mental state. In addition, the system can provide audible and visual feedback to help or prompt the user to achieve a desired mental state. Visual and audio feedback can be provided using a virtual and / or augmented reality product.

The disadvantage of the closest analogue is that the system is not mobile, since it is tied to a full-size information processing unit. The system is multi-modular, it increases the time of circular processing. The system does not use algorithms for low-latency (characterized by low latency) extraction of the parameters of the rhythmic activity of the brain. The system does not provide a means to monitor the magnitude of the total delay of the feedback signal in relation to neuronal activity. As a result, the system does not form a feedback loop with a characteristic time constant comparable to that of natural neural networks in the brain. As a result, the use of this system is not able to increase the efficiency of training in the paradigm of neuro-feedback due to the use of the native adaptive properties of the brain, which, in turn, can be ensured by reducing the delay in the presentation of the feedback signal.

The technical result of the claimed utility model is to eliminate the presence of a delay between the signal of brain activity and the transmission of information about this signal to the user, while ensuring the mobility and portability of the device.

The technical problem to be solved by the claimed technical solution is to increase the effectiveness of training using biofeedback systems and expand the corresponding arsenal of technical means, implemented in the form of integral highly ergonomic devices.

The claimed technical result is achieved by creating a low-latency neuro-feedback device containing an elastic carrier in which electrodes fixing electroencephalography signals are placed, while the elastic carrier is connected to a rim, on which a multichannel analog-to-digital converter unit is placed for digitizing a multichannel electroencephalogram recorded using electrodes , and a compact high-speed monitor for presentation of neurofeedback, equipped with a monitoring system for the total delay in the presentation of a neurofeedback signal, a multichannel analog-to-digital converter unit for digitizing a multichannel electroencephalogram contains an on-board computer implemented on a microprocessor, control buttons for setting the parameters of a neuro feedback, such as an electroencephalogram , the frequency band of the EEG from which the feedback signal and the desired EEG delay are calculated frames, status indicators, a power button and a micro-USB connector for communication with a personal computer for reprogramming the calculator, a battery and is connected to headphones for presentation of neurofeedback via an acoustic channel.

In a particular embodiment, a compact high-speed low-resolution monitor with a minimum response time is used for presenting neurofeedback, fixed on the rim of an elastic carrier by means of a tripod with the ability to move to position the video channel opposite the patient's eyes.

In a particular embodiment, a built-in system for monitoring the magnitude of the delay (latency) of the presentation of the neurofeedback signal is used.

In yet another particular embodiment, the on-board computer implements fast algorithms for calculating the parameters of the electroencephalogram with a minimum delay.

The essence of the utility model is illustrated by drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 - dependence of the degree of preservation of the training effect (one of the efficiency indicators) on the delay in the presentation of the neuro-feedback signal;

FIG. 2 - the appearance of the proposed technical solution.

FIG. The 2 positions indicate the following:

1 - a block containing a multichannel analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for digitizing a multichannel EEG and an on-board computer;

2 - status indicators;

3 - power button;

4 - USB connector for communication with a computer or charger;

5 - electrodes;

6 - headphones for presentation of neurofeedback via an acoustic channel;

7 - compact high-speed monitor for presentation of neurofeedback;

8 - an example of a video stimulus reflecting the current parameters of rhythmic activity;

9 - photodiode for monitoring the value of the complete delay of the feedback signal in relation to neuronal activity;

10 - button for setting the parameter of the neural feedback frequency band;

11 - button for setting the parameter of neuro-feedback EEG derivation, according to which the feedback signal is calculated;

12 - button for setting the parameters of neural feedback, the desired delay.

These drawings do not cover and, moreover, do not limit the entire scope of the options for implementing this technical solution, but are only illustrative material of a particular case of its implementation.

The low-latency neuro-feedback device includes an elastic carrier with a rim. A set of dry or conventional electrodes is placed on the elastic carrier, which are preferably located at the same distance from each other. On the rim there is a block of a multichannel analog-to-digital converter for digitizing a multichannel electroencephalogram recorded using electrodes, and a compact high-speed monitor for presenting neuro-feedback via a video channel. The block of a multichannel analog-to-digital converter contains an on-board computer implemented in a single housing, implemented on a modern microprocessor, status indicators, a power button and a micro-USB connector for communication with a personal computer for reprogramming the computer, control buttons for setting the parameters of neural feedback, such as EEG derivation , according to which the feedback signal, the frequency band and the desired delay are calculated, the battery is connected to the headphones for presentation of the neurofeedback via the acoustic channel. A compact high-speed monitor for presenting neurofeedback is predominantly fixed on the rim of an elastic carrier by means of a tripod with the ability to move to place the video channel opposite the patient's eyes and has a recess in its lower part for convenient placement of the patient's nose.

FIG. 1 shows the dependence of the degree of preservation of the training effect (one of the performance indicators) on the delay in the presentation of the neuro-feedback signal. As can be seen from the graph below, the comparative power of the occipital alpha rhythm, measured after training in relation to power before training, turns out to be maximum with a minimum delay. There is a statistically significant trend.

FIG. 2 shows a block containing a multichannel analog-to-digital converter (ADC) (1) for digitizing a multichannel EEG recorded using electrodes (5), and an on-board computer implemented on a modern microprocessor, control buttons for setting the parameters of neural feedback, such as: strip frequencies (10), EEG derivation, according to which the feedback signal is calculated (11), and the desired delay (12), status indicators (2), the power button (3) and a micro-USB connector for communication with a personal computer for reprogramming the calculator, headphones for presenting neuro-feedback via an acoustic channel (6), a compact high-speed monitor (7) for presenting neuro-feedback via a video channel (8), and a photodiode, which is part of a system for monitoring the full delay of the presentation of a neuro-feedback signal.

The device works as follows. The user is put on the device, the EEG electrodes are in contact with the user's scalp, the parameters of the calculation and presentation of the feedback signal are set using the on-board user interface. Next, the training begins, during which the user is presented with sound or visual stimuli, reflecting the state of his brain activity with a small delay. Moreover, the presented stimuli are calculated by an on-board computer that receives the EEG signal vectors in real time (with a delay less than the sampling interval) and uses optimal algorithms for signal processing and isolation of the amplitude and phase of the rhythmic activity of the brain with a minimum delay. The stimuli are then presented to the user using headphones or a high-speed monitor. The total delay monitor calculates the total delay at each time point and stores the information in the onboard computing module.

Thus, in accordance with FIG. 1, the use of the device provides an increase in the efficiency of training in the paradigm of neurofeedback, measured as the magnitude of the difference in the power of the user's rhythmic activity before and after training, as well as the steepness of the learning curve, which is achieved due to the low-latency (delay less than 100 ms) presentation of the feedback signal implemented using the described device with a built-in EEG signal digitization module and an on-board computer that implements optimal signal processing algorithms and the extraction of informative components of rhythmic activity used to calculate the feedback signal.

Claims (4)

1. A device for low-latency neuro-feedback, containing an elastic carrier in which electrodes are placed that fix the signals of electroencephalography, characterized in that the elastic carrier is connected to the rim, on which a block of a multichannel analog-to-digital converter is placed for digitizing a multichannel electroencephalogram recorded using electrodes, and a compact high-speed monitor for presentation of neural feedback, equipped with a monitoring system for the full delay in the presentation of a neurofeedback signal, a multichannel analog-to-digital converter unit for digitizing a multichannel electroencephalogram contains an on-board computer implemented on a microprocessor, control buttons for setting the parameters of a neural feedback, such as abduction of an electroencephalogram, an electroencephalogram electroencephalogram frequencies, status indicators, power button and micro-USB connector for communication with a personal computer for reprogramming the calculator, ba power supply and is connected to headphones for presentation of neurofeedback via an acoustic channel. 2. The low-latency neuro-feedback device according to claim 1, characterized in that it contains a compact high-speed low-resolution monitor with a minimum response time for presenting neuro-feedback, fixed on the rim of the elastic carrier by means of a tripod with the ability to move to place the video channel opposite the patient's eyes. 3. The device for low-latency neuro-feedback according to claim 1, characterized in that it contains a built-in system for monitoring the delay in the presentation of the neuro-feedback signal. 4. The device of low-latency neuro-feedback according to claim 1, characterized in that the on-board computer implements fast algorithms for calculating the parameters of the electroencephalogram with a minimum delay.

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