Method and system for generating sensory data onto the human...

Details Method and system for generating sensory data onto the human... Method and system for generating sensory data onto the human...

2000-10-17

2003-03-25

Huson, Gregory (Department: 3751)

Surgery

Miscellaneous

C128S898000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06536440

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to non-invasive methods and systems for generating sensory experiences within the human neural cortex.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional technique for generating neural activity in the human nervous system requires surgical implants. The implants may comprise wires that cause electronic impulses to interact with some portion of the human nervous system, such as the human neural cortex, and thereby cause neural activity in the human neural cortex. Researchers have successfully mapped audio sensory data to the cochlear channel, and visual data to the visual cortex.
Conventional invasive techniques have several drawbacks. First, surgical implants may cause patient trauma and medical complications during and/or after surgery. Second, additional or on-going surgery may be required, particularly if new technology is developed.
SUMMARY
The present invention solves the foregoing drawbacks by providing a non-invasive system and process for generating/projecting sensory data (visual, audio, taste, smell or touch) within/onto the human neural cortex.
One embodiment of the system comprises a primary transducer array and a secondary transducer array. The primary transducer array acts as a coherent or nearly-coherent signal source. The secondary transducer array acts as a controllable, acoustical diffraction pattern that shapes, focuses and modulates energy from the primary transducer onto the neural cortex in a desired pattern. The secondary transducer emits acoustical energy that may be shifted in phase and amplitude relative to the primary array emissions.
The pattern of energy is constructed such that each portion of the pattern projected into the neural cortex may be individually pulsed at low frequency. The system produces low frequency pulsing by controlling the phase differences between the emitted energy of the primary and secondary transducer array elements. The pulsed ultrasonic signal alters the neural firing timing in the cortex. Changes in the neural firing timing induce various sensory experiences depending on the location of the firing timing change in the cortex. The mapping of sensory areas of the cortex is known and used in current surgically invasive techniques. Thus, the system induces recognizable sensory experiences by applying ultrasonic energy pulsed at low frequency in one or more selected patterns on one or more selected locations of the cortex.
One of the advantages of the present system is that no invasive surgery is needed to assist a person, such as a blind person, to view live and/or recorded images or hear sounds.
This brief summary has been provided so that the nature of the invention may be understood quickly. A more complete understanding of the invention can be obtained by reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof in connection with the attached drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3848608 (1974-11-01), Leonard
patent: 4343301 (1982-08-01), Indech
patent: 4611596 (1986-09-01), Wasserman
patent: 4628933 (1986-12-01), Michelson
patent: 4664117 (1987-05-01), Beck
patent: 4883067 (1989-11-01), Knispel
patent: 4979508 (1990-12-01), Beck
patent: 5031154 (1991-07-01), Watanabe
patent: 5097326 (1992-03-01), Meijer
patent: 5109844 (1992-05-01), De Juan, Jr. et al.
patent: 5159927 (1992-11-01), Schmid
patent: 5179455 (1993-01-01), Garlick
patent: 5651365 (1997-07-01), Hanafy et al..
patent: 5738625 (1998-04-01), Gluck
patent: 5853370 (1998-12-01), Chance
patent: 5935155 (1999-08-01), Humayun et al.
patent: 5956292 (1999-09-01), Bernstein
patent: 5971925 (1999-10-01), Hossack et al.
patent: 6017302 (2000-01-01), Loos
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Colorado, 1990, Richard T. Mihran, Frank S. Barnes, Howard Wachtel. “Transient Modification of Nerve Excitability in Vitro By Single Ultrasound Pulses”.
Ultrasound Med Biol 1990, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Colorado. “Temporally-specific modification of myelinated axon excitability in virto following a single ultrasound pulse” (pp. 297-309) Mihran RT; Barnes FS; and Wachtel H.
The Pennsylvaia State University, Department of Physics. 1984, J.D. Maynard, E.G. Williams, and Y. Lee. Nearfiled acoustic holography:n I. Theory of generalized holography and the development of NAH.
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Division of Neurobiology, University of California. Garrett B. Stanley, Fei F. Li, and Yang Dan. “Reconstruction of Natural Scenes from Ensemble Responses in the Lateral Geniculate Nucleus” The Journal of Neuroscience, pp 8036-8042; 1999.
Ultrasonics Fundamentals, Technology, Applications. Dale Ensminger, Columbus, Ohio. (pp. 373-376).
“Human hearing in connection with the action of ultrasound in the megahertz range on the aural labyrinth” 1979. L. R. Gavrilov, G. V. Gershuni, V.I. Pudov, A.S. Rozenblyum, and E.M. Tsirul'nikov. American Institute of Phusics pp. 290-292.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. 1996; Richard A. Normann, Edwin M. Maynard, K. Shane Guillory, and David J. Warren. “Cortical Implants for the Blind”.
Computational Neuroscience 13; Eric L. Schwartz, Bjorn Merker, Estarose Wolfson, and Alan Shaw. 1988. “Applications of Computer Graphics and Image Processing to 2D and 3D Modeling of the Functional Architecture of Visual Cortex”.
CMPnet. The Technology Network. Feb. 10, 1997. “Treading fine line between man and machine, researchers pursue silicon prostheses—Chip implants: weird science with a noble purpose—Second of two parts” Larry Lange.
EETIMESonline,www.cmpnet.com;The Technology Network/ 1999; ;Craig Matsumoto, EE Times; ISSCC: “Papers outline biochips to restore eyesight, movement”.
JN Online. The Journal of Neurophysiology, vol. 77 No. 6 1997, pp. 2879-2909, The American Physiological Society. “Encoding of Binocular Disparity by Complex Cells in the Cat's Visual Cortex”.
Gttp:www.bionictech.com, Center for Neural Interfaces. Richard A. Normann, Ph.D.
BBC News Online Science, Dr. David Whithouse, Sci/Tech Computer uses cat's brain to see.
Kksbio@engr.psu.edu, PennState College of Engineering, The Whitaker Center for Medical Ultrasonic Transducer Engineering.
Dpmi.tu-graz.ac.at/research/BCI; Brain Computer Interface.
Ipaustralia.gov.au/fun/patents/02_ear.htm; Bionic Ear Patent; Melbourne University—Australian Patent 519851; filing date 1978.
Measurement and Projection of Acoustic Fields; Earl G. Williams; Nava Research Laboratory, Code 5137, Washing D.C. 20375.
Resonance, Newsletter of the Bioelectromagnetics Special Interest Group. pp. 11-13, 15-16. Judy Wall.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Method and system for generating sensory data onto the human... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Method and system for generating sensory data onto the human..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and system for generating sensory data onto the human... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3022347