Signal to vibration translation device

Abstract

A device is described for delivering a therapeutic vibration to a body. The device may include at least two motors in a housing with unbalanced masses coupled to their axles, such that vibration of the masses causes the two motors and housing to vibrate at a beat frequency. The motors and housing may be coupled to the body via a platform which places the motors and housings at or near a resonant structure in the body, creating a coupled oscillation between the platform and the body. The vibration may be based on the input signal, such that the system applies the vibration based on the input signal to the user, wherein the signal may be an audio or video signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for applying vibration to a body of a user, comprising:
 at least one vibration producing device including at least one motor with an axle and at least one unbalanced rotating mass mounted on the axle, wherein the at least one unbalanced rotating mass is coupled to the axle at a point offset from its center of mass, producing a vibration in the at least one motor when the mass is rotated, and wherein the device is configured to deliver the vibration to at least a portion of a body;   an input signal, wherein the input signal is directed to or from a user;   at least one signal analyzer that analyzes the input signal to generate an analyzed signal and a motor drive waveform based on the analyzed signal; and   a controller that is programmed to control the at least one vibration producing device using the motor drive waveform, to produce the vibration based on the input signal, such that the system applies the vibration based on the input signal to at least a portion of the body of the user.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the input signal comprises an audio signal having spectral content in at least one frequency band. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the audio signal comprises a stereo audio signal. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the input signal comprises a video signal having spatial content. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the input signal comprises a signal based on a sensor output, wherein the sensor is sensing a piece of bioinformation related to the body of the user. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the signal analyzer is at least one analog filter, digital filter, spectrum analyzer, or Fourier transformer. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the signal analyzer is configured to measure and output an integrated signal power of the spectral content of the audio signal in a predefined frequency band, and wherein the motor drive waveform is based on the integrated signal power. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the input signal comprises a plurality of input signals, wherein the signal analyzer is programmed to acquire a plurality of samples of the plurality of input signals, wherein the plurality of samples are acquired within less than 60 seconds of one another. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the predefined frequency band is a frequency band associated with the signal in a bass band between 1 Hz and 250 Hz, and wherein the vibration producing device also has a characteristic frequency range of 1 to 250 Hz. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the signal analyzer is programmed to convert the spatial content of the video signal into a motor drive waveform. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the motor drive waveform is applied to at least two different vibration producing devices. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one vibration producing device comprises a plurality of vibration producing devices, wherein a portion of the plurality of vibration producing devices vibrate with different frequencies and amplitudes based on a frequency content of the input signal, as analyzed by the signal analyzer. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the signal analyzer is programmed to generate a plurality of motor drive waveforms based on different features of the analyzed signal, and wherein the controller delivers the plurality of motor drive waveforms to a plurality of vibration producing devices to deliver a plurality of different vibrations to a plurality of areas on the body. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller is programmed to execute a sequence of spatially varying patterns of vibration using the plurality of motor drive waveforms delivered to the plurality of vibration producing devices, based on the analyzed signal. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the input signal comprises at least two input signals corresponding to left and right stereo audio signal, and wherein the signal analyzer generates at least two motor drive waveforms based on the left and right audio signals. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of vibration producing devices are disposed adjacent to one another with one of the plurality of vibration producing devices on one side of a centerline of the body and the another of the plurality of vibration producing devices on the other side of the centerline of the body 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the vibration producing device is attached by an attachment mechanism to a platform, and wherein the attachment mechanism transmits the vibration to the body. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the platform comprises at least one of garment, a chair, a mattress, a hat, a headband, an earring and a cushion. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the platform is a reclining chair with elevated foot support and a plurality of vibration producing devices are coupled through the reclining chair to the body of the user, wherein the plurality of vibration producing devices are disposed on both sides of the centerline of the body. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the different features correspond to at least one of a letter of an alphabet, a syllable in speech, a color and a pattern in the input signal, and an integrated power within a frequency range of an audio spectrum, such that the input signal is mapped to a tactile sensation by the device.