Self aware vibration 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 device may also include at least one sensor which senses at least one piece of bioinformation the vibration may be based on the at least one piece of bioinformation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for applying a vibration to a body, comprising:
 a platform including at least one vibration producing device producing a vibration having a frequency and amplitude, wherein the vibration is applied to at least a portion of the body;   at least one sensor which senses at least one piece of bioinformation and generates an output based on the at least one piece of bioinformation, wherein the at least one piece of bioinformation is related to at least one of a physical, psychological, emotional and environmental status of the body, and wherein at least one of the frequency and amplitude of the vibration is based on the at least one piece of bioinformation.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a mapping unit that relates the at least one piece of bioinformation sensed by the sensor to an algorithm that produces a motor drive waveform that drives the vibration producing device, based on the at least one piece of bioinformation.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller programmed to control the vibration producing devices, and to execute an algorithm defined by a sequence of vibrations, wherein the algorithm and sequence of vibrations is chosen based on the output of the at least one sensor.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the bioinformation is based on at least one of Heart Rate (HR), Electrodermal Activity (EDA), and Heart Rate Variability (HRV), blood pressure, respiration rate, eye blinking, oxygenation, respiratory effort, electroencephalography (EEG), piloerector muscle activity, electrogastrography (EGG), reaction time, electrooculography (EOG), pupil diameter, micro/macro saccade activity, posture, skin potential, electromyography (EMG), pre-ejection period (PEP), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), left ventricular ejection time (LVET), blood pressure (BP) and vascular resistance. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is at least one of a biopotential, audio, electrical, strain, force, pressure, temperature or light-sensitive detector coupled to the body. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a comparator, wherein compares the output of the sensor to a predefined target value, and wherein the controller applies the algorithm to increase or decrease the sensor output toward the predefined target level.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one of a heart rate monitor, a respiration monitor, and a heart rate variability monitor. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the mapping unit maps the at least one sensor output to the algorithm which produces the motor drive waveform that drives the vibration producing device to affect the sensor output. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one sensor includes an electroencephalograph that monitors brain wave frequency bands, and wherein the controller applies the algorithm until a predefined value for power in specific frequency bands is reached. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller comprises at least one of a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and a microprocessor programmed to use pattern recognition or artificial intelligence techniques to adapt the algorithm to the output of the sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is programmed to execute a sequence of diagnostic vibrations using the at least one vibration producing device, while monitoring the output of the sensor, thereby identifying patterns which are effective with respect to the output of the sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the vibration producing device comprises at least one eccentric motor with at least one eccentrically rotating mass, and wherein the sequence includes frequency sweeps of the at least one eccentric motor while monitoring the output of the at least one sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is programmed to perform a diagnostic sequence of vibrations while monitoring the sensor output, and then creates a new sequence based on analysis of the sensor output during the diagnostic sequence. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the new sequence is unique to the user, and wherein this new sequence is learned by the controller based on the diagnostic sequence. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the algorithm is based on a plurality of sensor outputs, with the plurality of sensor outputs obtained either simultaneously or serially within 60 seconds of one another. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the algorithm chosen by the controller is based at least in part on the at least one piece of bioinformation and also based at least in part on historical information provided by the user, and the algorithm includes a physical stimulus chosen from the group including tactile, light, sound, temperature, scent, taste stimulus that drives the at least one piece of bioinformation sensed by the sensor, to a predefined state. 
     
     
         17 . A method for applying a vibration to a body of a user, comprising:
 outputting at least one piece of bioinformation from a sensor, wherein the at least one piece of bioinformation is related to a physical, psychological, emotional or environmental status of the body of the user;   applying a vibration from at least one vibration producing device to at least a portion of the body, wherein the vibration has a frequency and amplitude that is based on the output of the sensor.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 choosing an algorithm comprising a sequence of motor drive waveforms based on the at least one piece of bioinformation, wherein the algorithm is applied to the at least one vibration producing device by a controller, such that the vibration is based on the at least one piece of bioinformation, and wherein the algorithm alters the value of the at least one piece of bioinformation obtained from the user by the at least one sensor.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the choosing of the algorithm is performed by at least one of the user, the controller and a third party operator. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 using the at least one piece of bioinformation sensed by the sensor to choose an algorithm that produces a motor drive waveform that drives the vibration producing device, based on the at least one piece of bioinformation.