Wearable apparatus

Abstract

A wearable apparatus capable of altering a physiological parameter such as the heart rate of a user to provide a relaxing or stimulating effect on the user is provided. The apparatus comprises a device capable of engaging the patient's skin to provide a rhythmic tactile stimulus to the user that can alter the user's heart rate and an arrangement for securing the device to the user such that the device can apply the stimulus to the user. The apparatus may be part of a system enabling the device to be controlled remotely. The apparatus may also be configured to provide additional tactile stimuli.

1 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . An apparatus configured to provide a relaxing or stimulating effect on a user, the apparatus comprising:
 a wearable device configured to engage the user's skin and also configured to provide a rhythmic tactile stimulus to the user;   a heart rate monitor configured to monitor the user's heart rate; and   a controller configured to adjust a frequency, tempo, duration and/or intensity of the stimulus to apply the rhythmic tactile stimulus at a rate that is different to that of the monitored heart rate and wherein the rhythmic tactile stimulus changes over time.   
     
     
         38 . An apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the controller is configured to apply the rhythmic tactile stimulus at a rate that matches that of the monitored heart rate for a predetermined period of time, and the controller is further configured to adjust the rhythmic tactile stimulus to a rate that is different to that of the monitored heart rate after the predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         39 . An apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the heart rate monitor is configured to monitor the user's heart rate in real-time or offline to record a user's resting or previous heart rate for later use. 
     
     
         40 . An apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the rhythmic tactile stimulus in response to the monitored heart rate. 
     
     
         41 . An apparatus according to  claim 38 , wherein the controller is configured to adjust the rhythmic tactile stimulus after the predetermined period of time to a rate that represents the user's desired heart rate, or to a rate that is slightly less than or greater than the user's current or resting heart rate. 
     
     
         42 . An apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the controller is configured to iteratively increase or decrease the rhythmic tactile stimulus until a user's desired heart rate is reached. 
     
     
         43 . An apparatus according to  claim 42 , wherein the iterations are equal or unequal or a combination of both. 
     
     
         44 . An apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the controller is configured to introduce variability to the delay between each applied rhythmic tactile stimulus. 
     
     
         45 . An apparatus according to claim  1 , wherein the heart rate monitor is configured to monitor the user's heart rate in real-time, and
 wherein the controller is configured to apply reactive adjustments to the rhythmic tactile stimulus based on the monitored heart rate, with the device being configured to create a feedback loop to change the heart rate of the user in a gradual manner.   
     
     
         46 . An apparatus according to  claim 45 , wherein the feedback loop is configured to change the heart rate of the user by moving it one beat at a time. 
     
     
         47 . An apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the device further includes a bio-monitor configured to monitor and receive bio-monitoring inputs, the device being configured to instigate the rhythmic tactile stimulus in response to the received bio-monitoring inputs. 
     
     
         48 . An apparatus according to  claim 47 , wherein the bio-monitor is the heart rate monitor. 
     
     
         49 . An apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the device is further configured to playback the monitored heart beat via tactile, visual or audio means. 
     
     
         50 . An apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the controller is configured to provide a stimulus in the form of a single repeated beat, in the form of a double-peaked beat, or in the form of a beat that substantially matches the form of the user's heartbeat. 
     
     
         51 . An apparatus according to  claim 37 , further including an attachment device configured to secure the wearable device to the user's wrist such that the device can apply the stimulus to an inner wrist of the user. 
     
     
         52 . A system comprising the apparatus of  claim 37 , and an external controller or monitor. 
     
     
         53 . A system according to  claim 52 , further comprising a means for recording a user's desired heart rate preferences as one or more profiles, the system being configured such that a user can access the one or more profiles via the device and/or the external controller or monitor to set the desired tactile stimulus. 
     
     
         54 . A system according to  claim 52 , wherein the system is further configured to learn a user's preferences based on one or more of the user's preferences and/or profiles, data on the user's current location, and data on the user's current activity. 
     
     
         55 . A system according to  claim 52 , wherein the external controller or monitor further comprises a clock to activate to provide the stimuli and/or deactivate the device and stop it applying the stimulus at a pre-set time and wherein the apparatus and/or system is optionally operable as an alarm. 
     
     
         56 . A method for providing a relaxing or stimulating effect on a user, the method comprising:
 physically engaging a device to the user's skin where a rhythmic tactile stimulus is to be applied to the user;   monitoring the user's heart rate;   applying a rhythmic tactile stimulus to the user via the device at a rate that is different to that of the monitored heart rate; and   changing the rhythmic tactile stimulus over time via a controller.