Adaptive human electro-muscular incapacitation (hemi) system

Abstract

Apparatus and method for adaptive muscular tetanization (incapacitation) of a human target. An electrical pulse generator outputs a sequence of time-varying electrical pulses. A delivery mechanism applies the electrical pulses to the target using conductive electrodes. A sensor detects a biometric state of the target. An adaptive adjustment circuit adjusts the electrical pulses from the electrical pulse generator responsive to the detected biometric state to maintain a desired level of applied tetanization energy to the target. The system can be a self-contained projectile, a stun-gun arrangement with conductive wires or wireless communication capabilities, a stun baton, etc. An in-line charge limiter circuit can be used to integrate the applied current and modulate the total amount of charge applied. The biometric state can be a target property or response including impedance, muscular pressure, contraction force, contraction rate, blood flow rate, etc.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 an electrical pulse generator configured to generate a sequence of time-varying electrical pulses;   a delivery mechanism configured to apply the electrical pulses to a body of a human target;   a sensor configured to detect a biometric state of the body of the human target; and   an adaptive adjustment circuit configured to adjust the electrical pulses from the electrical pulse generator responsive to the detected biometric state to maintain a desired level of applied tetanization energy to the body of the human target.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery mechanism comprises at least one conductive electrode configured to contact the body of the human target. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is configured to contact the body of the human target by delivery thereto by the delivery mechanism, and wherein the adaptive adjustment circuit adjusts the electrical pulses responsive operation of the sensor to sense a target property or a target response of the body of the human target. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the sensor senses at least a selected one of impedance, intramuscular pressure, contraction force, contraction rate, frequency response, amplitude response, an electromagnetic field characteristic, or a blood flow rate associated with the body of the human target responsive to the application of the electrical pulses. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an in-line charge limiting circuit configured to monitor an amount of charge delivered to the body of the human target, wherein the adaptive adjustment circuit adjusts the electrical pulses responsive to an integration function carried out by the in-line charge limiting circuit. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein a magnitude of the electrical pulses is established responsive to the sensor, and a duration of the electrical pulses is established responsive to the in-line charge limiting circuit. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery mechanism comprises a high voltage power generator which generates the electrical pulses using electrical energy supplied by an electrical source. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , characterized as a self-contained projectile that is fired by a base unit, the self-contained projectile operative without a wired connection to the base unit. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the base unit is a shotgun. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is characterized as at least one of an electrical, optical, magnetic, piezoelectric, inductive, proximity or temperature sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the delivery mechanism comprises at least two electrodes, wherein electrode conductive wires interconnect the at least two electrodes to the electrical pulse generator, and wherein the sensor is coupled to at least one of the at least two electrodes. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one sensor conductive wire that is bundled with the electrode conductive wires to provide communication of sensor data from the sensor to the adaptive adjustment circuit. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the sensor communicates sensor data to the adaptive adjustment circuit using the electrode conductive wires during null intervals between the electrical pulses. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the biometric state of the body of the human target determined by the sensor comprises an electrical characteristic or physiological response to the tetanization energy and is independent of geoposition of the human target. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least the delivery mechanism is incorporated into an unmanned system (UxS) comprising one of an unmanned aerial system or an unmanned ground system. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 using a delivery mechanism to apply a sequence of time-varying electrical pulses to a body of a human target, the electrical pulses generated by an electrical pulse generator;   detecting a biometric state of the body of the human target responsive to the applied electrical pulses; and   adaptively adjusting the electrical pulses from the electrical pulse generator responsive to the detected biometric state to maintain a desired level of applied tetanization energy to the body of the human target.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the sensor is delivered to the body of the human target by the delivery mechanism, and wherein the adaptive adjustment circuit adjusts the electrical pulses responsive to operation of the sensor to sense at least a selected one of a target property or a target response of the body of the human target. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the target property comprises an electrical impedance of the body of the human target and wherein the target response comprises at least a selected one of an intramuscular pressure, a contraction force, a contraction rate, a frequency response, an amplitude response, an electromagnetic field characteristic, or a blood flow rate associated with the body of the human target responsive to the application of the electrical pulses. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising integrating an amount of current supplied to the body of the human target during at least one pulse of the electrical pulses and adjusting the applied tetanization energy to maintain a desired total amount of applied electrical charge at a predetermined threshold level. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the sensor is characterized as at least one of an electrical, optical, magnetic, piezoelectric, inductive, proximity or temperature sensor.