Patent No. 5304112 Stress reduction system and method

 

Patent No. 5304112

Stress reduction system and method (Mrklas, et al., Apr 19, 1994)

ASSIGNEE: Theresia A. Mrklas, North Olmsted, OH

Abstract

An integrated stress reduction system detects the stress level of a subject and displays a light pattern reflecting the relationship between the subject's stress level and a target level. At the same time, the system provides relaxing visual, sound, tactile, environmental, and other effects to aid the subject in reducing his or her stress level to the target level. In one preferred embodiment, the intensity, type, and duration of the relaxing effects are controlled by a computer program in response to the measured stress level. The light pattern stress level display uses a laser which is deflected on one axis by a measured stress level signal and on a second axis perpendicular to the first by a target signal representing the target stress level. The pattern produced is more complex when the two signals do not coincide, and becomes a less complex geometric figure as the subject's stress level approaches the target.

Notes:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for reducing stress in a human subject through the production of soothing audio, visual and other sensory effects.

In today's society, men and women live active and often very stressful lives People frequently fail to take the time to relax and, as a result, stress builds up without release causing a variety of physiological and psychological problems. Research has shown that stress can be reduced through the alteration of brain wave patterns which the brain utilizes in order to function. Stimuli such as sound and light can affect and actually alter the flow of these brain wave patterns.

Biofeedback systems are well known in the art for use in detecting levels of stress in subjects and providing the appropriate stimuli to affect and alter the flow of brain wave patterns The biofeedback system monitors and processes bioelectrical signals generated in specific topological regions of a subject's nervous system and produces a sensory stimulus if the system detects the presence or absence of certain characteristics in the signal's wave form patterns. These characteristics may be correlated with a certain desired condition of the subject's nervous system. The sensory stimulus provided by the biofeedback system, typically an audio or visual stimulus, or combination thereof, is fed back to the subject which associates the presence of the stimulus with the goal of achieving the desired condition of its nervous system. By responding to the stimulus, the subject can be trained to control the waveform patterns of the monitored bioelectrical signals and thereby control his or her own nervous system. Such a system is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,616 to Ross.

Because biofeedback devices operate on the basis of internal stimuli, that is, stimuli produced in response to bioelectrical signals generated by the subject, the success of the true biofeedback device is dependent upon a subject attempting to consciously control his or her state of stress. Many people cannot effect such control over their involuntary nervous systems. In addition, biofeedback systems are traditionally quite expensive and require complex equipment.

Prior art devices have attempted to overcome these drawbacks by producing a state of mental harmonization or relaxation in a subject without detecting the subject's state of stress, that is, through the use of a program of external stimuli. In the apparatus and method shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,534 to Stiegler, the subject wears a specially designed helmet through which a programmed combination of lights, colors, words and music is transmitted. U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,502 to Gorges illustrates another type of device for stimulating brain function which does not rely upon a subject's internal stimulus. The device provides stimulation and coordination of whole brain wave function through a combined source of pulsating light in an eye covering mask which locates the light sources adjacent the left and right eyes of a subject and an audio headset which applies sound signals to the left and right ears of the subject. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,826,250 to Adams and 4,640,266 to Levy show systems providing an enclosed chamber in which the subject sits while various stimuli are provided through loudspeakers or on visual displays. However, because none of the above-mentioned systems provide a stress detection method, the stimuli cannot be tailored to a subject's changing state of stress and individual needs.

There is a need for an improved method and apparatus for reducing physiological and psychological stress in people which is readily available to the general public at an affordable cost, which is computer-controllable, which exposes the subject to a fully choreographed stress reduction session, which detects the subject's state of stress and modifies the session in response to any changes, and which effectively reduces stress in the subject without the requirement that the subject effect control over his or her involuntary nervous system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of this invention is to provide a comprehensive stress reduction system for use by the general public.

A further object of the invention is to provide a standalone comprehensive stress reduction system that simultaneously exposes the subject to several different types of sensory phenomena, each designed to produce a relaxing effect.

Another object of the invention is to provide a computer-controlled stress reduction system which orchestrates a fully-choreographed stress reduction session.

It is another object of the invention to provide a computer-controlled system that uses biological sensors to aid the computer in controlling sensory stimuli in response to the subject stress level to thus choreograph a stress reduction session.

A further object of the invention is to provide a relaxation system wherein a subject is supported in an isolating private enclosure also providing sensory stimulation equipment and a stress level indicator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stress reduction facility with a plurality of subject enclosures controlled and monitored from a central operator station.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel system for reducing stress levels having a stress level indicator viewable by a subject which indicates stress level to the subject using a light pattern having complexity related to the stress level.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a laser light pattern generator for a stress reduction system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a laser light pattern generator useful in a stress reduction system having motion controlled on a plurality of axes.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a stress reduction system which displays stress levels using a laser beam deflected in a first axis according to a measured stress level signal and deflected in a second axis according to a target stress level signal.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a stress reduction system having a single used both for displaying general relaxing light patterns and for displaying a particular light pattern having complexity related to the difference between a measured stress level and a target stress level.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a stress reduction system which uses a woven fiber optic fabric to display relaxing color patterns.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of reducing stress in a subject using apparatus constructed according to the previously mentioned objects of the invention.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a method of reducing stress in a subject in which the subject is placed in a comfortable supported position, where the stress level of the subject can be continuously monitored, and a continuous relaxing visual indication of the stress level is provided using a light pattern with a pattern complexity related to the stress level, while other relaxing sensory stimulation is applied to the subject.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of reducing stress in a subject in which a laser is used to provide a patterned visual indication of measured stress level in relation to a target level.

These objects and others are achieved in an integrated stress reduction system which detects the stress level of a subject and displays a light pattern reflecting the relationship between the subject's stress level and a target level. At the same time, the system provides relaxing visual, sound, tactile, environmental, and other effects to aid the subject in reducing his or her stress level to the target level. In one preferred embodiment, the intensity, type, and duration of the relaxing effects are controlled by a computer program in response to the measured stress level. The light pattern stress level display uses a laser which is deflected on one axis by a measured stress level signal and on a second axis perpendicular to the first by a target signal representing the target stress level. The pattern produced will be more complex when the two signals do not coincide, and will become a less complex geometric figure as the subject's stress level approaches the target.