Adjustable headpiece with anatomical markers and methods of use thereof
The invention generally relates to an adjustable headpiece with anatomical markers and methods of use thereof. In certain embodiments, the invention provides an apparatus that includes a headpiece configured to be worn on a head of a user. The headpiece includes at least a first receptacle configured to receive and retain a first energy source, and the headpiece is adjustable in at least one direction. There is at least one anatomical marker coupled to the headpiece. In that manner, a position of the receptacle can be adjustably aligned to a region of neural tissue in the head based on an alignment of the at least one anatomical marker with its designated anatomical structure.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
a headpiece configured to be worn on a head of a user and comprising at least a first single receptacle configured to receive and retain both a first energy source and a first portion of a second energy source therein, wherein the first energy source is transcranial ultrasound (TUS) and the second energy source is transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS);
a U-shaped bridging medium at least partially disposed within the first single receptacle and aligned with the first portion of the second energy source;
at least one adjustment mechanism disposed on the headpiece and configured to move the first single receptacle within a 3 dimensional space about the user's head; and
at least one marker physically coupled to the headpiece and configured to be aligned with at least one anatomical structure of the user's head, wherein a position of the first energy source can be adjustably aligned to a target region of neural tissue in the user's head by aligning the at least one marker with its designated anatomical structure with at least one of the plurality of adjustment mechanisms.
2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising the first energy source and the portion of the second energy source.
3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least two markers are arranged about the headpiece to be perpendicular to each other.
4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least two markers are arranged about the headpiece to be 180 degrees with respect to each other.
5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the headpiece further comprises a second receptacle configured to receive and retain a second portion of the second energy source.
6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first single receptacle comprises a safety component operably coupled to the first energy source and the first portion of the second energy source, wherein the safety component is configured to render the first and second energy sources inoperable based on a measured characteristic of a stimulation delivered by the first energy source, the second energy source, or both.
7 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the measured characteristic comprises at least one of stimulation intensity, stimulation duration, temperature, conductivity, a property of the U-shaped bridging medium, a property of the user's scalp, or a property of a connection between the first and second energy sources and the user's scalp.
8 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a transduction mechanism configured to assess a characteristic of the apparatus and control any part of the apparatus.
9 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a second bridging medium disposed within the first single receptacle, wherein the second bridging medium is aligned with the first energy source.
10 . An apparatus comprising:
a headpiece configured to be worn on a head of a user and comprising a first single receptacle configured to receive and retain both a first energy source and a first portion of a second energy source therein and a second receptacle configured to receive and retain a second portion of the second energy source;
a U-shaped bridging medium at least partially disposed within the first single receptacle and aligned with the first portion of the second energy source;
an adjustment mechanism disposed on the headpiece and configured to move at least one of the first single receptacle or the second receptacle within a 3 dimensional space about the user's head; and
at least three markers, each marker being physically coupled to the headpiece and configured to be aligned with at least one anatomical structure of the user's head, wherein a first marker is a nasion marker, a second marker is an inion marker, and a third marker is a first tragus marker, and wherein the apparatus is configured so that a position of at least one of the first energy source or the second energy source can be adjustably aligned relative to a target region of neural tissue in the user's head by aligning the at least three markers with their designated anatomical structures with the adjustment mechanism.
11 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the position of the first energy source receptacle is adjustable and the position of the second energy source receptacle is fixed.
12 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a fourth marker and wherein the fourth marker is a second tragus marker.
13 . The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the first tragus marker aligns to one side of the head and the second tragus marker aligns to the other side of the head.
14 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein alignment of at least two of the markers with their designated anatomical structures automatically orients the first single receptacle relative to the second receptacle so that energy fields produced by the first energy source and the second energy source intersect each other at the target region of neural tissue.
15 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the second energy source comprises a cathode and the second portion of the second energy source comprises an anode, wherein alignment of the first and second receptacles comprises aligning the second portion of the second energy source with the user's primary motor cortex while fixing the first portion of the second energy source above the contralateral orbital.
16 . An apparatus comprising:
a headpiece configured to be worn on a head of a user and comprising at least a first receptacle configured to receive and retain a first energy source;
a U-shaped bridging medium at least partially disposed within the first receptacle;
at least one adjustment mechanism disposed on the headpiece and configured to move the first receptacle within a 3 dimensional space about the user's head;
at least one marker coupled to the headpiece and configured to be aligned with at least one anatomical structure of the user's head, wherein a position of the first energy source can be adjustably aligned to a target region of neural tissue in the user's head by aligning the at least one marker with its designated anatomical structure with the at least one adjustment mechanism; and
a transduction mechanism configured to assess a characteristic of the apparatus and control any part of the apparatus.
17 . The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the first energy source comprises at least one of a mechanical source, an electrical source, a magnetic source, an optical source, a thermal source, Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (TDCS), Transcranial Ultrasound (TUS), Transcranial Doppler Ultrasound (TDUS), Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (TES), Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (TACS), Cranial Electrical Stimulation (CES), Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) or combinations thereof.
18 . The apparatus according to claim 16 , further comprising a locking mechanism that locks adjustability of the headpiece to prevent further adjustment of the headpiece while the apparatus is being worn on the head of the user.
19 . The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the first energy source receptacle comprises a ball joint configured to provide micro-adjustment to the first energy source receptacle.
20 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the transduction mechanism is configured to assess at least one of distance, position, angle, altitude, acceleration, gyroscopic information, velocity, pressure, temperature, force, and/or tightness of any part of the apparatus.
21 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the transduction mechanism is configured to control placement of the first energy source.