Vestibular Stimulation System and Method
An apparatus and method in which the portions of the labyrinth associated with the labyrinthine sense and/or the nerves associated therewith are stimulated to perform at least one of the following functions: augment or control a patient's respiratory function, open the patient's airway, induce sleep, and/or counteract vertigo. In one embodiment, the vestibular stimulating system of the present invention includes 1) a stimulation element that performs the actual stimulation of the tissue, 2) a sensor to detect a physiological condition of the patient, and 3) a power/control unit that receives the signals provided by the sensor and causes stimulation energy to be provided to the stimulation element at an appropriate timing, level, pattern, and/or frequency to achieve the desired function. However, the present invention also contemplates eliminating the sensor in favor of applying a predetermined pattern of stimulation to the patient.
1 . A vestibular stimulation system comprising:
a power supply;
a first, non-invasive electrode adapted to be disposed on a surface of a patient proximate to such a patient's vestibular system;
a second, non-invasive electrode adapted to be disposed on a surface of such a patient;
a control unit operatively coupled to the power supply, the first electrode, and the second electrode, wherein the control unit controls an application of the stimulation energy from the power supply to at least a portion of such a patient's vestibular system via the first or second electrodes, so as to induce a sleep in such a patient by causing varying current waveform to be provided between the first and the second electrodes.
2 . A system according to claim 1 , further comprising a position sensor to detect a position of such a patient, and wherein the control unit controls the application of stimulation energy based on an output of the position sensor.
3 . A system according to claim 1 , further comprising sleep detecting means for determining when such a patient is asleep, and wherein the control unit controls the application of stimulation energy based on an output of the sleep determining means.
4 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the varying current waveform applied between the first and the second electrodes has a single polarity or an alternating polarity.
5 . A vestibular stimulation system comprising:
a power supply;
a first pair of non-invasive electrodes adapted to be disposed on a surface of a patient such that each electrode is proximate to a vestibular system of such a patient;
a control unit operatively coupled to the power supply and the first pair of electrodes, wherein the control unit controls an application of the stimulation energy from the power supply to at least a portion of such a patient's vestibular system via the first pair of electrodes so as to induce sleep in such a patient by causing a first waveform having a varying current to be provided between the electrodes in the first pair of electrodes.
6 . A system according to claim 5 , wherein the first waveform applied between the electrodes in the first pair of electrodes has a single polarity or an alternating polarity.
7 . A system according to claim 5 , further comprising a position sensor to detect a position of such a patient, and wherein the control unit controls the application of stimulation energy to the first pair of electrodes based on an output of the position sensor.
8 . A system according to claim 5 , further comprising sleep detecting means for determining when the patient is asleep, and wherein the control unit controls the application of stimulation energy to the first pair of electrodes based on an output of the sleep determining means.
9 . A system according to claim 5 , wherein the first pair of electrode are adapted to be disposed on a first side of such a patient proximate a right vestibular system, and further comprising a second pair of non-invasive electrodes adapted to be disposed on a surface on a second side of such a patient proximate to a left vestibular system, and wherein the control unit controls an application of the stimulation energy from the power supply to at least a portion of such a patient's vestibular system via the second pair of electrodes so as to induce sleep in such a patient by causing a second waveform having a varying current to be provided between the electrodes in the second pair of electrodes.
10 . A system according to claim 9 , wherein the first waveform applied between the electrodes in the first pair of electrodes and the second waveform applied between the electrode in the second pair of electrodes has a single polarity or an alternating polarity.
11 . A system according to claim 9 , wherein the first waveform and the second waveform are identical so that the first and the second pair of electrode receive identical stimulation energy.
12 . A system according to claim 9 , wherein the first waveform and the second waveform are different from one another.
13 . A system according to claim 9 , wherein the control unit causes the system to operate in a first stimulating pattern in which the first waveform is provided between the electrodes in the first pair of electrodes and no stimulation energy is provided to the second pair of electrodes and in a second stimulating pattern in which the second waveform is provided between the electrodes in the second pair of electrodes and no stimulation energy is provided to the first pair of electrodes, and wherein the control unit periodically switches between the first stimulating state and the second stimulating state.
14 . A vestibular stimulation method comprising:
providing a first, non-invasive electrode disposed on a surface of a patient proximate to such a patient's vestibular system;
providing a second, non-invasive electrode disposed on a surface of such a patient;
applying stimulation energy in the form of varying current waveform provided between the first and the second electrodes so as to induce sleep in such a patient.
15 . A method according to claim 14 , wherein the varying current waveform has a single polarity or an alternating polarity.
16 . A method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
detecting a position of such a patient; and
controlling the application of stimulation energy to the first and the second electrodes based on the position of such a patient.
17 . A method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
determining when such a patient is asleep; and
controlling the application of stimulation energy to the first and the second electrodes based on an output of the sleep determining means.
18 . A vestibular stimulation method comprising:
providing a first pair of non-invasive electrodes on a surface of a patient proximate to a vestibular system such that each electrode is proximate to a vestibular system of such a patient;
applying stimulation energy to at least a portion of such a patient's vestibular system via the first pair of electrodes, so as to induce sleep in such a patient, by causing a first waveform having a varying current to be provided between the electrodes in the first pair of electrodes.
19 . A method according to claim 18 , wherein the first waveform applied between the electrodes in the first pair of electrodes has a single polarity or an alternating polarity.
20 . A method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
detecting a position of such a patient; and
controlling the application of stimulation energy to the first pair of electrodes based on the position of the patient.
21 . A method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
determining when such a patient is asleep; and
controlling the application of stimulation energy to the first and the second electrodes based on an output of the sleep determining means.
22 . A method according to claim 18 , further comprising:
providing a second pair of non-invasive electrodes disposed on a surface of a patient proximate to a vestibular system on second side of such a patient; and
applying stimulation energy to at least a portion of such a patient's vestibular system via the second pair of electrodes, so as to induce a rocking sensation in such a patient, by causing a second waveform having a varying current to be provided between the electrodes in the second pair of electrodes.
23 . A method according to claim 22 , wherein the first waveform applied between the electrodes in the first pair of electrodes has a single polarity or an alternating polarity and wherein the second waveform applied between the electrodes in the second pair of electrodes has a single polarity or an alternating polarity.
24 . A method according to claim 22 , wherein the first waveform and the second waveform are identical so that the first and the second pair of electrode receive identical stimulation energy.