System and method for reducing stress
A method for providing a therapeutic benefit to a person is disclosed which includes a processor that executes a first function to determine a physiological parameter from one or more physiological sensors positioned on the person and then the processor executes a second function to determine at least one second physiological parameter from the one or more physiological sensors or an environmental parameter from one or more environmental sensors associated with the location of the person. Next, the processor uses either the first and second physiological parameters or the first physiological parameter and the environmental parameter to determine whether to apply bi-lateral stimulation to the person; activating first and second stimulators positioned bi-laterally on the person to initiate bi-lateral stimulation for a therapeutically effective time period when the processor determines to apply bi-lateral stimulation.
1. A method for providing a therapeutic benefit to a conscious and active person, comprising:
at a processor, executing a first function to determine at least one physiological parameter from a plurality of physiological sensors positioned bilaterally on the person and executing a Kalman filter function on data received from the plurality of physiological sensors to filter the data received from the plurality of physiological sensors;
at the processor, executing a second function to determine at least one environmental parameter from a plurality of environmental sensors positioned bilaterally on the person and associated with a location of the person;
at the processor, determining, using at least one physiological parameter and at least one environmental parameter, whether to apply bi-lateral tactile stimulation to the person;
at the processor, activating first and second stimulators positioned bi-laterally on the person to initiate bi-lateral tactile stimulation for a therapeutically effective time period when the processor determines to apply bi-lateral tactile stimulation.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, at the processor, determining whether the bi-lateral tactile stimulation has mitigated stress in the person.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising, at the processor, modifying the bi-lateral tactile stimulation and applying the modified bi-lateral tactile stimulation for a second therapeutically effective time period.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the processor causes the modified bi-lateral tactile stimulation to be substantially uniform in speed and intensity during the second therapeutically effective time period.
5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the processor causes the modified bi-lateral tactile stimulation to be substantially uniform in speed and increase in intensity during the second therapeutically effective time period.
6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the processor causes the modified bi-lateral tactile stimulation to be substantially uniform in intensity and increase in speed during the second therapeutically effective time period.
7. The method of claim 3 , wherein the processor causes the modified bi-lateral tactile stimulation to increase in intensity and speed during the second therapeutically effective time period.
8. The method of claim 3 , wherein the processor causes the modified bi-lateral tactile stimulation to be substantially uniform in intensity and decrease in speed during the second therapeutically effective time period.
9. The method of claim 3 , wherein the processor causes the modified bi-lateral tactile stimulation to be substantially uniform in speed and decrease in intensity during the second therapeutically effective time period.
10. The method of claim 1 , where activating the first and second stimulators comprises the processor activating the first and second stimulators positioned bi-laterally on the person to initiate bi-lateral continuous stimulation for the therapeutically effective time period.
11. The method of claim 1 , where activating the first and second stimulators comprises the processor activating the first and second stimulators positioned bi-laterally on the person to initiate bi-lateral asynchronous stimulation for the therapeutically effective time period.
12. A system for providing a therapeutic benefit to a person, comprising:
first and second tactile stimulators configured to be bi-laterally positioned in therapeutic contact with a body of the person;
a plurality of physiological sensors coupled to the first and second tactile stimulators;
a plurality of environmental sensors coupled to the first and second tactile stimulators;
a processor communicably coupled to the first and second tactile simulators, the plurality of physiological sensors and the plurality of environmental sensors, the processor configured to:
execute a first function to determine at least one physiological parameter from the plurality of physiological sensors configured to be positioned on the person and executing a Kalman filter function on data received from the plurality of physiological sensors to filter the data received from the plurality of physiological sensors;
execute a second function to determine at least one environmental parameter from the plurality of environmental sensors configured to be positioned bilaterally on the person and associated with the location of the person;
determine, using at least one physiological parameter and at least one environmental parameter, whether to apply bi-lateral tactile stimulation to the person; and
activate the first and second stimulators configured to be positioned bi-laterally on the person to initiate bi-lateral tactile stimulation for a therapeutically effective time period when the processor determines to apply bi-lateral tactile stimulation.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first and second tactile stimulators comprise vibrating elements.
14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the first and second tactile stimulators are communicably coupled to the processor via wireless communication.
15. The system of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first and second tactile stimulators are mounted in hand-held devices.
16. The system of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first and second tactile stimulators are mounted in wearable devices.
17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor operates to apply a second stimulation prior to cessation of a first stimulation.
18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor operates to vary at least one of stimulation speed and stimulation intensity over the therapeutically effective time period.