SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCING OR REHABILITATING THE COGNITIVE SKILLS OF A SUBJECT

Abstract

A system for enhancing or rehabilitating cognitive skills of a subject includes a wearable optical instrument provided with at least one prismatic lens that diverts a beam of light rays coming from a visual target stimulus to induce a vision perturbation thereof by the subject, and at least one housing seat that rotatably supports the at least one prismatic lens.

Claims

1-18. (canceled)

19. A system for cognitive enhancement or rehabilitation of a subject, the system comprising: a screen for displaying a visual target stimulus; an electronic image generation unit, programmed to generate a predetermined sequence of visual target stimuli for focusing the subject's gaze, in a variable position on an area of the screen; aiming sensor means configured to detect aiming of the visual target stimulus by the subject; an optical instrument wearable by said subject, comprising at least one prismatic lens configured to divert a beam of light rays coming from the visual target stimulus so as to induce a vision perturbation of the visual target stimulus to the subject, said optical instrument further comprising a housing seat for said at least one prismatic lens, configured to rotatably support said at least one prismatic lens; recording means for recording aiming movements and/or an aiming position by the subject in association with each visual target stimulus; processing means for determining an amount of deviation of said aiming position with respect to a displayed position of the visual target stimulus; and storage means for storing data indicative of a cognitive profile of the subject and of an orientation of the at least one prismatic lens suitable for inducing a predetermined vision perturbation of the visual target stimulus to the subject associated with a predetermined therapeutic effect on the subject; said processing means being configured to determine which orientation of the at least one prismatic lens is necessary to induce the predetermined therapeutic effect according to the cognitive profile of the subject.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processing means are configured to compare the amount of deviation of the aiming position with respect to the displayed position of the visual target stimulus with the predetermined vision perturbation of the visual target stimulus to the subject associated with a predetermined therapeutic effect on the subject as a function of the cognitive profile stored by the storage means.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processing means are configured to interact with the optical instrument to orient the at least one prismatic lens so as to induce said predetermined vision perturbation of the visual target stimulus to the subject associated with a predetermined therapeutic effect, the system comprising actuator means operated by the processing means and configured to rotate the at least one prismatic lens in a respective housing seat.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the cognitive profile of the subject includes information indicative of state of health and/or disturbances felt by the subject.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein said electronic image generation unit is programmed to generate said predetermined sequence of visual target stimuli alternatively in a central position on the area of the screen, in a position belonging to a first lateral portion of the screen and in a position belonging to a second lateral portion of the screen opposite to the first lateral portion with respect to an axis of vertical symmetry of the screen.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein said aiming sensor means include a mouse or a tactile surface of said screen.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein said electronic image generation unit is controlled by said processing means to display a visual target stimulus on the screen for a variable time or as long as said processing means determine a substantial coincidence of said aiming position with respect to the displayed position of the visual target stimulus.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein said at least one prismatic lens is configured to filter determined wavelengths of said beam of light rays coming from the visual target stimulus.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said at least one prismatic lens is configured to filter only light radiation of wavelength in a range comprised between 620 nm and 750 nm or in a range comprised between 450 nm and 480 nm.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein said optical instrument is a pair of glasses, comprising a frame that includes said housing seat of said at least one prismatic lens configured to rotatably support said at least one prismatic lens.

29. The system of claim 19, wherein said optical instrument is a virtual reality viewer with at least one integrated prismatic lens.

30. The system of claim 19, wherein said predetermined sequence of visual target stimuli comprises at least one of images of circular shape, alphabet letters, numbers, words, drawings.

31. The system of claim 19, wherein the electronic image generation unit is configured to transmit to the optical instrument a signal representative of a visual target stimulus with a frequency of 10 Hz or 40 Hz.

32. The system of claim 19, wherein the system further comprises an electronic unit for generating an electromagnetic signal of an acoustic stimulus, configured to transmit said electromagnetic signal of an acoustic stimulus to receiving means coupled to said optical instrument, said receiving means being configured to convert said electromagnetic signal of an acoustic stimulus into at least one acoustic stimulus at at least one frequency audible by the subject, for conditioning the subject in a way complementary to said visual target stimulus.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said at least one frequency audible by the subject is a frequency variable between 40 Hz and 80 Hz.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein said receiving means coupled to said optical instrument are configured to emit a monoaural acoustic stimulus and/or a binaural acoustic stimulus.

35. A method for enhancing or rehabilitating cognitive skills of a subject, the method comprising: a) providing a system comprising: a screen for displaying a visual target stimulus; an electronic image generation unit, programmed to generate a predetermined sequence of visual target stimuli for focusing the subject's gaze, in a variable position on an area of the screen; aiming sensor means configured to detect aiming of the visual target stimulus by the subject; an optical instrument wearable by said subject, comprising at least one prismatic lens configured to divert a beam of light rays coming from the visual target stimulus so as to induce a vision perturbation of the visual target stimulus to the subject, said optical instrument further comprising a housing seat for said at least one prismatic lens configured to rotatably support said at least one prismatic lens; recording means for recording aiming movements and/or an aiming position by the subject in association with each visual target stimulus; processing means for determining an amount of deviation of said aiming position with respect to a displayed position of the visual target stimulus; and storage means for storing data indicative of a cognitive profile of the subject and of an orientation of the at least one prismatic lens suitable for inducing a predetermined vision perturbation of the visual target stimulus to the subject associated with a predetermined therapeutic effect on the subject; said processing means being configured to determine which orientation of the at least one prismatic lens is necessary to induce the predetermined therapeutic effect according to the cognitive profile of the subject; b) storing data indicative of the cognitive profile of the subject; c) predetermining a therapeutic effect to be achieved on the subject, and storing data indicative of the orientation of the at least one prismatic lens suitable for inducing a predetermined vision perturbation of the visual target stimulus to the subject associated with said predetermined therapeutic effect on the subject according to said cognitive profile; d) generating a visual target stimulus and making said visual target stimulus visible on the screen; e) detecting aiming of the visual target stimulus by the subject; f) recording the aiming movements and/or the aiming position by the subject in association with each visual target stimulus; g) determining the amount of deviation, in degrees of visual angle, of said aiming position with respect to the displayed position of the visual target stimulus; and h) determining the orientation of the at least one prismatic lens suitable for inducing said predetermined vision perturbation of the visual target stimulus to the subject associated with a predetermined therapeutic effect on the subject according to said cognitive profile.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising comparing the amount of deviation of the aiming position with respect to the displayed position of the visual target stimulus with the predetermined vision perturbation of the visual target stimulus to the subject associated with a predetermined therapeutic effect on the subject as a function of the cognitive profile stored by the storage means.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The functional and structural features of some preferred embodiments of a system and a method for cognitive enhancement or rehabilitation according to the invention will now be described. Reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0029] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a wearable optical instrument forming part of the system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] FIG. 2 is an exploded schematic view of the optical instrument of FIG. 1;

[0031] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a user who interfaces with a system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a possible way of generating the visual target stimuli, presented in this case along a visual arc of 42° with respect to the subject; and

[0033] FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams of two possible ways of generating acoustic stimuli, respectively for a monaural and binaural stimulation of the subject.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Before explaining a plurality of embodiments of the invention in detail, it should be noted that the invention is not limited in its application to the construction details and to the configuration of the components presented in the following description or shown in the drawings. The invention can take other embodiments and be implemented or practically carried out in different ways. It should also be understood that the phraseology and terminology are for descriptive purpose and are not to be construed as limiting.

[0035] Referring by way of example to FIG. 1, a system 9 for enhancing or rehabilitating the cognitive skills of a subject comprises an optical instrument 10 wearable by such subject, including at least a prismatic lens 12 adapted to divert a beam of light rays coming from a visual target stimulus T in such a way as to induce a perturbation of the vision of said visual target stimulus T by the subject.

[0036] The wearable optical instrument 10 comprises a housing seat 14 for the at least one prismatic lens 12, adapted to rotatably support the latter.

[0037] Conveniently, the prismatic lens 12 may be coupled to a ring nut or ring 13, rotatably housed in the housing seat 14.

[0038] The system further comprises a screen 16 for displaying a visual target stimulus T, which may be a projection screen, a computer monitor or a tablet, etc.; an electronic image generation unit, programmed to generate a predetermined sequence of visual target stimuli T intended for focusing the subject's gaze, in a variable position on the area of the screen 16; aiming sensor means arranged to detect the aiming of the visual target stimulus by the subject (aiming which can be carried out by the subject for example by means of a mouse or finger); recording means, arranged for recording the aiming movements and/or aiming position by the subject in association with each visual target stimulus T; and processing means for determining the amount of deviation of said aiming position with respect to the displayed position of the visual target stimulus T. By way of example, such amount of deviation may be determined in degrees of visual angle, and/or may consist in detecting the side of the screen 16 towards which the subject's gaze deviates with respect to the displayed position of the visual target stimulus (for example, assuming that the subject's gaze deviates more to the right or to the left with respect to the displayed position of the visual target stimulus T).

[0039] Storage means are also provided, adapted to store data indicative of a cognitive profile of the subject and of an orientation of the at least one prismatic lens 12 adapted to induce a vision perturbation of the visual target stimulus T by the subject associated with a predetermined therapeutic effect on the subject.

[0040] The processing means are arranged to determine which orientation of the at least one prismatic lens 12 is necessary to induce the predetermined therapeutic effect according to the cognitive profile of the subject. In other words, the processing means associate the cognitive profile with the orientation or adjustment of the prismatic lens 12 adapted to achieve a therapeutic effect functional to such a cognitive profile.

[0041] The subject's cognitive profile includes information indicative of his/her state of health and/or disorders felt by the subject, and may already be available before the procedure, so that the data is preloaded in the storage means, or the cognitive profile may be acquired by means of the procedure, so that the subject's response to the visual target stimulus is processed by the processing means, which derive data indicative of the cognitive profile, which is then stored by the storage means. In general, the subject's cognitive profile is acquired through neuropsychological and cognitive tests, such as questions asked to the subject, examination of his/her clinical past, etc., and coded in a series of information that can be stored by the storage means.

[0042] A therapeutic effect to be achieved is therefore predetermined, according to the subject's cognitive profile (enhancement or rehabilitation of skills such as attention, language, motor skills, short and long-term memory, etc.); the desired therapeutic effect is associated with an orientation or degree of adjustment of the at least one prismatic lens 12, capable of inducing a corresponding perturbation of the vision of the visual target stimulus by the subject (according to methods illustrated by way of example in the continuation of the present description). The processing means, by comparing the subject's cognitive profile with the desired therapeutic effect, determine the optimal orientation to be given to the at least one prismatic lens 12.

[0043] Conveniently, the processing means are arranged to compare the amount of deviation of the aiming position with respect to the displayed position of the visual target stimulus T, with the predetermined perturbation associated with a predetermined therapeutic effect on the subject as a function of the cognitive profile stored by the storage means. In this way, it becomes possible, for example, to acquire the subject's cognitive profile (and/car to determine the orientation of the prismatic lenses 12 to achieve the desired therapeutic effect), and to verify the correspondence of the subject's reaction to the expected therapeutic effect (and, if this correspondence is insufficient, the processing means could determine how the orientation of the at least one prismatic lens 12 should be modified).

[0044] According to an embodiment, the processing means are arranged to interact with the optical instrument 10 to orient the at least one prismatic lens 12 so as to induce said predetermined vision perturbation of the visual target stimulus T by the subject associated with a predetermined therapeutic effect. Actuator means (not shown) may therefore be present, operated by the processing means and adapted to rotate the prismatic lens 12 in the respective housing seat 14, Conveniently, the electronic image generation unit is programmed to generate said visual target stimuli T alternatively in a central position on the area of the screen 16, in a position belonging to a first side portion of the screen 16 and in a position belonging to a second lateral portion of the screen 16 opposite to the first portion with respect to an axis of vertical symmetry.

[0045] The aiming sensor means may include a mouse or a tactile surface of the display screen 16.

[0046] Moreover, the electronic image generation unit is controlled by said processing means to display a visual target stimulus T on the screen 16 or for a variable time or as long as said processing means determine a substantial coincidence of said aiming position with respect to the displayed position of the visual target stimulus T.

[0047] According to an embodiment, the at least one prismatic lens 12 is arranged to filter determined wavelengths of the beam of light rays coming from the visual target stimulus T. For example, the at least one prismatic lens 12 may be arranged to transmit a wavelength of said beam of light rays belonging to an interval of the electromagnetic spectrum corresponding to the red, orange or blue color, Preferably, the at least one prismatic lens 12 is arranged to filter only light radiation of wavelength in a range comprised between 620 and 750 nm or in a range comprised between 450 and 480 nm.

[0048] According to a preferred embodiment, the wearable optical instalment 10 is a pair of glasses, comprising a frame 10a which includes said housing seat 14 of said at least one prismatic lens 12. Conveniently, the frame 10a is configured to rotatably support a pair of prismatic lenses 12.

[0049] The frame 10a may comprise one or more of the following elements: a central body 10b, to which one or more lateral frames 10c which house the housing seats 14 are connected, an internal rubber 10d, which can be coupled to the central body 10b to increase the comfort of the wearer, and one or more temples 10e to support the lenses 12 once worn.

[0050] According to an alternative embodiment, the wearable optical instrument 10 is a virtual reality viewer with at least one integrated prismatic lens 12.

[0051] Conveniently, the visual stimuli T comprise at least one of circular images, letters of the alphabet, numbers, words, drawings.

[0052] According to an embodiment, the electronic image generation unit is arranged to transmit to the optical instrument 10 a signal corresponding to a visual target stimulus T with a frequency of 10 Hz or 40 Hz.

[0053] According to a further embodiment, the system comprises an electronic unit for generating an electromagnetic signal of an acoustic stimulus, arranged to transmit such electromagnetic signal of an acoustic stimulus to receiving means (not shown) coupled to the wearable optical instrument, which are adapted to convert the electromagnetic signal of an acoustic stimulus into at least one acoustic stimulus at at least one frequency audible by the subject, for conditioning the subject in a way complementary to the visual stimulus.

[0054] For example, the receiving means may be mountable on, or integrated in, one or both the temples 10e of the optical instrument 10, and may conveniently be powered by a battery which can in turn be incorporated in the temple 10e. The receiving means may be associated with a headset (for example, of the Bluetooth type) adapted to transmit the acoustic stimulus to the user's ear.

[0055] Optionally, the receiving means coupled to the wearable optical instrument are controlled to emit a monoaural acoustic stimulus and/or a binaural acoustic stimulus. According to one embodiment, the frequency audible by the subject is a frequency variable between 40 and 80 Hz.

[0056] As shown by way of example in FIGS. 5A and 5B, it is for example possible to obtain a left or right monaural stimulation (FIG. 5A) by transmitting to the receiving means sounds at different frequencies, for example a sound A at the frequency of 440 Hz, and a sound B at the frequency 480 Hz, so as to obtain a sound C at the resulting frequency of 40 Hz. Similarly, simultaneous binaural stimulation (FIG. 5B) may be obtained by transmitting sounds A, B at the frequency of 480 Hz. Again, a sound C will be obtained at the resulting frequency of 401 Hz.

[0057] Some examples of a rehabilitation procedure in which a system according to the present invention can be used, are given below, to illustrate more fully the effects and potential of this system.

[0058] For example, to enhance the excitability of the right cerebral hemisphere, it is possible to provide for the induction of a deviation of the visual field towards the right space, for example by rotating the prismatic lenses 12 so that the apices are located on the right side, that is, with the apex of the left prism in the nasal (internal) position and the apex of the right prism in the temporal (external) position. The adaptation step is carried out with aiming movements towards conveniently circular stimuli (for example, with a diameter of about 1″ of visual angle). The post-adaptation step may always be carried out with aiming movements towards the same stimuli. In the post-adaptation step, the subject will have a deviation towards the left space, which causes an increase in the excitability of the right hemisphere.

[0059] Likewise, to enhance the excitability of the left cerebral hemisphere, it is possible to provide for the induction of a deviation of the visual field towards the left space, for example by rotating the lenses so that the apices are located on the left side, that is, with the apex of the left prism in the temporal (external) position and the apex of the right prism in the nasal (internal) position. The adaptation step is carried out with aiming movements towards circular stimuli (diameter: about 1° of visual angle). The post-adaptation step may always be carried out with aiming movements towards the same stimuli. In the post-adaptation step, the subject will have a deviation towards the right space, which causes an increase in the excitability of the left hemisphere.

[0060] It is also possible to induce an underestimation of time intervals, by inducing a deviation of the visual field as described above. The adaptation step may be carried out by presenting a conveniently circular stimulus (for example, with a diameter of about 1° of visual angle) in a central position with respect to the median sagittal plane of the subject's trunk, of fixed duration, randomly selected by software, and around 2000 ms. The subject is asked to make an aiming movement towards this stimulus. This stimulus is called “standard stimulus,” The subsequent stimuli, with the same visual characteristics as the first, conveniently have a variable duration, randomly selected by software, lower or higher than the standard stimulus, with minimum differences of 200 ms and maximum of 400 ms, and are always presented centrally located. These stimuli are called “test” stimuli. In this procedure the subject will have to make aiming movements towards a fixed stimulus (for example a vertical bar, having a height of about 1° of visual angle) located in the left space (suitably, up to −21°) if he/she deems that the duration of the test stimulus is less than that of the standard stimulus, and towards a stimulus located in the right space (suitably, up to +21°) if he/she deems that the duration of the test stimulus is greater than that of the standard stimulus.

[0061] The post-adaptation step may always be carried out with aiming movements towards the same stimuli, according to the procedure described above. In the post-adaptation step, the subject will have a deviation towards the left space, which will determine an effect of underestimation in time.

[0062] It is also possible to induce a facilitation of the phonological or semantic verbal fluidity by inducing a deviation of the visual field. The adaptation step is carried out with the induction of a deviation of the visual field towards the left space, for example by rotating the lenses so that the apices are located on the left side, that is, with the apex of the left prism in the temporal (external) position and the apex of the right prism in the nasal (internal) position. During and after the adaptation step, the subject will be able to perform verbal and phonological fluency tasks, composing words that begin with a specific letter of the alphabet or that correspond to a specific semantic category, by aiming movements towards various positions of the screen in which letters of the alphabet are displayed.

[0063] To induce a facilitation of verbal short-term memory, the adaptation step is carried out with the induction of a deviation of the visual field towards the left space, for example by rotating the lenses so that the apices are located on the left side, that is, with the apex of the left prism in the temporal (external) position and the apex of the right prism in the nasal (internal) position. During and after the adaptation step, the subject will be able to perform tasks of reproducing increasing sequences of numbers or symbols previously displayed, by aiming movements towards various positions of the screen in which the aforementioned stimuli are present.

[0064] To induce a spatial short-term memory facilitation, the adaptation step is carried out by the induction of a deviation of the visual field towards the right space, for example by rotating the lenses so that the apices are located on the right side, that is, with the apex of the left prism in the nasal (internal) position and the apex of the right prism in the temporal (external) position. During and after the adaptation step, the subject will be able to perform tasks of reproducing increasing sequences of spatial positions, identified by previously displayed visual stimuli, by aiming movements towards various screen positions corresponding to the coded spatial positions.

[0065] To induce a long-term verbal memory facilitation, or a neuro-immunomodulation process, the adaptation step is carried out by the induction of a deviation of the visual field towards the left space, for example by rotating the lenses so that the apices are located on the left side, that is, with the apex of the left prism in the temporal (external) position and the apex of the right prism in the nasal (internal) position. During and after the adaptation step, the subject will be able to perform reproduction/re-enactment or recognition of sequences of numbers, words, faces, buildings previously displayed in sequences that exceed the short-term memory span, by aiming movements to various positions of the screen in which the aforetnentioned stimuli to be held in memory are displayed.

[0066] For each of the proposed procedures, the software can automatically analyze the performance of the subjects in the proposed task, with or without glasses, and provide a score value both raw and corrected by age and schooling. For each test, the adjusted scores can therefore be displayed on a 5-level scale (from 0 to 4).

[0067] Various aspects and embodiments of a rehabilitation system and method according to the invention have been described. It is understood that each embodiment may be combined with any other embodiment. The invention, moreover, is not limited to the described embodiments, but may be varied within the scope defined by the appended claims.