Medical Design Briefs - March 2022 - 14

Signal Stimulation
f =
r
1
2π LC
To assist finding a neurological
entraining signal within the brain, a variable
frequency oscillator can be prototyped
on a small circuit board to select
the optimum frequency and beat rates
for Parkinson's applications (i.e.,
patients with signal control modules
may vary beat-delays or frequencies to
help determine what settings work best
for them; see Figure 2). With a slide
switch control paddle, the capacitor C1,
as well as the inductance between pins 1
and 2 within the integrated chip, pa -
tients can vary the phase-shifts of the
beat differential to find a resonant signal
set that attracts a focus on their neuron
firing system enough to help relieve
some of the anxiety occurring within the
patient. This step may vary from person
to person in finding a neurological
entraining set of frequencies and beat
delays. Natural neurological resonance
levels vary from patient to patient. This
process is well known for optimizing
spinal pain modulation tones for pa -
tients with lower back injuries.
Paddle Design. A proposed control
paddle design to personally adjust binaural
beat shifting would be similar to
controllers used for spinal modulation
as well as to those applied to
patients with cervical tension issues.
Hearing Devices. Current methods
of using separate headphones for separated
beats to the right and left ear
have some limitations. Standard audio
headphones can block out other
sounds in a room or in public. An
improvement would be to use coch -
lear hearing methods for bone conduction
to transmit the two binaural signals
to each side of the skull. Tests
have shown that the brain can easily
handle both the audio signals being
processed and the conduction sound
beats from the two sides of the skull.
Standard cochlear transmitters collect
data from a receiving device
mounted behind the ear and then use
digital pulse-modulation through the
skull and jaw bones to an implanted
array inside the cochlea. (Both conductive
and sensorineural hearing devices
are undergoing continual refinements
and design updates, however.) De -
tailed listening of speech can function
through the normal hearing process
while binaural beats are less precise
14
Cov
10Hz to 1500Hz
Frequency in
10Hz to 1500Hz
Frequency in
R1
4.7K
3
2 _
+
R3
9k
Up to 320Hz
Frequency Out
Up to 320Hz
Frequency Out
R3
1
Fig. 2 - Active low pass filer with 320 Hz cutoff frequency.
and require less detailed attention. Studies
are in process to define and determine signal
octaves and variations on beat spread
for optimum improvements.
Currently, a binaural cochlear design
for Parkinson's relief is being tested without
the need for implants inside the
cochlea. Bone-conductive hearing-assist
devices that look like headbands also provide
audio entertainment assistance for
sporting events or watching TV. Boneconductive
headbands can be designed to
receive the binaural signal pair and transmit
separate beats to each side of the skull
with little medical intervention or coch -
lear surgery. The new bone-conduction
technology creates the vibrations and
transmits sound through the bones of the
patient's face directly to the inner ear.
Quality of Life
Results for Parkinson's tremor and
sensory relief is being tested with volunteer
patients. Early indicators suggest
that there are significant mood
improvements that assist in the quality
of life for the patients testing the
devices. Previous studies have shown
that beat separation can relieve the random
neurological firing that causes
anxiety- based tremor and instability. A
more popular approach may be to offer
sets of hearing aids built to process binaural
beat-based music into patient's
ears. A binaural beat generator can
operate similar to bone conduction but
with less equipment. Advanced hearing
aids can process background music
received on Bluetooth wavelengths and
control the audio level at approximately
15 percent, simultaneously
with amplification for voice and outside
sounds at an 85 percent level.
At least one hearing aid company
currently features binaural hearing
systems for focused signal reception
with noise attenuation from other
areas in the room. Binaural beat
hearing aid systems would readily
adapt to daily living. Challenges
being studied include:
* How long will one binaural beats set
assist Parkinson's patients in reducing
neural anxiety?
* Will a control paddle be needed
continuously?
* Will beats be effective over long
periods?
Cochlear hearing. (Credit: AdobeStock)
www.medicaldesignbriefs.com
ToC
These and other questions need
clinical and practical testing to
achieve a more effective way of sustaining
the quality of life of Par -
kinson's patients.
This article was written by Robert
Stanton, Director of Technology at
Omnetics, Minneapolis, MN. For more
information, visit http://info.hotims.
com/82319-341.
Medical Design Briefs, March 2022
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106nF
106nF
R2
1k
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Medical Design Briefs - March 2022

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