HK1243297B - Apparatus to gather electroencephalographic data - Google Patents

Description

Equipment used to collect EEG data

This application is a divisional application of the original invention patent application with application number 201480001432.2 (International application number: PCT/US2014/020255, application date: March 4, 2014, invention name: Method and device for collecting and analyzing electroencephalogram data).

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to neural and physiological monitoring and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for collecting and analyzing electroencephalographic (EEG) data.

Background Art

Electroencephalography (EEG) involves measuring and recording the electrical activity caused by thousands of simultaneous neurites associated with different parts of the brain. EEG data is typically measured using multiple electrodes placed on the human scalp to measure the voltage fluctuations caused by this electrical activity within the brain's neurons. Subcranial EEG can measure electrical activity with high precision. Although the bones and dermis of the human head tend to weaken the transmission of a wide range of frequencies, surface EEG also provides useful electrophysiological information.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention relates to a device for collecting electroencephalographic data, the device comprising: a band to be worn on a person's head; a first strap that is adjustably connected to the band; a first set of electrodes that are connected to the first strap to collect a first set of signals from the head; and a magnetic fastener that connects the first strap to the band, the magnetic fastener comprising: a first shell that is connected to the band; a first magnetic element that is connected to the first shell; a second shell that is connected to the first strap; and a second magnetic element that is connected to the second shell, the second magnetic element being magnetically connected to the first magnetic element.

The first magnetic element is integral with the first housing.

The first housing includes an aperture for receiving the strap.

The first housing is adjustably connected to the strap.

The first housing includes a protrusion for receiving the strap.

The protrusion comprises a leaf spring.

The first strap is adjustably connected to the second housing.

The apparatus further comprises a support to which the first strap is slidably connected.

The device also includes a second strap having a second set of electrodes, the second strap adjustably connected to the belt and slidably connected to the support.

The first strap and the second strap are independently adjustable relative to the belt.

The first strap and the second strap are independently slidable relative to the support.

The device also includes a processor, and the first set of electrodes is communicatively coupled to the processor.

The device also includes a first reference electrode communicatively coupled to the processor.

The first reference electrode is connected to a first terminal having a first connector, and the first terminal is connectable to the processor.

The first connector includes a magnetic connector.

The first connector includes a first pin and the processor includes a first hole for receiving the first pin.

The device also includes a second reference electrode communicatively coupled to the processor, the second reference electrode connected to a second terminal having a second connector, the second terminal connected to at least one of the processor and the first terminal.

The second connector includes a magnetic connector.

The first connector includes a first pin, the processor includes a first hole for receiving the first pin, the second connector includes a second pin, and the first connector includes a second hole for receiving the second pin.

One of the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element includes a metal plate, and the other of the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element includes a magnet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

1A illustrates a perspective view of an example headset with example removable straps for collecting EEG signals in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure.

1B illustrates a side view of the example head mounted equipment shown in FIG. 1A with an example removable strap.

2 is an enlarged view of an example fastener of an example strap of the example headgear of FIGS. 1A and 1B .

3A is a perspective top view of the example female connector of the example fastener of FIG. 2 .

3B is a perspective bottom view of the example female connector shown in FIG. 3A .

4A is a perspective top view of the example female connector of the example fastener of FIG. 2 .

4B is a perspective bottom view of the example female connector shown in FIG. 4A .

5 is an exploded view of the example fastener of FIG. 2 .

6 illustrates a perspective view of an example electrode holder in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exploded view of the example electrode holder shown in FIG. 6 .

8A is a perspective view of the example electrode clip of FIG. 6 partially bent about a midpoint.

8B is a perspective top view of the example electrode clip of FIG. 6 bent about a midpoint.

8C is a perspective side view of the example clip of FIG. 6 bent about a midpoint.

9 is a block diagram of example circuitry in the head-mounted equipment of FIG. 1 .

10 is a flow diagram representing example instructions, at least some of which are machine-readable, for implementing an example head-mounted device with movable and adjustable straps and collecting EEG data in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure.

11 is a flow diagram representative of example machine readable instructions for analyzing EEG data collected from an example head mounted device with removable and adjustable straps in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure.

12 illustrates an example processor platform that may execute one or more instructions of FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 to implement any or all of the example methods, systems, and/or apparatus disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain examples are shown in the figures identified above and disclosed in detail below. In describing these examples, similar or identical reference numerals are used to identify the same or similar elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale and certain figures and certain views of these figures may be exaggerated in proportion or shown schematically for the sake of clarity and/or simplicity. In addition, many examples are described throughout this specification.

Biological cells and tissues have electrical properties that can be measured to obtain information about the function of the cells or tissues. Various types of electrophysiological techniques have been developed to measure electrical signals from the human body. For example, an electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) measures electrical activity in the heart. An electroencephalogram (EEG) measures electrical activity in the brain. An electrocorticogram (ECoG) measures electrical activity using electrodes placed directly on the exposed surface of the brain to record electrical activity in the cerebral cortex. An electromyogram (EMG) measures electrical activity in the muscles. An electrooculogram (EOG) measures the resting potential of the retina, and an electroretinogram measures the electrical response of retinal cells. These and/or other electrophysiological signals are important in treating, diagnosing, and monitoring many health conditions.

EEG data characterizes the electrical activity of neurons, including depolarization of nerves in the brain due to stimulation of one or more of the five senses (excitation activity) and from thought processes (spontaneous activity) that produce electrical activity in the brain. The sum of these electrical activities (e.g., brain waves) propagates to the surface (e.g., scalp) and can be detected using brain waves. The flow of current in the human body is due to the flow of ions. Therefore, biopotential electrodes are used to form an electrical double layer with the human skin to sense ion distribution.

EEG data can be categorized into various bands. Brainwave frequencies include delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma frequency ranges. Delta waves are categorized as being less than approximately 4 hertz (Hz) and are dominant during sleep. Theta waves have a frequency between approximately 3.5 Hz and approximately 7.5 Hz and are associated with memory, attention, emotion, and sensation. Theta waves are typically dominant during states of internal focus. Alpha frequencies remain between approximately 7.5 Hz and approximately 13 Hz. Alpha waves are dominant during states of relaxation. Beta waves have a frequency range between approximately 14 Hz and approximately 30 Hz. Beta waves are dominant during states of motor control, long-distance synchronization between regions, analytical problem solving, judgment, and decision-making. Gamma waves occur between approximately 30 Hz and approximately 100 Hz and are involved in connecting different neuronal clusters into networks for the purpose of performing certain cognitive or motor functions, as well as during attention and memory. The skull and dermis tend to attenuate waves above approximately 75 Hz, making it less easy to measure high gamma or k-band waves than waves in the lower frequency bands. EEG data can be used to determine a person's emotional or mental state, including, for example, attention, emotional engagement, memory, or empathy.

EEG signals can be measured using multiple electrodes placed on the scalp of a person (e.g., a user, spectator, subject, expert, participant, or patient) to measure voltage fluctuations that last for several milliseconds and are caused by electrical activity associated with postsynaptic currents occurring within brain neurons. Although subcranial EEG can measure electrical activity with high precision, surface electrodes such as (for example) dry electrodes also provide useful neural response information.

In order for surface EEG electrodes to effectively receive signals from the brain, the electrodes are placed as close to the scalp as possible. The electrodes can be manually placed on the subject's head or can be included in a wearable device such as, for example, a head-mounted device. Many known EEG head-mounted devices utilize bulky helmets or complex headband-type assemblies. To reduce impedance, these head-mounted devices are typically strapped tightly to the user's head to reduce the distance between the electrodes and the scalp tissue. However, excessive pressure, such as, for example, greater than two Newtons per square millimeter (2 N/mm ² ), causes discomfort to the subject. In addition, these known head-mounted devices have limited adjustability and are often uncomfortable to wear because they cannot accommodate different head sizes and/or head shapes.

Disclosed herein are example head-mounted equipment apparatus and accompanying components for receiving neural response data. The example head-mounted equipment disclosed herein is portable and includes multiple independently adjustable straps attached to a headband. In some examples, the straps are removable. The example head-mounted equipment apparatus in which the electrodes are enclosed is adjustable to enhance comfort and noise reduction, as disclosed in more detail below. Certain such example head-mounted equipment provides a simple, cost-effective, reliable solution for using a large number of dry electrodes. Certain such example head-mounted equipment ensures comfortable, excellent electrode contact through hair manipulation and shields against line noise and other types of noise. The examples disclosed herein also include independently removable and adjustable components for enhancing comfort, wearability, and safety.

Also disclosed herein are example clips for holding electrodes, such as, for example, a ground electrode or a reference electrode. In some examples, one or more electrodes are attached directly to a person's body using a clip that is self-fastening, such as, for example, with magnetic fasteners, so that no additional hardware is required to secure the electrode to the body, such as, for example, a person's earlobe. The example clips also include terminals for releasably connecting the clip, and thus the electrodes, to a processing unit connected to the head-mounted device. These terminals may also use magnetic fasteners. These example electrodes enhance the safety of the head-mounted device. For example, if a person falls or otherwise causes the head-mounted device to become unbalanced, the clip's detachable fasteners and terminals may detach from the person's ear and/or processing unit.

An example device is disclosed herein that includes a band to be worn on a person's head and a first strap adjustably connected to the band. The example device also includes a first set of electrodes connected to the first strap to collect a first set of signals from the head and a magnetic fastener to connect the first strap to the band.

In some examples, the device includes a support and a first strap connected to the support. In some such examples, the device also includes a second strap having a second set of electrodes, and the second strap is adjustably connected to the strap and to the support. In some examples, the first strap and the second strap are independently adjustable. In some examples, the first strap and/or the second strap are slidably connected to the support. In some examples, the first strap and the second strap slide independently relative to the support.

In some examples, the device includes a processing unit and the first set of electrodes is communicatively connected to the processing unit. In some such examples, the device also includes a first reference electrode communicatively connected to the processing unit. In some examples, the first reference electrode is connected to a first terminal having a first connector and the first terminal is connectable to the processing unit. In some examples, the first connector includes a magnetic connector. In some examples, the first connector includes a first pin and the processing unit includes a first hole for receiving the first pin. In some examples, the device also includes a second reference electrode communicatively connected to the processing unit and the second reference electrode is connected to a second terminal having a second connector, the second terminal being connected to at least one of the processing unit or the first terminal. In some such examples, the second connector includes a magnetic connector. In some examples, the first connector includes a first pin and the processing unit includes a first hole for receiving the first pin, the second connector includes a second pin, and the first connector includes a second hole for receiving the second pin.

In some examples, a magnetic fastener includes a first housing coupled to a strap, a second housing coupled to the first strap, and a second magnetic element coupled to the second housing, the second magnetic element configured to magnetically couple to the first magnetic element. In some such examples, the first housing includes the first magnetic element. In some examples, the first housing includes an aperture for receiving the strap. In some examples, the first housing is adjustably coupled to the strap. In some examples, the first housing includes a protrusion that engages the strap. In some such examples, the protrusion includes a leaf spring.

In some examples, one of the first magnetic element or the second element comprises a metal plate and the other of the first magnetic element or the second magnetic element comprises a magnet.In some examples, the first strap is adjustably connected to the second housing.

Also disclosed herein are example methods that include adjusting a first strap relative to a band worn on a person's head using a magnetic fastener and collecting a first set of signals from the head using a first set of electrodes connected to the first strap.

In some examples, the method includes sliding a first strap relative to a support coupled to the strap. In some such examples, the method includes adjusting a second strap relative to the strap and collecting a second set of signals from the head using a second set of electrodes coupled to the second strap. In some such examples, the method includes independently adjusting the first strap and the second strap relative to the strap. In some examples, the method includes independently adjusting the first strap and the second strap relative to the support.

In some examples, the first group of electrodes is communicatively connected to the processing unit. In some examples, the method includes communicatively connecting the first reference electrode to the processing unit. In some such examples, the method also includes connecting a first connector of a first terminal to which the first reference electrode is connected to the processing unit to communicatively connect the first reference electrode and the processing unit. In some examples, the method includes magnetically connecting the first connector of the first terminal to the processing unit. In some examples, the first connector includes a first pin and the processing unit includes a first hole to receive the first pin. In some examples, the method includes connecting a second connector of a second terminal to which the second reference electrode is connected to at least one of the processing unit or the first terminal to communicatively connect the second reference electrode and the processing unit. In some examples, the method includes magnetically connecting the second connector to at least one of the processing unit or the first terminal. In some examples, the first connector includes a first pin and the processing unit includes a first hole to receive the first pin, and the second connector includes a second pin and the first connector includes a second hole to receive the second pin.

In some examples, the adjustment includes changing the effective length of the first strap and engaging a first magnetic element coupled to the strap and a second magnetic element coupled to the first strap. In some such examples, the first magnetic element is disposed in a first housing. In some examples, the first housing includes an aperture for receiving the strap. In some such examples, the method includes adjusting the first housing, in which the magnetic element is disposed, relative to the strap. In some examples, the method includes securing the first housing in a position relative to the strap. In some examples, the method includes engaging the strap with a protrusion of the first housing to secure the first housing in the position. In some such examples, the protrusion includes a leaf spring.

In some examples, one of the first magnetic element or the second magnetic element includes a metal plate and the other of the first magnetic element or the second magnetic element includes a magnet.

In some examples, the method includes adjusting the first strap relative to a second housing having a second magnetic element disposed therein.

An example device disclosed herein includes a housing having a first end, a second end, and a middle portion, a first cavity adjacent to the first end, a second cavity adjacent to the second end, a first electrode disposed in the first cavity, and a first magnetic element disposed in the second cavity.

In some examples, the first magnetic element can be magnetically coupled to the ribbon to position the first electrode against the subject's forehead.

In some examples, the middle portion is elastically bendable and faces the first cavity and the second cavity. In some such examples, the device is attachable to a subject's ear. In some examples, the magnetic force of the first magnetic element attaches the device to the subject's ear. In some examples, the first magnetic element magnetically connects the first end and the second end. In some examples, the device includes a second magnetic element in the first cavity, and the first magnetic element is magnetically connectable to the second magnetic element.

In some examples, the first electrode is connected to the first terminal. In some such examples, the first terminal is magnetically connectable to the processing unit. In some examples, the processing unit is disposed on the person's head.

In some examples, the device includes a second electrode disposed in the second cavity. In some such examples, the first electrode is coupled to the first terminal, the second electrode is coupled to the second terminal, and the second terminal is removably coupled to the first terminal. In some examples, the second terminal is magnetically coupled to the first terminal.

In some examples, the middle portion includes a plurality of slits for fixing a wire connecting the first electrode to the first terminal.

An example method disclosed herein includes attaching a device having a first end, a second end, and a middle portion to a person's head. The device also includes a first cavity adjacent to the first end, a second cavity adjacent to the second end, a first electrode disposed in the first cavity, and a first magnetic element disposed in the second cavity. The example method also includes collecting a reference signal from the first electrode.

In some examples, the example method includes magnetically connecting a first magnetic element to a band to be worn on a person's head to position a first electrode against the person's forehead.

In some examples, the method includes elastically bending the middle portion toward the first cavity and the second cavity. In some such examples, the method includes attaching the device to a person's ear. In some examples, the method includes magnetically securing the device to the person's ear using the magnetic force of a first magnetic element. In some examples, the method includes magnetically attaching the first magnetic element to the first end. In some examples, the method includes magnetically attaching the first magnetic element to a second magnetic element disposed in the first cavity.

In some examples, the method includes connecting the first electrode to the first terminal. In some such examples, the method includes magnetically connecting the first terminal to the processing unit. In some examples, the method includes placing the processing unit on the head of the person.

In some examples, the method includes disposing a second electrode in the second cavity. In some such examples, the method includes connecting the first electrode to the first terminal, connecting the second electrode to the second terminal, and removably connecting the second terminal to the first terminal. In some examples, the method includes magnetically connecting the second terminal to the first terminal.

In some examples, the method includes weaving a wire through the plurality of slits in the middle portion, wherein the wire connects the first electrode to the first terminal.

Turning now to the figures, Figures 1A and 1B illustrate an example head-mounted apparatus 100 for collecting EEG signals via a person's scalp. Figure 1A illustrates a perspective view of the front and left side of a person's head, and Figure 1B illustrates a right side view of the person's head. The example head-mounted apparatus 100 may be used, for example, to receive medical information from a patient in a medical or home setting, to control aspects of a game or other entertainment device, to provide data as part of a fitness program, to collect audience measurement data, to control a remote device and/or multiple other users. The example head-mounted apparatus of Figures 1A and 1B includes a band 102 (e.g., a headband, an elastic band, a brace), which may be continuous or include multiple adjustably connected portions, and is to be worn around the head of a person, user, subject, spectator, participant, and/or expert.

As used herein, a participant is a person who agrees to be monitored. Typically, a participant provides his or her demographic information (e.g., age, race, income, etc.) to a monitoring entity (e.g., The Nielsen Company), which collects and compiles data on a topic of interest (e.g., media exposure).

The example head-mounted device 100 includes a plurality of strips, each having a plurality of electrodes for receiving signals from a person's head along each strip. More specifically, the illustrated example head-mounted device 100 includes a first strip 104, a second strip 106, a third strip 108, a fourth strip 110, and a fifth strip 112. Each of the strips 104-112 is intended to be worn on a person's head from the left side of the head to the right side of the head. Each of the example strips 104-112 is movably attached to the band 102 and each of the strips 104-112 is adjustable on the band 102 to move the strips 104-112 and set them at a specific location on the person's head to facilitate reading electrical activity via the scalp. In other examples, the head-mounted device 100 may include fewer or more strips (e.g., four or fewer strips, ten or more strips).

As shown in Figures 1A and 1B, each of the example strips 104-112 includes a respective strap 114-122 and a respective spine structure 124-132. In some examples, the straps 114-122 are stretchable and can be made of, for example, elastic. As shown, each of the strips 104-112 includes a plurality of individual electrodes 133a-n (e.g., an array of individual electrodes 133a-n). In the example shown, the electrodes of each strip 104-112 are integrated into each spine structure 124-132 along with other electronic components such as, for example, a printed circuit board ("PCB"). Descriptions of example ridge structures can be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/728,900, filed Dec. 27, 2012, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO GATHER AND ANALYZE ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC DATA,” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/728,913, filed Dec. 27, 2012, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO GATHER AND ANALYZE ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC DATA,” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/728,913, filed Dec. 27, 2012, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO GATHER AND ANALYZE ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC DATA,” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/728,913, filed Dec. 28, 2012, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO GATHER AND ANALYZE ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC No. 13/730,212, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO GATHER AND ANALYZEELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC DATA,” all of which claim priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 61/684,640, filed on August 17, 2012, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO GATHER AND ANALYZEELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC DATA,” and all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

The electrodes 133a-n can have any suitable shape, such as, for example, a ring, a sphere, a hook, and/or at least a portion of an array. Additionally, in some examples, the electrodes 133a-n and the strips 104-112 to which they are connected have a protective covering, such as, for example, nylon and/or silver mesh. In some examples, the covering is a stretchable nylon mesh coated with silver. The covering provides additional shielding and protection. Additionally, the electrodes 133a-n, including the covering, can be machine washable.

In the example shown, each of the straps 124-132 is adjustable (e.g., slidable) along the respective ridge structures 124-132 and provides a downward force on the ridge structures 124-132 and, in turn, the electrodes (e.g., 133a-n) connected thereto. In the illustrated example, each of the ridge structures 124-132 is comprised of a flexible material (such as, for example, plastic, rubber, polyurethane, silicone, and/or any other suitable material or combination of materials). The flexibility of the example ridge structures 124-132 enables the head mounted equipment 100 to comfortably fit on a person's head by adjusting to the shape of the person's head without applying uncomfortable forces to the head.

In the example shown, each of the straps 104-112 is movably attached to the band 102 via its ends. Specifically, in the example shown, each of the straps 104-112 has a first female connector 134-142 (shown in FIG. 1A ) at one end and a second female connector 144-152 (shown in FIG. 1B ) at the other end. In the example shown, the head-mounted equipment 100 also includes a plurality of female connectors 154-172 that are slidably connected to the band 102. Specifically, the head-mounted equipment 100 includes a first external plug-in connector 154-162 (shown in FIG. 1A ) that removably mates with each of the first female connectors 134-142 on one side of the head, and also includes a second external plug-in connector 164-172 (FIG. 1B ) that removably mates with each of the second female connectors 144-152 on the other side of the head. The relationship between the male and female connectors 134-172 forms a fastener (e.g., a magnetic fastener) to removably attach the straps 104-112 to the band 102. More specifically, each of the straps 104-112 is removably connected to each of the male connectors 154-172, and in turn, to the band 102. Additionally, the illustrated example shows the straps 104-112 adjustably connected to the band 102 on both the left and right sides of a person's head. In some examples, one side of the straps 104-112 is adjustably connected to the band 102 and the other side is fixedly connected.

As shown in Figures 1A and 1B, the external connectors 154-172 are slidably connected to the strap 102 and can be moved or repositioned along the strap 102. In the example shown, the external connectors 154-162 are located on one side of the strap 102 on the person's head (shown in Figure 1A), and the external connectors 164-172 are located on the opposite side of the strap 102 on the person's head (shown in Figure 1B). This arrangement of the external connectors 154-172 enables the straps 104-112 to be placed on the person's head and attached to the external connectors 154-172 at each end. In the example shown, the external connectors 154-172 and the female connectors 134-152 are secured together by magnetic force (i.e., the external connectors and the female connectors form a magnetic fastener). However, in other examples, the male connectors 154 - 172 and the female connectors 134 - 152 may be connected together by other fastening mechanisms including, for example, tethers, buttons, hooks, buckles, and/or strap fasteners (eg, fasteners).

In the example shown, each of the female connectors 134-152 is also rotatably connected to its corresponding external connector 154-172. The external connectors 154-172 can slide along the band 102, and the straps 104-112 are movably (and rotatably) connected to the external connectors 154-172. Thus, each of the straps 104-112 can be moved, rotated, adjusted, and repositioned along a person's scalp. In addition, each of the example straps 104-112 is adjustable independently of each of the other straps 104-112. The assembly of the external connectors 154-172 and the female connectors 134-152 is described in further detail below.

In the example shown, the head-mounted device 100 also includes a support 174 (e.g., a central support) connected to the processing unit 176. The central support 174 provides sufficient rigidity to the head-mounted device 100 so that the head-mounted device 100 can be easily placed and assembled on a person's head. In addition, each of the straps 104-112 is slidably connected to and supported by the central support 174. In addition, in some examples, the central support communicatively connects the electrodes 133a-n and the processing unit 176. For example, the central support 174 communicatively connects the electrodes of the example straps 104-112 to the processing unit within the processing unit 176 via a communication link with the central support 174. In some examples, each of the straps 104-112 is electrically connected to the central support 174 via, for example, connection terminals on the respective spines 114-122 and complementary terminals on the central support 174. In some examples, complementary terminals on the central support 174 can slide independently along the central support 174 to facilitate physical adjustment of the straps 104-112 relative to the person's head. In other examples, the straps 104-112 are wirelessly connected to the processing unit 176 and/or a remote processor. For example, one or more of the straps 104-112 may include a transmitter that wirelessly transmits a signal (e.g., an EEG signal) to the processing unit 176. In such an example, the central support 174 supports the straps 104-112 and provides rigidity and structure to the head-mounted equipment 100, but is not used to transmit communication signals. In other examples, the head-mounted equipment 100 does not include the central support 174 and the processing unit 176, and the signals are transmitted to a handheld or other remote receiver.

In the illustrated example, the processing unit 176 may be housed in a housing and may include other electronic components for processing the signals collected from the electrodes 133a-n. In some examples, the electronic components are used to, for example, convert EEG data from analog data to digital data, amplify the EEG data, remove noise from the data, analyze the data, and send the data to a computer or other remote receiver or processing unit. In some examples, the processing unit 176 includes hardware and software, such as (for example) an amplifier, a signal conditioner, a data processor, and/or a transmitter for sending signals to a data center or computer. In other examples, some processing occurs at the head-mounted equipment 100 and some processing occurs remotely after the head-mounted equipment 100 sends the data or semi-processed results to a remote site, such as (for example) via a wireless connection. As shown in Figure 1B, the processing unit 176 also includes a connection terminal 178, which can be used to, for example, connect additional electrodes or sensors to the processing unit 176, as discussed in detail below.

FIG2 illustrates an example first female connector 134 of an example first strip 104 connected to a corresponding example first external connector 154. In some examples, the positions of the external and internal connectors 154, 134, can be switched so that the internal connector 134 is connected to the strip 102 and the external connector 154 is connected to the strip 104. Further, detailed descriptions are provided herein related to FIG2 through FIG5 of the example external and internal connectors 154, 134. However, the present disclosure also applies to the example second external connector 164 and the example second internal connector 144 on the other side of the first strip 104, and to the other strips 106-112 and the corresponding example external connectors 156-162, 166-172 and the example internal connectors 136-142, 146-152.

As shown, the first strap 104 includes a first ridge 114 and a first strap 124. The first strap 124 is disposed within a slot 200 (e.g., a groove, an area between a wheel or knob, a slit, etc.) on the first ridge 114, and the first strap 124 is slidably adjustable along the first ridge 114. In some examples, the first strap 124 is elastic and stretchable. The ends of the first strap 124 are slidably connected to a first female connector 134 (discussed in more detail below). In the example shown, the first ridge 114 engages the first female connector 134. In other examples, when the first strap 104 is tightened or adjusted on a person's head, the ends of the first strap 124 may extend through the first female connector 134, as discussed in more detail below.

In the illustrated example, the first female connector 134 is removably connected to the first external connector 154, such that the brace 104 can be selectively removed from the external connector 154 and the strap 102 and reattached to the first external connector 154 or another of the external connectors 156-172. The first female connector 134 can also be rotated relative to the first external connector 154 to adjust the relative angle between the first strap 104 and the strap 102. Additionally, in the illustrated example, the first female connector 134 and the first external connector 154 are magnetically connected. However, in other examples, the first female connector 134 and the first external connector 154 are attached via other fastening mechanisms.

FIG3A and FIG3B illustrate top and bottom views of an example first female connector 134. The first female connector 134 includes a body 300 (e.g., a housing) having a top 302. The top 302 of the first female connector 134 has a slot 304 (e.g., a channel, groove, notch, etc.) that can, for example, receive the end of the first spine 114 (shown in FIG2 ). In the example shown, the slot 304 has a hemispherical shape that matches the profile or shape of the end of the first spine 114. However, in other examples, the slot 304 has other profiles or shapes that may or may not match the shape of the spine end. In the example shown, the body 300 of the first female connector 134 also has an aperture 306 (e.g., a hole, opening, etc.) for receiving the brace 124 (shown in FIG2 ). The aperture 306 is formed near the end of the slot 304.

As shown in FIG3B , the bottom 308 of the example first female connector 134 has a groove or cavity 310 formed by an annular rim or protrusion 312 extending outward from the body 300. In some examples, the cavity 310 is used to hold a magnetic element or a metal element, as described in more detail below. In the example shown, the cavity 310 is cylindrical and thus has a circular cross-section. However, in other examples, the groove or cavity 310 may have a rectangular, square, or other shaped cross-section.

4A and 4B illustrate top and bottom views of an example first external connector 154. The first external connector 154 includes a body 400 (e.g., a housing) that forms an elongated ring. In the example shown, the body 400 has an elliptical cross-section with a passage 402 (e.g., a hole, a cavity, an opening, etc.) extending therethrough. In other examples, the body 400 may have a more circular cross-section, a rectangular cross-section, or any other suitable shape. The passage 402 is configured to receive the strap 102 (shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B ).

In the example shown, the top surface 404 of the example first external plug connector 154 has an annular rim or protrusion 406 that extends outward from the top surface 404 of the body 400 and forms a slot or cavity 407. A magnet or magnetic plate can be disposed in the cavity 407 to facilitate connection of the example first external plug connector 154 and the example first female connector 134. Additionally, the protrusion 406 is selectively removably insertable into the cavity 310 of the first female connector 134.

The bottom surface 408 of the example first external plug-in connector 154 has two clips 410, 412. In other examples, there are other numbers of clips, such as (for example) one, three, zero, etc. In the example shown, the clips 410, 412 are elongated portions of the body 400 that are displaced (e.g., retracted) into the channel 402 of the body 400. In other examples, the clips 410, 412 are spring clips or leaf springs. In other examples, the example first external plug-in connector 154 includes one or more clips that are not integrally formed with the first external plug-in connector 154 and are connected to the first external plug-in connector 154 to connect the first external plug-in connector 154 to the belt 102. The example clips 410, 412 frictionally engage the belt 102 (shown in Figures 1A and 1B) to maintain the first external plug-in connector 154 in a specific position along the belt 102. Friction can overcome repositioning of the first external plug-in connector 154 relative to the belt 102, for example, under human force. In other examples, other types of clips may be used to resist movement of the add-in connectors 154 - 172 along the belt 102 .

In the example shown, the body 400 of the example first external plug-in connector 154 forms a loop. In other examples, the body 400 can include a slot so that the strap 102 can be slid through the slot into the channel 402 of the body 400 to removably connect the first external plug-in connector 154 to the strap 102.

FIG5 shows an exploded view of the assembly of an example first female connector 134 and an example first male connector 154. As shown, the first strap 124 of the first strap 104 passes through the hole 306 in the first female connector 134. The end of the first strap 124 has a stop 500. When the first female connector 134 reaches the end of the first strap 124, the stop 500 prevents the end of the first strap 124 from being pulled through the hole 306, thereby retaining the first female connector 134 on the end of the first strap 104. To remove the first female connector 134 from the first strap 104, the stop 500 can be rotated out of the way so that the longitudinal axis of the stop 500 is aligned with and passes through the hole 306 (i.e., by rotating the stop 500 approximately 90°). In the example shown, the stop 500 is curved to match the profile of the first female connector 134 so as to lie flat against the first female connector 134 when the first brace 124 is tightened. In the example shown, the stop 500 includes an orientation block 502 that matches the profile (e.g., shape) of the hole 306. When the stop 500 engages the first female connector 134, the orientation block 502 partially enters the hole 306 and maintains the position of the stop 500 secure against the first female connector 134.

In the illustrated example, the example first female connector 134 includes a first disk 504, and the example first external plug-in connector 154 includes a second disk 506. In the illustrated example, at least one of the first disk 504 and the second disk 506 is a magnet, and the other of the first disk 504 and the second disk 506 has magnetic properties that interact with magnets. The magnetic disk 506 can be, for example, a magnetized metal plate or other material. In other examples, both the first disk 504 and the second disk 506 are magnets. The first disk 504 is positioned within the cavity 310 of the first female connector 134, and the second disk 506 is positioned within the cavity 407 of the first external plug-in connector 154. The disks 504 and 506 can be connected to their respective connectors 134 and 154 using adhesive, friction fit, or any other mechanism for connecting the two components together. In some examples, the first magnetic disk 504 is connected to the cavity 407 of the first external plug-in connector 154, and the second magnetic disk 506 is connected to the cavity 310 of the first female connector 134. Additionally, in some examples, the female connector 134 or at least a portion of the first female connector 134 (e.g., rim 312) includes a magnetic material. Similarly, in some examples, the first external connector 154 or at least a portion of the first external connector 154 (e.g., lip 406) includes a magnetic material.

The magnet or first disk 504 and the magnetic disk or second disk 506 cause the example first female connector 134 and the example first external plug connector 154 to attract each other and form a magnetic bond. Specifically, when engaged, as shown in FIG2 , the protrusion or lip 406 of the first external plug connector 154 is detachably inserted into the cavity 310 of the first female connector 134 and the attraction (e.g., magnetic force) between the first disk 504 and the second disk 506 holds the example first female connector 134 and the example first external plug connector 154 together. The complementary circular profiles of the cavity 310 of the female connector 134 and the circular shape of the protrusion 406 of the external plug connector 154 enable the female connector 134 to rotate relative to the first external plug connector 154, thus allowing the end of the first strap 104 to be further adjusted (e.g., angularly adjusted) on a person's head relative to the strap 102. In other examples, the cavity 310 of the first female connector 134 and the protrusion 406 of the external plug connector 154 may have other shapes, including square or rectangular profiles. Additionally, in some examples, the first male connector 154 and the first female connector 134 can mate together when engaged with teeth or gears that are engaged at a plurality of discrete locations.

In some examples, when adjusting the first strap 104 on the head-mounted equipment 100, the first female connector 134 is connected to the first external connector 154 and the stop 500 engages the first female connector 134 (e.g., the position shown in FIG. 2 ). In some examples, the first strap 104 is tightened, for example, so that a portion of the first strap 124 extends beyond the first female connector 134 and the stop 500 is not positioned against the first female connector 134. In some examples, the aperture 306 may include a protrusion (e.g., a knob, a pin) that engages a side of the first strap 124 to limit movement of the first strap 124 through the aperture 306 (e.g., by friction). In such an example, the first strap 104 can be used on heads of different sizes and adjusted accordingly. For example, in the case of a smaller head, the example first female connector 134 is attached to the example first external connector 154 and the first strap 124 can be pulled through the aperture 306 until the first strap 124 applies appropriate pressure against the person's head. Thus, the effective length of each of the example strips 104 - 112 may vary.

In some examples, straps are manufactured in different sizes to accommodate different head sizes. For example, a person with a head measuring 62-64 centimeters (cm) can use a head mounted device with straps measuring a first length, while a person with a head measuring 58-62 centimeters (cm) can use a head mounted device with straps measuring a second length, which is shorter than the first length. Thus, multiple straps of different sizes can be used with a head mounted device to comfortably accommodate heads of any size/shape.

In some examples, when assembling the example head-mounted device 100, the example straps 104-112 are connected to the plug-in connectors 154-172 on the band 102, and the head-mounted device 100 is then placed on a person's head. Before the head-mounted device 100 is placed on the person's head, the central support 174 and the processing unit 176 may also be attached to the straps 104-112. In other examples, the band 102 is placed on the person's head (e.g., by clamping the two ends of the strap 102 together or stretching an elastic band over the head), and then each of the example straps 104-112 is connected (e.g., magnetically) to the plug-in connectors 154-172 on the band 120. The plug-in connectors 154-172 can slide along the band 102 to adjust the position of the straps 104-112 relative to the person's head, thereby adjusting the position of the individual electrode arrays on each of the straps 104-112. The example female connectors 134-152 can also rotate on their corresponding example male connectors 154-172, thereby allowing the straps 104-112 to be positioned (e.g., angled) on a person's head. The magnetic connection between the male and female connectors 134-172 also provides a safety feature by enabling the example straps 104-112 to be easily disconnected from the strap 102 if too much force is applied to the strap 102. For example, if the straps 104-112 of the head mounted equipment 100 become hooked or latched onto a foreign object, the magnetic forces of the male and female connectors can be overcome and the example straps 104-112 can be disconnected from the strap 102.

Fig. 6 illustrates an example clip 600 for accommodating or holding one or more electrodes (such as, for example, a reference electrode or a ground electrode). Clip 600 interacts with people's skin by, for example, being clipped to people's skin (for example, being clipped to an earlobe) or being placed against skin (for example, forehead). In some examples, an electrode is used as a reference electrode or a ground electrode to provide a reference signal for comparing with an EEG signal collected from other parts of a person's head by, for example, the head-mounted equipment 100 shown in Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B. A reference electrode or a ground electrode is provided at a point on the human body that has minimal or no EEG activity or other artifacts and/or noise (such as, for example, those points that characterize muscle contraction or blood flow). In some examples, a reference electrode or a ground electrode is connected to an earlobe and/or the tip of a person's nose.

In the example shown, clip 600 includes a first electrode 602 and a second electrode 604. In some examples, one or both of electrodes 602, 604 are reference or ground electrodes. In other examples, one or both electrodes can be used to collect other EEG signals from a person's head. In other examples, one electrode is used for shielding, while the other electrode can be used as a reference or ground electrode or to collect EEG data from a person's head.

As shown in FIG6 , a first electrode 602 is connected to a first terminal 606 via a first wire 608, and a second electrode 604 is connected to a second terminal 610 via a second wire 612. In the example shown, the first electrode 602 and the second electrode 604 are similar, and the first terminal 606 and the second terminal 610 are similar. Therefore, the description of the features of one of the electrodes 602 and 604 applies to the other of the electrodes 602 and 604, and the description of the features of one of the terminals 606 and 610 applies to the other of the terminals 606 and 610. In FIG6 , for illustrative purposes, one side of the terminal is shown on the first terminal 606 and the other side of the terminal is shown on the second terminal 610.

The first terminal 606 and the second terminal 610 connect the wires 608, 612 and thus the electrodes 602 and 604 to the example processing unit 176 (Figures 1A and 1B). As shown with reference to the first terminal 606 corresponding to the side of the second terminal 610 not shown in Figure 6, the first terminal 606 has a first connector, which includes three forks or pins 614a-c protruding from the side of the first terminal 606. In addition, the first terminal 606 has two magnetic connectors or pads 616a, 616b. The pins 614a-c are aligned along the longitudinal axis of the first terminal 606 with the first magnetic pad 616a at one end and the second magnetic pad 616b at the other end. The pins 614a-c are used to transmit the signals/data (e.g., EEG signals) collected from the electrodes 602 to the processing unit 176. As shown in Figure 1B, the processing unit 176 includes a receiver 178 (e.g., a terminal), which has three holes 180a-c and two magnetic pads 182a, 182b. Similar to the connectors of the first terminal 606 and the second terminal 610, the receiver 178 has a mating assembly such that three pins 614a-c can be inserted into three holes 180a-c to mechanically and electrically connect the terminals 606 and 610 to the processing unit 176. Additionally, the magnetic pads 616a, 616b of the terminal 606 connect to the magnetic pads 182a, 182b of the processing unit 176 to detachably secure the terminal 606 to the processing unit 176. In some examples, the receiver 178 on the processing unit 176 is used to attach other electrodes or physiological/biological measurement devices (e.g., an EKG sensor, an eye tracking sensor, etc.). Additional devices may include terminals with similar connectors or terminals that can be attached to the processing unit 176 (e.g., holes and pins, connection points) or other terminals attached to the processing unit 176, as discussed below.

As shown in FIG6 with reference to a second terminal 610 corresponding to a side of the first terminal 606, which is also not shown in FIG6 , the second terminal 610 includes a plurality of channels or holes 618a-c and two magnetic pads 620a, 620b. The terminals 606 and 610 are stackable so that two or more terminals can be inserted into each other and connected to the processing unit 176 in a group. For example, the second terminal 610 can be connected to the processing unit 176 by connecting the pins and magnetic pads on the second terminal 610 (similar to the pins 614a-c and magnetic pads 616a, 616b on the first terminal 606 shown in FIG6 ) to the holes 180a-c and magnetic pads 182a, 182b of the receiver 178 of the processing unit 176 (shown in FIG1B ). The holes 618a-c of the second terminal 610 can receive the pins 614a-c of the first terminal 606 to stack the first terminal 606 and the second terminal 610 and connect the first terminal 606 to the processing unit 176 via the second terminal 610. The magnetic pads 616a, 616b on the first terminal 606 are aligned and can engage the magnetic pads 620a and 620b shown on the second terminal 610 and magnetically secure the first terminal 606 and the second terminal 610 in a releasable manner. A third terminal can be stacked on the first terminal 606 in a similar manner. A fourth terminal can also be connected, and so on. In the illustrated example, the terminals 606 and 610 include a top cover or lid 622 for protecting the holes 618a-c and the magnetic pads 620a, 620b from environmental influences.

FIG7 shows an exploded view of an example clip 600. The clip 600 includes a first cavity or slot 702 at a first end and a second cavity or slot 702 at a second end connected by a middle portion or body 704. In the example shown, the body 702 includes a plurality of slots 706a-n that hold one or more wires, such as, for example, a first wire 608 and/or a second wire 612. The slots 706a-n secure the wires 608, 612 ( FIG6 ) leading to the electrodes 602, 604 to the body 704 of the clip 600, enhancing security by securing the wires 602, 604 close to the clip 600, thereby reducing the likelihood that the wires 602, 604 will become caught on another object, such as, for example, another part of the head mounted equipment 100 or a person's hand. Additionally, if one or both of the wires 608, 612 (FIG. 6) become caught or hooked on an object, the force on the wires 608, 612 causes the clip 600 to be removed from the person's body or skin, rather than pulling directly on the electrode, which would be rough on the person's skin and potentially painful.

In the example shown, the body 704 and the slots 700, 702 can be formed as a single piece (e.g., molded as one component). In other examples, the body 704 and the slots 700, 702 are made from separate pieces and connected together to form the clip 600. Additionally, in some examples, the first slot 700 and the second slot 702 include metal rings or grooves molded (e.g., enclosed) within the slots 700, 702 (e.g., plastic poured over a metal groove). The metal grooves provide shielding from line noise and other types of noise.

A first disk 708 is disposed in the first slot 700 and a second disk 710 is disposed in the second slot 702. In some examples, one or both of the disks 708, 710 are magnetic, such as, for example, comprising a metal material. In some examples, the disks 708, 710 are magnetically attracted to metal slots molded within the first slot 700 and the second slot 702, such that when the disks 708, 710 are disposed in the first slot 700 and the second slot 702, magnetic forces releasably secure the disks 708, 710 in the respective slots 700, 702.

In the illustrated example, the clip 600 includes a first electrode 602 disposed in a first slot 700 and a second electrode 604 disposed in a second slot 702. In some examples, the first electrode 602 includes a first flange 712 for retaining the first electrode 602 in the first slot 700, such as by friction fit. The first flange 712 engages a wall or undercut of the first slot 700. Similarly, the second electrode 604 includes a second flange 714 for retaining the second electrode 604 in the second slot 702. In some examples, the edges of the electrodes 602, 604 provide friction to secure the electrodes 602, 604 in place.

In some examples, the electrodes 602, 604 do not include flanges and are, for example, flat or cup-shaped at the bottom. In some examples, the first electrode 602 and the second electrode 604 are made of a metal material and/or are coated (e.g., oxidized or plated) with a metal material (e.g., silver, gold, etc.). In such examples, the metal electrodes and/or coatings are magnetically attracted to the disks 708, 710, and the magnetic force detachably holds the electrodes 602, 604 in the respective slots 700, 702.

In the example shown, the clip 600 has two electrodes 602, 604. However, in other examples, only one electrode may be used in one of the slots 700, 702. In such an example, the slots 700, 702 include discs 708, 710 for creating a magnetic force and holding the clip against a person's body (e.g., skin, earlobe, etc.).

As mentioned above, the example clip 600 can be attached against a person's forehead or to a person's earlobe or nose. When the example clip 600 is attached to the forehead, the clip 600 is in the flat or substantially flat orientation shown in Figures 6 and 7, with the first groove 700 and the second groove 702 facing the same direction. In this example, the clip 600 can be attached to the band 102 (Figures 1A and 1B) to hold the clip 600 on the forehead.

To attach the example clip 600 to the earlobe or nose, the body 704 of the clip 600 can be folded or bent so that the first slot 700 and the second slot 702 move in opposite directions toward each other. Figures 8A, 8B, and 8C show different views of the clip 600 in a bent or partially bent configuration. For example, the body 704 can be made of, for example, plastic, rubber, a thermoplastic elastomer, silicone, and/or any other material that can be bent multiple times without breaking. In some examples, the body 704 is pliable so that the clip 600 can be configured between the flat position of Figure 6 and the bent position of Figures 8B and 8C, so that the clip 600 can be used on the forehead, then on the earlobe, and then back on the forehead as needed.

In some examples, plates 708, 710 (e.g., magnetic plates, metal plates) disposed within slots 700, 702 magnetically attract the slots 700, 702 to each other, thereby maintaining the clip 600 in a closed or bent position (e.g., the positions shown in FIG8B and FIG8C ). The magnetic force is sufficient to extend through human tissue to retain the clip 600 to the earlobe. Alternatively, in some examples, the clip 600 may include only the second plate 710 connected to the second slot 702. When bent toward each other, the metal coating on the first electrode 602 magnetically attracts the second plate 710, thereby retaining the clip 600 to the earlobe. In other examples, the first slot 700 may be metallic or magnetic, and the first slot 700 magnetically attracts the second plate 710, thereby retaining the clip 600 to the earlobe, regardless of the composition of the electrodes 602.

9 is a block diagram of an example processing system 900 for an example head-mounted device 100. The example system 900 includes a plurality of electrodes 902, such as, for example, electrodes 133a-n of the example head-mounted device 100. The electrodes 902 are connected to, for example, a head-mounted device to be worn on a subject's head. In the example head-mounted device 100 disclosed above, the head-mounted device 100 includes a band 102 to be worn on a person's head and a plurality of removable and adjustable straps 104-112 that extend over the person's head when attached to the band 102. In some examples, each of the straps 104-112 includes their respective straps 114-122 and respective spine structures 124-132 having a plurality of electrodes (e.g., electrodes 133a-n). In some examples, each end of each of the straps 104-112 can be removably and rotatably secured (e.g., magnetically secured) to the band 102, such that the electrodes can be moved to different locations on the head and/or removed from the band 102. In some examples, the head-mounted equipment 100 includes multiple channels for electrodes, such that a plurality (e.g., 2,000 or more) of electrodes are included in the example system 900. Additionally, in some examples, the pressure applied by each electrode on the head can be adjusted by adjusting the strap associated with each of the straps 104-112. In other examples, straps of different sizes that fit comfortably on a person's head can be added and/or removed.

In some examples, one or more electrodes 902 are connected to a person's body via a clip (such as, for example, clip 600 shown in FIG6 ). In some examples, the clip holds one or two electrodes and lies flat against the person's skin (e.g., forehead) so that the electrodes engage the skin. In some examples, the clip is attached to a strap of a head-mounted device. In the example clip 600 disclosed above, the clip 600 includes a flexible and foldable body or middle portion 704. In some examples, the clip 600 includes one or two plates or disks (e.g., disks 708 , 710 ) that are attracted to each other (e.g., magnetically) so that the bent or folded clip 600 can be detachably retained on a person's skin (such as, for example, a person's earlobe or nose). In some examples, the electrode 902 , which may be, for example, electrodes 602 , 604 , is used to provide a ground signal or a reference signal. In some examples, the electrode is used as a shield.

The example electrode 902 may also be mechanically adjustably connected to a band, such as, for example, via a strap, wherein a magnetic fastener is supported to detachably hold the strap, and thereby the electrode 902, at different locations along the scalp. Example magnetic fasteners include the male and female connector assemblies disclosed above.

The electrodes 902 are also communicatively coupled to a processing unit 904 (e.g., the processing unit 176 of the head mounted equipment 100 shown in Figures 1A and 1B) via a communication link 906, which can be, for example, a wired or wireless communication link including, for example, the PCB communication channels disclosed above. The communication link 906 can be, for example, housed in the central support 174 of the head mounted equipment 100. In some examples, the strips (and their corresponding electrodes) are slidably coupled along the central support. In some examples, the central support includes communication links (e.g., wires) that communicatively couple each strip to the housing. The example processing unit 904 includes an analog-to-digital converter 908, a signal conditioner 910, a database 912, an analyzer 914, and a transmitter 916.

Analog-to-digital converter 908 converts the analog signal received at electrode 902 into a digital signal. In some examples, analog-to-digital converter 908 is located in processing unit 904 within the housing of the head-mounted device. In other examples, analog-to-digital converter 908 includes multiple A-to-D converters that are arranged to serve each electrode or electrode group to convert the signal as close to the source as possible, which can further reduce interference.

The illustrated example signal conditioner 910 prepares the collected signal so that the data is in a more usable form. For example, the signal conditioner 910 may include an amplifier for amplifying the signal to a more detectable level. In addition, the signal conditioner 910 may include a filter for removing noise from the signal. The filter may also function as a bandpass filter, passing one or more frequency bands and/or manipulating selected bands depending on the desired processing and/or analysis. In some examples, each of the electrodes 902 may include a signal conditioner at or near the electrode 902. The example signal conditioner 910 may include hardware and/or software for performing signal conditioning methods. In some examples, the signal conditioner includes a detrending unit for compensating for electrode polarization, where the polarization of the electrode causes slow shifts in the voltage signal that are unrelated to brainwave activity. The example processing unit 904 also provides signal processing, which may include hardware and/or software for performing fast Fourier transform (FFT) calculations, coherence measurements, and/or customized adaptive filtering.

Analyzer 914 is configured to analyze data collected from electrodes 902 and processed by analog-to-digital converter 908 and signal conditioner 910 according to one or more analysis protocols, depending on the desired study. For example, according to some studies, analyzer 914 may process the data to determine one or more of the subject's mental state, physiological state, attention, empathy or memory, emotional engagement, and/or other suitable characteristics of the subject.

Transmitter 916 communicates data from any stage of processing and/or results from analyzer 914 to output 918. Output 918 can be a handheld device, an alarm, a display screen on a head-mounted device, a remote server, a remote computer, and/or any other suitable output. Data transmission can be achieved through Bluetooth transmission, Wi-Fi transmission, ZiGBee transmission, and/or encryption before transmission. In the illustrated example, database 912 stores all data collection streams. These streams can be buffered for streaming during periodic or non-periodic uploads during periods of low activity, for example, or for on-board storage (i.e., storage on the head-mounted device).

The processing unit 904 components 908-916 are communicatively connected to the other components of the example system 900 via a communication link 920. The communication link 920 can be any type of wired connection (e.g., a data bus, a USB connection, etc.) or wireless communication mechanism (e.g., radio frequency, infrared, etc.) using any past, present, or future communication protocol (e.g., Bluetooth, USB 2.0, USB 3.0, etc.). In addition, the components of the example system 900 can be integrated into one device or distributed across two or more devices.

Although an example manner of implementing the system 900 is shown in FIG9 , one or more of the elements, processes, and/or devices shown in FIG9 may be combined, divided, rearranged, omitted, removed, and/or implemented in any other manner. Furthermore, the example processing unit 904, the example signal conditioner 910, the example A/D converter 908, the example database 912, the example transmitter 916, the example analyzer 914, the example output 918, and/or (more generally) the example system 900 of FIG9 may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, and/or any components of hardware, software, and/or firmware. Thus, for example, any of the example processing unit 904, the example signal conditioner 910, the example A/D converter 908, the example database 912, the example transmitter 916, the example analyzer 914, the example output 918, and/or (more generally) the example system 900 of FIG. 9 may be implemented by one or more analog or digital circuits, logic circuits, programmable processors, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), and/or field programmable logic devices (FPLDs), etc. When any of the apparatus or system claims of this patent are read to cover a pure software and/or firmware implementation, at least one of the example processing unit 904, the example signal conditioner 910, the example A/D converter 908, the example database 912, the example transmitter 916, the example analyzer 914, or the example output 918 is hereby expressly defined to include a tangible computer-readable storage device or storage disk (such as a memory, a digital versatile disk (DVD), a compact disk (CD), a Blu-ray disk, etc.) storing the software and/or firmware. In addition, the example system 900 of Figure 9 may include one or more elements, processes and/or devices in addition to or instead of the elements, processes and/or devices shown in Figure 9, and/or may include more than one of any or all of the illustrated elements, processes and devices.

Flowcharts representing example instructions, at least some of which are machine-readable, for implementing the head-mounted device 100 and/or system 900 of FIG. 1A through FIG. 9 are shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 . In this example, the machine-readable instructions comprise a program executed by a processor (such as the processor 1212 shown in the example processor platform 1200 discussed below in conjunction with FIG. 12 ). The program may be implemented using software stored on a tangible computer-readable storage medium (such as a CD-ROM, floppy disk, hard drive, digital versatile disk (DVD), or memory associated with the processor 1212), but the entire program and/or portions thereof may alternatively be executed by a device other than the processor 1212 and/or implemented using firmware or dedicated hardware. Furthermore, while the example program is described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 , many other methods of implementing the example head-mounted device 100 and/or the example system 900 may alternatively be used. For example, the order in which the blocks are executed may be changed, and/or some of the blocks described may be changed, eliminated, or combined.

As mentioned above, at least a portion of the example process of FIG. 11 and the example process of FIG. 10 may be implemented using coded instructions (e.g., computer and/or machine-readable instructions) stored on a tangible computer-readable storage medium, such as a hard drive, flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), compact disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD), cache, random access memory (RAM), and/or any other storage device or storage disk that stores information for any duration (e.g., for an extended period of time, permanently, as a brief example, for temporary buffering, and/or for caching information). As used herein, the term "tangible computer-readable storage medium" is expressly defined to include any type of computer-readable storage device and/or storage disk and does not include propagating signals. As used herein, "tangible computer-readable storage medium" and "tangible machine-readable storage medium" are used interchangeably. Additionally or alternatively, at least a portion of the example processing of FIG. 11 and the example processing of FIG. 10 may be implemented using coded instructions (e.g., computer and/or machine readable instructions) stored on a non-transitory computer and/or machine readable medium, such as a hard drive, flash memory, read-only memory, a compact disk, a digital versatile disk, a cache, random access memory, and/or any other storage device or storage disk that stores information for any duration (e.g., for an extended period of time, permanently, as a brief example, for temporary buffering, and/or for caching information). As used herein, the term "non-transitory computer readable medium" is expressly defined to include any type of computer readable device or disk and does not include propagating signals. As used herein, when the phrase "at least" is used as a transition term in the preamble of a claim, it is open-ended in the same manner as the term "comprising."

FIG10 is a flow chart illustrating an example process for collecting EEG data (block 1000) that can be implemented using, for example, the head-mounted device 100 disclosed herein. The example process involves placing a band (such as, for example, band 102 in FIG1A and FIG1B ) on a person's head (block 1002). As disclosed above, the band is elastic and can be stretched over the person's head. In some examples, the band includes a connection point, such as, for example, a clip that connects the two ends of the band.

The example process 1000 includes attaching and adjusting one or more straps (block 1004). In some examples, each strap includes a plurality of electrodes and each end of each strap is movably and adjustably connected to a band so that the strap is positioned on a person's head. The example head-mounted equipment 100 disclosed above includes a plurality of attachable/detachable straps 104-112, each having its respective ridge structure 124-132 and straps 114-122. The ridge structure 124-132 includes an electrode array (e.g., one or more electrodes) that collects signals along a person's scalp. The head-mounted equipment 100 may include two, three, four, or ten or more individual straps 104-112. Each end of the straps 104-112 is fastened (e.g., magnetically) to the band 102 and positioned on a person's head. In some examples, the strips 104 - 112 include female connectors 134 - 152 that are magnetically connected to male connectors 154 - 172 that are, in turn, slidably connected to the strip 102 .

In some examples, each of the plug-in connectors 154-172 includes a channel that allows the plug-in connector 154-172 to slide along the strap 102, and thus the ends of the straps 104-112 to slide along the strap 102 when connected to the plug-in connector 154-172, thereby adjusting each strap 104-112 laterally. The female connectors 134-152 can also rotate on the plug-in connector 154-172 to adjust the angle of each strap 104-112 relative to the strap 102. Thus, the straps 104-112 can be independently adjusted laterally and/or rotationally on a person's head to a specific position at which an EEG reading is desired and/or is most effective. In some examples, the head-mounted device 100 includes a central support 174, and adjusting the straps 104-112 includes independently sliding the straps 104-112 along the central support 174.

In some examples, only one strap is attached to the band and adjusted. If additional straps are needed, more straps may be added as needed and/or desired (block 1004). In the example head-mounted device described above, five straps are utilized to collect EEG signals along the scalp. In other examples, three, four, or ten or more straps may be attached to the band. In some examples, the head-mounted device is preassembled and the example process 1000 includes placing the head-mounted device on a person's head and adjusting the straps, such as, for example, laterally and/or rotationally. With a preassembled head-mounted device, the attachment of the straps may occur prior to the example EEG data collection process 1000. For example, the manufacturer may attach the straps.

The example process 1000 includes determining whether to use a reference electrode or a ground electrode separate from the head-mounted equipment (block 1006). If a reference electrode or a ground electrode separate from the head-mounted equipment will not be used, then collecting signals from one or more strips connected to the head-mounted equipment (block 1008).

If a reference electrode or ground electrode separate from the head-mounted equipment is to be used (block 1006), the example process 1000 includes placing one or more electrodes in a clip (such as, for example, the example clip 600 disclosed above) (block 1010). In the example clip 600 disclosed above, a first electrode is placed in one of the slots 700, 702 and a second electrode may be placed in the other of the slots 700, 702.

Example process 1000 includes attaching the clip to a belt (block 1012) or clipping the clip to a person's body (block 1014). In the example clip 600 disclosed above, the clip 600 includes a flexible body 704 that can lie flat or bend. In a flat position, the clip 600 (and one or two electrodes) can be attached to the belt 102. In some examples, the clip 600 is attached to the front of the belt 102 so that the electrodes (e.g., electrodes 602, 604) are placed against the person's forehead. In other examples, the clip 600 can be clipped to the skin or a part of the person's body. In such examples, the discs 708, 710 in the slots 700, 702 can be magnets and/or metal plates arranged to attract each other. The body 704 of the clip 600 is flexible, and when the ends of the clip 600 attract each other (e.g., by magnetic force), the clip 600 can be clipped to the skin or body of a person so that the electrodes 602, 604 contact the skin. In some examples, clip 600 is clipped onto a person's earlobe. In some examples, two electrodes 602, 604 are used in clip 600, so that two reference signals or ground signals are collected from clip 600. In some examples, electrodes 602, 604 are not reference or ground electrodes, but are used to collect additional EEG signals from another area on the person's body (e.g., the forehead). In some examples, one of electrodes 602, 604 is used as a shield for the other electrode in clip 600.

The example process 1000 also includes determining whether an additional ground electrode or reference electrode is to be used (block 1016). If it is determined that an additional ground electrode or reference electrode is needed, the ground electrode or reference electrode can be attached to the person's body (e.g., to a band, to an earlobe) using an additional clip (block 1018).

The example process 1000 also includes attaching the terminals connected to the electrodes to a processing unit or another terminal (block 1020). For example, in the examples disclosed above, the ground or reference electrodes 602, 604 are connected to the terminals 606, 610, which are used to connect the electrodes 602, 604 to the processing unit 176 on the head-mounted equipment 100. The example terminals 606, 610 disclosed above include fasteners, such as (for example) pins 614a-c, magnetic pads 616a, 616b, 620a, 620b, and holes 618a-c, to enable the attachment disclosed above. In some examples, the terminals are pre-attached to the processing unit and/or another terminal.

In addition, the example process 1000 includes collecting signals from the electrodes of the head-mounted equipment and/or one or more ground electrodes/reference electrodes (block 1008). The signals can be monitored, analyzed, manipulated, etc. Once monitoring is completed, the example method 1000 ends (block 1022).

FIG11 illustrates a flow chart of an example process for analyzing EEG data (block 1100) collected from an example head-mounted device 100 and implemented by the example system 900 of FIG9 . The example head-mounted device 100 has a plurality of electrodes that contact the subject's scalp to receive electrical signals from the subject's brain. The example process for analyzing EEG data (1100) includes reading EEG signals from the electrodes (block 1102). In the illustrated example, the signals are converted from analog signals to digital signals (block 1104). In some examples, the analog-to-digital conversion occurs in a processing unit (such as, for example, the processing unit 904 of the example system 900). In other examples, the analog-to-digital conversion occurs adjacent to the electrodes within the head-mounted device to convert the signals as close to the source as possible.

In the illustrated example, the signal is conditioned (block 1106) to improve the usability of the signal and the accessibility of data contained in the signal. For example, as disclosed above, conditioning may include amplifying the signal and/or filtering the signal (e.g., with a bandpass filter).

The signals are analyzed (block 1108) to determine, for example, the subject's mental state, health, engagement with the media as an audience member or the effectiveness of the media, desired input from the electronic device, and/or other input in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure. For example, the EEG data is analyzed to assess brain activity in specific frequency bands of the EEG data and/or in specific regions of the brain. The relationship and correlation between frequency bands and regions of activity in the EEG data is evaluated and/or calculated to determine the person's emotional or mental state, including, for example, attention, emotional engagement, memory, or empathy.

For example, brain activity regions, interactions between brain activity regions, and/or interactions including connectivity between frequency bands may indicate a particular mental state. Additionally, inter-regional coherence of frequency bands measured from gain and/or phase may be used to assess the effectiveness of media in evoking a desired human response (e.g., attention). Additionally, emotional engagement may be measured using inter-hemispheric measures, asymmetry of one or more frequency bands, asymmetry of intra-hemispheric coherence between regions, and/or asymmetry of intra-hemispheric inter-frequency connectivity between regions.

For example, the signal can be analyzed to determine or calculate the interaction between a first frequency band of EEG data and a second frequency band of EEG data by detecting a first pattern of oscillations in the first frequency band, detecting a second pattern of oscillations in the second frequency band, and identifying the degree of phase synchronization between the first pattern and the second pattern. This analysis can provide, for example, an assessment of the effectiveness of media viewed or consumed by a person when the signal was generated. In this example, the effectiveness of the media can be based on the degree of phase synchronization.

In other examples, the signal can be analyzed to detect a first pattern of oscillations in a first frequency band of EEG data and a second pattern of oscillations in a second frequency band of EEG data. By detecting a repeating sequence of relative phase angles between the first pattern of oscillations in the first frequency band and the second pattern of oscillations in the second frequency band, the degree of phase synchronization between the first pattern from the first frequency band and the second pattern from the second frequency band can be identified. This analysis can also provide, for example, an assessment of the effectiveness of the media being viewed or consumed by a person at the time the signal was generated. In this example, the media effectiveness assessment is based on the degree of phase synchronization at a specific point in time.

In another example, the signal may be analyzed to determine media effectiveness data based on the degree of asymmetry between a first frequency band of EEG data measured in a first hemisphere of the expert's brain and a second frequency band of EEG data measured in a second hemisphere of the expert's brain. The degree of asymmetry is identified by detecting a first amplitude in the first frequency band and detecting a second amplitude in the second frequency band. The analysis compares the first amplitude and the second amplitude to determine the difference between the first amplitude of the first frequency band and the second amplitude of the second band. Based on the difference between the first amplitude of the first frequency band and the second amplitude of the second band, a degree of asymmetry is assigned to the relationship between the first frequency band and the second frequency band. Thus, in this example, media effectiveness is based on the degree of inter-frequency, inter-hemispheric asymmetry identified by comparing the amplitudes of two frequency bands from different brain hemispheres.

In another example, the interaction between a first frequency band of EEG data and a second frequency band of EEG data of a signal is analyzed by calculating the degree of phase synchronization or amplitude synchronization. Phase synchronization or amplitude synchronization is determined by detecting a first pattern of oscillations in the first frequency band and detecting a second pattern of oscillations in the second frequency band. Alternatively, a repeating sequence of phase angles or relative amplitudes between the first pattern of oscillations in the first frequency band and the second pattern of oscillations in the second frequency band is detected. Media effectiveness is based on the interaction.

In other examples, a signal is analyzed to determine media effectiveness based on a first asymmetry between two amplitudes from two frequency bands and a second asymmetry between two different amplitudes of the frequency bands. Specifically, in this example, the analysis identifies a first asymmetry in two frequency bands of EEG data associated with a first portion of the media. The first asymmetry is identified by comparing a first amplitude of the first frequency band with a second amplitude of the second frequency band to determine a first difference between the first amplitude of the first frequency band and the second amplitude of the second frequency band. Additionally, a first value is assigned to the first asymmetry based on the first difference between the first amplitude of the first frequency band and the second amplitude of the second frequency band. The analysis also includes identifying a second asymmetry in two frequency bands of EEG data associated with a second portion of the media. The first and second portions of the media can be temporally distinct portions of the media or different portions simultaneously experienced by an expert (e.g., video and audio). A second asymmetry is identified by comparing a third amplitude of the first frequency band with a fourth amplitude of the second frequency band to determine a second difference between the third amplitude of the first frequency band and the fourth amplitude of the second frequency band. A second value is assigned to the second asymmetry based on the second difference between the third amplitude of the first frequency band and the fourth amplitude of the second frequency band. Media effectiveness is evaluated for each of the first portion and the second portion based on a first value of the first asymmetry and a second value of the second asymmetry.

In the illustrated example, a signal (e.g., the result of the analysis) is transmitted to an output (block 1110), such as, for example, output 918 of the example system 900. Example modes of output are detailed above and include, for example, issuing an alarm, displaying a message and/or other alarm on a screen, issuing a report to a local and/or remote computer, and/or any other suitable output. Additionally, the output may include wired or wireless communications as detailed herein. In some examples, the output includes data reflecting whether a person is paying attention, not paying attention, being semi-engaged in a media program, or other mental state of the person, with the identification of the program being sent, for example, to a remote data facility. Raw data, processed data, historical logs, or indicators of audience measurement may also be transmitted to the remote data facility for collection. The remote data facility may be, for example, a marketing company, a broadcaster, a media studio, a television network, and/or any other organization that may benefit from or desire to know when people are paying attention and/or not paying attention to broadcast programs and what those programs are. This example allows broadcasters and/or marketing personnel to analyze what programs people are watching, when they are watching programs, and/or when they are paying attention during a broadcast. After the output (block 1110), the example process 1100 ends (block 1112).

12 is a block diagram of an example processing platform 1200 capable of executing one or more instructions of FIG10 and FIG11 to implement one or more portions of the apparatus and/or systems of FIG1A through FIG9. Processing platform 1200 may be, for example, a processor in a head-mounted device, a server, a personal computer, a mobile device (e.g., a cell phone, a smartphone, a tablet such as an iPad ^™ ), a personal digital assistant (PDA), an internet appliance, or any other type of computing device.

The processor platform 1200 of the illustrated example includes a processor 1212. The processor 1212 of the illustrated example is hardware. For example, the processor 1212 may be implemented by one or more integrated circuits, logic circuits, microprocessors, or controllers from any desired family or manufacturer.

The processor 1212 of the illustrated example includes a local memory 1213 (e.g., a cache). The processor 1212 of the illustrated example communicates with a main memory including a volatile memory 1214 and a non-volatile memory 1216 via a bus 1218. The volatile memory 1214 may be implemented using synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), RAMBUS dynamic random access memory (RDRAM), and/or any other type of random access memory device. The non-volatile memory 1216 may be implemented using flash memory and/or any other desired type of memory device. Access to the main memories 1214 and 1216 is controlled by a memory controller.

The processor platform 1200 of the illustrated example also includes an interface circuit 1220. The interface circuit 1220 may be implemented by any type of interface standard, such as an Ethernet interface, a Universal Serial Bus (USB), and/or a PCI Express interface.

In the illustrated example, one or more input devices 1222 are connected to the interface circuit 1220. The input devices 1222 allow a person to enter data and commands into the processor 1212. The input devices may be implemented through, for example, an audio sensor, a microphone, a camera (still or video), a keyboard, buttons, a mouse, a touch screen, a trackpad, a trackball, an isotype, and/or a voice recognition system.

One or more output devices 1224 are also connected to the interface circuit 1220 of the illustrated example. For example, the output device 1224 is implemented by a display device (e.g., a light emitting diode (LED), an organic light emitting diode (OLED), a liquid crystal display, a cathode ray tube display (CRT), a touch screen, a tactile output device, or a light emitting diode (LED)). The interface circuit 1220 of the illustrated example therefore typically includes a graphics driver card, a graphics driver chip, or a graphics driver processor.

The interface circuitry 1220 of the illustrated example also includes communication devices such as transmitters, receivers, transceivers, modems, and/or network interface cards to facilitate data exchange with an external machine (e.g., any type of computing device) via a network 1226 (e.g., an Ethernet connection, a digital subscriber line (DSL), a telephone line, a coaxial cable, a cellular telephone system, etc.).

The processor platform 1200 of the illustrated example also includes one or more mass storage devices 1228 for storing software and/or data. Examples of such mass storage devices 1228 include floppy disk drives, hard drive disks, compact disk drives, Blu-ray disk drives, RAID systems, and digital versatile disk (DVD) drives.

The coded instructions 1232 of Figures 10 and 11 may be stored in the mass storage device 1228, in the volatile memory 1214, in the non-volatile memory 1216, and/or on a removable tangible computer-readable storage medium such as a CD or DVD.

Although certain example apparatus have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this invention covers all methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the appended claims or under the doctrine of equivalents.

Claims (20)

1. A device for collecting electroencephalogram (EEG) data, the device comprising: The belt, which will be worn on a person's head; The first belt is adjustablely connected to the belt; A first set of electrodes, connected to the first strip, to collect a first set of signals from the head; and A magnetic fastener that connects the first strip to the strip, the magnetic fastener comprising: A first housing, which is slidably connected to the belt; A first magnetic element is connected to the first housing; A second housing, which is connected to the first strip; and A second magnetic element is connected to the second housing, and the second magnetic element is magnetically connected to the first magnetic element. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first magnetic element and the first housing are integral. 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first housing includes a hole for receiving the belt. 4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the first housing is slidable along the belt. 5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first housing includes a protrusion for receiving the belt. 6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the protrusion comprises a leaf spring. 7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first strip is adjustablely connected to the second housing. 8. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a support member, wherein the first strip is slidably connected to the support member. 9. The device of claim 8, further comprising a second strip having a second set of electrodes, the second strip being adjustablely connected to the strip and slidably connected to the support. 10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the first strip and the second strip are independently adjustable relative to the strip. 11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the first strip and the second strip are independently slidable relative to the support member. 12. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a processor, wherein the first set of electrodes is communicatively connected to the processor. 13. The device of claim 12, further comprising a first reference electrode communicatively connected to the processor. 14. The device of claim 13, wherein the first reference electrode is connected to a first terminal having a first connector, and the first terminal is connectable to the processor. 15. The device of claim 14, wherein the first connector comprises a magnetic connector. 16. The device of claim 14, wherein the first connector includes a first pin and the processor includes a first hole for receiving the first pin. 17. The device of claim 14, further comprising a second reference electrode communicatively connected to the processor, the second reference electrode being connected to a second terminal having a second connector, the second terminal being connected to at least one of the processor and the first terminal. 18. The device of claim 17, wherein the second connector comprises a magnetic connector. 19. The device of claim 17, wherein the first connector includes a first pin, the processor includes a first hole for receiving the first pin, the second connector includes a second pin, and the first connector includes a second hole for receiving the second pin. 20. The device according to any one of claims 1-19, wherein one of the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element comprises a metal plate, and the other of the first magnetic element and the second magnetic element comprises a magnet.