Methods and apparatuses for transdermal stimulation of the outer ear
AssigneeI.S.T. Corporation
InventorsWilliam J. Tyler, Wing Law, Douglas Jeffery, Rafal Piersiak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Transdermal electrical stimulation (TES) applicators that are wearable and configured to attached to a subject's pinna (ear) and adapted to apply TES to modulate the subject's cognitive and/or physiological state. These apparatuses may be configured so that they can be worn against the ear (e.g., the cymba of the ear) to deliver TES. Also described herein are methods of using them to modulate a subject's cognitive state. These TES applicators may also be adapted to function as audio headphones for concurrent delivery of TES and audible signals (e.g., music).
Claims23
A method of inducing a cognitive state comprising:
- placing a first electrode of a portable transdermal electrical stimulation (TES) applicator into a subject's first ear in contact with a first pinna, and placing a second electrode of the portable TES applicator on the subject;
- activating the TES applicator to deliver asymmetric biphasic electrical stimulation between the first and second electrodes at an intensity of 0.20 mA or greater, a duty cycle of greater than 10% and a frequency of greater than 200 Hz;
- and
- delivering the asymmetric biphasic electrical stimulation between the first and second electrodes for 10 seconds or longer, wherein delivering the asymmetric biphasic electrical stimulation comprises shifting the frequency of the asymmetric biphasic electrical stimulation in bursts of increased frequency or decreased frequency waveforms.
A method of inducing a cognitive state comprising:
- placing a portable transdermal electrical stimulation (TES) applicator into a subject's first ear so that a first and second electrode of the portable TES applicator contact a skin of the subject's pinna so that at least one of the first and second electrodes are in contact with the subject's external auditory meatus;
- activating the portable TES applicator to deliver an asymmetric biphasic electrical stimulation having an intensity of greater than 0.5 mA between the first electrode positioned in the subject's external auditory meatus and the second electrode on the subject's external auditory meatus;
- delivering audio output to the subject from a speaker coupled to the portable TES applicator concurrently with delivery of the asymmetric biphasic electrical stimulation;
- and
- applying the asymmetric biphasic electrical stimulation between the first and second electrodes for 10 seconds or longer, wherein delivering the asymmetric biphasic electrical stimulation comprises shifting a frequency of the asymmetric biphasic electrical stimulation in bursts of increased frequency or decreased frequency waveforms.
A method of inducing a cognitive state comprising:
- placing a portable transdermal electrical stimulation (TES) applicator into a subject's first ear so that a first electrode of the portable TES applicator contacts a skin of the subject's pinna from a first removable conductive earbud electrode so that the first electrode is in contact with the subject's external auditory meatus;
- activating the portable TES applicator to deliver an asymmetric biphasic electrical stimulation having an intensity of greater than 0.20 mA between the first removable conductive earbud electrode positioned in the subject's external auditory meatus and a second removable conductive earbud electrode in an external auditory meatus of the subject's second ear;
- delivering audio output to the subject from a speaker coupled to the portable TES applicator concurrently with delivery of the asymmetric biphasic electrical stimulation;
- and
- applying the asymmetric biphasic electrical stimulation between the first and second removable conductive earbud electrodes for 10 seconds or longer, wherein delivering the asymmetric biphasic electrical stimulation comprises shifting a frequency of the asymmetric biphasic electrical stimulation in bursts of increased frequency or decreased frequency waveforms.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.