Oral muscle training
AssigneeSignifier Medical Technologies Limited
InventorAnshul Sama
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device (103) for applying an electrical stimulation to one or more muscles of the mouth of the user, the device (103) includes one or more electrodes (132, 133) for applying electrical stimulation to one or more muscles of the mouth of a user and a sensor (140a, 140b, 141a, 141b) for determining the muscle tone of the tongue of the user. Also disclosed are methods and systems for determining a stimulation plan.
Claims18
An apparatus for applying an electrical stimulation to the mouth of an awake user to train the muscles of the mouth, the apparatus comprising:
- a device comprising one or more electrodes for applying electrical stimulation to train one or more muscles of the mouth of the user during an awake state, the electrical stimulation configured to increase muscle tone of the one or more muscles of the mouth during sleep;
- a pressure sensor for determining the awake muscle tone of the tongue of the user;
- a controller configured to provide output of the user while the user is operating the apparatus and alter the electrical stimulation based on an input from the user;
- and
- a switch operable to switch the device from a stimulation mode to a test mode and vice versa, wherein in the test mode the controller is configured to guide the user to apply tongue pressure to the pressure sensor using a user interface, further wherein the controller determines muscle tone in the user based on the applied tongue pressure.
A method of providing a stimulation plan to train one or more muscles of the mouth in an awake user, the method comprising;
- locating a mouthpiece having one or more electrodes in the mouth of the awake user;
- guiding the awake user to apply tongue pressure to a pressure sensor, wherein the user is guided by a user interface when the mouthpiece is in a test mode;
- determining the muscle tone of the tongue of the mouth of the awake user based on the pressure applied by the tongue to the pressure sensor;
- generating a stimulation plan to stimulate the one or more muscles of the mouth of the user during an awake state, the stimulation plan generated based on the determined muscle tone;
- and
- switching the mouthpiece from the test mode to a stimulation mode to activate the stimulation plan in the awake user during the awake state, the stimulation plan configured to increase resting muscle tone of the one or more muscles of the mouth.
A method of altering a stimulation plan to train one or more muscles of the mouth in an awake user, the method comprising;
- providing a stimulation plan for electrically stimulating one or more muscles of a tongue of the user while the user is in an awake state;
- locating a mouthpiece in the mouth of the awake user;
- guiding the awake user, with a user interface, to apply tongue pressure to a pressure sensor when the mouthpiece is in a test mode;
- determining the muscle tone of one or more muscles of the tongue of the awake user based on the pressure applied by the tongue to the pressure sensor;
- adjusting the stimulation plan according to the determined muscle tone of the awake user;
- and
- switching the mouthpiece from the test mode to a stimulation mode to activate the stimulation plan for the awake user while the user is in the awake state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.