Devices and methods for treating a breathing-related sleep disorder, methods of use and control processes for such a device

A device comprising a first actuator, and a control unit,

• wherein the first actuator is configured for external mechanical contact with the subject,
• wherein the control unit is configured to control the first actuator to provide at least one burst of a first primary vibration,
• wherein the first primary vibration has several frequencies within an operative frequency range contained in a range from 5 Hz to 1000 Hz, in order for the device to generate a shear wave inside the body of the subject, wherein the shear wave is generated and/or propagates at or up to a depth of at least 15 millimeters inside the body of the subject,
• wherein the first primary vibration has a frequency content spanning a delivered frequency band contained in, or overlapping, the operative frequency range contained in a range from 5 Hz to 1000 Hz,
• and wherein the first primary vibration is or contains a vibration which, during a given burst, is a summation of at least several distinct periodic sub-vibrations occurring simultaneously, several of which each have a distinct primary frequency, the several single primary frequencies being contained in the operative frequency range and spanning the delivered frequency band,
• wherein the device comprises subsets of actuators, each subset of actuators comprising several actuators, one subset of actuators including said first actuator, each actuator in each subset of actuators being configured for external mechanical contact with the subject,
• wherein the control unit is configured to control each actuator in each subset of actuators to provide at least one burst of primary vibrations, which are synchronous within a given subset and exhibit a phase shift between different subsets,
• and wherein each primary vibration has several frequencies within the operative frequency range contained in a range from 5 Hz to 1000 Hz.