Diagnostic system for detecting and indicating cranial movements

Abstract

A diagnostic system for detecting and indicating cranial movements in a human subject whose brain case is composed of a plurality of articulated bones which define the cranium. The system includes infrared reflector elements placed on selected bones of the cranium and infrared video cameras directed at the cranium emitting infrared light during a test period that is reflected by the elements and picked up to produce in an image analyzer associated with the cameras a two or three-dimensional image providing information regarding relative motion between the reflector elements. This information is supplied to a computer programmed to reconstruct the perceived motion as a diagram illustrating cranial movements during the test period. To eliminate the effect of motion from other kinetically active parts of the body, such as muscle movement variables, respiration and heart beat, included in the system is an EMG unit associated with separate electrode elements placed on the head and torso of the subject to measure and indicate muscle activity. Also electrodes are placed on the torso to monitor the EKG of the subject. The EMG and EKG indications are subtracted from the reading so that the motion detected of cranial bone movement is indicative only of this movement.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.