Apparatus and method for using listener feedback to determine the nature of sound stimuli presented to the listener

An apparatus for using feedback to influence sound stimuli presented to a subject in music therapy comprising:

• detection means for detecting electrical signals from the brain of the subject during presentation of sound stimuli during a first time period;
• analog to digital (A/D) converter means operatively connected to the detection means for digitizing the signals;
• processor means operatively connected to the digital converter means for
• (a) transforming and classifying the signals and determining the subject's actual response to the presented stimuli,
• (b) determining a suitable sound configuration to be presented based on the predicted and actual response to the stimuli presented, and
• (c) giving the sound configuration a suitable temporal arrangement;
• and
• sound synthesizer means operatively connected to the processor means for generating sound stimuli according to the temporal arrangement created by the processor means, and
• wherein sound stimuli presented during said first time period is adapted to induce a predicted response in the subject.

Apparatus for using feedback to influence sound stimuli presented to a subject in music therapy comprising:

• sound generation means for generating sound stimuli being adapted to induce a predicted response in the subject during a first time period;
• detection means for detecting electrical signals from the brain of the subject during presentation of the sound stimuli during said first time period;
• analog to digital (A/D) converter means operatively connected to the detection means for digitizing the signals;
• pattern recognition processor means operatively connected to the digital converter means for classifying pre-determined parameters of the signals and thereby determining the subject's actual response to the presented stimuli;
• stimulus configuration processor means operatively connected to the analog to digital converter means for determining a suitable sound configuration to be presented to the subject in a second time period subsequent to the first time period, based on a comparison between the subject's predicted and actual responses to the stimuli presented in the first period;
• stimulus presentation processor means operatively connected to the digital converter means for giving the sound configuration a suitable temporal arrangement;
• sound synthesizer means operatively connected to the stimulus presentation processor means for generating sounds according to the temporal arrangement created by the stimulus presentation processor means;
• and
• speaker means operatively connected to the sound synthesizer means for presenting the sounds generated by the sound synthesizer means to the subject.