Game apparatus and method for monitoring psycho-physiological responses to questions

An electronic party game, comprising:

• (a) display means for displaying questions to be asked to a player by other players;
• and
• (b) hand-held monitoring means for monitoring the player's psycho-physiological responses to the questions, said monitoring means comprising:
• (i) a housing dimensioned to be fit into the palm of the player answering the questions, said housing having an outside top surface shaped to receive two extended fingers of the player, and a pair of electrodes extending through the top surface, each of the electrodes being positioned to contact one of the extended fingers near the tip thereof;
• (ii) bias means operatively coupled to an outside portion of the housing for selectively biasing the player's fingers against the electrodes;
• (iii) circuit means located within the housing for generating an electric current from one electrode through a section of the player's body to the other electrode and for generating a measurable electric signal correlatable with the change in resistance in the said section of the player's body resulting from the player's response to the questions;
• and
• (iv) signalling means located on an outside portion of the housing for generating a signal to the other players indicative of the changes in resistance.

A hand-held apparatus for monitoring a user's psycho-physiological responses to hearing a pair of questions and determining whether the user's response to the first question is greater than the user's response to the second question, comprising:

• (a) a housing having a surface provided with a pair of electrodes, each electrode being positioned to contact one of the user's fingers;
• (b) current means located within the housing for applying a current across a small section of the user's hand between the two electrodes and generating a corresponding voltage signal which is proportional to the resistance sensed between the two electrodes;
• (c) filtering means located within the housing coupled to the current means for filtering out voltage signals of frequencies outside of a preselected frequency range and generating a filtered voltage signal;
• (d) signalling means located within the housing for signalling when a user should be asked a first question and allotting a time interval for receiving the user's response;
• (e) measuring and storage means located within the housing and coupled to the filtering means for measuring a first change in the filtered voltage signal when the user responds to the first question during the first time interval and storing the first change in filtered voltage signal;
• (f) signalling means located on a portion of the outside surface of the housing for signalling when a player should be asked the second question and allotting a time interval for receiving the user's response thereto;
• (g) detecting means located within the housing and coupled to the filtering means for detecting a second change in filtered voltage signal during the second time interval;
• (h) comparator located within the housing for comparing the first change in filtered voltage signal with the second change in filtered voltage signal and generating a comparison signal indicator of which change in filtered voltage signal is higher;
• and
• (i) indicating means located on a portion of the outside surface of the housing for providing to the user an indication of the comparison signal.

A method for determining which of two questions generates a greater psycho-physiological response in a user hearing the questions, comprising the steps of:

• (a) contacting adjacent fingers of the user to spaced electrodes;
• (b) applying a current across the electrodes and generating a measurable voltage signal related to the resistance of a section of the user's body extending between the electrodes;
• (c) signalling when the user should be asked a first question and allotting a time interval for the user's response;
• (d) detecting the change in voltage signal across the electrodes when the user responds to the first question during the first time interval;
• (e) filtering out components of the voltage signal outside of a preselected frequency range;
• (f) storing a first filtered voltage signal for the first time interval;
• (g) signalling when the player should be asked a second question and allotting a second time interval for the user's response;
• (h) detecting the change in voltage signal across the electrodes when the user responds to the second question during the second time interval;
• (i) filtering out components of the voltage signal outside of a preselected frequency range;
• (j) conditioning and then measuring a second filtered voltage signal for the second time interval;
• (k) comparing the first filtered voltage signal with the second conditioned and filtered voltage signal and generating a comparison signal indicative of which of the two signals is greater;
• and
• (l) displaying to the user an indication of the comparison signal.