Reciprocating movement platform for the external addition of pulses of the fluid channels of a subject

A motion platform for providing periodic acceleration to a living subject, comprising:

• a box frame providing a foundation of the motion platform:
• a drive module adjoining said box frame, said drive module operably movable relative to said box frame;
• and
• a support connected to said drive module, said support comprising:
• a planar surface for supporting the subject, said planar surface having a head end and a foot end;
• and
• a footboard connected at the foot end of the planar surface, said footboard rising perpendicularly to the planar surface and having cast shoes for securing the feet of the subject to the support;
• wherein said drive module provides periodic acceleration to the subject by moving in a line parallel to the planar surface of the support while the subject is secured to said support by said cast shoes on said footboard, and the periodic acceleration is alternately in the direction of the head end, and the foot end, of the planar surface, whereby the motion platform adds pulses to fluid filled channels of the body of the subject, and wherein the drive module comprises:
• four track wheels located substantially at the four comers of the upper portion of the drive module;
• wherein the drive module adjoins the box frame where the four track wheels of the drive module rest in four wheel tracks located on the upper portion of the box frame;
• and
• wherein the four wheels allow the head end-foot end motion of the drive module within the box frame, and the four wheel tracks limit said head end-foot end motion.

A motion platform for providing periodic acceleration to a living subject comprising:

• a box frame providing a foundation of the motion platform;
• a drive module adjoining said box frame, said drive module operably movable relative to said box frame;
• and
• a support connected to said drive module, said support comprising:
• a planar surface for supporting the subject, said planar surface having a head end and a foot end;
• and
• a footboard connected at the foot end of the planar surface, said footboard rising perpendicularly to the planar surface and having cast shoes for securing the feet of the subject to the support;
• wherein said drive module provides periodic acceleration to the subject by moving in a line parallel to the planar surface of the support while the subject is secured to said support by said cast shoes on said footboard, and the periodic acceleration is alternately in the direction of the head end, and the foot end, of the planar surface, whereby the motion platform adds pulses to fluid filled channels of the body of the subject, and wherein the drive module comprises:
• a frame to which the support is connected;
• and
• at least one pair of rotating counterweights being attached to said frame by a drive shaft, wherein both counterweights in the at least one pair rotate around the drive shaft in the same plane.

A motion platform for providing periodic acceleration to a living subject, comprising:

• a box frame providing a foundation of the motion platform;
• a drive module adjoining said box frame, said drive module operably movable relative to said box frame;
• and
• a support connected to said drive module, said support comprising:
• a planar surface for supporting the subject, said planar surface having a head end and a foot end;
• and
• a footboard connected at the foot end of the planar surface, said footboard rising perpendicularly to the planar surface and having cast shoes for securing the feet of the subject to the support;
• wherein said drive module provides periodic acceleration to the subject by moving in a line parallel to the planar surface of the support while the subject is secured to said support by said cast shoes on said footboard, and the periodic acceleration is alternately in the direction of the head end, and the foot end, of the planar surface, whereby the motion platform adds pulses to fluid filled channels of the body of the subject:
• a mattress attached to the support for the subject to lie on;
• and
• a bolster to be placed above the mattress in a location such that it supports and raises the buttocks region of a supine subject or the pubic region of a prone subject and the mattress supports either the upper back of the supine subject, or the upper chest of the prone subject.

A motion platform for providing periodic acceleration to a living subject, comprising:

• a box frame providing a foundation of the motion platform;
• a drive module adjoining said box frame, said drive module operably movable relative to said box frame;
• and
• a support connected to said drive module, said support comprising:
• a planar surface for supporting the subject, said planar surface having a head end and a foot end;
• and
• a footboard connected at the foot end of the planar surface, said footboard rising perpendicularly to the planar surface and having cast shoes for securing the feet of the subject to the support;
• wherein said drive module provides periodic acceleration to the subject by moving in a line parallel to the planar surface of the support while the subject is secured to said support by said cast shoes on said footboard, and the periodic acceleration is alternately in the direction of the head end, and the foot end, of the planar surface, whereby the motion platform adds pulses to fluid filled channels of the body of the subject;
• a processing means for determining a position of the dicrotic notch of the subject's pulse wave;
• and
• an override means for overriding the movement of the motion platform when the pulse is distorted by the pulses added by the periodic acceleration.

A motion platform for providing periodic acceleration to a living subject, comprising:

• a box frame providing a foundation of the motion platform;
• a drive module adjoining said box frame, said drive module operably movable relative to said box frame;
• and
• a support connected to said drive module, said support comprising:
• a planar surface for supporting the subject, said planar surface having a head end and a foot end;
• and
• a footboard connected at the foot end of the planar surface, said footboard rising perpendicularly to the planar surface and having cast shoes for securing the feet of the subject to the support;
• wherein said drive module provides periodic acceleration to the subject by moving in a line parallel to the planar surface of the support while the subject is secured to said support by said cast shoes on said footboard, and the periodic acceleration is alternately in the direction of the head end, and the foot end, of the planar surface, whereby the motion platform adds pulses to fluid filled channels of the body of the subject;
• a processing means for computing an a/b ratio for the dicrotic notch position;
• wherein the efficacy of the provided periodic acceleration in releasing nitric oxide into the circulation from upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) may be measured.

A motion platform for providing periodic acceleration to a living subject, comprising:

• a box frame providing a foundation of the motion platform, said box frame having four wheel tracks located substantially at the four corners of the top portion of the box frame;
• a drive module having four track wheels located substantially at the four corners of the top portion of the drive module, wherein said track wheels extend from the top portion of the drive module and rest in the wheel tracks of the box frame, whereby the drive module sits within the box frame and is operably movable relative to said box frame, and wherein the drive module comprises:
• a frame with a head end and a foot end;
• a head end pair of counterweights located toward the head end of the frame and attached to the frame by a head end drive shaft around which rotate first and second head end counterweights which share a first plane of rotation, wherein the first head end counterweight rotates in an opposite direction of the second head end counterweight such that their centrifugal forces cancel each other except in the direction of the head end and the foot end;
• and
• a foot end pair of counterweights located toward the foot end of the frame and attached to the frame by a foot end drive shaft around which rotate first and second foot end counterweights which share a second plane of rotation, wherein the first foot end counterweight rotates in an opposite direction of the second foot end counterweight such that their centrifugal forces cancel each other except in the direction of the head end and the foot end;
• wherein the first plane of rotation is the same as the second plane of rotation;
• and
• a support connected to said drive module, said support comprising:
• a planar surface for supporting the subject, said planar surface having a head end connected to the head end of the frame of the drive module, and a foot end connected to the foot end of the frame of the drive module;
• and
• a footboard connected at the foot end of the planar surface, said footboard rising perpendicularly to the planar surface and having cast shoes for securing the feet of the subject to the support;
• wherein said drive module provides periodic acceleration to the subject by moving in a line parallel to the planar surface of the support while the subject is secured to said support by said cast shoes on said footboard, and the periodic acceleration is alternately in the direction of the head end, and the foot end, of the planar surface, whereby the motion platform adds pulses to fluid filled channels of the body of the subject.