System and method for eliciting a relaxation response
OwnerPenelope S. Martininventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosed system and method are directed to qualifying an image(s) and exposing an individual to the qualified image(s) for the purpose of eliciting a relaxation response. More specifically, a sequential rendition of qualified images are presented to either a normal or cognitively impaired person in order to elicit relaxation and/or reduce agitation. Qualified images include those with both particular natural landscape content or elements (e.g., low vegetative growth, an open area, trees, a horizon, a visible sky, an absence of any man-made structures, and fresh water) and a particular average fractal dimension.
Claims23
A method for eliciting a relaxation response, the method comprising:
- obtaining, using a computing device, a plurality of images;
- selecting a subset of images, from said plurality of images, satisfying a plurality of natural landscape selection criteria;
- calculating, with the computing device, an average fractal dimension for each of the images in the subset, where the average fractal dimension is an average of fractal dimensions determined for each image when a plurality of thresholds are applied to each image over a range of thresholds;
- retaining, within memory accessible by a relaxation response display device, each of the images from the subset having a calculated average fractal dimension within a pre-determined range;
- and
- providing the retained images in a serially arranged sequence, and displaying said sequence of images on a relaxation response display device.
A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of images and associated commands for eliciting a relaxation response comprising machine executable code, which, when executed and viewed on a display causes the display of relaxation images to an individual, said relaxation images all including qualifying natural landscape content and qualifying average fractal dimension in the range of 1.3 to 1.5, where the average fractal dimension is determined for each image from fractal dimensions calculated when each of a plurality of thresholds are applied to each image over a range of thresholds.
An apparatus including at least one processor configured to execute programmed instructions, stored in memory for calculating an average fractal dimension of an image qualified to elicit a relaxation response from a viewer, the programmed instructions comprising:
- a) thresholding the image at a threshold (T) to create a thresholded image with black/white interface;
- b) covering at least a portion of the thresholded image with boxes;
- c) counting how many boxes are needed to cover all black/white interface in the thresholded image;
- d) plotting a graph for the thresholded image with a horizontal axis for the graph being a logarithmic representation of box size for the boxes and a vertical axis for the graph being a logarithmic representation of how many boxes are needed to cover the black/white interface in the thresholded image;
- e) determining a slope of a graphed function relating box size and box count for the thresholded image, which is the fractal dimension for the image at the threshold (T);
- f) storing the fractal dimension for the thresholded image;
- g) repeating (a)-(f) for a plurality of thresholds over a range of thresholds;
- and
- h) calculating an average of the calculated fractal dimensions for the image based upon the thresholded image created over the range of thresholds, where the average fractal dimension is an average of the stored fractal dimension for each of the plurality of thresholds over the range of thresholds.
An apparatus including at least one processor configured to execute programmed instructions stored in memory for calculating an average fractal dimension of an image qualified to elicit a relaxation response from a viewer, wherein the processor is further configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory comprising:
- a) thresholding the image at a threshold (T) to create a thresholded image with black/white interface, including converting the image to a black and white thresholded image using each of a plurality of threshold values over a range of X<=T<=Y, wherein the value of X is a threshold value where all pixels in the image are represented as white when T equals X and less, and Y is a threshold value where all pixels in the image are represented as black when T equals Y and greater;
- and
- calculating a fractal dimension for the thresholded image, and further comprising:
- b) covering at least a portion of the thresholded image with boxes;
- c) counting how many boxes are needed to cover all black/white interface in the thresholded image;
- d) plotting a graph for the thresholded image with a horizontal axis for the graph being a logarithmic representation of box size for the boxes and a vertical axis for the graph being a logarithmic representation of how many boxes are needed to cover the black/white interface in the thresholded image;
- e) determining a slope of a graphed function relating box size and box count for the thresholded image, which is the fractal dimension for the image at the threshold (T);
- f) storing the fractal dimension for the thresholded image at the threshold (T);
- g) repeating (a)-(f) for each of the plurality of threshold values over the range;
- and
- h) calculating an average of the stored fractal dimension for each of the plurality of threshold values over the range.
An apparatus including at least one processor configured to execute programmed instructions stored in memory for calculating an average fractal dimension of an image qualified to elicit a relaxation response from a viewer, wherein the processor is further configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory comprising:
- a) thresholding the image at a threshold (T) to create a thresholded image with black/white interface, including
- converting the image to a black and white thresholded image using each of a plurality of threshold values over a range of X<=T<=Y, wherein the value of X is a threshold where structure in the image is represented as black on a white background when T equals X and less, and Y is a threshold value where structure in the image is represented as white on a black background when T equals Y and greater;
- and
- calculating a fractal dimension for the thresholded image, and further comprising:
- b) covering at least a portion of the thresholded image with boxes;
- c) counting how many boxes are needed to cover all black/white interface in the thresholded image;
- d) plotting a graph for the thresholded image with a horizontal axis for the graph being a logarithmic representation of box size for the boxes and a vertical axis for the graph being a logarithmic representation of how many boxes are needed to cover the all black/white interface in the thresholded image;
- e) determining a slope of a graphed function relating box size and box count for the thresholded image, which is the fractal dimension for the image at the threshold (T);
- f) storing the fractal dimension for the thresholded image at the threshold (T);
- g) repeating (a)-(f) for the plurality of threshold values over the range;
- and
- h) calculating an average of the stored fractal dimension for each of the plurality of threshold values over the range.
A relaxation response apparatus, comprising:
- at least one processor;
- a memory, coupled to the at least one processor which is configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory including:
- obtaining a plurality of images;
- selecting a subset of images from the plurality of images which satisfy a plurality of natural landscape selection criteria;
- calculating an average fractal dimension over a range of thresholds for each of the images in the subset of images, where the average fractal dimension is an average of fractal dimensions determined for each of the images when a plurality of thresholds are applied to each of the images over a range of thresholds;
- retaining for display only those images from the subset having a calculated average fractal dimension within a predetermined range;
- storing the retained images in memory in a sequence;
- and
- a device for displaying the retained images in the sequence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.