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AssigneeThe University Court of the University of Edinburgh
InventorsAlasdair MacLullich, Laura Brown, Jonathan Adler
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A testing apparatus for testing a user's sustained attention comprises at least one stimulus-provider and a controller for controlling the stimulus-provider to provide at least one target stimulus, wherein the controller is configured to perform at least one operating procedure and the or each operating procedure comprises controlling the stimulus-provider to provide a sequence of target stimuli to the user.
A testing apparatus for testing a user's attention to distinguish delirium from dementia and normal cognition, comprising a stimulus provider and a controller for controlling the stimulus provider to provide at least one target stimulus, wherein the controller is configured to perform at least one operating procedure and the at least one operating procedure comprises controlling the stimulus provider to provide a sequence of target stimuli to the user, wherein
A method of testing a user's sustained attention, comprising performing at least one operating procedure that comprises providing a sequence of between 1 and 14 target stimuli to the user and monitoring the user's response to the target stimuli, wherein the method further comprises:
A testing apparatus for testing a user's attention, comprising at least one stimulus providing means and a controller for controlling the stimulus providing means to provide at least one target stimulus, wherein the controller is configured to perform at least one operating procedure and the at least one operating procedure comprises controlling the stimulus providing means to provide a sequence of target stimuli to the user, wherein
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Measuring for diagnostic purposes ; Identification of persons: devices for psychotechnics ; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the…
Devices for psychotechnics ; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state: evaluating the state of mind, e.g.…
Diagnosing or monitoring particular conditions of the nervous system: diagnosing of monitoring cognitive diseases, e.g. Alzheimer, prion diseases…
Details of notification to user or communication with user or patient; User input means: using visual displays
About 5 years 2 months of term left · ends 1 Jan 2032 (estimated)
This application is a U. S. national phase filing under 35 U.S.C. §371 of PCT/GB2010/001885 filed Oct. 7,2010, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to testing apparatus and methods, for example testing apparatus and methods for determining a user's ability to sustain attention. The apparatus and methods may be used as part of a determination of the presence or absence of delirium.
Delirium (or ‘acute confusional state’) is a severe neuropsychiatric disorder characterised by acute and fluctuating deficits in attention, arousal and cognitive function. Despite the prognostic importance of early diagnosis and treatment of delirium, it is currently under-studied and is under-detected in clinical settings.
Various aspects of the invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1 is an apparatus for determining sustained attentional performance according to a first aspect of the present invention, the apparatus being in an unlit configuration;
FIG. 2 is an apparatus for determining sustained attentional performance according to a first aspect of the present invention, the apparatus being in a lit configuration;
FIGS. 1 to 4 show a test apparatus in the form of a portable battery-powered device 5 that is operable to implement a series of simple sustained visual attention tasks that do not require rapid stimulus processing or responding. The device 5 comprises a housing 10 and a stimulus provider in the form of two lightable buttons 15, 20, the buttons 15, 20 being located on either side of an LED display 25. The buttons 15, 20 are provided on a plain surface of the device. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the housing 10 is formed of metal or plastic and has dimensions of around 20 cm by 5-7 cm by 12-15 cm, but any suitable material and suitably-sized housing may be used.
As shown in FIG. 4, the device 5 also comprises a processor 30 for controlling operation of the device 5 and processing measurements, a memory 35 for storing data, a driver 40 controllable by the processor 30 for operating the LED display and the lightable buttons 15, 20, and a communications unit 45 for communicating with a computer (not shown) to allow programming of the device 5. The communications unit may comprise a standard interface for communicating with a PC or other computer, for example a USB port. The processor 30 and associated system may be, for example, based around a PIC microcontroller and a custom designed Printed Circuit Board (PCB).
Each button 15, 20 covers a respective light source (not shown), such as an LED or bulb for lighting the respective button 15, 20. The light sources 15, 20 may be LEDs, due to the improved response times over bulbs, which allows better correlation of intended and actual illumination times. The lightable buttons 15, 20 are formed from a opalescent material, which in this embodiment is non-coloured. In this way, when the respective light source is lit, the respective button 15 appears lit, as shown in FIG. 2. When the respective light source is unlit, the button 15, 20 appears solid and the light source is not visible, as shown in FIG. 1. The lighting of the light sources is controllable by the processor 30 via the driver 40.