System and Method For Suppressing Vestibular Activity Of A Human Subject

Abstract

A system for suppressing vestibular activity of a human subject includes an electronics module configured to generate one or more electrical stimulation signals. A plurality of electrodes each placed proximate a predetermined location on a head of a human subject is configured to deliver the one or more electrical stimulation signals to the predetermined location to suppress vestibular activity of the human subject.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for suppressing vestibular activity of a human subject, the system comprising:
 an electronics module configured to generate one or more electrical stimulation signals; and   a plurality of electrodes each placed proximate a predetermined location on a head of a human subject and configured to deliver the one or more electrical stimulation signals to the predetermined location to suppress vestibular activity of the human subject.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  in which the plurality of electrodes are bi-laterally placed on opposing sides of the head. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  in which the predetermined location includes a mastoid process of the human subject. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  in which the predetermined location includes the ear of the human subject. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  in which the predetermined location includes a temporal bone of the human subject. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  1  in which the one or more electrical stimulation signals include one or more direct current (DC) signals. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  in which the one or more stimulation signals include one or more DC signals each with an imposed carrier wave. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  in which the one or more stimulation signals include one or more alternating current (AC) signals. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  in which the one or more electrical stimulation signals are configured to hyperpolarize and/or depolarized cells located at each predetermined location to create a desired induced perception of motion. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  in which the plurality of electrodes is configured to deliver electrical stimulation to suppress the vestibular system of the human subject to actual motion such that perception of motion of the human subject is reduced. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  in which the suppression of the vestibular system of the human subject to actual motion decreases motion sickness that may arise from motion sensed by the human subject. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1  in which the plurality of electrodes includes a first pair of electrodes placed on one side of the head of the human subject at the predetermined location, another pair of electrodes placed on an opposite side of the head of the human subject at the predetermined location, and a ground electrode placed on the head or neck of the human subject. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  in which each pair of electrodes includes an electrode configured as positive electrode and an electrode configured as a negative electrode. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13  in which the one or more electrical stimulation signals are configured as one or more DC signals applied to each positive and negative electrode such that the one or more DC signals are transmitted from the positive electrode located at high predetermined location on the head of the human subject to the negative electrode located at a low location on the head of the human subject to suppress vestibular activity. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  in which the high predetermined location includes a high location on a mastoid process of the human subject and the low location includes a low location on mastoid process of the human subject. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13  in which the one or more electrical stimulation signals are configured as one or more DC signals each imposed carrier wave applied in phase to each positive and negative electrode such that the one or more DC signals with the imposed carrier waves are transmitted from the positive electrode at a high predetermined location to the negative electrode at a low predetermined location to suppress vestibular activity. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13  in which the one or more electrical stimulation signals are configured as one or more DC signals each imposed carrier wave applied temporally offset to each positive and negative electrode such that the one or more DC signals with the imposed carrier waves are transmitted from the positive electrode at a high predetermined location on one side of the head to the negative electrode at a low predetermined location on an opposite side of the head to suppress vestibular activity. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 18  in which the high predetermined location includes a high location on mastoid process and the low predetermined location includes a low location on mastoid process of the human subject. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1  in which the plurality of electrodes include one electrode placed on one side of the head of the human subject at the predetermined location and another electrode is placed on an opposite side of the head of the human subject at the predetermined location. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  in which the one or more electrical stimulation signals are configured as one or more AC signals applied to the electrode placed on one side of the head and the electrode placed on one the opposite side of the head such that the one or more AC signals are transmitted back and forth from one electrode at its maximum current at the predetermined location on one side of the head to the another electrode at its maximum negative current at the predetermined location on an opposite side of the head of the human subject to suppress vestibular activity. 
     
     
         21 . A method for suppressing vestibular activity of a human subject, the method comprising:
 generating one or more electrical stimulation signals; and   delivering the one or more electrical stimulation signals to a plurality of electrodes each placed proximate a predetermined location on a head of the human subject such that the one or more electrical stimulation signals suppress vestibular activity of the human subject.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  further including bilaterally placing the electrodes on opposing sides of the head of the human subject at the predetermined location. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  in which the one or more electrical stimulation signals hyperpolarize and/or depolarize cells located at each predetermined location to create a desired induced perception of motion. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  further including delivering electrical stimulation to suppress the vestibular system of the human subject to actual motion such that perception of motion of the human subject is reduced. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  in which the suppression of the vestibular system of the human subject to actual motion decreases motion sickness that may arise from motion sensed by the human subject. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  21  in which the one or more electrical stimulation signals include one or more of: one or more direct current (DC) signals, one or more DC signals each with an imposed carrier wave, and one or more alternating current (AC) signals. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21  in which the one more electrical stimulation signals include one or more DC signals transmitted from a positive electrode at a high predetermined location on one side of the head to the negative electrode at a low predetermined location on an opposite side of the head to suppress vestibular activity. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21  in which the one more electrical stimulation signals include one or more DC signals with the imposed carrier waves transmitted in phase from a positive electrode at a high predetermined location on one side of the head to the negative electrode at a low predetermined location on an opposite side of the head to suppress vestibular activity. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21  in which the one more electrical stimulation signals include one or more DC signals with the imposed carrier waves transmitted temporally offset from a positive electrode at a high predetermined location on one side of the head to the negative electrode at a low predetermined location on an opposite side of the head to suppress vestibular activity. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21  in which the one more electrical stimulation signals include one or more AC signals transmitted from an electrode on one side of the head at the determined location to an electrode on an opposite side of the head to suppress vestibular activity.