Brainwave entrainment using virtual objects and gamification

Abstract

A system and method for brainwave entrainment using virtual objects and gamification, in which brainwave entrainment is applied using some combination of gaming elements, brainwave is enhanced by virtue of the user’s active participation, and long-term use is encouraged by virtue of the entertaining nature of the gamification. Depending on configuration, the system and method may comprise a display comprising virtual objects, a light-producing device (other than the display), an audio-producing device such as speakers or headphones, a haptic feedback device such as a vibratory motor, a means for monitoring the user’s attention, and a software application which applies brainwave entrainment using some combination of the display, the light-producing device, the audio-producing device, and the haptic feedback device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for brainwave entrainment using virtual objects, comprising:
 a computing device comprising a memory and a processor;   a display;   a therapy manager comprising a first plurality of programming instructions stored in the memory and operating on the processor, wherein the first plurality of programming instructions, when operating on the processor, causes the computing device to:
 receive a therapy regimen; 
 select a plurality of stimuli based on the therapy regimen; 
 receive data from a software application, the data comprising a location of a virtual object displayed on the display; and 
 based on the therapy regimen selected, instruct the software application to change a visual state of the virtual object on the display based on at least one of the selected plurality of stimuli. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the software application comprises a second plurality of programming instructions stored in the memory and operating on the processor, wherein the second plurality of programming instructions, when operating on the processor, causes the computing device to:
 operate a game on the computing device, the game comprising the virtual object displayed on the display;   receive the instruction to change the visual state of the virtual object; and   change the visual state of the virtual object on the display based on at least one of the selected plurality of stimuli.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the therapy manager is further configured to change at least one of the selected plurality of stimuli based on feedback. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising a biometric sensor configured to measure biometric data from the user, and wherein the feedback comprises the biometric data. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the feedback comprises a determination of a user’s attention level based on the biometric data. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the stimulus is selected and applied based on historical biometric data. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the received feedback is monitored for changes in the user’s attention level. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein upon detecting a change in the user’s attention level from the monitored feedback, the historical data is updated to indicate the correlation between the applied stimulus and the detected change. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an external transducer selected from the list of an audio speaker, an audio headphone, a haptic headband, and a vibrating game controller, wherein at least one of the selected plurality of stimuli is an operating frequency for the external transducer. 
     
     
         10 . A method for brainwave entrainment using virtual objects, comprising the steps of: 
 receiving, at a therapy manager, a therapy regimen;   selecting a plurality of stimuli based on the therapy regimen;   receiving data from a software application, the data comprising a location of a virtual object displayed on the display; and   based on the therapy regimen selected, instructing the software application to change a visual state of the virtual object on the display based on at least one of the selected plurality of stimuli.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:
 operating a game on the computing device, the game comprising the virtual object displayed on the display;   receive the instruction to change the visual state of the virtual object; and   change the visual state of the virtual object on the display based on at least one of the selected plurality of stimuli.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the therapy manager is further configured to change at least one of the selected plurality of stimuli based on feedback. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of measuring, using a biometric sensor, biometric data from the user, wherein the feedback comprises the biometric data. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the feedback comprises a determination of a user’s attention level based on the biometric data. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the stimulus is selected and applied based on historical biometric data. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the received feedback is monitored for changes in the user’s attention level. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein upon detecting a change in the user’s attention level from the monitored feedback, the historical data is updated to indicate the correlation between the applied stimulus and the detected change. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of selecting an external transducer from the list of an audio speaker, an audio headphone, a haptic headband, and a vibrating game controller, wherein at least one of the selected plurality of stimuli is an operating frequency for the external transducer.